[This gem is an article
written by
my highly valued and beloved agnostic online friend
Pedro
- Prince of the POP. I am very honoured to have this
excellent and profound article here. ::: vera :::]
We have only one law, "The royal law of
liberty" And one command, That we "Love one another".
We follow one path "Peace" And we have but one goal,
The "Edification of the body of Christ".
We seek
only one thing, "Fellowship in the Spirit" And
all are welcomed, So lets put aside our carnality And lets
lift up the Lord And each other in humility Before God and
man.
He explained to me that people are very dependant. We depend on
the sun, on food, on love, on all the earthly things... God put
us into a world of need! That is what we shall find out... We are
in need. We can never make it on our own attempt.
The Lord told me not to read the Bible, but BE the Bible. Make it
your inner system - adopt it as being yourself. Put it into your
heart, all the Words of God, and live from there.
on
christnet.christianlife and other newsgroups, May
1st, 2004
In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same
was in the beginning with God. All things were made
by him; and without him was not any thing made that
was made. In him was life; and the life was the
light of men. And the light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not. Joh 1:1-5
- (KJV)
In
John chapter 9 God healed a blind man so that he could see.
But in II Corinthians 12:7-10 God refused to heal Paul.
Why did God heal one but not the other?
Because whatever
happens in each person's life should further God's plan on earth
rather than further our own plans on earth.
In John 9:2
Jesus explained why the man was born blind and why God was going
to heal the man:
"... that the works of God should
be revealed in him"
In other words, his healing would
serve as a testimony of God's power and love for us, messages that
God wanted to convey to us.
But in II Corinthians 12:9
God explained why he was *not* going to heal Paul:
"My
grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in
weakness"
In other words, Paul's weakness would force
him to rely on God's strength every day, forcing Paul to acknowledge
his need for God's strength rather than for Paul's own strength
every day, a physical weakness forcing Paul to grow spiritually
every day.
Everyone who has a physical problem wants to
be healed. I know that I would love to be healed of everything
that is physically wrong with me, healed of everything that has
left me permanently disabled. But we are not put here on earth
to achieve what *we* want done.
The Lord's prayer says,
"*Your* will be done on earth as it is in Heaven"
(Luke 11:2)
So if *God's* plan for you and those around
you would be better served by healing you, then God will heal you.
But if *God's* plan for you and those around you would be better
served by not healing you, then God will not heal you.
Healing serves God's plan by showing his power and love for us,
a testimony to both the person being healed and all those around
him who see him become healed.
Illness also serves God's
plan by forcing us to rely less on ourselves and rely more on God,
producing a spiritual growth in us that is also a testimony to those
who see us trusting in God for strength every day.
So if
anyone has a physical problem and wants to know whether God wants
him healed, he should say to God:
"God, regarding
my physical problem and the healing that I desire, I ask that you
do whatever would better serve *your* purpose, because may *your*
will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. If I am healed, may
you be glorified in my renewed strength. If I am not healed,
may you be glorified in my leaning on you each day."
An anonymous wise person wrote the following in a newsgroup:
One of the most over worked and misused words on this newsgroup
appears to be the word "liar". It is amazing to
me that such a small word, with such a specific definition, is so
mistreated by so many.
What is a "liar"?
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition, a liar
is simply, "One who tells lies". Webster's Revised
Unabridged Dictionary is somewhat more informative in adding, "A
person who knowingly utters falsehood", and Worldnet has, "A
person who has lied, or lies repeatedly".
Taking all
three dictionaries into account here, it seems plain that a liar
is anyone who has ever uttered what they knew to be false, or repeatedly
or continually does so. The definition hinges upon knowing
a thing is false, yet treating it as though it were true.
It means that for someone to accurately apply the term, that someone
must KNOW what is in the mind of another, not simply suspect, or
reach a conclusion on a preponderance of evidence beyond a "reasonable
doubt", as a jury would at a trial; that is, unless the labeler
is willing to absorb the occasional unjust verdict, as also occurs
in trial verdicts rendered by human jurors.
Does the Bible
agree with this definition? It seems to me that it does.
