Are You Spiritually AWOL?

Ephesians 5:3-13 NKJV

 

“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

 

“8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.”

 

What’s Not Fitting?

 

Before I knew what passage was coming next I ran across a post on an internet site written by a man who was teaching strongly against women serving as pastors and elders in the gatherings of the church, that they were not to be in positions of authority over men, usurping authority over men, instructing men in authority to where they could exercise discipline over men. I responded in agreement that women should not be pastors and elders, and that they should not instruct men in positions of authority over men. But then the Lord prompted me to ask him these questions:

 

“How many men do you think who are currently serving as pastors and elders in the body of Christ meet the spiritual qualifications for pastor and elder, as taught in the Scriptures? How many do you believe are living in moral purity, in absolute faithfulness to their spouses, who are loving their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her? And how many are truly teaching the whole counsel of God and not a diluted ‘gospel’ intended to tickle itching ears and to grow their numbers? And if you removed all of the men, who are not living up to the qualifications for pastor and elder, from their positions of authority, what % would be left?”

 

I received a response from a woman: “Probably not many. But still doesn't change God's stated because biblical order for men and women!”

 

My response: “I agree. Not trying to change that. The point is really I hear so many men pushing the whole silence of women thing in the church but many of those men do not meet the biblical qualifications for their positions, just like women are not qualified to be pastors and elders. If the men are so concerned about the women being in their rightful positions, then I believe they should be examining the men, too, to make certain that those who do not qualify are not serving where they are restricted from serving, too. So, if they only apply the Scriptures to the women, and not to the men, then they are being hypocrites and should not be serving in those positions.”

 

The Current Situation

 

We, the body of Christ, are being instructed here by the apostle Paul that in our gatherings there should be no fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness (immorality), foolish talking, nor coarse jesting. They are not fitting for those who call themselves followers of Christ. And those who practice such things will not have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. And so we are not to be deceived by those who are teaching that we can just believe in Christ and now heaven is guaranteed us regardless of how we live. If sin is our life practice, and not obedience to God, we are not saved.

 

Now, I am 76 years old, and I have been within the gatherings of the church, either live in person, or virtually, all my life. And I have interacted with other professing Christians both live and in person, and on the internet (once we had the internet), too. I have listened to hundreds or thousands of sermons and I have read people’s writings and their conversations on the internet, too. I have taught the Scriptures for 50+ years, so I know what they teach on moral purity, sin, and what constitutes biblical salvation, and regarding the spiritual qualifications for overseers (pastors, elders, deacons).

 

So, I am not naïve about what has been going on within many of the gatherings of the church, and about what is being taught by many as “the gospel,” and how so many are now teaching that addictive and habitual sin will keep no one out of heaven, and how so many men and elders and pastors will even hint at the fact that they are not living in moral purity, but while they excuse it away. I know the lingo. I am well versed in it. And so many of them will do nothing to stop any men from continuing in addictive sexual immorality and from willfully sinning sexually against their wives.

 

But Rather Expose Them!

 

I am reminded here of the story of the sinful woman who was silently rebuked by the Pharisee because she stood at Jesus’ feet weeping, and she washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with oil. But Jesus rebuked the man in front of the woman because what he should have done for the Lord, he did not do, but the woman did do (Luke 7:36-50). So sometimes God uses women in places where men should be, doing what God has called the men to do, but they are not doing because they are spiritually absent without leave. Sometimes he uses us women to address these issues because we are willing to obey.

 

So, what needs to be exposed here? The fact that it appears that in my country (USA) the majority of what are called “churches” are businesses of men being marketed to the world. And so many pastors are being taught what to do to win the people, which includes diluting the gospel and allowing sin to run rampant in the name of “love” and “grace.” And many of the pastors and elders are among those who have fallen into sin, and sexual sin is definitely at the top. And so they excuse it away. And so many are, thus, living in adultery against their wives and are not leading their family and their church fellowships into biblical repentance and obedience to our Lord.

 

But you don’t hear a large outcry about this subject coming from many men, or women, really. But I hear a huge outcry by men, usually men, about women speaking the truth of the Scriptures in mixed company. They are all gung-ho about the silencing of women, but they are not, by the majority, speaking out against men serving as elders and pastors who do not fit the biblical qualifications because they are yielding to idolatry, adultery, sexual immorality, and/or to the diluting of the gospel message, and the appeasing of people in their sins, because they want to grow their numbers. So they are hypocrites for silencing women’s voices if they are yielding to sin as a matter of habit, and if they are teaching lies to the people about salvation.

 

Repent and Obey

 

So this is a call to all who profess Jesus as Lord but who are knowingly, willfully, and habitually returning to the same sins over again while making excuses for them and while teaching others that they can do the same under “the grace of God.” This is a call to all who serve as pastors and elders of church congregations to make certain that you are living for the Lord, and that sin is not your habit, and that your lifestyle lines up with the biblical qualifications for someone in your position, especially before you start calling out for the silencing of women when there is a serious shortage of qualified men willing to serve the Lord faithfully in obedience to his commands. God will use women to be his messengers when most men are spiritually AWOL.

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

 

Ministers of Our God 

 

An Original Work / June 21, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Ministers of our God,

harken to hear Him speak.

Have you given Him

your hearts and souls today?

Hasten to give all to Him.

Let Him cleanse your hearts from sin.

Cast yourselves on His altar.

In your lives do not falter.

 

Ministers of our God,

flee from all your idols.

Remove them from your lives.

Be transformed today.

Listen to the words I say.

Give your all to Christ today.

Let him rule within your hearts,

cleanse from sin, His grace impart.

 

Ministers of our God,

won’t you come to His cross?

