When I was a young person in my teens (late), I had no thoughts or concerns at all about God! I was just caught up in daily living, normal things that take place in most all teenagers of that day. (1950’s)! Joining the USAF at 18 started an adventure for me since I had never been out of the area where I grew up and never had left the State at all. I will have to say I did go to Sunday School, as it was called back then, from time to time, not regularly, but some off and on from early childhood. I am sure I heard the Gospel but had no idea what it was all about, until I was about 12 and thought I grasped some of it but was not sure and later just left it all on the table so to speak. However, I did make a profession of faith and certainly was emotionally and very aware of my need of the Savior Jesus Christ. I was immersed in a lake after that profession and was a active member of the Keystone Heights Baptist Church in Keystone Heights, Florida.
Having joined the Military, getting away from my parents and their control and then having the Military controlling me in terms of what to do etc., but yet, having more allowances to do things that I would not have chosen to do while at my home, I got involved in many affairs which were not wise to be involved in at all. Engaged in what the peer group was engaged in at that time, which was sinful acts for sure.
That, however, thank God, did not last too long, in fact, after about 1-year things changed. Not due to my own making, or purpose, but rather, because God came to me and changed me. His goodness was running after me. The hound of Heaven found me.
I was going through some deep troubles emotionally and did not know why! After about 2 weeks of that, one evening I fell on my knees and cried out to God to forgive me and help me, and at the same time I was having a vision of a “person hanging on a cross and the person looked terrible, not a joyful scene, a person who looked beaten and bruised and was just hanging there.
Suddenly, I knew it was Jesus Christ the Lord, and I trusted in Him because of this revelation to my innermost heart and soul He forgave me of my sins and set me on a different road and journey of life.
Besides the Bible which I read as much as possible per day after being off duty, I also read as my first novel the book called Ben Hur.
I began to read the scriptures, and I had no minister nor any Church nor any mentor at the time. It was just God and Christ and the Holy Spirit with His word that directed me and my thoughts and gave me direction. It was not long that I considered that God was calling me into service for Him, that is to preach and teach the word of God to others. That I began to do and began to prepare for my future education and college etc.! Looking forward to getting out of service and going to school was now my objective and God allowed me to do just that.
As I read the scriptures, I began to understand that Christ came into my innermost heart and being along with the Holy Ghost and our Father. I knew I was saved, and sought His word daily, praying, of course, not really knowing much of what to say to Him but knowing He was with me, and I had joy in my soul. I laid aside, because He delivered me from many personal sinful activities, certain popular sins of the day and also my language cleaned up quickly. My speech changed. My desires to engage in holy affairs; Church attendance, reading the word, laying aside many things that I considered were worldly and not good for me to engage in, such as drinking alcoholic beverages, even spending a lot of time reading the Comics in the Newspapers was something I had to lay down, because I had previously made that my habit to do every Weekend in the Sunday papers. For me at least, that was a waste of time now!
Colossians 2: 9-10 was what had taken place: “In Christ ALL the fulness of the Deity Lives in bodily form, and In Christ YOU have been brought to FULLNESS. He is the head over every power and authority” This matter of fullness means we are NOT missing any part of the person of God and Christ and the Holy Spirit. In Christ we have what we need for LIFE and godliness – 2 Peter 1:3. That is, In Christ we find everything we need for normal, everyday life. God knows the resources needed for life here on this earth, and it’s all included in the life we possess through Christ Jesus. 2 Peter 1:3 reads, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life throughout knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”
So, it is more than just a ticket to heaven, it has to do with our daily living, i.e., every moment of everyday living! I think many misinterpret all of this. At no time are we told to live an upright life IN ORDER to GARNER a more righteous standing or to collect Prizes in heaven! Quite the opposite!! We are urged to grasp an important spiritual truth: when we come to Jesus Christ, as He has called and we responded to Him, we RECEIVE LIFE Everlasting, that is forever! Through our experience, we express our faith and trust in Him alone and we find total Fulfillment!! A spiritual union has taken place. It is, Christ in us, the hope of glory and the ONE who is working in and through us and we too move in the Spirit and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God working in us both to will and do of His good pleasure!! Both of us work, but HE is the major One doing the work enabling us to do our part! This is how it is now in my life and all Christians lives, or how it should be!! This is the will of God for us all: ……that none of us should perish but all of us believe (trust, confide in and rely upon) God alone – 1 Timothy 2: 4; 2 Peter 3:92………. that salvation has come to both Jews and Gentiles – Ephesians 1:5-2:223. …………that we present our bodies to Him every day and night – Romans 12:1-24…………. that we bear much fruit – John 15:8; Colossians 1: 9-125. ……….that we pray throughout our lives – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-186. ………….that “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, ………..that you abstain from sexual immorality.
God’s will is essentially, that Jesus Christ lives IN US, and expresses Himself Through us, as we are Transparent before Him. We certainly can allow our fallen flesh to disobey God, but in doing so, we feel and sense it right away and ask God to help us be delivered from the power of the flesh and sin as we seek to worship and walk with Him in the Spirit each day. We have now a new identity, we are saints, we are priests unto God, we are the bride of Christ, we are pure, holy, sanctified and are new creatures in Christ Jesus! Let us walk like it, talk like it, think like it, engage in life affairs like it! May others see Jesus in us! Christ Jesus the Lord Changes Everything! Amen!
On a casual usage of the term world, most consider it to be a term describing either the planet earth, or the population of humans upon the earth and all other aspects of this worlds system. But in this article I will seek to argue scripturally that the term “world” a translation from the Greek term Kosmos, has to be interpreted according to how God uses the term in Holy scripture by focusing on the context and subject matter being spoken of by God!
Setting aside habits, traditions, bias, or perhaps just our very loose way of using our English language in a more neutral manner is hard to do many times. But it must be done. Usage of our English grammar along with the actual meaning of a term in Greek is a essential procedure in getting the right thought, doctrine and theological meaning of a portion of scripture one is studying.
To study this appropriately we need to find a portion of the word of God which will be very helpful in showing how one can be easily influenced away from Biblical teachings using just a normal thought process we all have as we use the English term World! Let’s examine the term in the Bible which is found in John 3:16. Most of us are familiar with that verse of scripture and have heard certain explanations since childhood which usually stays with us into our adult age. It reads:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
As we look at and consider the term ‘world’, we must remember that the term “Kosmos” (world) is NOT used with a uniform significance in the New Testament. It is used in quite a few different ways. I will give a few examples to show this:
Kosmos is used of the Universe as a whole. – Acts 17:24 – “God that made the world and all things therein seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth.”
Kosmos is used of the earth. – John 13:1; Ephesians 1:4, etc.! “When Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart OUT OF THIS WORLD unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world He loved them unto the end.” —- Depart out of this world signifies THIS EARTH. Also: “According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world.” – Signifies before the earth was created – compare Job 38:4.
Kosmos is used of the world-system. John 12:31,’Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the Prince of this world be cast out — compare Matt. 4:8 and 1 John 5:19.
Kosmos is used of the WHOLE HUMAN RACE. Romans 3: 19 – “Now we know that what things the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that EVERY mouth may be stopped and ALL THE WORLD may become guilty before God.”
Kosmos is used of Humanity MINUS BELIEVERS: John 15:18 and Romans 3:6. “If the WORLD hate you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” – Believers do not HATE Christ, so that “the world” here must signify the world of Un-Believers in contrast from believers who love Christ. Also, note: “God forbid: for then how shall God JUDGE the WORLD.” Here is another passage where “the world” CANNOT mean “you, me, and everybody.” For Believers WILL NOT be Judged by God – See John 5:24. So this is the world of unbelievers HE is speaking about.
KOSMOS is used of Gentiles in Contrast from Jews: Romans 11:12, reads, “Now if the fall of them (Israel) be the Riches of the World, and the diminishing of them (Israel) the Riches of the Gentiles; how much more their (Israels) fulness.” Note: The first clause is DEFINED by the latter clause. Here, again, “the world” cannot signify all humanity for it EXCLUDES Israel.
Kosmos is used of believers ONLY: John 1:29; 3:16, 17, 6:33; 12:47; 1 Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19. I leave these verses for you to turn to and see what they say. Be careful and note exactly WHAT IS SAID AND PREDICATED OF ‘THE WORLD’ IN EACH PLACE.
So it is seen that Kosmos has at least 7 clear defined different meanings in the N.T.! So study of context, noting also what is predicated of the world in each passage, and note this, as one studies all scripture on any or all words!
TAKEAWAY:
The principle subject of John 3:16 is Christ as the Gift of God. The first clause tells us WHAT moved God to GIVE His only begotten Son. That was HIS great LOVE. The second clause informs us FOR WHOM GOD GAVE HIS SON, and that is for WHOEVER or better EVERY ONE who believes. While the last clause makes known WHY God gave His Son (His purpose), and that is, that EVERYONE that believes should not perish but have everlasting life.”
This verse has to do with God’s world of believers or God’s elect ones. In contrast to “the world of the ungodly unbelievers” – 2 Peter 2:5.
In 1 Peter 1:1, Peter is writing this letter to a particular people. It states “……I am writing to God’s CHOSEN PEOPLE….”. Note verse 2: “God the Father…..Knew you and chose you long ago, and HIS Spirit has MADE you Holy.
Verse 21, states, “……through Christ YOU have COME TO TRUST in God, it is because of Christ we have come to trust and then obedience takes place not because of us! Because of HIM and HIS work, i.e., His calling, drawing, opening up our eyes, heart, ears and spiritual abilities to engage in calling upon Him, repenting, having faith in Him, and walking with Him. In other words the NEW BIRTH HAD TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE ANY OF THE OTHER TAKES PLACE. A NEW ABILITY HAD TO BE GIVEN TO A LOST SIN BOUND PERSON AND ONE WHO LIVES IN DARKNESS AND UNDER THE CHAINS OF SATAN’S BONDAGE.
BOTTOM TAKE OUT LINE:
Christ Jesus was sent into the world (all meanings here because He came to the earth, lived in the world system, presented Himself to pagans and people of faith, etc.!) Scripture reveals to us HE came to LIVE a holy, sacred, righteous life without sin, and to be taken and killed on a Cross by the pagan unbelieving world of humans both Jews and Gentiles, and shed His blood on that Cross actually paying the penalty for HIS PEOPLE’S SINS, ACTUALLY ATONING FOR THEIR SINS AND NO ONE ELSE’S!
POINT: No one else’s because if It were for all people then ALL people would be saved and forgiven for all of their sins the biggest one being UNBELIEF! But, we know the Bible doesn’t teach that at all. People do go to hell, and people do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have to pay for their own sin and punishment in hell and eventually the lake of fire. So, the Atonement was for the Lost Sheep, some were alive and followers at that moment, others had passed away in history past, and others in the future who will be saved and forgiven are included in this work of blood shedding and death on the Cross.
