Why Did Jesus HAVE To Die? "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22).
Why won't God simply forgive someone who comes to Him and says sorry? Why can't God just say, “That's OK,” and keep on saying it even if we sin, day in and day out? Why do we HAVE to go through Jesus for the forgiveness of sin?
The first thing we need to know is that when we sin, we are rebelling against God. When David sinned with Bathsheba he said to the Lord, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psa 51:4). The reason sin is rebellion against God is because He made us in His image and wrote His laws on our conscience. Even before we are saved, our conscience tells us if something is sinful but we love our sin and we usually just do it anyway, in direct defiance of our Holy Maker. We do whatever we think we can get away with. In this way we rebel against God and reject His authority. So, how does God look upon our rebellion?
He hates it! Rev. 21:27 says that nothing impure will enter heaven because God is absolutely Holy and Righteous, and evil cannot exist in His presence. Psa. 5:4 says, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell” and Hab. 1:13 says, “Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil”. In His hatred of sin, God has said, “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23) so the whole human race is under a death sentence because "all have sinned" (Rom. 3:23). Because our sin condemns us, God, in His great love, sent Jesus to die in our place so that through Jesus we can be forgiven and enter into His presence.
God's own law says that death is the penalty for sin so He cannot simply forgive as "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). So, to make a way to forgive us, God put the sins of the world on Jesus who shed His blood as though He was the guilty one. So now, when anyone repents of their sins, God forgives them and accepts Jesus' death as punishment for their sin. In this way, God has satisfied His own law which says that sin must be punished by death.
Regarding forgiveness, when we first repent and are saved, God forgives all the sins of our past and He sends the Holy Spirit into our life to give us the power we need to resist future sin (Rom. 8:2-4). When we sin, after being saved, God will continue to forgive us - IF we confess and repent of the sin.1 John 1:9 tells Christians, “IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. There is not a verse in the Bible which tells us that our future sins are forgiven. All future sin must be brought under the blood of Jesus. If we fail to confess new sin then that sin remains under the death penalty and will keep us out of God's presence. Psa. 66:18 says, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened".
So, to make it possible for us to enter into God's presence, Jesus had to die to pay the penalty of death for sin. Jesus' death satisfied God's law and allows Him, as our just Judge, to forgive us when we repent and accept Jesus as our Saviour.
Suicide
Do those who suicide go to hell? There are a few points to consider -
1) The 6th Commandment, "You shall not murder" (Exod. 20:13) is cited as proof that suicide victims will go to hell. However, the natural connotation of murder is what one person does to another and suicide does not fit this meaning. It is a stretch to say that killing oneself is included in the 6th Commandment. Other important points to consider are ...
2) We are saved by repentance and believing in the Lord Jesus. A person who suicides has certainly given up on life but has not necessarily given up on the Lord. Who can understand the depths of depression and say that suicide victims renounce the Lord? The Lord's promise is never to forsake us, unless we first forsake Him ... Heb. 13:5 & 2 Tim 2:12.
3) There is an unforgivable sin and that sin is apostasy as outlined in Heb. 10:26-29. The once off, sinful act of suicide is not apostasy (Also, it is a sin that cannot be repent of).
4) If it was clear that suicide victims go to hell then we would be bound to say so. However, it is not clear and the result of telling people that suiciders do go to hell can be devastating to the victim's relatives and friends. They would, perhaps, even be driven to say that they want nothing to do with God because He has sent their son/daughter/etc, whom they loved, to hell and that they would rather be in hell with them than with such a God.
All effort should be made to prevent suicide and we should never advise a potential suicider that they will not go to hell. Saying that suicide victims are in eternal hell is unwise as it has the potential to dishonour God's name and may well steer people away from Him. Go to top of page
Love One Another!
In John 13:34 Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another". This verse is usually taken lightly, as though it is "a nice sort of thing really and maybe we should give it a try". The fact is, it is a command and not an option. Notice that Jesus said that we MUST love one another. Our response to this command will determine our eternal future.
If we look at the way we often react to people, we find that we get angry with them when they are not doing things "our way"; we get jealous when someone is being lifted up in the eyes of others."I wish it was me", we say; we get bitter and envious toward others when they are getting glory for something and we feel that the glory should be ours etc. We lose our peace over these things and make excuses in saying, "I have every right to be upset because they ............. " or, "I can't help getting angry over these things. It's part of my nature". Rather than walk in obedience, we make excuses and are falling way short of what is required of us. Jesus has not given us a command that cannot be obeyed.
This matter demands serious consideration as a close look at Gal. 5:19-21 makes it very clear that anyone caught up in hatred, jealousy, envy, lust, etc will not get to heaven. Putting that in perspective, if a person does not repent of these sins they they will be sent to hell. Given this, we need to look closely at how we can meet Jesus' command to love.
Rom. 8:7 tells us that we can't change our own nature, however, God will change it for us - if we submit to Him. Jesus says, "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you ... and you will find rest for your soul" (Matt. 11:28-29). What does coming to Jesus and submitting mean? It simply means resting peacefully in Him and responding to the witness of the Spirit whenever He convicts us of sin (John 16:8). When we sin we lose our peace as the Spirit convicts our conscience. God's promise is that if we then submit in repentance, He will not only forgive us but will also "purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). In Rom. 8:4 we are told that "the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit". So, if we repent when the Spirit convicts us then we will be forgiven and cleansed of our sin. This is the process of sanctification and results in a lasting peace, with God and with man, as we are freed from ill feelings toward our fellow man. When "the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).