It states that all liars will have their destiny fulfilled in the
"lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death" (Rev. 21:8) If men are to be judged by their lying,
can anyone who really knows the love of God believe that lying can
be done without a cognizant choice; without consciously (at some
point) knowing what is true from what is false, and for personal
reasons choosing to speak what is known (by them, NOT the hearer!)
to be false?
Obviously, if God is going to condemn men
as liars, that condemnation must proceed from a conscious choice
on the part of the condemned. People do not go to hell because
they lack knowledge of the truth, but because they have that knowledge
(Rom. 1), yet rebel (lie) against it. The word "liar"
then can only be accurately applied (with our limited abilities)
to one who knows what they are saying is false AT THE TIME they
are saying it. The application of the label, then, means that
the one using it is implicitly assuming a position capable of discerning
exactly what is in the mind of the one they are calling "liar".
Is there anything that can be written on a newsgroup by a poster
capable of elevating the reader to this position with drop dead
certainty? If there is, I confess that it escapes me at present.
I know what God's word has to say on many different subjects, and
I know that what God's word says is true. But I DON'T know
that the one who speaks against this truth KNOWS that it is the
truth AT THE TIME they are speaking or writing against it.
And I certainly have no way of knowing that the person who misrepresents
what I've written understands that that is what they are doing,
even if they persist after I've gone to some pains to correct their
misunderstanding.
If we have no definitive, perfectly accurate
way to call someone a liar, absent some omniscient discernment of
their complete mind, doesn't a person calling another a liar usurp
a position held only by the omniscient God in so doing? Wasn't
Satan's sin his attempt to usurp God's position?
If anyone
can give me an example of a statement that, by its very expression,
NECESSITATES the reader's conclusion that the one asserting it knows
it is false at the time it is expressed, yet seriously asserts or
implies it is true, I'd really like to see it. And until that
time comes, I accuse ANYONE calling another a liar on this newsgroup
of misusing the word...and leave it to God to judge why they do,
and what to do about it. And I would warn anyone tempted to label
another a liar of the ample biblical examples we have of how God
deals with those who, for their own purposes, would usurp His position
as God. It is not a trivial mistake at which God has historically
"winked".
Someday,
ACC, CC, and ACE will be in the past. Someday, this world
will be pages in history. Someday, even our marriages will
be a memory. But our relationship with Christ and with each
other in Christ will never fade away.
The parts of
a person's body do not grow up separately from each other.
They all develop together. So do the parts of the body of Christ.
We grow up in Christ together.
Our relationships with each
other in Christ as brother to brother, brother and sister,
sister to sister, are eternal.
While we see what is
happening now around us here in these newsgroups, God sees
what is happening and where it is going into the eternal
ages to come.
God is at work here, working all things
for the good of those who love him who are called according
to his purpose.
These relationships that he is creating
here are deep and strong and abiding in Christ. When all
else has passed away, both heavens and earth, we will still
be brothers and sisters in Christ together.
John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on
the ground. John 8:9 And they which heard [it], being convicted
by [their own] conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the
eldest, [even] unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the
woman standing in the midst. John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted
up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman,
where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither
do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:34 Jesus answered
them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is
the servant of sin. Rom 3:9 What then? are we better [than they]?
No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles,
that they are all under sin; Rom 3:10 As it is written, There
is none righteous, no, not one: Rom 3:11 There is none that
understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Rom 3:12
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Rom 5:12) Wherefore,
as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and
so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Rom
5:13) (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed
when there is no law. (Rom 5:14) Nevertheless death reigned
from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that
was to come. (Rom 5:15) But not as the offence, so also [is]
the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much
more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one
man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (Rom 5:16) And not
as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment
[was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences
unto justification. (Rom 5:17) For if by one man's offence death
reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace
and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus
Christ.) (Rom 5:18) Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment
came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness
of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.
(Rom 5:19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners,
so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Rom
5:20) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But
where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Rom 5:21) That
as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
So often we can see Christians pointing out to the sins of other
Christians, and to the sins of none Christians. Yes! we know
God hates sin, and as His Children we also ought to hate sin.
I hope we can be honest now: How many of us who know and
love the Lord, still struggle with sin or sins? Let me say that
I have known the Lord Jesus, as my Saviour for some 42 years, and
I still very much struggle with many sins. I have to be honest
because the thing that Jesus came against more than any other sin,
was that of hypocrisy.
