Category Archives: Salvation
What are Wheat and Tares?
by Mike Ratliff
9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 Who said, I heard thy voice in the garden and was afraid: because I was naked, therefore I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 Then the man said, The woman which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the Lord God said to the woman, Why hast thou done this? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 ¶ Then the Lord God said to the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.
15 I will also put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall break thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:9-15 (1599 Geneva Bible)24 ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while men slept, there came his enemy and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 And when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 Then came the servants of the householder, and said unto him, Master, sowest thou not good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 And he said unto them, Some envious man hath done this. Then the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay, lest while ye go about to gather the tares, ye pluck up also with them the wheat.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye first the tares, and bind them in sheaves to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 13:24-30 (1599 Geneva Bible)36 Then sent Jesus the multitude away, and went into the house. And his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of that field.
37 Then answered he, and said to them, He that soweth the good seed, is the son of man,
38 And the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom, and the tares are the children of that wicked one.
39 And the enemy that soweth them, is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers be the Angels.
40 As then the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity,
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the just men shine as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:36-43 (1599 Geneva Bible)
When I lived in the Kansas City area, I had a preacher ask me what a tare was. He knew that I was from Oklahoma and he thought I would know. I am no country boy, but when I was a young man, I worked in a grain elevator. Actually, most wheat farmers I knew complained about a weed, which grew in their fields, they called “Cheat.” I may not be spelling it correctly. I have seen the weed though. Wheat looks like a thick-bladed grass when it is young and green. “Cheat” is a native rye grass whose species name is Lolium Temulentum. When it is young, it looks just like the Wheat. However, when it matures, it has a head on it as Wheat does, but you can tell them apart. Wheat has value, but “Cheat” is a nuisance. We offered a Wheat cleaning service to farmers just prior to planting. To clean Wheat seed we ran it through a screening process to remove any other seeds that were not Wheat. We would drop the grain down a chute into a cleaning machine that had several well-placed screens that allowed only the Wheat grains to make it through the process. The rest of the chaff and weed seeds were waste, which we bagged . Some of the farmers took that bagged waste and fed it to their chickens. Continue reading
Genuine Christians are dead to sin while being alive to God
by Mike Ratliff
6 But the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wise, ,Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is to bring Christ from above.)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is to bring Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thine heart. This is the word of faith which we preach.
9 For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth man confesseth to salvation. Romans 10:6-10 (1599 Geneva Bible)
Easter was just a few weeks ago as I write this. It’s over, but it seems like we are still in some sort of “Easter season.” Of all the markers we celebrate as Christians, Easter was the one I had the hardest time understanding when I was a small child. It seemed so wrapped up in chocolate bunnies and Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts, dressing up in new clothes for church, et cetera. My mother tried to help me see the Biblical connection with our Lord’s Resurrection, but I failed to make sense of it until I was older. I saw it as a teen and young adult, but did not really “get it” until God had mercy on me, a sinner, and resurrected me unto new life as a Christian. God saved me when I was about 35, married with two young children. My parents never stopped praying for God to save me. My mother told my wife that she and my dad would pray together every morning at the breakfast table and that prayer for my salvation was always part of that. I knew nothing about that until my wife told me several years later. After she told me then the day that I was drawn to Christ suddenly made sense. I was at church, walking down a hallway after dropping my son off at his Sunday School class going to meet my wife at our class. I was just a few feet away from the door when I was overwhelmed with the realization that I was lost and was out of time. It was as if my mind was full of darkness and I could not think of anything else except my impeding judgment. However, I also knew what the Word said about the Gospel and so later that day, after suffering for hours like that, I surrendered. I turned my heart to the Lord and prayed. I told the Lord that I received Him as my Lord asking Him to forgive me of my sins and then accepted Jesus as my Savior. I simply asked Him to save me on those terms. That darkness in my heart vanished and was replaced with tremendous joy. We went back to church that evening and I went to my pastor and told him what happened. He had me pray with my Sunday School teacher. I was baptized a week later. The next Saturday, my wife and I went Bible shopping at a local Christian book store. I got a Ryrie Study Bible that I read to pieces in just a few years. She got one as well. It was after we joined the same church we are members of now that we took a class to discover what our spiritual gift(s) are. Mine is primarily teaching, but the leader of that class said that the Bible called that gift “prophecy.” I don’t consider myself a prophet at all, but God has given me wisdom, discernment and the ability to read His Word and teach from it. I am also able to discern false teachings almost instantly just by reading what is written or listening to what a false teacher says. That is the working of the Holy Spirit, not me.
