Wanted Dead or Alive

This powerful message confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: we are all wanted, dead or alive. God wants us for eternal life, but the enemy seeks our destruction through temptation and compromise. Drawing wisdom from an unexpected source—chess—we learn that spiritual victory isn't about making brilliant moves, but about avoiding fatal mistakes. The fewer blunders we make, the stronger we stand. This sermon tackles head-on the doctrine of eternal security and the terrifying reality of apostasy found in Hebrews 6 and 10. We discover that while nothing can snatch us from God's hand, we retain the free will to walk away. The message challenges popular grace teachings that suggest Christians can live however they want without consequence, while also correcting harsh legalism that leaves believers uncertain of their salvation. Through the story of Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of stew, we see how easily we can count our faith as a common thing—something negotiable when pressure comes. As we approach the end times and the rise of the Antichrist's economic control, the question becomes urgent: if we compromise now over small temptations, what will we do when faced with the mark of the beast? This isn't about losing salvation through accidental sin, but about the deliberate, habitual turning away from grace back to worldly ways. The call is clear: prepare spiritually now, guard your faith fiercely, and recognize that enduring to the end requires conscious effort, not passive assumption.