Are you shocked at yourself when
you have sinned? You pray: 'Father lead us not into temptation,
deliver us from evil' and five minutes later you have done something
you feel is almost unforgivable. You feel you hardly dare
wisper the name of Lord Jesus, let alone SHOUT it from the roof
tops.
Let me just say here that we may be shocked, but
our Heavenly Father is not shocked! He is not surprised, and
dare I say 'He often allows us to slip up for a purpose' I have
spoke before about God's perfect will, and God's permitted will.
There are two important needs, we have to learn. We have
to get to know God, and we have to get to know ourselves.
'Peter' thought he knew himself, but the Lord had to show him that
he did not know himself. Peter confesses the Jesus is the Christ.
Jesus then tells Peter that he shall have the keys to heaven.
Then Jesus is saying to Peter 'get thee behind me Satan'
Peter says he shall never be offended by Jesus, then we find
him denying Him three times.
But Jesus knew Peter, and
allowed him to slip, for Peter had to discover much about himself.
Now to try and get back on track: I believe that for many
of us, our problem is that we can become too preoccupied with our
sins. Is this wrong? Yes, for we are not to fix our eyes
on ourselves, but on Christ Jesus. We are not the light, just
as the earth and the moon are not the light. As the earth and
the moon turn towards the light of the sun, so they begin to reflect
the sun.
Jesus Christ is the Light, and as we look to Him,
we reflect His Light. If we look to ourselves, we only reflect our
darkness.
We have to learn that in us (that is in ourselves)
there is no good thing. Only Christ in me!
It is not
about our many sins that is the problem. We are the problem. We
have a sinful nature through Adam.
It is not our 'sins'
that make us sinful, It is our sinful nature that makes us sin.
Our sins, are the fruit of what we are (apart from Christ)
If we pluck away at the fruit (our sins) of our sinful nature, it
is only for a short season. For next season it shall come again.
If the tree is bad, then the fruit shall be bad.
Put the
tree to death, and you will stop the fruit!!
May the merciful
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, show us and enable us to
LIVE BY THE SPIRIT!!
Shadow entered the world with the first sin. Shadow is
a function of the Light, but is not of the Light: It is the
result of it being blocked. Sin blocks the Light. The Light
is still there and shines just as brightly; but so long as sin is
in the way the Light will not shine it's full radiance where sin
casts shadow.
The Law came. Not to overcome the
shadow, but to bring awareness of just how much in shadow we all
were -- and how incapable we were of escaping it on our own.
The shadow hates the light, and loves to keep us dependent on the
Law -- which confirms over and over just how supreme shadow is over
the flesh.
Then the Light came, in the flesh. He shone
pure, with no trace of shadow -- for there was no sin in Him to
block the Light. He totally fulfilled the Law and died in our
place so that by His Spirit, the Light might shine through us.
The Light is not ours, but is of His Spirit. Any sin that persists
in us, blocks the Light and casts shadows.
Many are confused
when they see those who claim Christ, casting shadows. Some
seek to curse that darkness they see -- rather than simply making
sure the light they shine is pure. They spend their lives hunting
and seeking it in others -- while overlooking the large shadows
that they themselves cast in the process of trying to "be on
guard" for shadow.
And what are we called to
do? To let His Light shine through us. There is no mention
in Scripture of trying to erase the shadow in others. We simply
let His Light shine. And the more brilliant His light shines,
the more evident shadow will be.
The Holy Spirit will do
the rest. Especially in the persistently wicked. After striving
with them in love for a season, let them worship the shadow they
are bound to serve.
Psa 18:28 For You light my lamp;
The LORD my God illumines my darkness.
Isa 58:8 "Then
your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will
speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Isa 58:9
"Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry,
and He will say, 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from
your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
Isa 58:10 And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy
the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.
Pro 4:19
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they
stumble.
Joh 3:19 "This is the judgment, that
the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather
than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
1Jo 2:11
But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in
the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness
has blinded his eyes.
Let us set aside the shadow -- in
our own lives, and also in the persistently wicked -- and focus
on the Light. For every time we focus on the shadow, we proclaim
shadow.
