Pleasant Words Only

Isaiah 30:8-11 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

8Go now, write it on a tablet in their presence
and inscribe it on a scroll;
it will be for the days to come,
a witness forever and ever.
9These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.
10They say to the seers,
“Stop seeing visions!”
and to the prophets,
“Do not prophesy to us the truth!
Speak to us pleasant words;
prophesy illusions.
11Get out of the way; turn off the road.
Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!”

This is definitely where we are today, at least where I live in the USA. So many have rejected the gospel message taught by Jesus Christ and by His New Testament apostles, taught in the correct biblical context. But this is coming from the top down, i.e. from church denominations and from Bible colleges and Seminaries and their teachers, and from business marketing training for pastors on how to grow their churches. And then it is being passed down to the church via the pastors who have embraced the lies.

And I am not saying that all these people are doing this, but it appears that the majority have rejected the biblical gospel in favor of the “pleasant words” the people largely prefer to hear. Anything regarded as negative is being discarded in favor of all that is considered positive, but in the eyes of humans, and not from the perspective of God and His Word. Sin is largely being accepted as just the normal course of life, and teachings against sin and calls for repentance are becoming taboo, i.e. forbidden and disregarded.

So, if you are someone who believes the Scriptures and who is teaching the truth of the Gospel, don’t be surprised if the majority of people professing Christ as their Savior reject what you teach, for they reject what Jesus taught. For they don’t want to hear the truth. They want to hear the “feel good” stuff which does not confront them in their sin and call them to repentance and to obedience to God’s commands. They want to hear pleasant words which give them comfort in their sinful lifestyles.

Not Willing to Repent

Isaiah 30:15 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

15For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said:
“By repentance and rest
you would be saved;
your strength would lie in quiet confidence—
but you were not willing.”

Jesus Christ taught that to come to Him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) Him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to His commands, in His power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

Repentance (turning away from sin) and obedience to our Lord’s commands are required by God as necessary components of faith which saves. They are not optional, i.e. recommended only, and they are not to be altogether discarded, as many are teaching these days. Far too many people professing the name of Jesus have bought into the lies which tell them that all they have to do is “believe” and now they are saved and on their way to heaven, but without actually biblically defining what it really means to “believe.”

For faith in Jesus Christ, which comes from God, and is not of our own doing, is gifted to us by God, and it is persuaded of God as to His righteousness and holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of God’s requirements that we deny self, die to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience to His commands. So this biblical faith is something that is ongoing and which will not be completed until Jesus Christ returns to judge the people and to take His faithful bride to be with Him for eternity. So we must stay the course to the very end.

The Grace of God

Isaiah 30:18 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

18Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
therefore He rises to show you compassion,
for the LORD is a just God.
Blessed are all who wait for Him.

God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. For Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

So, God’s grace is not a free ride to heaven based off lip service to God only. It is not Jesus just handing us salvation, no strings attached. The grace of God sent Jesus Christ to the cross to put our sins to death with Him so that by faith in Him we will now die with Him to sin and walk in His holiness and righteousness in obedience to His commands. Grace is not freedom to keep on in your sin. God’s grace offers you the opportunity to die with Christ to sin and to now live in victory over sin, by His grace, in obedience to God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Unwilling to Obey
An Original Work / August 11, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Search me, O God

By James E. Orr, 1936

Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy word and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.

Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord, in me abide.

O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me;
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.

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