Friday, February 28, 2014
Trinity In The Old Testament
Bible Questions Answered:
“...trinity only seen in new
testament, …”
Fahim/ Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Makkah
Province)
Bible Answer:
Trinity In The Old Testament:
Genesis 1:26 KJV
And God said, Let us make
man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 3:22 KJV
And The Lord God said, Behold, the
man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and
now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life,
and eat, and live for ever:
Genesis 11:7 KJV
Go to, let us go down,
and there confound their language, that they may not understand one
another's speech.
Isaiah 6:8 KJV
Also I heard the voice of The Lord,
saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then
said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah 41:21-24 KJV
21 Produce your cause, saith The Lord;
bring forth your strong reasons, saith The King Of Jacob.
22 Let them bring them forth, and shew
us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what
they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them;
or declare us things for to come.
23 Shew the things that are to come
hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do
evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your
work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
Isaiah 63:9-10 KJV
9 In all their affliction He
(God The Father) was afflicted, and The Angel Of
His Presence* (Angel
of The Lord, Jesus The Son.) saved
them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them,
and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled, and vexed His
Holy Spirit: therefore He was turned to be their enemy, and
He fought against them.
(verse 11 NLT)
11 Then they remembered those days
of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt. They cried out, “Where
is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their
shepherd? Where is the one who sent His Holy Spirit to be
among His people?
*The Angel Of His Presence: Theophany,
The Pr-incarnate Lord Jesus.
Some examples: (Genesis 18:1,2/
32:24-30/ Exodus 3:1-6/ 23:20,21)
In the Old Testament, the names for
God, such as Elohim-God, and Adonai-Lord, are Hebrew plural nouns.
Just a few examples:
The Father:
Deuteronomy 32:6 KJV
Do ye thus requite the Lord, O
foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath
bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?
Isaiah 63:16 KJV
Doubtless thou art our father,
though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not:
thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from
everlasting.
Isaiah 64:8 KJV
But now, O Lord, thou art our
father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the
work of thy hand.
Malachi 2:10 KJV
Have we not all one father?
hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man
against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
The Son:
Genesis 16:7-14
KJV
7 And The Angel Of The Lord found
her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the
way to Shur.
8 And He said, Hagar, Sarai's maid,
whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee
from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And The Angel Of The Lord said
unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And The Angel Of The Lord said
unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be
numbered for multitude.
11 And The Angel Of The Lord said
unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt
call his name Ishmael; because The Lord hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his
hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and
he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 And she called the name of The
Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I
also here looked after Him that seeth me?
14 Wherefore the well was called
Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
Genesis 21:17,18
KJV
17 And God heard the voice of the
lad; and The Angel Of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said
unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the
voice of the lad where he is.
18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold
him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 22:9-18
KJV
9 And they came to the place which
God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the
wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar
upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his
hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And The Angel Of The Lord called
unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here
am I.
12 And He said, Lay not thine hand
upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that
thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son from Me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes,
and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his
horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a
burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of
that place Jehovah jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of
The Lord it shall be seen.
15 And The Angel Of The Lord called
unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By Myself have I sworn,
saith The Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not
withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless
thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the
heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed
shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice.
Genesis 28:10-22
KJV
10 And Jacob went out from
Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
11 And he lighted upon a certain
place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he
took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and
lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a
ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and
behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And, behold, The Lord stood above
it, and said, I am The Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of
Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to
thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust
of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the
east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed
shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and
will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee
again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done
that which I have spoken to thee of.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his
sleep, and he said, Surely The Lord is in this place; and I knew it
not.
17 And he was afraid, and said, How
dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and
this is the gate of heaven.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the
morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set
it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
19 And he called the name of that
place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If
God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will
give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
21 So that I come again to my
father's house in peace; then shall The Lord be my God:
22 And this stone, which I have set
for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give
me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Genesis 31:11-13
KJV
11 And The Angel Of God spake unto
me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
12 And He said, Lift up now thine
eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are
ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban
doeth unto thee.
13 I am The God Of Bethel, where
thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto Me: now
arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy
kindred.
See also:
Genesis 32:22-32 (cf. Hosea
12:3-4); Exodus 3, 13:21 (cf. 14:19), 23:20-22;
Numbers 22:21-41; Judges 2:1-5, 6:7-24, 13:3-22, 2 Samuel 24:16;
Psalm 2, 110:1, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 63:9; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Proverbs
30:4; Zechariah 1:10-11, 12:8; Malachi 3:1);
The Holy
Spirit:
Genesis 6:3 KJV
And The Lord said, My Spirit shall
not always strive with man..."