And
we have that freedom in Christ because man was not created for the
Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man.
And those who are so
busy trying to condemn others for the day in which they worship,
are lacking in any genuine worship of their own -- for their worship
is but an act of obedience by which they think they can co-erce
God into accepting them and loving them. And the 'acting of
obedience' is what drives them to condemn others as a distraction
ploy hoping that none will realize that they are merely acting
obedient in the flesh rather than being obedient in the Spirit.
But they are mis-informed and mis-led.
The day is
not what saves us. Jesus Christ is. The act of obedience
is not what indicates acceptance, but the Spirit of obedience living
it us. And whether we worship on a Saturday or a Sunday or
a Monday or a Tuesday - the only things that matter are that we
are fully convinced before the Lord of our choice, and that we do
it as unto Him.
Not as an act to try to curry favour.
That is not worship but sycophancy - and God detests it.
Rom
7:21-25 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me,
the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God
according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that
I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God
- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself
serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. NKJV
Paul does what he does not want to do. There is a war
between his mind and his members. Paul wonders who will deliver
him from death which reigns in the body. Jesus Christ will has set
him free. With his mind Paul serves God, the flesh serves
sin.
Does that mean that Paul deliberately sins?
No. It means that the flesh is corrupt and needs dealing with.
It means that Paul is conscious of a difference between what is
spiritual and what is flesh. There is a difference in the
two. One was sinful and is made alive in the Spirit by having faith
in Jesus Christ. Once that happens the sinful nature of the dead
spirit within us is gone, permanently. Our spirit is infused
with Life from the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. Our spirit
is made alive and we are a new creation with nothing more to bind
us to sin. NOTHING MORE. We are free from sin forever.
Paul knew this.
Does this mean that Christians no longer
sin. Obviously not. Paul said it himself, there is a
war between the mind and the members. The flesh remains and
is corrupt. Now how can this lead a Christian into being bound
to sin? It can not. Period. If you're free from
sin the condition is permanent. You are no longer part of
the world, but your home lies in the Kingdom of God for all eternity.
Yes we all have to deal with the flesh and the sinfulness of the
flesh, but recall Paul said there is a war between his mind and
his members. There is a WAR between the sinful flesh and the
new recreated holy righteous mind/spirit. That does not imply
or suggest that Paul sinned deliberately. Nothing of the sort.
War is a fight and even though we lose ground on occasion, we must
remember that the ground we lose belongs to God. Christian
hear this, there is no condemnation for those in Christ. There
is no lost ground for those in Christ. If your mind is set
on Christ and you are a new creation in Him sin has no hold on you.
Paul continues:
Rom 8:1-8 There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according
to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of
sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak
through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness
of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in
us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the
things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit,
the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal
mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of
God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot
please God. NKJV
The debt of sin is paid. Something
we could not do. A second covenant has been established, but
by whom. Do we establish that covenant? Do we abide
by that covenant? Does the world care about that covenant?
What does that covenant mean concerning sin?
The covenant
is established by God, man is not capable of brining anything into
the agreement that is of any use to God. The agreement must
be from God, because that is the only way it is even possible.
Christians live by that covenant and nothing can take it from them.
Romans 8:38-39. The world cares nothing about this agreement
and may not even be aware of it's existence. Concerning sin, this
covenant sets us free. The debt was paid for all mankind and
nothing remains to be paid. Past, present, and future debt
was paid for. The gift is one of grace and only needs to be
accepted.
Those who live by the flesh die by the flesh.
They sin and don't care or understand what they are doing.