Also, Christ arose. If he had not risen from the dead we would all still be in our sins and nothing we are teaching and saying has any value ever. He arose, and now HE is seated at the Right Hand of God the Father making intercession for each of HIS SHEEP on a 24/7 basis throughout the rest of history. He also sent back the Holy Spirit to take His place in the actual body of the believers revealing and guiding them in their faith. Now, we are looking for His return to complete the following: Resurrect our bodies from the grave (all who have passed away), translate Christians into a new spiritual body if He comes in the air and we are still here, and then glorify all of us. Also, He will burn up the heavens above us and the earth beneath us and make it all new without any curse, sin, or evil or decay. Also, a New City will come down from heaven prepared for us in order for us to Live with HIM on planet earth which has been restored to perfection along with us. That is our hope today!! Maranatha!!
P.S. A thorough study of the teachings of scripture on Complete Depravity of the human from conception due to Adam’s fall in the garden of Eden is an essential doctrine that goes along with the teaching of this article due to its implications on ‘all’ humanity. Also, a study of the Definite Atonement made by Christ for HIS people is essential! Complete depravity does not mean a human being engages in the full extent the fallen nature and its fruits of sin, but it does mean people are as bad off as they could possible be until Jesus Christ saves them. Definite atonement does mean that Christ and His blood shedding and Cross work was not done with “hoping’ someone may be saved or with the idea that one could decide and make a personal choice to take it or leave it, as if it was a product on a market shelf. It does mean the blood did do what it was shed to do and His payment was made for actual sin and sins of HIS people and they WILL be forgiven and set free from the wrath and punishment they deserve. The Blood work did its work for His people and that is definite and cannot be otherwise. What God does He does perfectly and without any error and also without making happen what He desired it to accomplish.
I have been a Christian over 60 years. I have seen it all and I see an endemic problem that captures the mind and hearts of people, whether lost or professing believers. What is that? It is the idea that humans have the ability to rise up out of our jail cell, the home of our fallen nature, and defy the head of our family Satan, when we are lost and without Christ and God!
To even think we can by our own power and abilities rise up and shake off the power of Satan over us and make God save us is astounding, especially since the Word of God states otherwise.
An illustration which hopefully can create what the Bible teaches about the status of a human being from conception is as follows:
Human beings since the fall of Adam and Eve, are conceived in sin. That means they are as bad off spiritually as they can be, even though they may not act out in the worst way possible for being in such a state because God in HIS grace keeps them back from being as bad as they can be. Think of it this way; a person who is lost is NOT like a person floating on the water about to sink and drown and all we have to do is throw them a rope of hope so they can save their life. This is NOT a good illustration at all but in fact, an absolute false illustration of ones spiritual reality as a sinner on this earth. What would be more correct would be this: a person lost and without Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, is not floating on a sea of water and drowning, but rather, he or she is on the bottom of the sea or lake, dead, drowned, not alive at all. They are bound by sin, controlled by sin, in darkness, separated from God and spiritually dead, in the family of Satan, and locked in chains and bondage in his jailhouse and doing his bidding! That is where people are until the Commander in Chief of Heaven’s Armies comes and rescues them!
The facts are that God in the Garden of Eden told Adam that if they ate of the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they would die! They did. They died spiritually, meaning God was no longer their God and Lord and Master and they fell into darkness, the bondage of sin and Satan and immediately became members of Satan’s kingdom.
Immediately, they became cognizant of their sin, and God became someone whom they feared and sought to hide from. As we think on that scene, we see Adam and Eve hiding, recognizing something was wrong. They knew they were naked and they felt shame, and so worked hard to escape and hide from God, because they could “hear” God walking in the Garden.
Man today, knows there is a power above, but will not come toward Him, but rather, seeks to hide from Him and do his own thing which is to continue in sin and let Satan lead him. God states so clearly through the prophets and also through the Apostle Paul, that “No man seeks after God” (Romans 3:11; Psalm 14:1-3). That is a fact period! God said it so it is! No man seeks God!
Humans, consist of a soul/spirit and heart (innermost being of mankind) and a mind. Man has desires, wants, and, lusts as part of their DNA. Adam and Eve desires were holy and right until they sinned in the Garden of Eden and those good desires and wants and wishes turned into sinful desires and wants and wishes. Man’s entire being was corrupted by sin. We call it depravity and that depravity was total and not partial.
So, the above brings us to a discussion of the human will. I acknowledge this is a hot topic. But, it really is so simple if we put aside our emotions and think logically. What comes first? I contend our desires, our wants, our wishes, our lusts are the dictators which motivate the “will” to function, in order to carry out our desire, wants, and wishes. So, whatever our nature asks for our “will” will carry it out. Unbelievers act out of their sinful nature. They do nothing for the glory of God. The only things that may restrain them are their conscience, fears, culture, or the consequences of sin. So, those things control their will. For the believer, from the moment of salvation God starts changing our want tos and our desires through the Holy Spirit and the word of God. So, when temptations and sin rises up in us we call on the Spirit to give us strength to resist.
In other words, the will of man is NOT free and in control. It is our human desires that control our wills. The will obeys our desires, which can be good or bad. They can be holy or sinful. The strongest desire will control our will. It is not the other way around. The will doesn’t sit back and search out what it wants to do and then act, but rather, it is in bondage to whatever is the strongest thing that is presented to it. It will be either God’s will or the power of the flesh and sin. Our sinful nature is always seeking to express itself, but through the power of Christ within us we overcome it. That is why Martin Luther stated, “The Will is in bondage” for it is bound either by the power of the flesh and sin or by the power of the word of God.
Also, the word teaches that Spiritual truths cannot be understood by an unbeliever. If they should read the word of God, they cannot understand the spiritual meaning of it. Without the Holy Spirit in them they cannot be taught Biblical truths and facts and understand them. It is all foolishness and something strange to them.
So, how does a person become a Christ follower and be saved from the wrath and judgment of God? What has to take place? Who starts the process and makes it happen? Is it the person who lives in bondage to sin? Is it the person who lives in darkness with no spiritual understanding? Is it the man or woman who figures it all out and knows how to be saved by doing some human work, like walking an aisle, raising your hand, signing a card? Is it the person “making” God come down to him and save him and forgive him of his sins?
God says NO! No man seeks after God. That is what God says!
So, how does it come about? Romans 9 and many other places throughout the Word tell us that GOD HIMSELF GRANTS MAN FORGIVENESS AND REPENTANCE AND FAITH. Faith comes through God bringing His word, the Gospel, to a person, which then produces the New Birth. That is, LIFE is given to the DEAD soul and spirit of a person. Then, due to God’s First Cause work of the New Birth, that person is enabled to choose Christ, call on Christ, believe and trust in Christ, repent of his or her sins, and ask forgiveness, and submit and worship Christ. Without God coming to us, and calling, drawing, and opening our hearts and minds and souls and spirits, making us ALIVE to God, we would NEVER come to Him. The Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation.
We would NEVER even desire to know Christ Jesus. So, it is BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE, BY CHRIST ALONE, FOR THE GLORY OF GOD ALONE, WE ARE SAVED AND FORGIVEN AND FOLLOW JESUS.
It is all about God and Christ and the Holy Spirit doing their work in a wicked, evil, sinning unbeliever. Yes, we make a choice to follow Jesus, but He gives us the ability to make that choice. Our choice was first a divine work from God upon our dead innermost being which enabled in us a desire for Jesus.
Also, our choice was a guaranteed choice. When God through the Holy Spirit takes out our heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:25-27), so that we may know Him there is no way a guilty sinner is going to say, “No God, don’t do that. I don’t want to redeemed and spend eternity in Heaven with You. I will resist the Holy Spirit’s drawing. Not going to happen!
A crude example is this: Your vehicle may have a battery and a fuel tank, but if the battery has no power and is dead, and there is no gasoline in the fuel tank, it will NEVER start. It won’t respond no matter how many times you try to start it. You have to have gas in the tank and electricity in the battery or it won’t work ever! God has to place within us the power and ability to repent, trust in and believe and have holy faith or it will never take place.
God is a choosing God!! He could save all mankind if He so chose to do so. But He didn’t. Someone will say that this is because man makes the choice to be saved or not and not God. But, I hope we have seen that can’t be true. And you can’t use 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” because then that would make humans more powerful than God. It would mean God is wishing for people to be saved and they are having none of it. This would mean God is not God! For the Bible teaches there is NOTHING that GOD can’t do.
Besides, that would be taking that verse out of context and misinterpreting it. Who is Peter writing to? The same people he wrote to in 1 Peter, the elect exiles. In 2 Peter, he tells them to make their calling and election sure. He is writing to saved people, the elect, they are the “you” and “any” and “all” of verse 9.
Here is another point. When Adam and Eve sinned they died spiritually AND BOTH WERE CONSIGNED TO THE WRATH OF GOD IMMEDIDATELY. God performed a sacrifice so He could pass over their sin until Jesus’ once for all sacrifice was made. AND SO VERY CHILD BORN TO THEM DOWN THROUGH TIME UNTIL THIS VERY DAY IS IN THE SAME SITUATION!
All humans are conceived in SIN and are under wrath and condemnation from God the Father. So, it is NOT just when they begin to think about things and make choices whether good or bad, but rather the opposite. They are born sinners.
That means that unless some outside source comes to their rescue they will have to be eventually sent to hell and the lake for eternal punishment. We were there in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. We all were represented by Adam. In other words, Adam acted on our behalf, and if we had been there we would have done the same thing he did. So, we need a helper, a savior, a God who will come and rescue us. That is what the Gospel does.
It is Jesus who sees dead people at the bottom of the sea of sin and comes to the rescue. He says to us, “LIVE” and we come alive. We are forgiven and made into the Children of God and we follow Jesus our Lord and Savior because of God’s choice and power not our own. A key verse of Scripture states, “11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).
In all this, we must address the justice of God. The holiness of God demands justice upon the whole human race for their rebellion. We are cosmic traitors. All people should be sent to hell for our rebellion. EVERY LAST ONE OF US DESERVES THE eternal punishment! The angels who fell have no Savior and they are consigned to the Lake of Fire.
But, GOD chose to save some humans, His supreme creation, made in His image. He has forgiven us and saved us from His own wrath and has given us to His Son Jesus as a love gift (John 17) and we are now called the sons of God, children of God, joint heirs of everything with Christ Jesus, new creations, priests of God, holy people and a holy nation.