II Samuel 23:1,2
KJV
1 Now these be the last words of
David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on
high, the anointed of the God Of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of
Israel, said,
2 The Spirit Of The Lord spake by
me, and His word was in my tongue.
Nehemiah 9:20
KJV
Thou gavest also thy good spirit to
instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and
gavest them water for their thirst.
Job 26:13 KJV
By His Spirit He hath garnished the
heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
Job 33:4 KJV
The Spirit Of God hath made me, and
The Breath Of The Almighty hath given me life.
Psalm 51:11 KJV
Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 104:30 KJV
Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they
are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
Psalm 106:32,33
KJV
32 They angered Him also at the
waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
33 Because they provoked His Spirit,
so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
Psalm 139:1-7
KJV
1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and
known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and
mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my
lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my
tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and
before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful
for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy
Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Psalm 143:10 KJV
Teach me to do thy will; for thou
art my God: thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Isaiah 11:1,2
KJV
1 And there shall come forth a Rod
out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And The Spirit Of The Lord shall
rest upon Him..."
Isaiah 40:13 KJV
Who hath directed The Spirit Of The
Lord, or being His counselor hath taught Him?
Ezekiel 11:5 KJV
And the Spirit Of The Lord fell upon
me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith The Lord; Thus have ye said,
O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind,
every one of them.
Micah 2:7 KJV
O thou that art named the house of
Jacob, is The Spirit Of The Lord straitened? are these His doings? do
not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
This is but a
“brief,” introduction to the study of the trinity in the Old
Testament.
Matthew 28:19
KJV (Jesus)
Go ye therefore...in the name of The
Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Ghost:
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
First Peter 4:14
Bible Questions Answered:
“...why should the holy spirit, bless
people just because they are put-down!”
Oliver/ Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
(U.S.A.)
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
I Peter 4:12-19 NLT
12 Dear friends, don’t be
surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something
strange were happening to you.
13 Instead, be very glad—for these
trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you
will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed
to all the world.
14 So be happy when you are insulted
for being a Christian, for then
The Glorious Spirit Of God rests
upon you.
Verse 14 KJV
If ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye; for The Spirit Of Glory and of God resteth upon
you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is
glorified.
15 If you suffer, however, it must
not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other
people’s affairs.
16 But it is no shame to suffer for
being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by
His name!
17 For the time has come for
judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment
begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed
God’s Good News?
18 And also, “If the righteous are
barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”
19 So if you are suffering in a
manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your
lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you.
I Peter 4:14 NLT
So be happy when you are
insulted for being a Christian, for then
The Glorious Spirit Of God rests
upon you.
I Peter 4:14 KJV
If ye be reproached* for
the name of Christ, happy are ye; for The spirit Of Glory and of God
resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your
part He is glorified.
*Reproached-Greek:
Oneidizo (On-i-did-zo):To defame, i.e. rail at, chide, taunt:
suffer reproach, revile, upbraid.
The people peter
was talking to were not reproached “merely,” because they used
the name Christian!
They were scorned
and, disrespected because of “the lives they lived!”
And again, they
were not using the name Christian, because they had some kind of
sadomasochistic yearnings of glory, far, far, from it.
What did Jesus say?
John 3:20 KJV
For every one that doeth evil
hateth The Light, neither cometh to The Light, lest his deeds
should be reproved.
If it was true of
Jesus, The Light, and is certainly true of those who receive
Him.
Matthew 5:44 KJV
But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Luke 6:22 KJV
Blessed are ye, when men shall
hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company,
and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil,
for the Son of man's sake.
Luke 6:27 KJV
But I say unto you which hear, Love
your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
John 15:18 KJV
If the world hate you, ye
know that it hated me before it hated you.
I John 3:13 KJV
Marvel not, my brethren, if the
world hate you.
I Peter 4:14 NLT
So be happy when you are insulted
for being a Christian, for then The Glorious Spirit Of God rests upon
you.
“ The Spirit Of Glory and of God ,” rested upon early
Christians, not because of their persecution,
but because they were
living lives that brought honor and glory to the risen Savior!