Your Faith has saved you; go in peace.
by Mike Ratliff
50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:50 (LSB)
One of the blessings we are experiencing in our church is the discipleship that is being undertaking through our small groups that meet in households usually on Sunday evenings. Our church leadership has given us a program of Bible Study and prayer initiatives to follow. Right now we have a program in which everyone has a set of Bible verses to study each week to pray for God to open up His truths to us about His nature and our faith. Today’s New Testament passage was Luke 7:36-50. I have posted the entire passage below. Continue reading
A Journey into the truth
by Mike Ratliff
Before God opened my Heart to the truth about the doctrines of grace, I always assumed that I was saved because I decided to commit myself to Christ and accept Him as Lord and savior. Along with that, I also assumed that God rewarded that decision by saving me by the new birth. In other words, I was Born Again because I chose to believe. I mean, after all, don’t we have to choose to be saved? Don’t we preach that sinners must take that first step? If we take the first step then the savior will take the rest, etc. I believed that was how Christians became Christians for most of my life. Continue reading
A Genuine Evangelist
by Mike Ratliff
The Church in the “West” appears to have lost its way. Around the middle of the 20th Century the method used to “do church” in the United States changed. Prior to this, most churches held two “services” each Sunday. One would be primarily devoted to evangelism while the other would be used to exhort and encourage the body. Along with the evangelical service there would a associated prayer meetings. The “message” preached during this service would start with God and end with God. Those in attendance would hear about God’s Holiness, Righteousness, Justice and Wrath against all sin. They would hear about God’s requirements for eternal life. Only after these realities were on the table would the good news be preached. Continue reading
Death in Adam Life in Christ
by Mike Ratliff
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the trespass of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. Romans 5:12-14 (LSB)
Those professing Christians who for one reason or another believe they should attack the doctrines of grace usually begin with arguments against the Doctrine of Original Sin. Of course, I know many who I would call doctrinally ignorant like I was for the first couple of decades after the Lord saved me who simply do not know what the doctrines of grace really are. They only hear the “noise” from the “haters” out there who simply cannot believe that God’s Sovereignty overrides their free will. In this post, let us look at our salvation by grace through faith that the Pelagians (whether they know they are or not) tell us we can “make everything right between us and God” by our own willpower alone. Continue reading
What is it that prevails over death?
by Mike Ratliff
13 ¶ ,Now when Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the son of man, am?
14 And they said, Some say, John Baptist: and some, Elijah: and others, Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets.
15 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 Then Simon Peter answered, and said, Thou art that Christ, the son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered, and said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon, the son of Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, that thou art ,Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church: and the gates of hell shall not overcome it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then he charged his disciples, that they should tell no man that he was Jesus that Christ.Matthew 16:13-20 (1599 Geneva Bible)
Genuine Christians, God’s heirs, are those who have believed.
16 ,For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (1599 Geneva Bible)
Carefully read this very familiar passage from John Chapter 3. Who is it that does not perish, but has eternal life? It is whoever believes in the Son. Not everyone who attempts to “follow” Jesus believes.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus answered them, and said, Verily, verily I say unto you, Ye seek me not, because ye saw the miracles, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered, and said unto them, ,This is the work of God, that ye believe in him, whom he hath sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign showest thou then, that we may see it, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our fathers did eat Manna in the desert, as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you that true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 Then they said unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am that bread of life: he that cometh to me, shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me, shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not. John 6:25-36 (1599 Geneva Bible)
Continue reading
Therefore Make your Calling and Election Sure
by Mike Ratliff
22 Having purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, to love brotherly without feigning, love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the word of God, who liveth and endureth forever.