THE ONLY question I am left with is, why me. I don’t deserve to be forgiven by a holy God. I am no better than anyone else. I am a sinner like all of us. Why save me? Nothing in me merits salvation. Why me and why all of us who are saved? Why not all? Why didn’t He save everyone? I can’t answer that. No one can answer that question. God acts according to His own good pleasure (Ephesians 1). His secret will covers the question. But, because we know His revealed will, we know what He wants us to know.
Romans 9 and Isaiah 64:8 tell us God is the Potter and we are the clay, and He says He does what He wishes and wills with those whom He has created. In doing so, HE CANNOT BE CHARGED WITH A WRONG. FOR THE LOST ARE JUSTLY CONDEMNED FOR THEIR SIN AND REBELLION, AND THOSE HE CHOOSES TO SAVE HAVE THEIR SINS PLACED ON JESUS WHO PAID FOR THEIR CRIME AGAINST GOD AND SO THEY GO FREE. THIS IS ALSO JUST AND HOLY FOR GOD CAN SHOW MERCY TO WHOM HE CHOOSES TO SHOW MERCY AND CAN’T BE CHARGED WITH WRONGDOING.
A human judge, or President, or ruler of a nation can make a decision and let someone be set free from jail or even a death sentence if they wish to do so. It is called mercy. He or she doesn’t do that for all criminals, but sometimes mercy is shown to some. If they can do that and be correct and right, God certainly can, but remember Jesus paid our price we owed for our sinful rebellion by shedding His blood and paying the price by dying for us, in that way we can be shown mercy.
God then transfers Jesus’ holy righteousness to our account making us acceptable to God.
THIS IS THE GOD WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AND HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT IN WHAT HE DOES. HIS WAYS OR NOT OUR WAYS AND HIS THOUGHTS ARE NOT OUR THOUGHTS. SO BOW TO HIM AND REPENT OF CHALLENGING HIM AND HIS WORKS!
Don’t even think of saying that’s not fair, because we don’t want God to be fair! If he was fair, He would sentence all of us to hell and the Lake of Fire, because we deserve it. So God shows love, compassion, mercy and unmerited favor (Grace) to unworthy sinners whom He calls, draws, and brings to the Light granting them the ability to believe in Jesus and call upon Him for salvation.
Thank God we had our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world, for if it were not done by Him, we all would perish. Thank God for these wonderful truths rather than call Him into question about anything! We are from the dust of the earth and only mortals, HE is GOD, so let God be God and quit trying to be God by thinking for Him!!
Our pride takes us all to destruction, so let it not be rising up in indignation, but rather, let us humble ourselves in thankful submission for our great God who loved us enough to die for us and rise from the dead giving us eternal life.
All my words can be substantiated by reading the Book of Romans, the Gospel of John, the book of Galatians, the book of Ephesians, the book of Genesis, and the book of Revelation. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you light to see God’s truth in His word. He will answer that prayer. TO GOD BE THE GLORY ALONE AND NOT MAN!
Everyone in the body of Christ has a theology and a doctrine. We all do! It is certain! So, to pretend we do not have a theology or a doctrine or teaching that we believe is right would be hypocritical.
Doctrine and theology is what the Bible is all about. Paul the Apostle stated to Timothy these words:”Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” – 2 Timothy 4: 1-4
It sounds good perhaps to say, I don’t care what men say or write. I only depend upon the word of God and pay no attention to what a man may say! Now that sounds real pious, but that is NOT what the Holy Spirit told Timothy the the Apostle Paul in the above verses. God raises up prophets and teachers and ministers who are to preach and teach and write the whole counsel of God to the people of God so that they will grow spiritually and be directed by the word of God properly. God has faithful called and chosen ministers who do this and it is wise to follow them and grow in the word as God instructed us.
We all know the word is inspired of God, and we are to teach that word to others and it doesn’t leave its inspired status when a minister preaches and teaches it.
So, how do we know who is right and who is wrong when we hear different interpretations of the Scriptures?
Well, the Bereans searched the scriptures to see if what the Apostle Paul was teaching was actually taught in the word of God! Check out the word in proper context and use proper hermeneutical rules of interpretation. We do not have the actual Mss in Greek, so we use the reliable English translations for our spiritual words from God to us. That means then we must pay attention to proper grammar, the verb tenses, the adjectives, the nouns, and then we must know what actual words mean.
For instance, when God uses the term Israel throughout the Bible, we must remember there are 4 meanings of the term Israel used in the Bible. If one doesn’t know the different meanings and just uses the meaning they have heard most often, which most likely is Israel as a nation of Jews, they will interpret the scriptures incorrectly. You can’t interpret the Bible correctly if you get that one word wrong!
Now, this is what I mean. God gave four Seeds to Abraham which are translated as Israel throughout scripture. These 4 seeds are:
1. Abrahams natural seed: All of Abraham’s physical children.
2. Abraham’s special seed: The Nation of Israel.
3. Abraham’s spiritual seed: All of those through history saved by grace through faith, Jew or Gentile, which make up the body of Christ redeemed by the atoning blood of Christ which places them both into ONE body!,
4. The major SEED singular: Christ Jesus the Savior and Messiah and He is the Israel of God, the Lord from Glory!
So, these truths impact Bible doctrines. Like for instance: who is in the body of Christ, how did they get there, also passages relating to the Doctrines of Grace and Eschatology.
We all need to speed more time studying and meditating on the proper interpretation of the Scriptures.
For instance, did you knowthe English word for Church, is not a proper rendering of the Greek word ecclesia or ekklesia, which means called out ones. Called out by God reflecting the new birth.
The church is not a building, not a denomination, not something you can join by just signing up.
To be a member of the “called out ones” a person has to have a spiritual work done exclusively by God. He has to change the formerly dead spiritual human who is walking around like a Zombie, to a live born again saint destined for Heaven.
God calls them. God draws them to Himself through the word and the Holy Spirit and creates a New Creature who is alive unto God so they can immediately know and call upon Christ and confess Him openly as their Lord and God and Savior.
Christ alone builds His called out body and doesn’t teach we are to build His body. For His body is a spiritual reality not a physical reality. Believers may live in human bodies, but we are spiritual beings.
So, I hope you can see from these examples how important it is to teach and preach to others the word of God properly.
One of the most clear and important verses in the word of God on the matter of sin and the new birth results is found in the book of Hebrews 10: 1-7, 12-14. As you read these verses notice how the new birth in contrast to the Old Covenant works produces in each Christian a absolute all time new result which did not exist under the Old Covenant. Careful ponder and think of this as you read.
“The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were NEVER able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshippers would have been perfected ONCE FOR ALL TIME, AND THEIR FEELINGS OF GUILT WOULD HAVE DISAPPEARED. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins!! That is why when Christ came into the world, he said to God,
“YOU did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I SAID, “Look, I have come to do your will O God! – as it is written about me in the Scriptures.”……..
But our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for ALL TIME. ……..For by that ONE OFFERING HE FOREVER MADE PERFECT THOSE WHO ARE BEING MADE HOLY.”
I contend that this ONE TIME sacrifice cleared the ACCOUNT of Sinners who trust in Jesus for the REST of their life on earth and also into Eternity with God and Christ. I contend that this ONE TIME offering of Jesus’ body and blood shedding, and Resurrection, REMOVED OUR GUILT AS THESE VERSES SAY FROM THE MOMENT OF REGENERATION THROUGHOUT ETERNITY.
I contend if we don’t recognize this we are not maturing correct in the faith, and do not have a proper understanding of the Gospel of GRACE. We must see, that when sin is allowed to function in our Fallen Natural body of flesh and the SARX (Flesh) where it resides is the thing that sins and our Redeemed Regenerated (Always Alive in Christ and full of the Spirit of God person for we are IN HIM also) is pure, holy, sanctified, and free from Guilt. The New Covenant shows this whereas in the Old Covenant days we do find those facts shown in various New Covenant words of prophecy, but the Old Covenant works did not produce such. That is why we have to be careful of our interpretation a lot of times as we bring them over into our teachings and preachings.
Again, remember we are recognizing from experience and from scripture that our old nature and body has NOT been regenerated and purified and made holy in the sense of the new person and new heart, soul and spirit of man has been by Christ. That is where the struggle exists, and the fight goes on, as the Holy Spirit, and the New Man or Saved person together are to be seen as Mortifying Sin that seeks to rise up and express itself in our faculties. Faculties that have not been regenerated yet! We still have a natural fallen posture in the body where sin dwells, but in the NEW Man that sin is not existing for it has been Born Again and is IN CHRIST THE SEED AS BOTH PAUL AND JOHN THE APOSTLES SO STATED.
Is this statement true? Is it Biblical? Did God really teach this: The statement I speak of is this: “You are sometimes in the Spirit and sometimes in the flesh”!
Let’s examine this statement and see what God has to say about it all! Notice this scripture verse:
Romans 8:9 – “However, you are NOT IN THE FLESH BUT IN THE SPIRIT, IF INDEED THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU! But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
Should just end it there for that is the total answer period! The Statement that is currently being taught all over the kingdom of God today is wrong! It is amazing how folks can’t understand clear words and very easy to read words from scripture. But, spiritual truths are not understand by the lost that is for sure, and weaker brothers and sisters in the faith have to learn to undo a lot of the things they get today from all sources except the very word of God in scriptures.
I. DO WE SOMETIMES THINK WE ARE IN THE FLESH AND SOMETIMES IN THE SPIRIT?
What is taking place in the scripture is that God is showing us the difference between a lost person and a saved person. A lost person is always in the FLESH dead to God and spiritual matters, but alive to sin totally. All that a lost person does is sin! No holy acts, no righteousness, no real good deeds valued by God as good, for all he or she does is for self and sin.
Sinners set their minds and hearts on fleshly carnal things all the time. It is 24/7! All self centered. Not God centered ever! All have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God.
Believers however are those who set their minds upon things of the Spirit. Notice Romans 8:5:
“For those who ARE according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who ARE according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
These words describe our identity and our position right now this very minute. We are one or the other. Notice what walking and being in the Spirit looks like in Romans 8: 8-9;
“…and those who are in the flesh CANNOT PLEASE GOD. However, YOU ARE NOT IN THE FLESH BUT IN THE SPIRIT, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if ANYONE does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does NOT BELONG TO HIM.”
There is no “in and out” deal going on here. We are one or the other! No middle ground! Our LOCATION is in the Spirit, and I might say also, in the Lord Jesus and in the Father also.