Oh how sinful man in his home made religion, would so lovingly like to
imply that “if I suffer, I will be accepted of God.” Earned salvation!
And in some countries we see this kind of rational, God help us.
No one in his right thinking goes looking for....
I Peter 4:12
NLT
"...fiery
trials..."
Our Lord, surely did not, and yet they hated Him, because of His
faithfulness to The Truth.
Acceptance through bloodletting, was the thinking of the
Baal prophets in Elijah's day.
I Kings 18:25-29
KJV
25 And Elijah
said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for
yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name
of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 And they
took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and
called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O
Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And
they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came
to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he
is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a
journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28 And they
cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and
lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And it came
to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of
the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice,
nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
What gives an individual the (The Spirit Of Glory and of God )
blessings of God?
Matthew 7:21-27
KJV
21 Not every
one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven;
but he that doeth the will of
My Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will
say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works?
23 And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that
work iniquity.
(These people,
and the church that did these works were called by our Lord evil workers,
because though they espoused to Godly works, THEY THEMSELVES DID
NOT LIVE BY OR WERE OBEDIENT TO THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST! -THEREFORE
THEIR LIVES WERE TRAPS SNARING OTHERS, INTO EMULATING THEM, AND THUS THEY ALSO
WOULD BECOME LOST!)
24 Therefore
whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I
will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a Rock:
25 And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon
that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a Rock.
26 And every
one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be
likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon
that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Early Christians because of their adherence to holiness and faithful
service to The Living God, met with hatred, and persecution, why?
John 3:17-20 KJV
17 For God sent
not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through Him might be saved.
18 He that
believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of The
Only Begotten Son Of God.
19 And this is
the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every
one that doeth evil hateth The Light, neither cometh to The Light,
lest his deeds should be reproved.
So what is the end of the matter?
I Peter 4:16 NLT
But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for
the privilege of being called by His name!
Matthew 16:24 KJV
Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
I Peter 1:6,7 NLT
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you
have to endure many trials for a little while.
7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being
tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far
more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong
through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and
honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
I Peter 5:4 KJV
And when The Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of
never-ending glory and honor.
Matthew 10:32:39 KJV
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I
confess also before My Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny
before My Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to
send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and
the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her
mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of
Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of
Me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is
not worthy of Me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his
life for My sake shall find it.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Resurrection-Earned?
Bible Questions Answered:
“...the bible says Paul
believed he had to work at making resurrection possible. This he
earned....”
Scully/ Lisburn, United Kingdom
(Northern Ireland)
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Philippians 3:10,11 KJV
10 That I may
know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of
His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;
11 If by any
means I might
attain* unto the
resurrection of the dead.
*Attain-Greek:Katantao
(Kat-an-tah-o): Arrive
at, attain, come.
Philippians 3:10,11 NLT
10 I want to know Christ and
experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to
suffer with Him, sharing in His death,
11 so that one way or another I
will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Let us parse this
verse from the Apostle.
Philippians 3:10,11 NLT
10 I want ..
to know Christ and
experience the mighty power that
raised Him from the dead. I want
to suffer with Him,
sharing in His death,
11 so that one way or another I
will experience the resurrection from the dead!
First of all, did
the Apostle believe in, Grace, Salvation, or Resurrection by works? Something that had to be earned?
Philippians 3:9
NLT
And become one
with Him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying
the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For
God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith.
Did the Apostle
Paul, believe in “earned, grace, salvation, or resurrection by
works? Absolutely, positively not! How do we know, why, he
plainly tells us so!
Romans 3:20-24
KJV (Apostle Paul)
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law
there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the
knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the
prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God
which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that
believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Galatians
2:16,17 KJV (Apostle Paul)
16 Knowing that
a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of
Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that
we might be justified by the faith of Christ,
and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified.
17 But if, while we seek to be
justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is
therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Ephesians 2:8,9
KJV (Apostle Paul)
8 For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is The Gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man
should boast.
Philippians 3:3
NLT (Apostle Paul)
For we who worship by The Spirit Of
God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ
Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,
Titus 3:5-7 KJV
(Apostle Paul)
5 Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by
the washing of regeneration, and renewing of The Holy Ghost;
6 Which He shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior;
7 That being justified by His
grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life.
Everything that we
as Christians receive, we receive by faith, through the grace and
mercy of our living, loving God.