Sin is the nature of the world. Sin is not the nature of the
Christian or the Kingdom of God. Those in the Spirit walk
according to the Spirit. Those who walk according to the flesh,
die. If your mind is set on Christ you don't want to sin,
the nature of your very being is against such. If you don't
understand that, then come to terms with it right now. It
isn't in your nature to sin. You are a new creation, created
in the perfect image of Jesus Christ. Your flesh remains however
and will fight against your new nature. Recall who Paul serves
with his mind. God, not sin. Paul calls himself the chief
sinner, but God changed him and Paul's writings make up a fair percentage
of the New Testament. God won the war in Paul. God has
won the war within you, if you have faith in Him. Paul further
states:
Rom 8:9-11 9 But you are not in the flesh but
in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if
anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And
if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit
is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from
the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit
who dwells in you. NKJV
The Christian is not in the
flesh, but in the Spirit, providing the Spirit of God dwells within
you. The Spirit of God dwells in the heart of everyone who
has believed in the Son and repented of their sins. Evidence
of this can be found without much effort in Scripture. Christ
in you causes life by His Spirit. Christ in you causes righteousness
by His Spirit. Christ in you cause you to live. The
war is fought against the flesh every day, that is why we have the
Armor of God mentioned in Eph. 6. However, we must not forget
that the conclusion of this war has already come. Jesus is
Victorious. Period.
Now if you have difficulty with
the words of Paul let me direct your attention to words of Jesus:
John 3:18-21 18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned;
but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the
world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds
were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does
not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may
be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." NKJV
Matthew 5:38 "You have
heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH
FOR A TOOTH.' Matthew 5:39 "But I say to you,
do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you
on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 5:40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take
your shirt, let him have your coat also. Matthew
5:41 "Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with
him two. Matthew 5:42 "Give to him who asks
of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow
from you. Matthew 5: 43 "You have heard
that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and
hate your enemy.' Matthew 5:44 "But I say to
you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you, Matthew 5:45 so that you may be sons of your
Father who is in heaven;
faith and obedience to God sometimes
leads us down radical paths. here's a line i found unavoidable
on one occaision:
Matthew 5:42 "Give to
him who asks of you,"
i was just a young
man walking out from cleaning toilets in the church
- when a man approached me. i knew that this man
was begging and was visiting the church building (at
an odd hour and an odd time of the week) to try and
find a handout.
his story was so filled with
obvious lies and contradictions as he began to explain
his "need" for some cash. it's something
i am well versed in - the politics of the street and
the world of the addict and those who will say or do
just about anything for money.
but, as he was
speaking to me i could hear and literally see the text
in my mind: Matthew 5:42 "Give to him who
asks of you."
and although i knew this
man was lying and trying to fool me for money - i did
what Jesus said. i gave this man my money - and it was
no little sum to me - though it was not much in the
world of finance. it was my means for the week.
this man became a regular in my life -- stopping
by the easy mark for money quite often. each time
he came i could not keep this scripture from coming
to my mind. so i prayed with him and for him and
whatever he asked -- and he asked for rides and many
other things over the year or so that i knew him --
those things i gave.
over time he simply quit
lying to me and began to pour out his story in bits
and pieces.
over time he surrendered to God
and got a job and reunited with his wife and family.
i didn't pay for that by the way - nor did i do so much
to make any of that happen. but, i got to see
it and i got to be a witness to it. i got to see
how deep our Father will reach to love his lambs.
the story isn't about me --- or about how
i did some big or little thing -- it's about these passages
from the lips of Jesus. they call us to do things
which make little sense and offer little comfort for
what we might think is important to defend or care about
ourselves. when we obediently step into love and
living like Jesus taught us here -- we enter into a
depth of our walk with Jesus that will have one result.
praise and worship and wonder at the love, provision,
and power of our living God.
no, you are correct
-- it isn't that we wander about seeking to be lied
to -- nor do we run about offering our faces for people
to slap. but, sadly, in this life people will
slap our faces, loved ones will let us down, friends
will fail us, and trusted ones will desert us at the
most horrid of times. but there is a friend who
sticks closer than a brother. there is one
who will defend us. there is one who did not only
speak these words -- but he lived them out. his
name is Jesus. if we are honest and read these words
from Christ -- we not only see some call to christian
living -- we see more than the basis of a christian
ethic - we see the ministy of Christ - and if you look
you will notice that these steps he outlines above are
the steps of the cross -- and the purchase path he paid
for us our freedom. no, more than that - the heart of
love - the heart of God - that is what we see.
vera of anyone posting online i know what has happened
over the past and what happens even to this day.
but, sister - in Christ there's steps for our feet which
will serve us and others much better stead in this walk
of life.
i cannot control what another does
or even what they think - sometimes i cannot even control
myself too well - but the fruit of the Spirit working
in our lives fashions and fills us up with the stuff
to meet the day - be it welcoming us and singing our
song -- or burning us in effigy.
in whatever
this day brings -- hands with flowers and arms with
hugs -- or hands with torches and arms with guns - there
is a God event in each moment. it's there to be
found by those who enter into it.