It is "God's will that you should be sanctified" (1 Thess. 4:3). Sanctification is a co-operative work between each believer and Jesus ... He convicts, we repent, He cleanses. Coming to Jesus, submitting to God, hearing and following Jesus' voice and walking in the Spirit are all simply abiding in Jesus through peacefully resting in Him and responding to the witness of His Spirit within us. If you say, "Oh, I know I should try harder but it's too hard to change" then please study Gal. 5:19-21 carefully and you will see that your eternal future is at stake. Jesus says in Luke 13:3, "unless you repent, you too will all perish".
Tithing
The Wesleyan Methodist church makes the following statement:
When we become a Christian we recognize that "you are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The Old Testament required one tenth (a tithe) as part of one's duty to God and indicates that failure to give this was robbing God. “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it" Mal. 3:8-10. The New Testament gives no reason to think that this is changed or that God requires any less but adds the principle that when giving assistance to other Christians, we should do so "not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). The principle of proportionate giving with the tithe as a guide is clearly taught in the Old and New Testament. The real danger for God's people is that we should lapse into thinking that having given a tithe the rest is ours. It is quite clear that we will be called to account before God for what He has entrusted to us. This is clearly the central thrust of such parables as Luke 19:11-27. Wesleyans believe that the support of the Lord's work is the responsibility of His people. They do not hold "Stewardship Programmes" or such activities.
End of Wesleyan statement.
Tithing was part of the Law of Moses and since the Law has been abolished believers have been set free from those laws and are not compelled to tithe. 2 Cor. 9:7 tells us that "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver". This verse makes it quite clear that each believer is to make his own decision on giving. How much a person gives is between them and God and no one should be made to feel guilty by those who wrongly preach compulsory tithing. When considering giving, we need to focus on those in need and Scriptures such as: "God loves a cheerful giver"; "whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly"; "greed is idolatry"; "do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth" and "we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it" (2 Cor. 9:7, 2 Cor.9:6, Matt. 6:19, Col 3:5, 1 Tim. 6:7). Talk to God about your giving.
Personally, I believe that 10% should be the starting point for giving, simply because God set the standard initially. Many can afford considerably more. All that we have should be at the Lord's disposal as Jesus said in Luk. 14.33, "any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple".We should be content with having little as 1 Tim. 6:8 says, "if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that". I also believe that God would honour poor believers who give 10% even when, by man's logic, they cannot afford it. God can make $9 go a lot further than $10. I don't believe that it is possible to give to the Lord and be neglected by Him as He has said, "Those who honour me, I will honour" (1 Sam. 2:30) and the Psalmist said in Psa. 37:25, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread". Go to top of page.
Women In Leadership
After Eve was deceived, in Gen. 3:16, God said to her, "Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you". This headship authority of man has never been rescinded anywhere in Scripture but rather it has been clearly confirmed in the New Testament. 1 Tim 2:11-14 say, "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner." In these verses, God has again declared man's authority and by connecting it with Gen. 3:16 He confirmed its continuance since the Fall. By linking 1 Tim. 2:12 back to the Garden, God has made it abundantly clear that the authority of man in this verse is not referring to a local church, special circumstance or a cultural situation but that the authority of man continues from the Fall to today.
1 Tim. 3:2 says "the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife ..." A woman cannot be an overseer because she cannot be a husband.
Neither can a woman be a deacon, as "A deacon must be the husband of but one wife" 1 Tim. 3:12.
1 Cor. 11:3 makes a categorical and unambiguous statement where it says that "the head of every woman is man".
There simply isn't a verse in the Bible which allows a woman to have authority over spiritually mature men. The only conceivable possibility is in a situation where there is no man willing or capable of doing the job. Man's position as head of the household further emphasises that women are to be submitted to the authority of man. Eph. 5:22 says "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church".
In an attempt to justify women in leadership, verses which have either unclear meaning, debatable interpretation or are one off situations are stretched or interpreted in a biased manner. At the same time, without an ounce of biblical warrant, clear speaking verses are dismissed as cultural. Unless unclear verses are interpreted in the light of clear ones, we will end up with an unclear doctrine and the certainty of contradictions.
The authority of man is also evident before the fall:
1) Adam was created first and this fact is stated as a reason for the headship of man in 1 Tim. 2:12-13.
2) Eve was created "out of man" (Gen 2:22-23) as a helper for Adam - Gen. 2:18.
3) The entire human race is called 'man' after Adam - Gen. 5:2.
4) Although Eve was enticed to initiate the fall, God called Adam to account first - Gen. 3:8-9.
Sin entered the world through Adam even though Eve was deceived and sinned first - Rom. 5:12 & 1 Cor. 15:22. God did not take the first woman's act lightly as Eve's weakness led to the Fall which required the death of His Son to reconcile man back to Him. God's lament in Isaiah 3:12 is, “Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. O my people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path”.
Secular Psychology
The following is almost word for word of a letter I received from a friend who asked me what I thought of secular psychology. I wasn't aware that she was doing a counselling course when I said, “telling people that the answer to their problems is within them etc does not give a solid foundation to fall back on when trouble comes again. I think that a good Christian counsellor would always lead the person to look to the Lord for help knowing that the Lord will be there for their next bout of trouble”. The following is her reply:
Thank you for your letter. It came at a very precise time. I had been sitting up much of the night wondering what to do about my counselling course. It's a Diploma of Counselling. I am only a quarter of the way through. Every time I go to pick up my study book it fills me with dread. In fact I haven't done a page in two months.