Philippians 3:10,11 NLT
10 I want ..
to know Christ and
experience the mighty power that
raised Him from the dead. I want
to suffer with Him,
sharing in His death,
11 so that one way or another I
will experience the resurrection from the dead!
The theme of Paul's remarks is that above all things, he wished to
know Christ, to experience His power, to suffer with Him, sharing in
His death.
Not, to “earn,” God's grace, salvation or resurrection, but to be
like Him, in holiness.
What Paul once thought as of great value in his life, now has become
a determent to knowing God.
Philippians
3:7-9 NLT
7 I once thought these things (keeping the Mosaic law) were
valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ
has done.
8 Yes,
everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded
everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain
Christ
9 and become
one with Him..."
Time and time again, the Apostle stated that what we receive from God
are His Gifts (5- “Gifts of God”/ Romans 6:23/ I Corinthians 7:7/
Ephesians 2:8/ II timothy 1:6)
Paul experienced The Power Of God, in and flowing through his life as
he ministered to others. And he chose the way of the cross, that of
disdaining anything that was not the risen Lord of glory, this he did
unto death.
Matthew 16:24
KJV
Then said Jesus
unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny
Himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Paul's one goal, was to serve and be like the precious Savior who had
called him.
Philippians
3:12-14 NLT
12 I don’t
mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have
already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection
for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
13 No, dear
brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one
thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press
on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize
for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Dear friend, is that you goal?
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Baptism-Salvation By The Waters Of?
Bible Questions Answered:
“...I read baptism washes away
sins...”
Robi/ Budapest, Hungary
Bible Answer:
Bible Text: (The Apostle Paul's
story.)
Acts 22:1-16 NLT
(Be sure to read all of Acts 22.)
1 “Brothers and esteemed fathers,”
Paul said, “listen to me as I offer my defense.”
2 When they heard him speaking in
their own language, the silence was even greater.
3 Then Paul said, “I am a Jew,
born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated
here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully
trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to
honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.
4 And I persecuted the followers of
The Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and
throwing them in prison.
5 The high priest and the whole
council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters
from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring
the Christians from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.
6 “As I was on the road,
approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven
suddenly shone down around me.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a
voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
8 “‘Who are you, lord?’ I
asked.“And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus The Nazarene, the one
you are persecuting.’
9 The people with me saw The Light
but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.
10 “I asked, ‘What should I do,
Lord?’ “And The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and
there you will be told everything you are to do.’
11 “I was blinded by the intense
light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions.
12 A man named Ananias lived there.
He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by
all the Jews of Damascus.
13 He came and stood beside me and
said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And that very moment I
could see him!
14 “Then he told me, ‘The God of
our ancestors has chosen you to know His will and to see
The Righteous One and hear Him
speak.
15 For you are to be His witness,
telling everyone what you have seen and heard.
16 What are you waiting for? Get
up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name
of The Lord.’
So this statement
(verse 16) was said by Ananias, to Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:10-18).
Ananias "favored
of The LORD" was from Damascus, and little is known of him.
Acts 22:12 NLT
A man named Ananias lived there. He
was a Godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all
the Jews of Damascus.
Traditions says of
Ananias, that he later became the bishop of Damascus, and died a
martyrs death.
Are sins
forgiven by the washing of baptismal water?
I Peter 3:20,21
AB
20 [The
souls of those] who long before in the days of Noah had been
disobedient, when God’s patience waited during the building of the
ark in which a few [people], actually eight in number, were saved
through water.
Genesis 6:3 KJV
And The Lord said, My Spirit shall
not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days
shall be an hundred and twenty years. (The amount of time Noah
preached to the Antediluvians.)
The waters of
Noah's days separated believers from nonbelievers.
Believers lived,
nonbelievers perished.
I Peter 3:21 AB
21 And baptism, which
is a figure [of their deliverance], does now also save you [from
inward questionings and fears], not by the removing of
outward body filth [bathing], but by [providing you with] the answer
of a good and clear conscience (inward cleanness and peace) before
God [because you are demonstrating what you believe to be
yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In Noah's day,
the faith of obedient believers, was seen by their public
Confession,
that only through
God's Ark, could they have SALVATION.
In our day, the
faith of obedient believers, is seen by our public Confession
(Baptism),
that only through
God's Ark, (The Lord Jesus Christ), may we have
SALVATION.