The
gospel of grace is often presented as trust in Christ
alone, but at the same time people are told
that they need to be committed, or surrender, or
change their lives, or publicly confess, or be baptized.
Yes, God does want repentance; he wants every effort
to be holy; he wants commitment and surrender
and changed lives, and public confession, and baptism,
and service, and giving, and church. But God wants
our trust for salvation to be in Christ and no where
else at all. Our salvation was accomplished by Christ
on the cross; it was not done by us. And people
need to be told clearly and plainly that they are
not to trust in their baptism, or their repentance,
or their surrender, or their commitment, or their
anything, but rather in Christ. God loves people,
and he wants us to make sure that people receive
the Lord Jesus Christ by placing their faith on
Christ for their entire salvation.
Here
is a starting comparison of Mosaic Laws and New Covenant
Laws.
Many other comparisons could be added
to the list.
---------idolatry---------------
"You shall not make for yourself any carved
image... you shall not bow down to them or serve
them..." - Exodus 20:4-5
"do
not keep company with ... an idolater" - I
Corinthians 5:11
"idolaters... shall have
their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,
which is the second death." - Revelation 21:8
--------murder-----------------
You shall not commit murder." - Exodus 20:13
"murderers... shall have their part in the
lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the
second death." - Revelation 21:8
--------sexual immorality-----------------
"You shall not commit adultery."
- Exodus 20:14
"If a male lies with a
male... they shall surely be put to death"
- Leviticus 20:13
"Flee sexual immorality"
- I Corinthians 6:18
"sexually immoral...
shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire
and brimstone, which is the second death."
- Revelation 21:8
-------stealing-------------------
"You shall not steal." - Exodus
20:15
"Let him who stole steal no longer"
- Ephesians 4:28
--------lying----------------------
"You shall not commit false witness against
your neighbor." - Exodus 20:16
"liars...
shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire
and brimstone, which is the second death."
- Revelation 21:8
--------jealousy------------------
"You shall not covet... anything
that is your neighbor's." - Exodus 20:17
"do not keep company with ... covetous"
- I Corinthians 5:11
--------days----------------------
"Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy"
- Exodus 20:8
"One person esteems one
day above another; another esteems every day alike.
Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He
who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and
he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does
not observe it." - Romans 14:5-6
Christians are those who have Christ;
he lives inside us. We received Christ the moment we took
our trust for salvation off of all the other things that the
world trusts in to save itself, and rather put that trust on
Christ to be our entire salvation.
Christians are people who are connected with God and other
Christians by a bond of God's Holy Spirit.
They live in
peace with God, because they have accepted his Grace he poured on
them by sending his Son to die for all who want to reconcile with
God.
In Jesus, who was born by a virgin, God himself came
down to earth to live and die as a human. He was crucified and thus
paid for all our sins, and all who refer to this are saved for eternal
life with God.
Unbelievable?
That is what I thought
before, too. But then God revealed me his truth in the Bible, and
he spoke to me directly, he touched me with his love. This was so
impressive that I decided to give my life to him. I want to be changed
until I am the way he is.
God is still a living God. He
is still doing wonders, he is still comforting us when we are down,
he is the healer in this world of condemnation, and he loves us
all.
Christians are not necessarily good. They know they
have to become better. Some people may think to be Christians
just because they call themselves Christians, or because they are
a member at a church. But there is more to it. The Bible can
reveal it to you, if you read carefully, if you read it with an
open heart for God to fill you with his Word. Or God may touch you
by other people, during a sermon, for example.
In the beginning
there was the Word, and this is God Himself, coming down again when
speaking to you through the Bible or other Christians.
Do you want to live with God?
Look for him. Wait for him.
Allow wonders to happen in His name. Pray. Talk with Him - He is
waiting for that. Give yourself a chance to eternal life in God's
Holy Presence. That is called Heaven.
God is Love.
The Bible is His Holy Word, a love letter to all those who
want to read it...
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