What bothers me is that it offers people no hope. As you mentioned, secular psychology is a case of “finding the answer within.” There is no coming before Christ. And as the Counsellor you are taught to step back from the person, observe and give no advice. It's too clinical for me.
In one of my training seminars we had to watch an actual interview on TV of a man being counselled after the tragic accidental drowning of his son (3 years old) in his backyard pool. It was incredibly heart wrenching. The trouble was, in my view, that the counsellor was so distant, so removed it was chilling. And he repeated things like “You're sad because you know you'll never see that little boy again” ... “You're hurting because you'll never touch him again”. It was awful to watch. I wanted to scream “No, the dead in Christ shall rise! Give your heart to God and you WILL see him and cuddle him again”. That poor man, he had no hope. Oh how that grieved me, it hurt me to the core. And that is when it dawned on me, “I cannot be a worldly counsellor, I can't do it, it's not who I am in Christ”.
As I was contemplating this my husband came and said he'd forgotten to give me your letter. When I read it I was glad. It confirmed what I had wanted to do in my heart. So I cancelled the course. I am seeking a Theology Course and eventually I would like to be a Christian Counsellor.
If I had counselled that poor man I would have been on my knees with him bringing him before God. It still hurts me to think of it. It was an old interview that they use for training purposes. I wonder how his life went, his marriage was struggling, did he take his own life? And that counsellor, how useless were his words and how “incredibly professional”. I have often observed those with the professional edge – cool, calm, aloof, reserved, organised, precise, detached. I wanted so much to be like them and I've never been able to. I care about people. I don't want to treat them as clients or case-works. So I thought I'd failed. Even in college I struggled to be just like the “elite” ones. I couldn't, I wasn't meant to.
Strange how now, in later life, I've finally figured out that who I am is who I am supposed to be. I am good enough. I realise only God is good but I mean good enough that I don't have to strive to be aloof and detached. I'm a person who will cry with you, laugh with you and pray with you. So thanks for unknowingly helping me to make my decision. I'm actually excited now that I'm beginning the right career for me ... end of letter.
The Bible tells us in Romans 12:15 to “mourn with those who mourn”. In 2 Cor 1:3-5 we are told of “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God”.
Faith and Works "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" James 2:26.
What is the connection between faith and works? Is there a conflict between what Paul and James say? Paul tells us that we are saved by faith and not by works, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). But then James 2:26 says that “faith without deeds is dead”. So, it appears that Paul and James contradict each other but, in fact, they don't. Paul is saying that doing good things before we are saved will not save us (Eph. 2:8-9) but James is saying that after we are saved our faith will lead us to do good things (James 2:14-26). They are stating separate truths which, combined, tell us that
GOOD WORKS will not result in SALVATION but
SALVATION will result in GOOD WORKS.
James 2:18 says, "I will show you my faith by what I do". James was saying that his deeds were a result of his faith. That is, he was already saved and his faith led him to do good works. The following three examples show that Paul, like James, also said that salvation will result in good works:
1) In Eph. 2:10 Paul said, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do". Note two things about this verse:
a) it is 'in Christ' that we do good works and
b) it follows verses 8-9 which say that works will not save us.
In effect, Eph. 2:8-10 say, "good works won't save you but you are saved to do good works".
2) In Acts 26:20 Paul said, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds". Once again, the deeds follow salvation.
3) In Rom. 7:4 Paul said, "So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God". Again, the deeds follow salvation.
From these examples we can see that Paul and James fully agree and don't contradict each other in the least. They both tell us that good deeds go hand in hand with a sincere faith. John the Baptist also put deeds after salvation when he said, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matt. 3:8). Summing this up, we can do nothing to earn our salvation but, once saved, our deeds will bear witness to our salvation.
Regarding Abraham, James 2:22 says, "his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did". James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world". So, there is no conflict between what Paul and James say. They both say that a humble and repentant lifestyle will keep us from the pollution of sin and result in a holy walk with good deeds.
Miscellaneous Click here for my YouTube videos on salvation.
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Divorce
As the gospel is spread, it is common for just one partner in an existing marriage to be saved. So, marriages can exist between two believers or a believer and a non believer.
Concerning marriages in which both parties are Christian:
1 Cor. 7:10-11 is to Christian couples and says, "But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife". These verses make it clear that Christian couples should not divorce and remarry. However, Jesus said that there was one exception. In Matt. 19:9 He said, "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." We can see from this verse that a person is not guilty of adultery if they remarry after divorcing an adulterous spouse. In this verse, and Matt. 5:32, Jesus established that divorce and remarriage were permitted in the case of adultery.
Also, Lev. 20:10 states, "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death." When these souls were put to death, their partners were free to remarry. God still hates adultery but under the New Covenant God's people no longer stone adulterers, however, Jesus gives us permission to remarry after divorcing an adulterer or adulteress.
Marriages in which only one is saved:
1 Cor. 7:12 begins a passage that addresses marriages in which only one partner is Christian: 1 Cor. 7:12-17 starts out, "to the rest ..." and 'the rest' refers to mixed marriages in which only one person is saved. This would have been common when the Gospel initially went out and it is still common today. When unsaved couples hear the gospel and only one party responds, the result is the mixed marriages spoken of in this passage. The same would occur if a Christian married a non-Christian despite the command of 2 Cor. 6:14.
1 Cor. 7:15 says, "But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace". The meaning of the word 'bound' ('under bondage' - KJV) is the key as to whether or not remarriage is allowed. I can't see the word having a meaning other than 'bound by marriage vows' so I feel that we are being told that remarriage is permitted in this case. I believe God would want us to have a Christian spouse, if we are inclined to be married, to release us from sexual frustration and lust. I think this conclusion is fair as Jesus said in Matt. 5:28 "that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" and 1 Cor. 7:2 tells us that " ... since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband."