Do the waters give
salvation, Noah, would say never it was the ARK that saved them.
In our day, is it
baptismal waters that save us? Never, it is faith in THE ARK OF
GOD, that saves us!
The Lord Jesus
Christ is our Ark of Salvation! In Him alone we have safety and life!
Ananias reaffirms
this by saying (Acts 22:16 NLT)
“...calling
on the name of The Lord.’
One more thought:
Titus 3:4,5 NLT
4 But—“When God our Savior
revealed His kindness and love,
5 He saved us, not because of the
righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed
away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through The
Holy Spirit.
“Don't you see
pastor, God washed away our sins by our baptism. Baptism saves us!”
MY OH MY, ARE OUR
EYES BLIND THAT WE CANNOT EVEN READ THE WORDS BEFORE US?
He saved us, not because of
the righteous things we had done,
He saved us, not because of
the righteous things we had done,
Ephesians 2:8,9
KJV
8 For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is The Gift Of God:
9 Not of works,
lest any man should boast.
“...and that
not of yourselves:
Not of works,
lest any man should boast.”
All the
baptismal waters of a thousands worlds could not save anyone!
Repentance and
faith, and confession in The Savior of the world, The Lord
Jesus Christ, is what saves.
Matthew 1:21 KJV
And she shall bring
forth A Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He
shall save His people from their sins.
Who shall save
people from their sins? Baptism? Mary? Disciples? NO!
“thou shalt call
His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their
sins.
“But pastor Titus
says “He washed away our sins,”
Yes that is
absolutely correct!
But,.........
Sins are “Not,”
washed away by baptismal water!
Sins are “Not,”
washed away by baptismal water!
“Well by what
then are they washed away?”
Our sins are washed
away, by The Precious Blood Of The Lord Jesus Christ!
Revelation 1:5
KJV
And from Jesus Christ, who is The
Faithful Witness, and The First Begotten Of The Dead, and
The Prince Of The Kings Of The
Earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in
His own blood,
Revelation
7:13,14 KJV
13 And one of the elders answered,
saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and
whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great
tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white
in The Blood Of The Lamb.
The Bible Formula for Salvation will never change:
Repentance,
Faith, Confession, Salvation.
Mark 1:2-4 KJV
2 As it is written in the prophets,
Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy
way before thee.
3 The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of The Lord, make His paths straight.
4 John did baptize in the
wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins.
Acts 2:38 KJV
Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive The Gift of
The Holy Ghost.
For much, much more
on this subject, be sure to check Amazon-Kindle for my new book
Salvation-We
Are Not Afraid, coming soon.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Bible Lesson: Parables-Our Lord's: The Candle (Lamp).
Bible Lesson: Parables-Our Lord's:
The Candle (Lamp).
Occasion: To The Disciples.
Lesson: The Value Of A Good
Example.
Bible Text: Matthew 5:14-16
(Mark 4:21-23/ Luke 8:16,17/11:33-36)
Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
14 “You are The Light of the
world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and then
puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where
it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your good
deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your
Heavenly Father.
Mark 4:21-23 NLT
21 Then Jesus asked them, “Would
anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of
course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.
22 For everything that is hidden
will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be
brought to light.
23 Anyone with ears to hear should
listen and understand.”
Luke 8:16,17 NLT
16 “No one lights a lamp and then
covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a
stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
17 For all that is secret will
eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed
will be brought to light and made known to all.
Luke 11:33-36 NLT
33 “No one lights a lamp and then
hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a
stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
34 “Your eye is a lamp that
provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body
is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with
darkness.
35 Make sure that the light you
think you have is not actually darkness.
36 If you are filled with light,
with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though
a floodlight were filling you with light.”
Matthew 5:14 NLT
“You are The Light of the world..”
Friends, Jesus was
speaking concerning the propagation of the gospel, and our confession, illuminating others.
Matthew 4:23 KJV
And Jesus went about all Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel..."
Acts 20:24 NLT
But my life is worth nothing to me
unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by
The Lord Jesus—the work of telling
others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
Ephesians 6:19
NLT
And pray for me, too. Ask God to
give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious
plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.
Philippians 1:27
NLT
Above all, you must live as citizens
of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News
about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear
about you, I will know that you are standing together with one Spirit
and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good
News.