LET’S NOTE HOW THIS DESCRIPTION IS REVEALED TO US IN THE BIBLE:
BEFORE SALVATION: AFTER SALVATION: SCRIPTURES:
In the flesh In the Spirit Romans 8:9
In Adam In Christ 1 Cor. 15:22
A slave to sin A slave to righteousness Rom. 6:17-18
In dark kingdom In His kingdom of light Col. 1:13
Dead to God Alive to God Eph. 2:1,5
Romans 8:6 reads, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is LIFE and PEACE.”
The reality about this we are aliens in this world and on this planet now. The fleshly lusts war against us, not with us – 1 Peter 2:11. Our old man the flesh is still there in the flesh and bones, and it is called the flesh and is carnal. Sin dwells there but NOT in the NEW BORN creation for it is now in Christ Jesus and is imputed with Christ holiness and is pure and holy and sanctified now! IN CHRIST and IN GOD the Father and IN the HOLY SPIRIT.
II. NO GOING IN THE DOOR AND OUT OF THE DOOR! OUR REDEEMED SOUL/SPIRIT AND HEART ARE NOW REDEEMED AND HOLY, BUT THE FLESH IS STILL DEAD IN SIN UNTIL IT GOES BACK TO THE DUST AND IS RESURRECTED OR TRANSLATED IF CHRIST COMES WHILE WE ARE STILL ALIVE ON EARTH.
This is how we are now in our bodies here on planet earth. We have conflict and struggles because of that diametrically different state or identity we have. The flesh struggles against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. That is why Paul could say in Romans 8 when he desires to do right sin is always present and he doesn’t always conduct right and holy things, but he said it was SIN doing it and not him because He was a lover of God and a redeemed soul and spirit living in that Eternal Life posture right then at those moments in time. God was in him and he was in God. God cannot sin and will not allow His new creature be tainted with sin either in that sense. But we are allowed to see and in our mind allow sin to operate from time to time in the flesh which is still unregenerated. Our new man is regenerated and that means has Eternal Everlasting HOLY life forever.
A prayer: Father, thank you for saving me, changing me, making me a new creature or creation and thank you for my new identity and new spiritual location in your Spirit. Thank you that you will NEVER leave me, nor I leave you for you KEEP me from falling and will present me faultless before your throne and even now our Lord Jesus you are my advocate before the Father regarding your atonement for all of my past, present and future sins committed in my body. Remind me to set my MIND on YOUR Spirit, because I have new life and a totally new identity now in Your Spirit. In Jesus Name, Amen!
UPDATE ON LATEST STATE OF THE UNION (USA) AND OUR REPUBLIC!
Today is August 30, 2020! We can now honestly and openly say, based on the actual facts regarding the policies expressed by the political parties existing, that the nation is divided between the PARTY OF ANTI GOD PEOPLE, VS THE PARTY OF GOD HONORING PEOPLE! This is objective and factual and truthful simply because the parties leaders state such things by their words, deeds, and actions. It is very easy to see. Also, this means then, our Christian leaders, and other faith people of different views should speak openly about such now. To be silent and think this matter is just slight differences of operations between two major political parties will not fly well anymore. For it is NOT any longer such as it was in times past. One major party has defected to the promotion of evil and wicked ways of life and government which we can no longer entertain and allow in the Republic!!!
The article below was written sometime back during this year, so I wanted to share with you more about issues of importance for the Christian and others who value our nation’s security and survival by God’s grace. Much has developed over the last 6 months or so, about how wrong messages and ideas were place before the public by certain Medical Science? organizations and certainly by the Mass Media Network talking heads! Much of it relating to the Covid-19 China Virus was wrong, and certainly the Lockdowns put in place and especially promoted by the Democratic party turned out to be the worse thing that could have been done to our nation.
Various cities in the U.S. are under siege by radical political motivated people called Democrats, Antifa, BLM (Black Lives Matter Small organization), and other radical people from Entertainment, Educational institutions, foreign countries, large Corporations, and even within all governmental agencies etc.! Although they are in the minority they have large monetary sources to keep up their terrorism, mayhem, hate, and hate crimes, murder, burning of businesses and cars, and trying to discredit and stop the Police departments from even existing. In doing all of this the poor, the minority racial groups, are hurt the worse even though they are using their skin color to cover up their wicked activities as if they are for the minorities when they are absolutely NOT!
Many buy into their deceptive ways and thoughts because they do not think, do not study the issues and just act emotionally on racial issues rather than facts and truth!
But one good note. Their ways are being exposed and they are losing out because of their devotion to take down Law and Order and promote civil unrest and criminal activities along with actual terrorism and warfare activities. President Trump the Law and Order and best person to lead the majority of people, is proving he and our cause will win by God’s grace in the Presidential campaign and hopefully eventually, put this civil unrest down and make arrest with fines and punishment to fit the wrong doings.President Trump is not to be considered as a replacement of our Lord God Jesus Christ in any way, shape, fashion or form. He isn’t! However, he is a man who does not stand against the local Christians or Jews and is NOT endorsing all of the immorality platform issues that the Democrats are endorsing. President Trump lost this last election with multitudes (Millions of people) considering that the election was stolen due to illegal activities conducted at polling places during the Election. However, due to reasons not fully understandable, the Judges woult not examine the evidence about all of that, nor would the SCOTUS take up the case. So the evidence was NEVER considered or even allowed to be presented. They used procedural rules rather than investigating the charges. So we the people of God lost this election because mulitudes of either misled Christians and a whole lot of pagan people who have no consideration for the word of God voted Biden into office. Now he is turning everything upside down, writing in law immorality issues, tearing down all workable and excellent policies regarding our nations economic system creating a crisis of job losses and energy costs will rise higher because Biden stopped the Keystone Pipeline from Canada which provided us with Oil for our energy. I am sure this is because he has under the table money which will come to him from the Middle Eastern nations etc., which we will now be back under bondage to as a nation in relation to our energy. Troublesome times are here because people did not REPENT of their sins and turn back to God during these last four years. Now a plague from God is still upon the nation and world, more devastating things will follow.
So continue to pray for our nation!
TODAY IN THE USA THE PAGANS ARE RESTLESS AND MAD!
Angry, mad, violent, insane, uncivilized, rioting, cursing, protesting in the streets, physically attacking others and destroying property, denying law and order, seeking revenge, hating and murdering, and every other known display of disorder a mind of a human can think of is taking place today in the USA!!
Participating in such will NOT be any Christ follower that is for sure. Participating in such will NOT be those who love their country, their Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Freedom and Civilized Law and Order Government. Only the insane driven mob mentality individuals will be doing such! They are radical, radical because of what I am going to reveal to you from the Bible, as God evaluates such people!!
GOD’S EVALUATIONABOUT THE SO CALLED PROTESTORS IN THE USA!!
PSALM 2:1-12:
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain (empty) thing? The kings (Presidents and Political leaders) of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against HIS anointed (JESUS CHRIST HIS SON & THOSE IN HIS BODY THE REAL CHURCH), SAYING,
LET US BREAK THEIR BANDS ASUNDER, AND CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS FROM US.
FOCUS: What we are observing day after day in the United States is the actual workings of what God stated in the verses above. They purposefully do not wish to be under any guidance and wisdom and discernment from God and His word. They are purposefully ignoring God in the equation of their plans, for if they had been thinking about God in their Governmental plans, they would never be allowing the total chaos and hate and slander and lies and violence to be taking place at all. Individual people are not following God at all during these so called protests which are really riots and terrorism.
They have cast God and His word out!!
He (God) that sits in the heavens shall laugh!!! the Lord shall have them in derision! Then shall HE speak unto them in HIS WRATH, and VEX them in His sore displeasure.
SPOTLIGHT:
Here at this very moment in time (today) God is laughing at the pagan wicked forces that are assembling and seeking to carry out their wicked activities. Such groups as: The Democratic party leadership; the BLM movement; the Nation of Islam Farrakhan movement; the Antifa movement; the Socialists and Fascists of the day, etc.! GOD LAUGHS AT THEM! Not only that, HE (GOD) speaks out loud today in HIS wrath, and VEXES them in His sore displeasure! How so, one may ask? By sending upon us the Covid-19 Plague, and by sending upon us the insane, violent hate filled protestors and chaotic war soldiers of the demon possessed ones in the USA! Jesus Christ states their father is the Devil. Only if they turn away from such things, and cry out to the Lord God and Jesus Christ to forgiven them and save them will they be acceptable by God!!! God is a God of love, mercy and kindness, but He is also a God of Wrath, Justice and Punishment upon all of those who reject Him and His Son Jesus.
THE LIGHT SHINES HOWEVER IN THE MIDST OF THE DARKNESS!
Yet I have set my KING (Jesus) upon my holy hill ZION (In Heaven). I will declare the decree – the Lord has said unto me, YOU (Jesus) are my SON; this DAY have I begotten You. ASK of me, and I shall give you the Heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. YOU shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Here you find the prophecy spelled out of what Christ Jesus will carry out in the end times, and that is found out in the book of Revelation. Christ will comes down and judge the wicked who forgot God and turned away from Him.
We at a minimum are now – right now – experiencing the fortaste of what that is going to be like when Jesus brings a climax to all of this. IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR ANYONE NOW? CAN THIS BE CHANGED? I AM NOT SURE IF THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY IS THE BEGINNING OF THE FINAL END OR NOT, BUT THERE CAN BE HOPE AND THERE CAN BE A POSSIBILITY OF GOD’S BLESSINGS IF PEOPLE WOULD TURN TO HIM!
NOTE GOD’S WORDS: “BE WISE NO THEREFORE, O YOU KINGS (GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS AND POLITICAL LEADERS AND OTHER PAGAN GROUPS); BE INSTRUCTED, YOU JUDGES OF THE EARTH. SERVE THE LORD WITH FEAR, AND REJOICE WITH TREMBLING. KISS THE SON (JESUS) LEST HE BE ANGRY, AND YOU PERISH FROM THE WAY, WHEN HIS WRATH IS KINDLED BUT A LITTLE. BLESSED ARE ALL THEY THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM!”
I call upon the Democrats, the Republicans, the Independents, the violent gangs and groups such as BLM, ANTIFA, NATION OF ISLAM, ISLAMISTS, SOCIALISTS, COMMUNISTS, MARXISTS, ETC., AS WELL AS ANY AND ALL RELIGIOUS TYPE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD, TO REPENT AND TURN TO CHRIST AND BE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF THE SON AND GOD THE FATHER, BEFORE IT IS TO LATE!! THE JUDGE IS AT THE DOOR! COME TO HIM NOW AND PERHAPS YOU WILL FIND HELP AND SALVATION FROM SUCH PUNISHMENT. OTHERWISE ALL WILL PERISH!
THE JUDGE IS AT THE DOOR OF HEAVEN PREPARING TO COME DOWN AND EXECUTE JUDGMENT UPON THE WICKED UNBELIEVERS AND SELF CENTERED INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE EVIL!