Also, 1 Cor. 7:27-28 NIV say, "Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned ...". The word 'unmarried' in v.27 is better translated 'divorced'. The NASB, KJV and AMP support this. The NASB uses the word 'released' in 1 Cor 7:27 NASB and reads "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife." So it seems that v.27 is better translated, "Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you divorced? Do not look for a wife". Then v.28 goes on to say, "But if you do marry [after being divorced], you have not sinned". Looking closer at v.28a, it says that "if you do marry, you have not sinned." Because we know that getting married for the first time has never been a sin (note v.28b) then this can only be referring to a second marriage not being a sin, under the circumstances given. Also note that the question of death and remarriage is not being considered in this passage.
The Wesleyan Church policy:
Divorce and Remarriage. On the basis of a careful study of the Scriptures, and in keeping with its Membership Commitments, The Wesleyan Methodist Church teaches the following with reference to divorce and remarriage after divorce:
(a) To obtain a divorce on other than scriptural grounds is a sin against God and man. Such putting asunder of what God has joined is a direct and deliberate act of disobedience against both the Law and the Gospel. It separates one from God and subjects a member to Church discipline.
(b) However, recognizing the fallen state of man, divorce has been recognized in the Scriptures as a valid and permanent dissolution of marriage with all its rights and responsibilities. Divorce is not reversible. There is no way to "restore" a dissolved marriage. The divorced (unmarried) status can be changed only by a new marriage to the same person or another person. No divorced and remarried person has two spouses - only a former spouse and a present spouse, as in Deut. 24and 1 Cor. 7.
(c) Divorce, however sinful the act and however serious the consequences, is not "unpardonable." A redeemed sinner or reclaimed backslider is "free" to marry "in the Lord" or to remain unmarried - a eunuch for the kingdom of God's sake. The one exception to this freedom of choice is mentioned by the Apostle Paul. It is a believer who disobeys the commandment of God and puts away a believing spouse. That person must remain unmarried to leave room for reconciliation to the spouse (1 Cor.7).
(d) The right to remarry in no way excuses the sin of divorce. It only implies that the Church must forgive and restore those whom the Lord forgives and restores. Neither penance nor penalty remain to the truly penitent and restored sinner - or backslider - whatever the traumatic consequences of the sin may be. Go to top of page
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The Holy Spirit
Why do we have the Holy Spirit?
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?
First, what does it mean to be saved? Matt. 1:21 says that Jesus would "save His people from their sins". Note that it says "from their sins", not IN their sins or WITH their sins but FROM their sins. Before we are saved, we are "dead in transgressions and sins" (Eph. 2:1) but when we are saved we have "crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). A person must be saved FROM their sin to avoid death, because "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).
Now to the reason why God gives believers His Holy Spirit ... It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that a person is able to be delivered from sin and be saved from death. Rom. 8:7 tells us that our "sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so". This means that our sinful nature is such that, in our own strength, we are unable to keep from sin. It is for this reason that God sends the Spirit into our life. Rom. 8:2-4 tells us that what we are not able to do, God will do for us, if we allow the Spirit to lead us. These verses tell us that a believer can FULLY meet God's righteous requirements, if he lives according to the Spirit. So, how does the Spirit lead us and keep us from continuing in a sinful lifestyle? ...
Well, we all know that when we sin our conscience convicts us, making us feel guilty and without peace. This conviction comes from the Spirit. John 16:8 says, "When He [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin". It is our response to this conviction which determines whether or not we are "led by the Spirit". We can respond to the conviction or we can ignore it. If we respond and repent we will be forgiven as "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). This is the process of sanctification and with it comes the peace of God. However, if we ignore the Spirit's leading and, rather than repent, choose to continue to deliberately sin then we will face judgment. Heb. 10:26-27 tells us, "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God".
So, the choice is ours. Whenever we sin, we can follow the Spirit's conviction and repent or ignore it and perish. Jesus said in Luke 13:3, "unless you repent, you too will all perish".
Summing this up: God's gift of the Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome sin so that we are able to walk in holiness and be saved from sin and death. Remember, "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb.12:14). Jesus' death alone, without the outpouring of His Spirit, would have been fruitless as we would all remain in our sin.
Walking in the Spirit, abiding in Jesus, walking with Jesus, being led by the Spirit, walking in holiness and sanctification are all one and the same thing.
The Calvary Road, by Roy Hession, is a wonderful little book which very simply outlines how we can come into a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus. It is free to download from this site.
Seeking Jesus
Why do you seek Jesus?
What does He require of us?
When you pray, what is it that you ask of Jesus? Do you "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33) or do you go to Him with a shopping list? Do you ask Him to work through you or work for you? Do you seek signs, wonders and miracles to puff yourself up or do you seek to be a humble servant as the Lord requests? ... “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8). How do we become the humble servant the Lord asks us to be, rather than be self-seeking?
In Luke 14:33, Jesus said, "any of you who does not give up EVERYTHING he has cannot be my disciple". Then in Phil 3:8-14, Paul, who had enormous spiritual power, said that he considered EVERYTHING he had to be loss ... that it was all rubbish, compared to knowing Jesus and becoming like Him in death. In life and death, Jesus gave up all His rights in order to do His Father's will and said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). So, to be a servant like Jesus, we also have to die to self by giving up ALL our rights and becoming an empty vessel, fit for the Master's use. Does this mean we give up our rights to our time?- Yes; our money? - Yes; our ambitions? - Yes; our friends? - Yes; our reputation? - Yes; our rights to all things including our very life.