I Thessalonians
1:5 NLT
For when we brought you the Good
News, it was not only with words but also with power, for
The Holy Spirit gave you full
assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for
you from the way we lived when we were with you.
Our Lord likened
His people to burning lamps, proclaiming the gospel.
Our light is really
His Light.
Psalm 27:1 KJV
The Lord is my Light and my
Salvation..."
Psalm 84:11 KJV
For The Lord God is our sun..."
Isaiah 9:2 KJV
The people that walked in darkness
have seen a great Light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of
death, upon them hath The Light shined.
Isaiah 60:20 KJV
"... The Lord shall be thine
Everlasting Light..."
Micah 7:8 KJV
"...The Lord shall be a Light
unto me.
John 1:4 KJV
In Him was Life; and The Life was
The Light of men.
John 8:12 KJV
Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am The Light Of The World: he that followeth Me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have The Light Of Life.
John 12:35 KJV
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a
little while is The Light with you. Walk while ye have
The Light, lest darkness come upon
you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
II Corinthians
4:6 KJV
For God, who commanded The Light to
shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give The Light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:14
KJV
Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that
sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Light.
I John 1:5 KJV
This then is the message which we
have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is Light, and in
Him is no darkness at all.
Revelation 21:23
KJV
And the city had no need of the sun,
neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten
it, and The Lamb is The Light thereof.
Revelation 22:5
KJV
And there shall be no night there;
and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for
The Lord God giveth them Light: and
they shall reign for ever and ever.
As God's people, we
are the lamps of The Lord.
I Corinthians
3:16 KJV
Know ye not that ye are the temple
of God, and that The Spirit Of God dwelleth in you?
I Corinthians
6:19,20 KJV
19 What? know ye not that your body
is the temple of The Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of
God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's.
I Thessalonians 4:4 KJV
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor;
II Timothy 2:20,21 KJV
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for The Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor;
II Timothy 2:20,21 KJV
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for The Master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Oil, is a type of
God The Holy Spirit:
Filled Lamps of
God:
Ezekiel 36:27
KJV
And I will put
My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye
shall keep My judgments, and do them.
Psalm 45:7 KJV
Thou lovest righteousness, and
hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with
the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Matthew
25:3,4 KJV (Be sure to read the whole story
1-13.)
3 They that were foolish took their
lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their
vessels with their lamps.
John 14:17 KJV
Even The Spirit Of Truth; whom the
world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him:
but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Romans 8:9 KJV
But ye are not in the flesh, but in
The Spirit, if so be that The Spirit Of God dwell in you. Now if any
man have not The Spirit Of Christ, he is none of His.
Ephesians 5:18
KJV
"...be filled with The Spirit;
God's Lamps, And Their Duty:
As God's lamps in
the world, we are to be filled with The Holy Spirit, and to be aflame, for
the glory of God.
Matthew 5:16 KJV
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is
in heaven.
Caution:
We are not saved,
“by” good works! But
We are not “saved,”
“from” doing good works!
Ephesians 2:8,9
KJV
8 For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should
boast.
God's children are
called to Glorious Brilliance, and that our Confession, something
that should not be hid, but that which is gloriously made known,
bringing glory to The Living God.
Matthew 10:32,33
KJV
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess
Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in
heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny Me
before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 28:18-20
KJV
18 And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of The Father, and of The Son,
and of The Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15 KJV
And He said unto them, Go ye into
all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Luke 9:26 KJV
For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me
and of My words, of him shall The Son Of Man be ashamed, when He
shall come in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy
angels.
Luke 12:8,9 KJV
8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever
shall confess Me before men, him shall The Son Of Man also confess
before the angels of God:
9 But he that denieth Me before men
shall be denied before the angels of God.
Romans 10:10 KJV
For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Philippians
2:9-11 KJV
9 Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
The Father.
I John 4:15 KJV
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus
is The Son Of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Is your lamp
burning brightly for The Lord Jesus?
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Evil-God Create?
Bible Questions Answered:
“Isaiah says that God is the one who
creates evil, so how can he send people to hell, which he also
creates?”
Ralf/ Cambridge, England (United
Kingdom)
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Isaiah 45:7 KJV
I form The Light, and create
darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I The Lord do all these
things.
The Character
Of God:
Exodus 15:11 KJV
Who is like
unto thee, O Lord...who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful
in praises, doing wonders?