THE USA SEEMS TO BE GOING UP IN FLAMES! WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING? COVID-19 VIRUS; STREET RIOTS AND TERRORISM; COLLAPSE OF OUR MAINLINE MEDIA OUTLETS IN TERMS OF TRUTH AND INTEGRITY; BUILDINGS, BUSINESSES, CHURCH BUILDINGS; SYNAGOGUES; RESTAURANTS; FAST FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS; RETAIL STORES, POLICE CARS; — GOING UP IN FLAMES!!! STAY TUNED FOR THE ‘REST OF THE STORY’ FED THROUGH THE LENS OF BIBLICAL META-NARRATIVE UNDERSTANDING.
Winds are blowing and the chaff is being driven away and exposing the lies, corruption, and outright unlawful and traitor like activities being endorsed and practiced by the leaders of the Democratic party. Thanking God for HIS exposure of evil in our midst. Poison is in the POT! The problem with our nation is SIN, and it is Human beings that are the problem, NOT COVID-19! That VIRUS comes from God in judgment upon the human beings who deny and strike out at God and His creation which includes other humans! Denial of God is meaningless when HE ACTUALLY EXISTS and is involved in every detail of human life, all the way from death, evil and good and righteousness.
He uses evil to work for HIS good purposes and plans. He allows evil to be in order to show its ugly face as to what it is, and how HE will destroy it and show forth HOW good and Holy and Right HE always is. He is GOD! Satan is not and nor are his children in whom he lives and conducts his affairs in this world.
2020:
God has a word to this generation of people on planet earth! Are they listening, and if they listen, what do they do with it? God is calling every human being alive on earth today, to turn from their wicked ways, (repent), and confess their sins to Him for all sin is directed toward God whether a person acknowledges it or doesn’t even realize it. IT IS!!! But the sin comes down on God’s creatures especially the human beings, one’s own kind. Then repenting and confessing, person’s trust and have faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and God and worship Him forever.
Is this happening? Perhaps on a individual small scale some are doing this during this judgmental period from God, but it is not large enough to make the headlines or change the culture here in the USA yet!
People will not allow their own minds to embrace the fact THIS IS FROM GOD TO US!! THIS IS NOT JUST CHANCE HAPPENINGS, NOT JUST AN ACCIDENT, NOT JUST SOME FLUKE OF NATURE. IT IS DIRECT JUDGMENT FROM GOD!! PERIOD!
Over and over again throughout the Old Testament days, God warned people about impending judgment and if they would not turn from their sins and worship Him, He would bring judgment. Totally destroying the nations.
For instance in Jeremiah 36, God warned the tribes of Judah to turn from their wickedness and if they would, HE would not judge them and destroy them. The prophet wrote down on a scroll the message from God to the King of Judah, and he heard it read and took the scroll on which it was written and burned it in the fire and would not LISTEN to God’s call and demand!! So, they were destroyed.
God uses all types of ways to implement upon people His judgement. He may bring plagues like the Covid-19 China Virus, a Earthquake, a Tornado, a Hurricane, a local Flood on a nation, War upon a nation from another nation, Terrorism, Famine,internal traitors within its own government, people in the communities who are full of hate and others who are paid to act out their anger and hate in the streets and upon other people as we see this very moment, etc.! These are sent because of SIN AND REBELLION. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, THIS SIN, THAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH ACTIONS FROM THE GOD OF ALL CREATION?
It is things expressed like this: Hate, Slander, Lies, Constant hate expressed by verbal damage to another’s character, lust for power, control, and money; pride, arrogance, deceit, lips that spread rumors, murder, violence, mayhem, terrorism, physical abuse, mental abuse, rape, sexual aberrations of all types, robbery, Greed, False narratives, racial hate by any person or group of a certain racial characteristic toward others not in their tribe, misrepresentations, false reports, placing heavy burdens on others they cannot bear, abuse, laziness, gossip, drunkenness, drug usage, abuse of body, and any other like things that people do and engage in that bring harm to others or to their own self.
Although some of these sins exist in many people to some extent, but doesn’t become outwardly active, we find the outward acting out of most of them mentioned before is highly involved in the people who are called the Democratic party leaders and many of its average members in our societies around the USA.For instance, nothing that the Republican party, the current President of the USA, or anyone outside of their own petty political does, is right. They consider everything even their breathing is wrong!! Now, any mentally sound and healthy mind and ability to reason and think knows this just can’t be correct. In fact, it is impossible. To consider your own party and your leaders 100% correct and accurate on all they say and do is absolutely nonsense and reflects a very serious disease or illness exists in your own soul and mind. No on is that perfect. So, why want they help this nation be unified? Some of the reasons are; they want control, power and money no matter what they have to do to get it! They will even murder, cause riots, create discord, lie, cheat, steal, burn down businesses, march and burn police cars and attack the police or try to get rid of them etc.! That is how debased these people have become. They are like rabid animals with rabies running around the streets of this nation with their corrupted and hated filled minds and hearts! Destroying and being destroyed they don’t care!!!
This is going on 24/7 today by all people to some degree in the USA! The mass media outlets (news, programs etc.) and the Press, along with the Political parties which NONE or exempt from the above, but the Democrats and Socialists are some of the worse offenders and fully blown expressors of the sins mentioned. Along with them are the BLM, Antifa and various other radical groups which have arisen that are full of SIN and wickedness activities. The major titles of organized groups or people who follow ideologies which are full of these type of sinful activities are as follows; BLM, Antifa, other various socialistic and anarchistic people groups both from within our nation and those who come here from other nations.
So, God sends JUDGEMENT. We see HIS wrath displayed as HE sends and allows such things as we notice as the China Covid-19; also, the harm to our social civilized unity which brings divisions, strife, hate, murder, rape and destruction of property. This is the JUDGEMENT OF GOD! Also, He sends the collapse of civility and Governmental wisdom and a lack of control of the masses of people which have gone absolutely MAD and INSANE with their sins flowing from their souls as if it were water from a faucet!! This is taking place today in the USA!
A nation which embraced Christ and God and worshipped him in days past, has left God and worshipped SELF and CREATION and have become absolute Idol worshippers of such! So we are under a dark cloud of Judgment and it will NOT get better but worse until man bows their KNEES to GOD rather than to other people!!! HE will bring a total destructive blow to the nation of ours if our people do not turn to HIM! That is it period! History has proven such and HE always works this way.
HE IS HOWEVER A GOD OF GRACE, MERCY, KINDNESS, LOVE, AND BENEVOLENCE, BUT HE WILL NOT BE SNUBBED BY HUMAN BEINGS AND THEIR REBELLION AGAINST HIM WILL BRING HIS OTHER ATTRIBUTES OF JUSTICE AND WRATH AND CONDEMNATION UPON HUMANS. IT IS THEIR CHOICE. GOD OR JUDGMENT! GOD OR CONDEMNATION! GOD OR REBELLION! GOD OR LUST! GOD OR CRIME! GOD OR SELFISHNESS! GOD OR HATE!
God sent His Son Jesus Christ (the God man), into the world to save those who would repent and trust Him as Lord and God and Savior. He shed His blood and died for Sins atoning for those sins making a person able to find pardon and forgiveness if they will trust in HIM alone for salvation from God’s wrath!! So, if YOU hear HIM call come to Him now and be saved. Then peace, joy, healing, civility will come back to our nation and hope and a great future for all who do so!!
Having said all of that, I want to make a note of this; the local body of Christ called the Church, is to realize than any of that message about the world needing to repent and confess and trust in faith Christ, is also directed FIRST to the body of Christ, which may be moving away into a mode of thinking which believes that the “cultural status” means we are to be “WOKE” and make changes in our own home and people in order to placate or bend the knee to the world system. Not so! We need to bend our knees to the eternal word of God and live and obey Him not the mores and systems of this world and their ideas about race, culture, or sex or anything else.
They HAVE NO WORD for us at all. Our WORD comes directly in scripture FROM GOD ALONE! To Him we answer and seek to obey not the Government, not the people of any racial group, not any militant movement etc.! All we say to them all is repent and get right with God and our Christ Jesus who has is the ONLY Almighty God and Sovereign Lord of all things to whom we answer and no one else!!!
Today I received news that Chic-fil-A’s owner Cathy, rejected the word of God and His teachings about BLM, and the violence and riots and hate going on by those radical groups. The man is a fake person who seeks attention and plays a role which NO Christian would ever do and is actually commanded not to do. Loving one another doesn’t consist of displaying pious self righteousness to the public like he did shining the shoes of a person. That is so egotistical self love of one I have ever seen displayed other that the Pharisial Romanism of today. To voice support for violence and terrorism is absolutely ungodly and Anti Christ talk! Pray for this dark deep demonic influenced soul. I cannot in good conscience do business with this facility anymore!
Another bad news story today! Fox News has set up a lengthy program for Louis Farrakhan, of the Nation of Islam who is one of the biggest bigots, racist, and Jew haters that lives today. His desires to slay all of the Jews and engage in many violent acts, is unacceptable behavior by anyone who values any moral issue. Louis is a very disturbed and demon possessed man! He does not represent America, Christianity, and also he doesn’t represent the Black Community of people in the USA!! Now Fox supports the evil of this man by giving him a voice and microphone to spread his hate and racism and bigotry and anti semitism.
2020:
Texas, and of course, New Braunfels, Texas, is now back under more strict Covid-19 Virus (China Virus) restrictions. This is due to the upcoming Holiday and also the spikes taking place now especially among the younger generation. As usual, however, the mandatory rule of using the Mask has some allowances for those who cannot wear one, but over all the objective is to try and get more people using the mask to help prevent “some” cases from taking place especially among the more vulnerable. In my opinion after reading about this for all of the days this has been spoken about, I think the basic two elements which MUST be observed BY ALL (Mask or no mask), is Social Distancing (6 feet minimum), not touching each other, and also, washing and sanitizing your hands a lot every day. Keeping the fingers off the facial area until such washing takes place. Doing this is the most important!!!
Hiding behind his mask, Joe Biden, won’t debate, won’t go public, and keeps making serious errors in his speeches. I mean just normal every day words so far removed from reality one wonders why this embarrassing thing is being allowed to take place. Isn’t his family and the leaders of the sociopath democrat’s having any sort of conscience and love for their own??? I mean this is really sad stuff. The man is sick and I mean really ill mentally. Now every one of us can see and hear it. But since when does the party care if they they can use the “empty suit” guy to get into office and then he resign and another moves in just so they get power, control, and tyrannical leadership going for their objectives. God deliver us from all of us comic book stuff!
