Why Christians Fail by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 There have been those who have made a start as a Christian, and then later fell aside. And isn't that what Jesus is talking about in the Parable of the Planter?-- ___Matthew chapter 13 1 The same day, Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to him, so that he went into a ship and sat, and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spoke many things to them in parables, and said, "See, a planter went out to plant, 4 And when he planted, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them up, 5 Some fell on stony places, where they didn't have much earth, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth, 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked them, 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." The Planter planting the seed is a given. Then there are four categories regarding the seed: 1) the wayside, 2) stony places, 3) thorns, 4) good ground. If we'll put forth some effort, we can make sure we're in the good ground category that produces a hundredfold, or sixtyfold, or thirtyfold. I've asked the Lord to help me to be hundredfold. 12 So, my beloved, as you've always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Phil 2:12,13) And Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint." (Luke 18:1) Notice above in Matt 13:9, "If you have ears, hear." Some people with ears don't use their ears very well. If it's just among you and your friends, and you're not listening very closely, it may not hurt you much. But when it's Jesus talking, if we're not listening well, it could damage us a great deal. And some might even wind up in a fiery hell where their worms don't die, and where the fire is never quenched, and where there's crying and gnashing of teeth, says Jesus. Of the four categories in the Parable of the Planter, only one of them is good. The others are wayside, stony places, and thorns. Jesus goes on in Matt chapt 13 to explain these other categories. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and doesn't understand it, then the wicked one comes, and catches away what was planted in his heart. This is he who received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, is he that hears the word, and with joy receives it, 21 Yet doesn't have roots in himself, but endures for a while, because when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, then he becomes offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. To avoid the wayside category, we should ask God to increase our understanding, so that we understand the Word of God well. To avoid the stony places category, we must be strong against tribulation and persecution. If non-Christians make fun of you for being a Christian, would that be reason enough for you to go with them to hell, where they're headed? Jesus said, "In the world, you'll have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jhn 16:33) To avoid the thorns category, we must resist the deceitfulness of riches, and the cares of this world, and (from Mrk 4:19) the lusts of other things. In fact, Peter speaks of "the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Pet 1:4) No doubt this would include pornography. And pornography has been the downfall of many young men, and even for some older men. There are two kinds: the visual kind of pornography, and dirty stories. God hates both, and both kinds send people to hell. In my book, "Can Christians Lose their Salvation?", I tell about a man who started out as a Christian. I believe he loved the Lord. But I believe he got into the thorns category in the Parable of the Planter. And it seemed that most of his friends were unbelievers. If you're a Christian, shouldn't most of your friends be Christians? The man made the mistake, too, of having an unbeliever as his girlfriend for more than two decades. In 2 Cor 6:14, we are told not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers... In his defense, he might say, "But I didn't marry her." Yes, he didn't marry her, but he let her be the most important woman in his life, and perhaps the most important person in his life. Is not that a kind of yoking? At first, he was talking about witnessing to her to win her to Jesus. But now, it appears that rather than his winning her to Jesus, she has won him over to going with her to hell, where everyone goes who is not born-again. (John chapt 3) I believe this man has let himself get over into the Hebrews chapt 6 category,-- 4 For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify to themselves the Son of God again, and put him to an open shame. 7 For the earth that drinks in the rain that often comes on it, and produces vegetables appropriate for the farmers, receives blessing from God, 8 But that which produces thorns and briers is rejected, and is near cursing, whose end is to be burned. The man told me that he had quit being a Christian. I said, "You're talking like a man on his way to hell." Do I want him to go to hell? No, but I can't run his life for him, and he's made a lot of bad choices. If you make enough bad choices, you can send yourself to hell, even if you were once a Christian. Jesus said, "He that endures to the end shall be saved." (Matt 10:22) Jesus said, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life." (Rev 2:10) The man was a Christian from his youth. But then, half a century later, he decided to quit being a Christian. Did he endure to the end? No. Was he faithful until death? No. And I made efforts to get him back on the right road, but he wouldn't do so. What a pity. Chapter 2 My Mother was a Christian, and loved the Lord, but she made a serious mistake by marrying an unbeliever. We are told not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers...(2 Cor 6:14) But my Mother married an unbeliever. She later told me that she expected that if she married him, he would become a Christian. But he never did. So she had about sixty seven years of a rocky marriage, before her passing on. In Joshua chapt 9, the children of Israel got into trouble by making a league with the Gibeonites because they should have asked advice from God, and didn't. And the Lord had previously told them not to make a league with the inhabitants of the land. But you see, they leaned to their own understanding. 5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean to your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he'll direct your paths." (Prov 3:5,6) Here is a passage from 2 Peter,-- ___2 Peter chapter 1 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue, 4 By which are given to us very great and precious promises, so that by these you'll be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, 6 And to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are in you, and are plentiful, they'll keep you from being barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacks these things is blind, and can't see far off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 So rather, brothers, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, you'll never fall, 11 That's how an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Notice vs 10-- Be diligent to get yourself to heaven. Christians should pray every day, and read at least a chapter a day in the Bible. If you're a Christian, Jesus wants you to be baptized not just in water, but also to be baptized with the Holy Ghost with the speaking in unknown tongues. You get it from Jesus. Ask Jesus for it, and when you pray, believe that you receive the things you ask for, and you shall have them. (Mrk 11:24) When Jesus baptizes you with the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost will give you words to speak in a strange language that you don't understand. Then, you add your voice, and speak out those strange words. Thereafter, you should pray some ever day in the unknown tongue. It will strengthen your faith (Jude vs 20) And you'll be able to pray in the unknown tongue for things that you didn't know how to pray about in your native tongue. (Rom 8:26) To do a good job as Christians, we must also exercise our God-given authority over the devil and his demons. Luke 10:19,-- "See, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall in any way hurt you." Jesus has given us Christians power over all the power of the enemy, and Ephesians chapt 6 shows us that our main enemy is the devil and his demons. We exercise that authority over the enemy by speaking words out of our mouths. Words like this: "Satan, and all demons, I command you to cease in your operations and desist in your maneuvers against me and my family, in Jesus' name. Take your hands off our finances." Then stay in faith, and expect that your words are doing the job. But you may have to talk like that again on another occasion. Mark 16:17,18 says, "And these signs shall follow those who believe, in my name they'll cast out devils, they'll speak with new languages, They shall pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it won't hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they'll recover." There are some Christians who are trusting that their church will get them to heaven. In Houston, my wife and I broke bread with Charles and Elizabeth Melton. They had come out of the Catholic church. ("Come out of her, my people," says Jesus in Rev 18:4.) The Meltons said that when they were Catholics, they were taught that you'll go to heaven by being a good Catholic. No, Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) There is no church that can get you to heaven without your getting born again. More on that later in this book. So the Meltons, like Martin Luther, came out of the Catholic church and became Protestants. Have you not noticed that the top Catholic, the Pope, when Boko Haram kidnapped those hundreds of girls said that he would pray to Mary about it. No one in the Bible ever prayed to Mary, and there is no scripture supporting the praying to Mary. In fact, there is scripture against praying to Mary. One of the Ten Commandments is, "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exo 20:3) To pray to Mary is to treat her like God, and is therefore the sin of idolatry. You pray only to God, and not to Mary. Please see my book, "Is Mary the Mother of God?" The Rosary is a prayer addressed to Mary. I believe that every time someone prays the Rosary, they are sinning by doing so. Here's something else about the Pope. The Pope has come out publicly against the death penalty, including when he spoke before the U.S. Congress. But in Numbers chapter 35, God clearly requires murderers to be executed.-- 33 "So you shall not pollute the land in which you are, for blood defiles the land, and the land can't be cleansed from the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of him that shed it. 34 Therefore don't defile the land that you'll inhabit, in which I live, for I the Lord live among the children of Israel." Seeing then, that God requires murderers to be executed, and that the land is polluted if we don't, HOW CAN THE POPE BE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY? Is the Pope smarter than God? Of course not. So why does the Pope go contrary to the teachings of God's book, the Bible? "Come out of her (the Catholic church) my people," says Jesus. (Rev 18:4) Judgment Day will come, and on Judgment Day, I believe that we will see that some of the Popes will be spending Eternity in hell. Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation." ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.