Deuteronomy
32:3,4 KJV
3 Because I
will publish the name of The Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
4 He is The Rock (Not Peter), His work is perfect: for all
His ways are judgment: a God of Truth and without iniquity, just and
right is He.
Psalm 5:4 KJV
For thou art
not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell
with thee.
Psalm 11;4,5 KJV
4 The Lord is
in His holy temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven: His eyes behold,
His eyelids try, the children of men.
5 The Lord
trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence His
soul hateth.
Psalm 18:30 NLT
God’s way is
perfect. All The Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all
who look to Him for protection.
Psalm 97:2 KJV
Clouds and
darkness are round about Him: righteousness and judgment are the
habitation of His throne.
Psalm 99:9 KJV
Exalt The Lord
our God, and worship at His holy hill; for The Lord our God is holy.
Psalm 119:137
KJV
Righteous art
thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.
Psalm 145:17 KJV
The Lord is
righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
Isaiah 6:3 KJV
And one (Seraphim) cried unto another, and said, Holy,
holy, holy, is The Lord Of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His
glory.
Habakkuk 1:13
KJV
Thou art of
purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity..."
Matthew 5:48 KJV
Be ye therefore
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Revelation 15:4
KJV
Who shall not
fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for
all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are
made manifest.
Is God the
creator of sin:
Romans 9:14 KJV
What shall we
say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Lamentations
3:38 NLT
37 Who can
command things to happen without The Lord’s permission?
38 Does not the
Most High send (Permit) both calamity and good?
Nothing happens without God's permission, so in a sense, God permits
evil to take place.
Whatever God permits may then be attributed to Him.
Amos 3:6 NLT
When the ram’s
horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the people be alarmed? Does
disaster come to a city unless The Lord has planned (Permitted)
it?
The Lord is not the originator of evil, but
He permits it, as in this case of Israels judgment, because of their rebellion against The Lord.
Isaiah 45:7 NLT
I create The
Light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times.
I, The Lord, am the one who does these things.
Isaiah 45:7 NKJV
I form the
light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity;
I, The Lord, do all these things.’
Isaiah 45:7 GNT
I create both
light and darkness; I bring both blessing and disaster.
God permits, natural disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, sickness,
volcanoes, etc.
Whatever translation is used, remember well as the scripture has told
time and time again, God is holy, and is “not,” the originator of
evil in any way shape or form.
Isaiah 43:3 KJV
For I am The
Lord thy God, The Holy One Of Israel, thy Savior..."
Revelation 4:8
NLT
Each of these
living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over
with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they
keep on saying,
“Holy, holy,
holy is The Lord God, The Almighty— the one who always was, who is,
and who is still to come.”
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Repentance-Always Possible?
Bible Questions Answered:
“...I am so glad that love coverth
all sins and that whatever we pray for in faith is ours....”
Bert/ Dallas, Texas U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
You presume too much.
Love covers a multitude of sin, and God
loves the sinner, and those who repent, are received, but if one
comes to Christ and then turns and looks backs as Lot's wife did,
there is not God's love but His judgment!
If we had been at Sodom, our prayers
would not have saved them!
God does not cross the barrier of
ones choices.
And they had chosen against the things
of God.
They had Godly Lot, to know The Truth,
but that was not what they were interested in, they were interested
in sexual perversion.
And as often has been said, what is
true of men is true of nations as well, as was the case with Sodom.
The Lord told Jeremiah not to pray
for Judah.
Jeremiah 14:1-12 NLT
` This message came to Jeremiah from
The Lord, explaining why He was holding back the rain:
2 “Judah wilts; commerce at the city
gates grinds to a halt. All the people sit on the ground in mourning,
and a great cry rises from Jerusalem.
3 The nobles send servants to get
water, but all the wells are dry. The servants return with empty
pitchers, confused and desperate, covering their heads in grief.
4 The ground is parched and cracked for
lack of rain. The farmers are deeply troubled; they, too, cover their
heads.
5 Even the doe abandons her newborn
fawn because there is no grass in the field.
6 The wild donkeys stand on the bare
hills panting like thirsty jackals. They strain their eyes looking
for grass, but there is none to be found.”
7 The people say, “Our wickedness has
caught up with us, Lord, but help us for the sake of your own
reputation. We have turned away from you and sinned against you again
and again.
8 O Hope of Israel, our Savior in times
of trouble, why are you like a stranger to us? Why are you like a
traveler passing through the land, stopping only for the night?