Really all of this sounds like Gotham city and the Joker comics!!
2020:
This week has been a turbulent week both in the nation (USA), and within the Christian Church. Examination of our motives and actions is a good thing for the body of Christ to do and the current mayhem and terrorism in the streets has been used of God to draw us to such a moment of inspection and thought within our own soul and spirit about many matters relating to the walk of faith we are in!
I personally, along with many others I am sure, are praying for a great awakening in our land, a movement of God to come and show Himself great among the people of this nation, but turning hearts to Him and saving many and reviving His own people so they will increase in their faith and service for Him!
I have been praying God will expose the enemies of our God, and His body of Christ, and expose the enemies of the United States of America also who may be citizens as well as foreigners creating much chaos and hate here in our land. We see very clearly without any speculation and doubt, that the Mass Media outlets (Press and all cable and television networks) are solidly on the side of Evil and Satan.
Along with them various groups such as BLM (The actual leaders and their group in contrast to the black community) and the Antifa movement and the Democratic party leadership are all in the pocket of Satan and being used of him to destroy, hate, produce all manner of sinful fruit being expressed openly now to all in this nation. And alongside of all of that the China Covid-19 Virus is still being sent by God to take out many people and make many ill!
I read the Book of Revelation this morning and see that this is not to be a surprise. For in that revelation of the end times, we see God coming down with HIS Armies upon the Earth and doing great and powerful signs such as fire, plagues, destruction and even slaying of human beings who are followers of Satan.
They STILL do not repent and trust in Christ and our God, but still get angry and full of hate and raise up their fists in defiance toward the Almighty God of all creation. So, it is not surprising that what we are seeing today is happening here in the USA!
As the parties or groups I mentioned who are involved in the warfare against the USA Government, and against all Law and Order, God exposes their wickedness openly to the world, but the Media outlets keep silent as it comes out and will not report this at all. They keep focused on slander, hate, lying about the President and staying centered upon everything they can think of making it wrong! They Turn everything Upside down and think it is real cute and wonderful and even seem to think it is right! They take a word and make it mean something it never means or could ever mean.
That is, they are inventing a new vocabulary so when I say for instance, it is a red bottle, they would say it is a golden plate! That is how bad it is!! So racism now is anything that is against their left wing ideologies. If you are not on their side of the violence and evil then you are a racist!!! How sad they live in darkness and can’t see the LIGHT!! The LIGHT is Jesus Christ and our God and they do not walk with Him at all. But rather, walk with their father who is Satan!
2020:
Last night, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, President Trump began his official rallies relating to his run for another term in office. It was a great meeting, a great speech (except for a few expletives which was unnecessary), and reflective of how great a leader this man rally is in spite of all of the hate, trash, and downgrading of all he is and does. It is interesting that the Democratic Socialist terrorist party of today (Yes, they support terrorist domestic and foreign), and that is so easy to see and know that one would have to be supernaturally blinded by God or Satan to not see it, treats the President JUST LIKE THEY ARE ACCUSING ALL OF US DOING TOWARD OTHER RACIAL GROUPS!! Isn’t that reflective of a confused mind and purpose and plan?
I mean, if those same actions by the Media and the Democrats, all of their lies, words of hate, etc., were directed by Trump toward say the black people he would be impeached and removed from office. And rightly so! But they can do that to him and feel smug and great and think they are not racists and doing a great job!! How confused is that? HATE, and LIES are SINS of the same order as Racism. In fact, there is NO systemic racism existing in the USA, because there are so many laws protecting the races in America you can’t keep up with them. So there is NO official systemic racism existing in the USA that is a false narrative. NOTICE I say a systemic system of racism, because there are individuals who are racists but compare to those who are not it would be a very low percentage.
The rally was great. It looks like he will defeat Joe Biden so much in numbers and in States support that it will be the greatest loss every in the history of this nation.
2020:
COVID-19
This is Friday the 19th of June. All quiet in my territory. However, news is that our little town has a huge spike in Covid-19 Virus cases. San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas apparently are having the hospitals filled up again with this Virus type cases. Why? Supposedly a combination of two things; Memorial Day and Vacation time folks coming to our poplar little Texas town as they normally do each year. They brought with them the Virus and did not practice Social Distancing. Also, a lot of our own citizens do not practice such either. Of course, some wear masks, but a lot do not! NOW< due to this we are having high levels of cases showing up! Oh, when will folks just learn to keep certain practical and easy rules of hygiene! Yes, it is a nuisance, and yet it keeps one safer by far and helps stamp out the virus in our area!
FACEBOOK AND PRESIDENT TRUMP
Today, I read about how Facebook blocked our Presidents ad which is a promotion for his upcoming campaign for President in November. But the reason was Facebook sides with the ANTIFA movement of violence, hate and rioting and mayhem, since they consider President Trump should not expose the movements Symbol they use, and the symbol they use was a Old Nazi type Symbol or close to it.
They said the symbol reflected hate and policies they do not approve of, YET, Antifa is the one conducting such stuff in our streets today and are listed now as a Domestic Terror Group. Trump was speaking about how we all need to stand up against this terrorist organization. But FaceBook will have none of that!! I only hope and pray that the Attorney General will close down this operation call Facebook and put them out of business so that a responsible social network that values free speech and our rule of law and our Constitution would be available . Pray it be so!
2020:
Today our nation continues to be in much turmoil, both politically, and spiritually. Confusion, anxiety, fear, chaos, mayhem, murder, hate, slander, lack of faith in God and Christ, racial hatred by all groups exist, treason, traitors, liars, promoting of all types of sin and evil by people from the top echelons of our Government down to the homeless in the streets exist! Yet, within all of this GOD is here, He sees, He is involved, He has not forsaken His people, He is in charge of the minutest details of all that takes place, either in judgment upon the wicked, either in teaching and training His people in their spiritual walk and journey of life with Him! Until HE is through with these works at present which are on a larger scale of operation visually,specifically Covid-19 and the Rebellion in the streets it will continue. Hopefully, His people will cry out to Him for mercy and grace extended toward the nation of peoples who basically know not what they are doing! Clouded in the darkness of evil and sin, their minds and abilities to reason have left them mad!! May God have mercy!
In the midst of this storm, I have noticed there are pockets of change taking place for good. I have noticed even the minds and thoughts of those who are involved or were involved in the works of darkness within the political parties and various agencies are learning that their former way was wrong and they are changing their minds about various things, such as defunding of the Police and hating the Police! Why? They have had their own homes destroyed or their very life put in danger by thugs on the street and from the BLM and Antifa type people!! Nothing like getting hit with the ones you supported to change your mind right? So pray for them all!
2020:
Tucker Carlson on Fox News, is a very patriotic, Conservative host and one who challenges false or misguided issues we face today in our nation. However, the Left wing radicals (BLM, Antifa, Democrats, Network industry, the Press, etc., are seeking to deny his challenges and want to shut him up totally. It seems the left wingers and terrorist types want to have their freedom of speech and expression but NO ONE else can speak! God gave us this natural right! Their position is not tenable and should be outlawed because it violates basic human rights. If we lose ours, then they must lose theirs!! You can’t have it any other way without being a tyrant and absolute dictator over human beings!
Today, turn to this address and listen to “Candace Owens” one of the most remarkable women of the hour holding up truth and facts. Search for her internet sites in Google. You will be delighted to hear her stand up for truth!
2020:
Thomas Sowell, a black intellectual writer on current events and history, said this: “Racism is not dead. But it is on Life support — Kept alive by politicians, race hustlers and people who get a sense of superiority by denouncing others as racist.” I say Amen to Thomas! Thank you sir!
Today the fake and false news media outlets sent out that Joe Biden was polling ahead of Trump and receiving millions of dollars from all sources. Yet, President Trump had some 800,000 tickets secured for one of his next mid western state meetings and Joe Biden sits in his basement trying to figure out how to speak an intelligent word about anything. Remember the POLLS in 2016 were ALL wrong. They still are and they are stacked for the most party by the Democrats who use them and and make them up!
THE PLAGUE – COVID-19
Various States in the Republic of the United States of America are experiencing a spike in the new Covid-19 Virus plague going on around the world. States like Florida, Texas and others are experiencing this today.
THE TERROR IN THE STREETS!
Many States are experiencing uprisings and riots, terror, and even murder over the last two or three weeks due to Incitement promoted by radical groups and the Media outlets along with one major political party (Democratic)! A false narrative is being pushed and many buy into it without checking out all of the facts and statistics and history of our last fifty years. Racial tensions are high simply because of the false narrative. It is good to see certain individuals springing up and speaking out against the false narrative, individuals who are from the black communities around the States.
If we hook our hope into the people in our lives, we will always come short of our desires and wants. The reason is that no one is able to be our personal Savior or Messiah!
We should be thankful for others that God has placed in our lives!
Love them! Honor and respect them! Be at peace with them! Serve them! Live in community with them!
But we can’t think that they can provide for us what only God can provide!
NOTE SOME THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN WE DO NOT HAVE A PROPER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIPS!
*No person can be the source of our identity!
*No one can be the basis of your happiness!
*No individual can give you a reason to get up in the morning and continue!
*No loved one can be the carrier of your hope!
*No one is able to change you from the inside out!
*No human being can alter your past!
*No person is able to atone for your wrongs!
*No one can give your heart peace and rest!
(Written by Paul David Tripp in his Meditations)
Tripp expressed this also, that no human being can become the 4th Member of the Trinity! How true! We try to find those deep needs we have to be met by someone else we admire, love, or have a relationship with. That is impossible, and it is also wrong to make someone else think they can be such!
Our focus has to be VERTICAL! We are to find our hope, our peace, our joy, our satisfactions in life NOT in the Created, but in the Creator, even Jesus Christ our Lord! He alone can provide all of this for us! It is by and through Faith Alone and for His glory alone through Grace alone in Christ!
Could it be that we have put people (persons) in God’s place? Could it be that our disappointments are due to our relationships experiences are unrealistic and unattainable expectations? Do you and I actually think that individual person really could do what only God can do?
POINT: THERE IS ONLY ONE SAVIOR! HE IS YOUR SAVIOR FOREVER. WE DON’T NEED TO EVEN TRY TO PUT THESE BURDENS UPON SOMEONE ELSE! THE LORD SAID HE WOULD BE WITH US AND WOULD NEVER LEAVE US.
IN FACT, HE IS RIGHT THERE IN YOU AND WITH YOU DURING THE ‘DARK MOMENTS’ OR THE VERY ‘TRIALS’ YOU ARE GOING THROUGH. HE NEVER LEAVES! ARE YOU AWARE OF HIS PRESENCE? IF NOT, WHY NOT?