If anyone wants to be the Lord's servant, then he must deny himself entirely to allow the Spirit to work through him, just as Jesus denied Himself (Phil. 2:5-8) and allowed His Father to work mightily through Him. Our goal should be to give our all to Jesus and expect nothing in return (Luke 17:7-10). If we give in order to get something back, then we are not giving with pure motives, and looking for personal highs is merely seeking to fulfil our own lusts.
To be empty of self and filled with the Spirit, we cannot be leading a sinful lifestyle as the Lord will only fill a clean vessel (2 Tim. 2:19-21). So, whenever the Spirit convicts us of sin we must immediately repent and ask for cleansing (1 John 1:9). It is only when we are walking in holiness that we can present ourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, and be the Lord's instrument. Paul was surrendered such that he could say, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Crucifying our pride-filled, sinful nature does not come easily but humility should be our goal as the Lord “opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Through ongoing surrender a soul becomes more and more of an instrument for the Lord's use as well as coming into an ever-deepening knowledge of His love, peace and presence. What greater goal could we have? The Calvary Road, by Roy Hession, is a wonderful little, practical book which deals with this matter in much more depth. It reveals, in the simplest of terms, the road to a close relationship with Jesus. It is free on this site.
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48 ). In Matt. 5:43-48, Jesus tells us to love all people, including our enemies, and in the final verse He says to "be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect". This would seem to be impossible but Jesus did not give us a command that cannot be obeyed. The word perfect does not mean sinless perfection but maturity (in Christ), and it is only through a close walk with Jesus that we can truly come to love even our enemies. Also, loving others is not an option but a command. Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you MUST love one another" (John 13:34).
So, how do we love those we feel no love for, or even hate? Loving all people does not come naturally to anyone. If we are to "love one another deeply, from the heart", (1 Pet. 1:22), then we need a new heart.
Impossible?
No! "all things are possible with God". (Mark 10:27)
God says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws" (Ezek. 36:26-27). So, as the Spirit moves our hard heart to follow God's laws, we are given a new heart. This means that if we repent of any ill feeling we have toward another then God will cleanse our heart of this wickedness, enabling us to love them. 1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness".
Besides loving in simple obedience to Jesus' command, it is most important for us to love all souls for at least three other reasons. First, judgment awaits those who hate. 1 John 4:20 & 3:15 tell us that, "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar [and] a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him". The second reason is that it is not possible to minister to or be ministered to by someone you don't like. James tell us, "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20). Now, if there is no love between you and a sinning brother then a spiritual barrier exists. It is an unseen but very real force which will close his heart and mind to your words and prevent him from turning away from sin. However, if you love him then he will feel your love coming from a pure heart and the Spirit will convict him. Then he may turn from his sin and be saved from death. The third reason is that when believers are seen not to be loving one another, they are a very poor witness. Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (Jn 13:35). If we aren't seen to be loving then an unsaved soul may be turned away from the church, and perhaps forever.
From this we see that the result of failing to love has eternal consequences.
It can affect -
1) your salvation
2) the salvation of a brother and
3) the salvation of the unsaved.
It is plain to see that it was for good reason that Jesus gave the new command to "Love one another" so let us all repent and strive to "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect". "Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love does no harm to its neighbor.
Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law". (Romans 13:9-10)
Are You A Living Sacrivice? "Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" (Rom. 12:1).
During Jesus' time on the earth He sacrificed His entire life for service to God, right up to the point where, on the cross, He literally became a living sacrifice. He left the peace and perfection of heaven to become an entirely selfless servant in our chaotic and sin-filled world. Phil. 2:7-8 say that He, “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” His entire life was dedicated to doing God's will which was to provide a way of forgiveness for mankind by dying the death we deserve. During His ministry He had no place to lay His head, no money, no time, no plans, and no will of His own. He spent those years loving and teaching mankind, all the time knowing about the fearful agony that awaited Him. What a God we have! What does this really mean for us?
It means a lot more than many think. After His resurrection, in John 20:21, Jesus said, “as the Father has sent me, I am sending you”. In other words, Jesus wants us to be to Him, what He was to His Father ... fully surrendered and denying self even to the point of death. Jesus' absolute loyalty to His Father was carried out on the cross after His blood-soaked prayer in the Garden, “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus had no desire except to do His Father's will and Romans 12 urges us to do the same by offering our bodies as living sacrifices. How is this done?
Rom. 12:1-2 tell us that becoming a living sacrifice is a spiritual act in which we no longer conform to the world but have our mind renewed so that we can know and do God's will. Becoming a living sacrifice requires two things: 1) Prayer and
2) Action
Jesus' garden prayer was acted out on the cross. He first prayed to do His Father's will and then performed it on the cross next day. Surrendering to do God's will requires deliberate, solemn, determined action, not just prayer. For example, if we pray for someone's salvation and don't follow up by giving them the Gospel then we haven't performed God's will which was what got us praying in the first place. Jesus followed up His prayer by going to the cross. To become a living sacrifice, we must choose to surrender all our rights and actively take up our cross. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). To follow Jesus we must first die to self with all its prideful and worldly desires. James 4:4 tells us that “friendship with the world is hatred toward God”. For more on dying to self, please go to www.christianissues.biz/baptism.html
To know Jesus' will we must hear and follow His voice. He said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). Someone once said to a famous evangelist, “I have not heard God's call on my life”. He replied, “You haven't been listening”(see John 8:47). Do you hear the Lord's voice and follow Him? Ask yourself, “Am I a living sacrifice or am I just living?” Remember, we only have one life in which to serve the One who loved us so much that He willingly died for us. So, for His sake, die to self and seek His will for your life. Don't seek martyrdom, however, “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed” (Rev. 13:10). Never fear the Lord's calling on your life as He equips and strengthens us for His service.