9 Are you also confused? Is our
champion helpless to save us?
You are right here among us, Lord. We
are known as your people. Please don’t abandon us now!”
10 So this is what The Lord says to His
people: “You love to wander far from Me and do not restrain
yourselves. Therefore, I will no longer accept you as My people. Now
I will remember all your wickedness and will punish you for your
sins.”
11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do
not pray for these people anymore.
12 When they fast, I will pay no
attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain
offerings to Me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them
with war, famine, and disease.”
Jeremiah 15:1-3,6 NLT
1 Then The Lord said to me, “Even
if Moses and Samuel stood before Me pleading for these people, I
wouldn’t help them. Away with them! Get them out of My sight!
2 And if they say to you, ‘But
where can we go?’ tell them, ‘This is what The Lord says:
“‘Those who are destined for
death, to death; those who are destined for war, to war; those who
are destined for famine, to famine; those who are destined for
captivity, to captivity.’
3 “I will send four kinds of
destroyers against them,” says The Lord. “I will send the sword
to kill, the dogs to drag away, the vultures to devour, and
the wild animals to finish up what is left.
6 You have abandoned Me and turned
your back on Me,” says The Lord “Therefore, I will raise My fist
to destroy you. I am tired of always giving you another chance.
Stop and read the blog postings:
Hebrews
6:1-6 Once
Saved Always Saved
Mark 9:23 KJV
Jesus said unto him, If thou
canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Jesus was talking to a father that
asked for help in the healing of his child.
Faith can move mountains for God's
people who are doing God's work, but "all things possible,"
does not mean "carte blanche," does not mean a
“blank check” to whatever comes to mind, for prayer!
We cannot pray everyone to become a
Christian, that just isn't going to happen!
It's not that we don't have faith, it's
because many don't want to. And that is (human choice) the biggest
sin of all, that is the barrier that cannot be crossed by God
Himself!
Mark 3:28,29 KJV
28 Verily I say unto you, All sins
shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith
soever they shall blaspheme:
29 But he that shall blaspheme
against The Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is
in danger of eternal damnation.
True of men and
nations:
Hebrews
6:1-6 KJV (The Apostle-WAS talking to Christian people!)
1 Therefore leaving the principles
of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and
of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of
eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God
permit.
4 For it is impossible
for those who were once enlightened, 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 shall fall away, to
renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
I John 5:16 NLT
16 If you see a
Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to
death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there
is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray
for those who commit it.
17 All wicked
actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.
The Apostle Paul,
speaking to the Galatians, warned believer not to “turn back,”
from a life of faith in Christ, to a false belief of salvation by
works.
Galatians 3:1-5
NLT
1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has
cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death
was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of His death on
the cross.
2 Let me ask you this one question:
Did you receive The Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of
course not! You received The Spirit because you believed the message
you heard about Christ.
3 How foolish can you be? After
starting your Christian lives in The Spirit, why are you now trying
to become perfect by your own human effort?
4 Have you experienced so much for
nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
5 I ask you again, does God give you
The Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law?
Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about
Christ.
So what is the
lesson of all this?
I Corinthians
9:27 KJV
But I keep under my body, and bring
it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to
others, I myself should be a castaway.
Galatians 5:1
NLT
So Christ has truly set us free. Now
make sure that you stay free..."
Philippians
3:12-14 NLT
12 I don’t mean to say that I have
already achieved these things or that I have already reached
perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which
Christ Jesus first possessed me.
13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I
have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the
past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on to reach the end of
the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ
Jesus, is calling us.
Hebrews 10:26-31
NLT
26 Dear friends, if we deliberately
continue sinning after we have received knowledge of
The Truth, there is no longer any
sacrifice that will cover these sins.
27 There is only the terrible
expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume
His enemies.
28 For anyone who refused to obey
the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of
two or three witnesses.
29 Just think how much worse the
punishment will be for those who have trampled on
The Son Of God, and have treated The
Blood Of The Covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and
unholy, and have insulted and disdained The Holy Spirit who brings
God’s mercy to us.
30 For we know The One who said,
“I will take revenge. I will pay
them back.”
He also said, “The Lord will judge
His own people.”
31 It is a terrible thing to fall
into the hands of The Living God.
II Peter 1:10
NLT
So, dear brothers and sisters, work
hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and
chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.
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