Alsothe Lord Jesus is Coming Again to take us unto Himself! We are to be looking for that Blessed Hope, the Coming of Jesus back to take us and also to make a new heavens and a new earth and we shall be with Him forever.WATCH A SERMON FROM ONE OF OUR RESOURCE GROUPS:
In case you have not read the first article on the “body, soul and spirit”, I would encouage you to do so prior to reading this particular one on the soul of a redeemed saved person. But a few reminders, if you have, concerning the tripartate being called man (mankind both sexes male and female)!
The following information is not a total compilation and in debth exposition of the matter before us. These matters are a mystery, but we certainly have a lot of truths that stand out in contrast to what is popular today concerning the matters at hand. Hopefully these words will entice you to go further into the study of the body, soul and spirit and help us all discover through the Spirit more about His wonderful work which we NOW HAVE which is VITAL and ALIVE at this very moment.
Also, God loves all of Us, and to HIM all of US is pure, holy, sacred, sanctified, and new. Even though SIN dwells in our Old Man which we died to and dwells in our FLESH (where Sin dwells), the make up of our body consisting of flesh, bones and skin and blood is NOT sinful, but now owned by God and considered His Holy Temple, but sin dwells still in the unregenerate body seeking to do wrong, for it is a power and entity allowed to remain by God until we are either put back to dust and then resurrected or translated into the air with HIM if He comes back. REMEMBER AND I SAY ALWAYS REMEMBER: Paul the Apostle states categoricially that we are NOT IN THE FLESH BUT IN THE SPIRIT NOW!!
IT IS NOT THE WORDING, ‘THE NOW, AND THE NOT YET” BUT NO, THE RIGHT NOW. THE ONLY NOT YET, IS THAT OUR BODIES NEED TO BE GLORIFIED AND RESURRECTED OR TRANSLATED, AND OUR PRESENCE INTO THE VERY HEAVEN OF HEAVENS LITERALLY BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT.
YES, IT IS FORENSIC, BUT TO USE THAT TERM, AS IF THE MATTER IS NOT RIGHT NOW, IS ERROR OF THE HIGHEST ORDER. BECAUSE THE WORD SAYS, WE ARE WITH HIM RIGHT NOW IN THE HEAVENLIES, WHETHER WE SENSE IT OR NOT, IS NOT THE ISSUE, ALTHOUGH YOU AND I SHOULD, BUT THE DISBELIEF THAT EXISTS IN THE WORD SPOKEN IS THE PROBLEM. A LACK OF FAITH IS EXISTING AND IS A PROBLEM, IN THAT NOT ENOUGH FAITH IS BEING EXERCISED IN HIS WORD.
The body we inhabit is actually one unified part of the whole. We are not seperate, but intertwined, a complete unit. It is not like we are floating around inside of a skin, bone and blood vessel, but all of our being is integrated as one being. However, each of the three parts, even though united, do have seperate functions and activities they are engaged in bringing about the complete unified work it was designed to do, and to be as a person.
God created our total being for His own purposes and glory. The body belongs to HIM now, as we are through the new birth, sons of God, born again new creatures or a new creation. God LOVES our bodies, and makes our bodies now His Temple. See: 1 Corinthians 6:15.
1 Corinthians states “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Catch that! Our bodies are now Holy, Living, and Alive because of HIM! They are now acceptable unto Him! God loves your body. It is NOT sinful, it is NOT wicked, it is NOT filthy, it is NOT depraved. What GOD has made HOLY and UNDEFILED let not man do otherwise! The body I live in is Sanctified!!! Nothing wrong with me now because Jesus made me whole! I am NOT in the Flesh so states Paul in his epistle. LISTEN QUICKLY TO THIS: WE ARE NOT TO SEEK TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF OUR BODIES AND MAKE THEM SOMETHING THEY ARE NOT!!
We can try and hijack what God has purchased and taken control of and say it is terrible, wicked, sinful and all of that, but God say’s otherwise. IT IS HIS TEMPLE AND IF WE SAY THAT, WE ARE DEFILING AND MAKING BAD REMARKS ABOUT GOD’S HOUSE!!! DO YOU RECOGNIZE YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD???
Yes, we are presented by sin temptations, and we have struggles but that is ‘sin’ an entity which is separate from our bodies, seperate from our very new creature which we are for we are IN CHRIST JESUS! We do have the struggles from such sinful temptations and sometimes we do sin and fail. But that DOES NOT CHANGE WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT GOD HAS MADE YOU! OUR IDENITY IS NOW BEING IN CHRIST JESUS.
NOTE: ROMANS 6: 12-13 -“LET NOT SIN THEREFORE REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY, THAT YOU SHOULD OBEY IT IN THE LUSTS THEREOF. Neither yield you members as instruments of unrigheousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are ALIVE from the Dead, and your members as instruments of righeousness unto God.”
Are you now ALIVE or DEAD? Are you now the TEMPLE of GOD or is that later? God says in both cases you are alive NOW! Are you righteous NOW are later? God says you are NOW! No jumping back and forth. No falling out of grace into condemnation and sin, but staying right where God put you, SAVED, Holy, Sanctified and ALIVE!
Remember our bodies are “bought with a price” and God owns our bodies, and uses them as His Temple NOW. Yes, it is a body of skin and bones and will decay and return back to dust. But that doesn’t mean it is Sinful, for SIN is a ENTITY in and of itself which dwells in the body and makes it home there to lure the body and our soul and spirit to fail God and sin through various tempations and trials. But our identity is always Holy, Righteous, Sanctified, Without Sin in the NEW MAN who has been MADE ALIVE in CHRIST! THINK ABOUT IT!!! IF YOU THINK LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS DO THAT YOU ARE A FILTHY, WICKED SINNER, THEN YOU ARE MAKING GOD’S HOLY TEMPLE A SINFUL POT OF WICKEDNESS IN WHICH HE IS ALSO LIVING IN, BUT TO THE CONTRARY, HE KEEPS US FROM THE DEATH IN THE POT, AND SURROUNDS US WITH HIS ETERNAL PRESENCE RIGHT NOW IN OUR BODIES.
Back when Paul wrote his epistles and John also, the Gnostics were popular and spreading their heresies and false teachings into the very churches. They majored on the spirit of man and considered all of our bodies, that is every particle of our bodies evil and sinful. Not so! The church rejected that heresy long ago. Matter, our composition of skin, and bones and blood is NOT sinful. SIN IS SINFUL! SIN IS A SEPERATE ENTITY WHICH WORKS TO CREATE SINFUL FRUIT AND USES THE LAW TO DO IT, BUT THE BODY DOES NOT DO THAT, SIN DOES THAT. IT IS SIN THAT IS THE PROBLEM NOT OUR BODY! EVEN THOUGH IT IS WEAK AND DECAYING AS IT IS.SIN SEEKS TO TAKE OUR NORMAL HUMAN DESIRES AND APPETITES, AND OUR NATURAL HUMAN NEEDS, SUCH AS SLEEP, HUNGER, REST, ETC., AND CREATE A SINFUL FRUIT REACTION.
THE SOUL!
1 Thessalonians 5:23
“And the very God of peace, sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Verse 24 reads, “Faithful is HE that calls you, who also will do it!”
THE SOUL IS LIKE A MIRROR. IT REFLECTS THINGS. IT REFLECTS EXPERIENCES – SIN – GOOD – CELEBRATIONS – ANGER – JOY – ETC. IT IS ALSO PART OF THE NEW PERSON IN CHRIST. BUT IT FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE BODY AND OPERATES LIKE THAT. THE SOUL IS NOT EVIL EITHER. IT IS ALIVE IN CHRIST. WE GROW SPIRITUALLY STRONGER AS THE SOUL IS NURTURED AND CARED FOR THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Even in Jesus as He lived in that body which was perfect GREW in wisdom and even Grieved in His spirit, was disturbed in his spirit just like the Apostles did. So, those things are NOT sinful. Having to sleep, and eat and rest were normal things in perfect body which HE had. NO sin within His body like there is in ours! THE FIVE SENSES ARE INVOLVED AS THE SOUL FUNCTIONS.
SOME SCRIPTURES TO STUDY CONCERNING THE SOUL:
Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 6:19 – “Which HOPE we have as an Anchor of the Soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the Veil.”
This is importantmatters: Notice that the SOUL is “sure and steadfast” and it “enters” into the very Holy Place behind the veil.” This is the REAL setting in heaven as we are there with Christ right NOW, but the O.T. picture or portrayed this. SIN could not enter into the very Holy of Holies! Special spiritual work on the High Priest at that time was granted to him to go into that place once per year. Outside in the other portions of the Temple others could be – but NO ONE allowed in there or they would be burned to a crisp! Judged! NOW, note the SOUL which is regenerated and living in the Body (our flesh and bone body) is “inside of Christ” inside of the Veil! THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE – WOW!!
THIS HOLY SOUL OF OURS IS AT WAR WITH SIN ALONG WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS IN US. NOTICE: 1 PETER 2:11;
“……..ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUSTS, WHICH WAR AGAINST THE SOUL.” SO, THE SOUL IS AGAINST THE SIN, AGAINST THE DEVIL, AGAINST THE DEMONS EVEN AS JESUS CHRIST IS! WE DO BATTLE.
OUR PERSONAL FAITH HAS BROUGHT TO SALVATION OF THE SOUL. NOTICE: 1 PETER 1:9, “Receiving the END of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
Catch this: 1 Peter 1: 22: SEEING YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOUR SOULS IN OBEYING THE TRUTH THROUGH THE SPIRIT UNTO UNFEIGNED LOVE OF THE BRETHREN, SEE THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER WITH A PURE HEART FERVENTLY: “BEING BORN AGAIN, NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT OF INCORRUPTIBLE, BY THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH LIVES AND ABIDES FOREVER. “
As saints we can express flesh but that is NOT our idenity in Christ!! Here is our new identity as it is functioning: “Romans 8:5; “For they that are after the flesh (lost people) do MIND the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit (saved people) the things of the Spirit.”
Check out these verses also: Romans 7:25; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 12:2 – Decisions and choices come into play.
BOTTOM LINE POINT:
THERE IS NO CIVIL WAR GOING ON BETWEEN OUR NEW BORN BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT WHICH ARE THE POSSESSIONS OF GOD. THE STRUGGLE IS WITH SIN AND THE TEMPTATIONS TO SIN, ALSO THE DEVIL AND THE WORLD, SEND TO US SIGNALS TO DO WRONG. IT IS NOT THAT OUR BODIES ARE EVIL, OUR SOULS ARE EVIL, OUR SPIRIT IS EVIL AND OUR HEART IS EVIL. NO, FOR THOSE ARE BORN AGAIN AND HAVE BEEN PLACED INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES WHERE JESUS CHRIST IS, WHERE THE FATHER IS, WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS! THAT IS RIGHT NOW!!