24 For all ,flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth away.
25 But the word of the Lord endureth forever: and this is the word which is preached among you. 1 Peter 1:22-25 (1599 Geneva Bible)
The Puritans had a term they used in their theological writings and discussions describing professing believers who fell away or were in some way not consistent in their walk. They called them “temporary believers.” This may be a little offensive to many these days, but there are untold numbers of Pastors, Deacons, Elders, Evangelists, or whatever in our churches in our time who would not even qualify for membership in a 17th Century Puritan Church. As I have stated many times, I grew up in Oklahoma as a Southern Baptist. I have seen literally hundreds (if not more) of “invitations.” In a large percentage of these invitations, people walked an aisle, prayed a sinner’s prayer, was Baptised, and made a full member of the church. All of this taking place in a just a period of days. I have also observed a staggeringly high percentage of those professing believers last only a short period of time before disappearing from church never to be seen again. Continue reading
I Am the Good Shepherd
by Mike Ratliff
1 Verily, verily I say unto you, He that entereth not in by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up another way, he is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that goeth in by the door, is the shepherd of the sheep. John 10:1-2 (1599 Geneva Bible)
Just because a person claims to be a Christian does not mean that he or she is Regenerate, Justified, Sanctified, or Adopted into God’s family. Many base their standing as a Christian on religious acts they have done. Others claim salvation based upon their good words plus their religion. Tragically, there are also many, and more each day it seems, “Christian leaders” who preach and teach things that they portray as the Good News, but are, instead, only the result of marketing techniques. Continue reading
Making Your Calling and Election Sure
by Mike Ratliff
10 Wherefore, brethren, give rather diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. 2 Peter 1:10 (1599 Geneva Bible)
How can we know if we are truly in Christ? Or you may ask, “What is the fruit which genuine believers bear?” If true salvation is as impacting on a believers life as we contend then there should be verifiable evidence or fruit manifested in that life. The problem is in knowing what evidences really prove the presence of God in a person’s life and those that do not. I have noticed most professing Christians look at the wrong things in their self-evaluations to determine if they are in Christ. Real evidence of the presence of God in a person’s life will be the fruits of salvation. These fruits will in turn lead to outward manifestations of “goodness” or “religiosity” which, unfortunately, can be counterfeited. These outward manifestations are often what we look at to determine if we are a “good Christian” or not. My brethren, this is a fallacy. Any activity or attitude that can be counterfeited by a false believer cannot be used to verify ones salvation.
Salvation and transformation
by Mike Ratliff
16 Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχύνομαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, δύναμις γὰρ θεοῦ ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι. (Romans 1:16 NA28)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16 translated from the NA28 Greek text)
The very first time I raised concerns about the Kansas City Prophets and the International House of Prayer over 25 years ago over their extra-biblical activities, I was rebuked by another professing Christian with this statement, “You just don’t understand what is going on. If people’s lives are being changed then God is working so you should just shut up.” Back in 2006 when God opened my eyes to what the leadership at our church back in Olathe, KS was doing with the Purpose Driven stuff and I raised the alarm I was rebuked again with pretty much the same argument. I was told that I should just kick back and cooperate so that the church could peacefully go Purpose Driven so that God could work there and people’s lives could be changed. When I began commenting on the old Slice of Laodicea blog about that same time, those PDC apologists who hated our firm stance against it said very much the same thing. If you listen to Rick Warren speak when talking about what a great ministry Saddleback Valley Baptist Church is, he will always try to emphasize the thousands of people whose lives have been transformed or changed. When we lived in the Kansas City area the World Revival Church there used the very same theme in their TV advertisements. Their ads on our local TV channels seemed to always talk about the hundreds of lives transformed or changed through that ministry. Continue reading
On Faith and Coming to Christ, and the True Bread of Heaven
A sermon by Martin Luther
JOHN 6:44-55: No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Continue reading
The washing of regeneration
by Mike Ratliff
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27 (LSB)
4 But when the kindness and affection of God our Savior appeared, 5 He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7 (LSB)
Many false teachers in the past and currently have taken the word “washing” in the two passages above and taught that this refers to baptism. However, a careful reading of the text reveals that baptism is never mentioned nor is the Greek word for baptism used by Paul in either passage, therefore, we know that he, inspired by the Holy Spirit, was writing about something else entirely. Continue reading
Possessing the Treasure 