May the Lord bless you as you surrender all to do His will.
The Calvary Road is a wonderful little book which, in clear and simple terms, shows the way to hear and follow Jesus' voice. It's free to download from www.christianissues.biz/revival.html
Click here for an article on baptism which is closely tied to this discussion. Click here for my YouTube videos on salvation.
Sinless Perfection .
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified" (1Thess. 4:3).
There are two extreme views regarding salvation.
1) The belief that a person must be sinless to be saved and
2) The belief that once saved, sin is no longer an issue regarding salvation.
1) Regarding being sinlessly perfect, it is simply not possible this side of heaven as our sinful nature remains part of us until we see Jesus. But when we do see Him, He “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Phil. 3:21). Regarding heaven, it is true that “nothing impure will ever enter it” (Rev. 21:27) but that does not mean we must live a sinless life to get there. When a person is abiding in Christ he is considered pure as 1 John 3:7 tells us that “He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous”. Doing what is righteous is nothing more than living out 1 John 1:9 which says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. 1 John 2:1-2 tell us that if we do sin then we have Jesus to turn to for forgiveness. All God requires of us is that we confess and repent – this is what is meant by abiding in Christ, living by the Spirit, walking with Jesus etc.
2) Those who believe the Once Saved doctrine have reduced the words 'die' and 'death' to meaning 'losing fellowship with Jesus'. They say that when a person is saved, the wages of sin is no longer death but just a loss of fellowship with Jesus. This is said even though 1 John 3:8-9 say to Christians, “no one who is born of God will continue to sin” and “he who does what is sinful is of the devil”. The fact is, when a Christian falls back into sin, he really does lose fellowship with Jesus because he has returned to having fellowship with the devil and if he fails to repent then, after the Judgment, he will have permanent fellowship with the devil because the wages of sin is death and it always will be.
Repenting of sin is not works. It is the very heart of salvation. For someone to get saved in the first place he must repent of his sin. Now, no one considers that to be works so, if it is not works to repent to get saved then it can't be works to repent after we are saved. If we don't repent of the sins we commit after being saved then we won't be forgiven those sins. All future sin must be brought under the blood of Jesus. 1 John 1:7 says, “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin”.
Summing it up, salvation lies between these two extremes. Sinless perfection is not the standard for getting to heaven and failing to repent of sin is a sure recipe for hell. If we are humble enough to repent whenever we sin then we will know God's peace and forgiveness and we will be sure of heaven. You can also be sure then when you are not right with God, you won't know His peace.
May God bless you in your walk with Him.
Click here for my YouTube videos on the Once Saved doctrine.
The Peace Of God How is God's peace different from the world's peace?
Why is it that New Agers and other religions can look a Christian in the eye and say that they have peace? There is no doubt that they are sincere but how can they say this when they are on the Broad Road to destruction? The Bible gives us a clear answer where it says that “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers” as “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (2 Cor. 4:4, 1 John 5.19). Until their eyes are opened to their sinfulness, and God's coming judgment, the unsaved will remain comfortable as they bathe in self interest and strive to fulfill their lusts with ever increasingly creative ideas. As time goes by they tire of their circumstances and look for new activities to amuse themselves. The degree of their creativity depends on what they can afford and what they think they can get away with and the world is lowering its moral and ethical standards to allow greater decadence (calling it tolerance) in the hope that it will satisfy. This is not peace, but merely personal gratification and it is totally dependent on circumstances. When things get rough (and they will as death is inevitable) they will be shaken. So then, what is the peace of God?
God's peace sets us on a Rock and nothing in creation can knock us off that Rock. God's peace doesn't come from present circumstances but from a right standing with Him and the certain knowledge of His love and presence. A perfect example of this is found in Acts 16:16-34 where Paul and Silas were singing hymns in prison after receiving a severe flogging. God's peace and love shone through them further still when, after the earthquake, rather than escape, they led the jailer and his family to the Lord. That's the peace of God. How does a believer come into that peace?
God's peace comes from being right with Him. The guilt of sin kills this peace because God hates sin, and He always lets us know when we go wrong. Rom. 8:1 tells us that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus", however, if a believer has sin in his life then the Holy Spirit will convict him of that sin, until he repents of it (John 16:8, 1 John 1:9). Whenever we lack peace, there is sin in our life. When we take the matter to God, He is ever faithful to show us why He is not pleased with us. When we repent, we are back in God's will and our peace returns as Jesus takes the burden of our sin.
When we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and repent of our sins, we remain in a right relationship with God and abide in His peace. There is no comparison between the unstable peace which the world gives and "the peace of God which transcends all understanding" (Phil 4:7). Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27). Peace built on the Rock Jesus can't be swept away by the storms of life, whereas the peace which comes from "the god of this age" is terribly deceptive and leads to destruction (Matt. 7:24-27). You can be sure that if you have a lack of peace then it is the result of sin in your life ... ask God.
Grieving The Spirit "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" Eph. 4:30.