THE BODY IS NOT SINFUL, WICKED, AND EVIL! GOD LOVES OUR BODIES. THEY ARE HIS TEMPLE. THE BODY IS SANCTIFIED, HOLY AND PURCHASED BY GOD FOR HIS USE.
THE SOUL AND SPIRIT ARE NOT EVIL AND BAD. THE SOUL AND SPIRIT ARE BORN AGAIN AND ARE IN CHRIST JESUS! THEY ARENEW CREATIONS, THEY ARE IN CHRIST, THEY ARE SANCTIFIED, HOLY AND PURE.
THE MIND IS NOT EVIL, WICKED, LOST, OR POLLUTED, BUT RATHER WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. IT IS A REFLECTIVE PART OF THE SOUL WHICH REALIZES AND WORKS WITHIN US DURING ALL OF LIFE’S EVENTS. BUT IT TOO IS OWNED BY US, AND OWNED BY OUR VERY NEW PERSON WHICH IS BORN AGAIN.
SIN IS THE PROBLEM. WE DON’T WANT TO SIN, WE ARE ON CHRIST’S SIDE, WE ARE HIS OWN PROPERTY, WE ARE NOT IN THE DEVIL OR IN BONDAGE TO SIN, WE ARE FREE FROM SIN! BUT WE HAVE SIN (SARX) CONSIDERED THE ‘FLESH’ WHICH PAUL STATES IS WHAT WE ‘ARE NOT IN’, BUT RATHER WE ARE IN THE SPIRIT. WE ARE NOT SATAN’S ANYMORE. SIN IS SATAN’S BUT NOT US OR OUR IDENTITY!!
CONCLUSION:
THE BODY IS NOT BORN AGAIN YET, BUT IS SET APART FOR GOD’S TEMPLE. IT IS NOT UNHOLY. IT IS HOLY, A SACRED TEMPLE FOR CHRIST’S USE! BUT WITHIN THAT BODY, AND CLOSE AT HAND IS OUR REDEEMED AND PURE, CONSECRATED, BORN AGAIN, SPIRIT FILLED, HOLY, SANCTIFIED SOUL (MIND) AND SPIRIT. YES, WE ACKNOWLEDGE ‘SIN’ THAT IS LEFT WITHIN US, AND HOW IT OPERATES, HOW IT WORKS AGAINST GOD AND US ALSO WHO ARE IN CHRIST.
AND IT DOES ACT OUT ITS SINFUL PURPOSES IN OUR BODIES AS IT REMAINS THERE. GOD CHOSE TO ALLOW SIN TO REMAIN IN OUR BODIES UNTIL WE EITHER PASS ON TO GLORY BY WAY OF THE RESURRECTION OR TRANSLATION, OR PHYSICAL DEATH (BODY GOING BACK TO DUST TO REMAIN UNTIL THE RESURRECTION, BUT OUR SOUL/SPIRIT GO TO CHRIST AND WE ARE GIVEN A SPIRITUAL TEMPORARY BODY UNTIL THE RESURRECTION.
As Paul the Apostle stated about the struggle going on in His born again status as a new person in Christ, this sin dwelling in his body gave him problems. He didn’t want to do evil, because he now was a child of God, a Spirit filled man, a born again man, with a “set apart body of skin and bones” sanctified for holy use by the Spirit, and a soul and spirit which is pure and holy and righteous.
But he said it was NO longer him sinning now, (that is His new identity in Christ, the born again soul and spirit) but rather Sin that dwelled in his physical body and it is called the Flesh! So this complex being called ME and YOU being saved by grace, are considered totally absolutely NEW and not a mixed breed of sin and holiness together (God forbid such a foul thought), which would make God unable to complete His new birth, but some terrible monster of a person with sin and foul rebellion and evil lurking all the time in the “new born sons of God” a totally wrong evaluation and interpretation of scripture!
Saved people would NEVER have any assurance. Saved people would never be at peace with God, Saved people would never be joyful and happy and satisfied with Jesus! Mixed mongrol status is absolutely almost blasphemy of our entire status before God if we think such! No wonder Saints are always depressed, down in the dumps, always unsure, always wondering why they are so bad, and so evil and always thinking how foul they are!!!
If you don’t understand the simplicity of the Gospel work which made you totally free, totally holy, totally redeemed, totally unshackled, totally born again, and the non born again body of skin, bones and blood, has been purchased and is now owned by the Holy Spirit, as His Temple, you will always be defeated, feeling let down, have a lot of confusion, and trouble!
For no one is able to say, SIN did not operate its works against the new man and the Holy Spirit every day of our life. It always works! But if we allow it to work, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that all of those SINS have been forgiven and are removed from us and from the sight of God forever!
He holds them NOT against us at all. Yes, we let Him know we struggle with the sin in the body, but we know He has forgiven us and that we are ON HIS side and Love Him and are sorry for the problems we have with it. But our identity now as sons of God is not the ONE who sides with Satan and Sin, but rather the Sin itself which works with and for Satan is to blame and be held as evil and wicked which it is!
Much is lost when we do not see all of this. Many of our brethren throughout the centuries just never could get a understanding of all of this. They knew the Bible said we are new creations, pure, holy, sanctified, just, beyond reproach, forgiven of ALL sins past, present and future, but yet they also knew sin was there and it fleshed out all the time in professing Christians.
So, they invented a lot of things to make it more comfortable for them because they didn’t know what to do with it all. They taught some aspects of the truth such as “we are justified by faith alone” and say but that is Forensic terms (which it certainly is), but they leave it there as a item of some thought like all is well even though my soul spirit and body engage in sin personally as if the Redeemed One isn’t really redeemed enough, and the sins are not forgiven enough, we still have it “not yet” but someday in the future. The ONLY NOT YET, is that our bodies of flesh and blood are not changed, but only ‘set apart’ by God for His Temple NOW in this state we are in waiting for the Glorification day.
So we can see that is NOT what the words actually state like many think. It is NOW that we have eternal everlasting life and NOW we are in the presence of God seated with Christ in the heavenlies. It is NOW that we are IN Christ, and In God and IN the Holy Spirit. It is NOW that we abide in Him and He in us. WE don’t drop in and out of Christ Jesus ever! He keeps us from falling and will present us Faultless before His Throne in Christ Jesus. Yes, sin abides and works at fulfilling its lusts in our bodies and it does, but it is NOT OUR IDENTITY AT ALL.
We the new man and pure holy people of God do not wish to even allow and entertain it like it is. We reject it. We despise it. We stand against it with God! So, until the glorification our three part personhood which is totally redeemed and forgiven will not get out of this troublesome problem of temptations and struggles and sometimes failures as we live in this body. And that will be deliverance from this wretched body called the flesh where sin abides, and it is by Christ Jesus this happens.
Centuries ago, God looked down on the earth and this is what HE said about it to Noah:
“Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with VIOLANCE. God looked on the earth, and behold it was CORRUPT; For ALL Flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth, and God said to Noah, The END of all flesh has come before me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them, and behold I am about to destroy them with the earth.” Genesis 6: 11-13.
God gave mankind 120 years after that statement while Noah prepared an Ark, for God was going to bring a total Earth Flood which would destroy all living creatures that lived on the whole earth, inlcuding all of mankind except Noah and his family. Evidence is everywhere that a world-wide total flood over all the earth took place. Animals preserved in strange places, sea shells on the top of mountains, you name it there is evidence. But more so, the actual word of God states it! All because of sin and corruption expressed in violence.
At this very moment, THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH MAY BE RISING FROM HIS THRONE AND PREPARING TO DO SO AGAIN, BUT NOT WITH WATER, BUT FIRE. NOTICE THE WORD OF GOD PROMISED BY GOD TO THE INHABITANTS OF THIS WORLD OVER 2000 YEARS AGO:
“But by His(Jesus) Word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for FIRE, KEPT for the day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ……..But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with INTENSE HEAT, AND THE EARTH AND ITS WORKS WILL BE BURNED UP. ……..LOOKING FOR AND HASTENING THE COMING OF THE DAY OF GOD, BECAUSE OF WHICH THE HEAVENS WILL BE DESTROYED BY BURNING, AND THE ELEMENTS WILL MELT WITH INTENSE HEAT.” – 2 PETER 3:10-12
Today, at this very moment, such things are going on all over the earth in every nation, but especially here in the USA! Violence, hate, corrupt activities, burning of police vehicles, buildings burnt, etc., and all forms of sin and corruption exist and is being fleshed out openly as I write these words. Men and women have turned from God and become violent and evil as sin expresses itself through their very lives on the streets of the nation. But GOD is going to come and burn up all things including the wicked and Satan, whom will be cast into the Lake of Fire!
So, as the word of God states, “THE JUDGE IS AT THE DOOR’ AND WILL BE ENTERING INTO OUR WORLD OF SIN, TO JUDGE ALL FOR THEIR UNGODLY DEEDS, AND BURN UP THIS PRESENT EARTH AND MAKE A NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH WHERE THERE WILL BE NO MORE SIN AND PAIN AND SUFFERING AND NO MORE SATAN AND DEMONS AND EVIL.
IS THAT GOING TO BE TODAY, OR SOON? FROM ALL VISIBLE OUTWORKINGS OF SIN IN PEOPLE TODAY, IT APPEARS TO BE COMING VERY SOON. God doesn’t change in His character and His views on Sin and violence. He may change His dealings with man as He so chooses but His purpose and ways do not Change in His character and being as God! He is NOT pleased, and HE is angry with the wicked EVERY DAY and they are UNDER HIS WRATH AT THIS VERY MOMENT WHICH NEVER LET’S UP UNLESS THEY REPENT AND TURN TO HIM FOR FORGIVENESS AND BE CHANGED BY CHRIST.
A ray of hope is still existing at this moment however. For 2 Peter did say God has a purpose to save the rest of those sheep He will call and save from destruction.
It reads in 2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” This was given to the saints who were concerned about other people who were lost and not saved yet, perhaps even their loved ones, etc., came to mind quickly. So, God let’s them know HE will SAVE the ONES whom HE has chosen and NONE of them will perish whose names are written in the Lambs book of Life before the foundation of the world.” Also, He will not allow the saints to perish, but keep them from the wrath and anger and condemnation of the Father exercised upon the lost.
So, if you who read this article and message around the world, if you HEAR HIS calling, COME to Him now and HE will save and pardon you for your sins as you call upon Him confessing Him and trusting Him as (Christ) your Lord and Savior and God you will be saved.
GRACE WORXS 