The Holy Spirit is a gift given to all who repent and the purpose of the Spirit is to enable us to walk in holiness and fully meet God's righteous requirements (Acts 2:38, Rom. 8:1-4). 2 Thess. 2:13 tells us that we are “saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit”. Then Eph. 4:22-24 tell us to “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires ... and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”. The Spirit empowers us to put off our old way of life, in which we were slaves to sin, and to become slaves to righteousness. Rom 6:19 tells us, “Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness” because “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). How do we overcome our sinful ways and lead a life which is pleasing to God?
The Bible makes it clear that, by ourself, we cannot meet God's righteous requirements but through the Spirit we can do it (Rom. 8:1-17). The process is simple: If we confess our sin, whenever the Spirit convicts our conscience, then we will be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteousness (John 16:8, 1 John 1:9). However, if we continue in our old ways and hard-heartedly refuse to respond to the Spirit's conviction then we will grieve the Spirit, who strives within us to guide us to live a sanctified life. 1 Thess. 4:1-8 state that “it is God's will that you should be sanctified” and “God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” and v.8 says that “he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit”. From these verses we can see that failing to respond to the Spirit is nothing less than rejecting God. What is the result of rejecting God?
Eph. 4:30-5:6 give us the result and begin by saying, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” then continue on to list many ways in which Christians can grieve the Spirit – bitterness, anger, slander, obscenity, coarse joking etc. Then, in vs.3-7 it says, “But among you [Christians] there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people ... For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient”. Note the strong emphasis: “you can be sure” and “let no one deceive you with empty words”. Clearly, God's wrath is the result for those who continue to grieve the Spirit. This is a very stern warning to all believers.
So, we can see that believers must live a Spirit led, sanctified life in order to be saved. If we ignore the Spirit's conviction then we are rejecting God who, in turn, will reject us because “if we disown Him, He will also disown us” (2 Tim. 2:12). 2 Cor. 5:17 tells us that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”. If we choose to continue in our old ways, rather than follow the Spirit's leading, then we will “grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” and will be in danger of God's wrath. Heb. 10:26-31 make this very clear.
To finish off, 2 Thess 2:13 says, “God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth”. To be saved, God requires us to live a simple, humble life of repentance, casting all our cares on Him (1 Pet. 5:5-11). The burden of sin is far more than we can handle but Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). May the Lord bless you as you walk with Him.
Prayer "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Col. 4:2).
This article is to impress upon your soul the vital need for private prayer, both for yourself and for your leaders. At the end there is a list of free books on prayer by E. M. Bounds about whom it was said that “there is no man that has lived since the days of the apostles that has surpassed him in the depths of his marvelous research into the Life of Prayer”.
Those who have been greatly used by God testify that God moves heaven and earth in response to prayer. The Bible greatly encourages us to pray - “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6:18). "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Col. 4:2). “Pray continually” (1Thess. 5:17). “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Rom. 12:12). “Build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20).
The following are quotes from the book 'Men Of Prayer Needed'. “The holier a man is, the more does he estimate prayer; the clearer does he see that God gives to the praying ones, and that the measure of God’s revelation to the soul is the measure of the soul’s longing, importunate prayer for God … The Holy Spirit never abides in a prayerless spirit … The gospel cannot be projected by a prayerless preacher. Gifts, talents, education, eloquence, God’s call, cannot abate the demand of prayer, but only intensify the necessity for the preacher to pray and to be prayed for”.
What is said in the following books, regarding the prayer life of leaders, applies equally to the prayer life of all Christians. Prayer empowers each of us for service to the Lord, to walk in holiness and to glorify God through our witness. God appoints His best from their prayer closets.
The Calvary Road Download a free book on how the Spirit works in us, holiness and the peace of God.
Many, possibly most, Christians struggle with various issues (sins) which results in a lack of peace dominating their life. Relief may come from time to time but overall they live a defeated Christian life rather than a victorious one. Masks are put on to give the appearance of being strong in the Lord but the fact is, they are not. Are you in this category? Even if you are not, reading The Calvary Road will most likely bring to light issues that are holding you back from an intimate walk with Jesus. Lack of peace is a sure sign of sin but there is no sin that cannot be overcome … if you are first willing to face it.
The Calvary Road (1950) is far from being another off-the-shelf, self-help book. It is an extremely powerful little book which reveals how the Holy Spirit witnesses to us. In 2 Thess. 2:13, we are told that we are "saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit" and The Calvary Road, in simple terms, shows how the Spirit “works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13), to guide you in holiness. Anyone who applies the principles of this book soon learns that holiness and peace go hand in hand.
Sanctification is rarely preached and it is not a well understood doctrine. The Calvary Road lays out the pathway to holiness which is painful at times as Heb. 12:11 says, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it". I urge you to read this little book many times, as I have, because it contains a life-changing message; a message that can bring you to KNOW the living presence of Jesus (John 14:21). Once you "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psa. 34:8) you will never want to go back to your old ways but will desire to "die daily" (1 Cor. 15:31).
May your walk with Jesus come to be such that hearing and following His voice is second nature to you.
Paul's Thorn In The Flesh "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations,
there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me".
2 Cor. 12:7.
Why was Paul given the thorn and what was it?
Starting back around 2 Cor. 10:12, we see that Paul is defending himself against others who were boasting about themselves. In 2 Cor. 11:3-5 he says that the Corinthians were being led astray by these 'super apostles'. He further defends himself against those people and in 2 Cor. 11:13-15 he calls them false apostles. In 2 Cor. 11:16-33 he states that he is no fool but then goes on to boast as though he was a fool and then, in 2 Cor. 12:1-6, he continues on to boast of great revelations. In this defence of his ministry, he speaks against the false 'super apostles' and in his boasting he shows that he was indeed far superior to them. Then, in 2 Cor. 12:7, he says that the reason he was given the thorn was "to keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations". The context of receiving the thorn was that he really was a super apostle (2 Cor. 12:11-12), greatly used by God, and to keep him from becoming conceited God gave him a thorn to keep his pride in check so that he could be further used by the Lord, as it says in 2 Cor. 12:8-9.
What was the thorn? One thing that it was very unlikely to be was sin. The thorn was not given until AFTER the surpassingly great revelations as it says in 2 Cor. 12:7. It was something God introduced into Paul's life to keep him reliant on God and prevent him from getting puffed up. God does not give us sin (note James 1:13), rather He wants us rid of it; nor does He use sin to discipline us but instead uses discipline to bring us to repentance in order to cleanse us of sin. If the thorn was sin then it means that God used Paul enormously, gave him the light of great revelations and then introduced darkness into his life. It also means that Paul, who preached holiness and deliverance from sin, was himself plagued by sin and this would give us an excuse for sinning. God hates sin so to say He would put it into a person's life to check a man's pride is contrary to His desire to have men walk in the Light. He works within us to deliver us from darkness and it is unrealistic to say He would introduce it into our life for any reason. He wants sin out of, not in our life, and I am sure that He can come up with 1000 ways to discipline us without using sin which he hates and which required the death of His Son to reconcile us to Himself. Having said all this, James 1:13 denies outright the possibility that God would give someone a 'thorn of sin'. It says, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me'. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone".
The term 'thorn in the flesh' intimates a physical malady. It makes sense to see the thorn as some problem, possibly noticable, which would cause people to look and question that such a person could be used so greatly by God when the person is seen to be in a pathetic condition. It is possible that Gal. 4:13-15 is along the lines of what the thorn was as it mentions contempt and scorn for an illness Paul had. Such contempt would temper anyone's pride. Click here to download this article as a PDF.
Born Again, What It Really Means
There is a great deal more to being born again than a simple salvation prayer.
In the simplest terms, born again means to be spiritually born into the family of God. We are all physically born into this world but when we repent and believe in Jesus He sends His Spirit into our life and in this way we are born spiritually and become children of God. When God becomes our Father, we must turn our back on the ways of the devil because "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord MUST turn away from wickedness" (2 Tim. 2:19). This is done when we "put off our old self ... and put on the new self" (Eph. 4:22-24). Old habits die hard so how exactly do we become a new person and please God?
One thing is certain, our sinful nature will not allow us to obey God's commands (Rom. 8:7). We cannot become a new creation unless God helps us and that is exactly what He does. John 1:12 says "to all who received him he gave the right ['power' in KJV] to become children of God". This power is the Holy Spirit who comes to live in all who believe (Eph. 1:13). 2 Pet. 1:3-4 sum up the work of the Spirit where it says, "His divine power [the Holy Spirit] has given us everything we need for life and godliness so that you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires". So, it is through the Spirit that we get the power to resist evil, to put off our old sinful ways and to become a new creation. How is this done in real terms?
As already noted, the moment someone repents, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit into their life and John 16:8 gives the reason - "When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment". Whenever we sin, the Spirit convicts our conscience causing us to lose our peace and feel guilty. This is the Spirit's witness to us to repent and 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness". It is through this process of conviction and confession that a child of God is forgiven and God's promise is that, as we continue in this process, He will "purify us from ALL unrighteousness". In this manner a new nature is born in us; we become new creations, resisting our sinful ways and made able to walk in love and holiness. It is a simple process to understand but a very painful ordeal to endure as our Father wants to cleanse us of things we find very hard to repent of. Things like lust, hate, anger, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfishness, drunkeness, witchcraft, idolatry etc. As we listen to the Spirit He reveals these things ... we may resist, but we will not know God's peace until we repent.
For an analogy of how God changes us, think of a mechanic fixing a car. He gets inside the car and changes things until it runs well. In the same way, God gets into our life and "works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil. 2:13). Through this process, called sanctification, we are transformed into the likeness of our Lord. Repentance is lifelong, not a once off "Thank you Jesus"; it starts with a change of heart toward sin and MUST, through the power of the Spirit, lead to the forsaking of habitual sin otherwise it is a mere pretense because, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin" (1 John 3:9). That is, no child of God will deliberately, knowingly and habitually practice sin (AMP).
So, being born again is a second birth in which we receive God's Spirit, empowering us to walk in holiness. We then either choose to obey the Spirit's witness (i.e. repent) and reap eternal life or ignore it and risk losing our salvation (Rom. 8:12-13). Our salvation depends on our response to the Holy Spirit as we are told that we are "saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth" (2 Thess. 2:13). An old time preacher's dying words were, "Be sanctified or be damned!" and the power in his words deeply shook those gathered around his death bed. Slowly read Gal. 5:19-21 and note that these words are a second warning to believers. Do you see these sins in others? More to the point, do others see them in you?
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Cor. 5:17).
Jesus said, "If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned" (John 15:6).
Seek the Lord while He may be found as "without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).
The Calvary Road, by Roy Hession, is a wonderful little book which shows the way to an intimate walk with Jesus.
It is free to download from http://www.christianissues.biz/revival.html
Click here for my YouTube salvation videos including Salvation Parts 1 to 4.
Click here to go the Download Page where you can download the audios and text of these videos. They can be found in the white box on the right of the page.
Click here to watch the videos called The Rapture Parts 1 to 3.
Click here to go the Download Page where you can download the audios and text of these videos. They can be found in the white box on the right of the page.