Die to sin and yourselves.

Penitently pray.

Humbly accept Him today.

Let Him wash your sins away.

Receive Him into your hearts.

His mercy and grace impart.

 

https://vimeo.com/127504455

 

Are You Spiritually AWOL?

An Original Work / June 24, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Walking in Love

 

Put Off, Put On

Ephesians 4:17-19 NKJV

 

“17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

 

We live in a day and age when so much of what is called “church” is watering down the gospel message to make it more attractive and less offensive to the ungodly and to the world. Many church gatherings have been turned into theatre productions for the purpose to entertain the world in order to attract the world to their gatherings. So many of their pastors are now entertainers who joke and laugh in their sermons, and who make light of things which God regards as serious, and who teach “gospel light” to appease the flesh.

 

Others may be teaching the importance of biblical repentance and of obedience to our Lord’s commands, but they will throw in things which will make it sound like this is optional, and not required, and that they will still have salvation from sin and eternal life with God even if they don’t repent, and even if they don’t obey God as a matter of life practice. For they don’t want to be too heavy handed and thus scare some people away. They want “church” to be fun and enjoyable so people will keep coming back.

 

And so we have many people in these “churches” who are professing faith in Jesus Christ, convinced that all their sins are forgiven, and that they are on their way to heaven, but while they continue making sin their practice, and not obedience to our Lord’s commands. They play with sin, thinking that nothing bad will happen to them, not realizing the danger of falling beyond recovery because they overestimated God’s grace and thought they had permission to keep sinning, only now without conscience or remorse.

 

And sexual sin does seem to be at the top of the list today, within the gatherings of the church, of sins which are prominent and largely ignored. And so many are excusing these sins away, and making excuses for them. So many pastors are not taking this seriously, which could be that they are also trapped in sin, and/or that they just don’t want to offend anyone, for they want to grow their numbers. And this situation should grieve us who profess faith in Jesus, because many are in danger of falling to their deaths.

 

Ephesians 4:20-24 NKJV

 

“20But you have not so learned Christ, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

 

This is critical that we get this. This translation I find a little difficult to understand. A better rendering of verse 20, I believe, is “But that is not the way you learned Christ” (ESV). If we were taught the truth that is in Christ Jesus, we should not have learned that it is okay for us to keep on in deliberate and habitual sin against God. It is not okay for us to keep ignoring the commands of our Lord and to live however we want. Salvation from sin and eternal life with God require that we die to sin and that we obey God.

 

So, by faith in Jesus Christ, we are to put off our old self, which belongs to our former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires. For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow him in obedience to his commands. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, and we do not obey our Lord’s commands, in practice, we do not know God, we do not have salvation from sin, and we will not have eternal life with God.

 

And now, by the grace of God, and because of what Jesus did for us on that cross, we can be renewed in the spirit of our minds. For Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross to deliver us out of our bondage (addiction) to sin so that we will now serve him with our lives in walks of obedience to his commands, and in surrender to his will, in living holy lives, pleasing to God. Our minds should no longer be set on pleasing the flesh and disobeying God, but we should now long to do what pleases our Lord because we love Him.

 

By faith in Jesus, which is gifted to us by God, and which is persuaded of God, we die to our old lives of living in sin and for self, and now we put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. We can’t do this in our flesh, though. This can only be done in the power of God by genuine faith in Jesus Christ which dies with Christ to sin and is reborn of the Spirit to walk in newness of life in him. And daily we must deny self, die to sin, and obey God, in practice. Take this to heart!

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

 

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

 

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

 

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

 

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg

 

Caution: This link may contain ads

 

Put Off, Put On

An Original Work / June 23, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Grace, Salvation, Faith, Works

Ephesians 2:8-10 NKV

 

“8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

 

Grace

 

What is God’s grace to us? God’s grace sent Jesus Christ, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to the cross to put our sins to death with him, and then to rise from the dead victorious over sin, death, hell, and Satan, on our behalf, in order that by faith in Jesus Christ we will now die to sin and obey God and his commands. For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in Christ Jesus.

 

[Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 6:1-23; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 6:24; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 10:26-31; Hebrews 12:12-17; 1 Peter 2:24; Jude 1:4]

 

Salvation

 

And what are we saved from? We are saved from ourselves, from our own selfish wills and desires. And we are saved out from our addiction to sin and from living for self and for ungodly pleasures. We are rescued from the control (power) of sin and Satan over our lives so we can now, by the grace of God, live for our Lord, in obedience to his commands, in holy living. And what are we saved to? To do the will of God, to follow our Lord wherever he leads us in doing whatever he has called us to do, all for the glory of God.

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24]

 

Faith

 

And what is faith? It is divine persuasion of God as to his holiness and righteousness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to die with Christ to sin so we might live for Christ in obedience to his commands. But this faith is not of our own doing, of the will of the flesh of humans. But we are saved as we are drawn by God to follow Jesus with our lives. For this faith is authored and perfected by Jesus Christ, and it comes from God, and so it is aligned biblically with the teachings of Christ on what it means to have faith.

 

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Acts 26:18; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Hebrews 12:1-2; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 2:24]

 

Works

 

Don’t leave out verse 10, which is what so many people do. So they teach that faith is absent of all works, including they exclude the need to obey God’s commands, to do his will, and to forsake our sins. But if we include verse 10 we learn that by faith in Jesus we are now his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus “for good works” which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So we are not saved by our own fleshly works, but we are saved by God to do the works God has prepared for us to do.

 

[Titus 2:11-14; Titus 3:8; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:20-24; 1 Corinthians 15:58; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Galatians 5:22-24; Philippians 2:12-13; James 2:14-26; Colossians 1:9-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; 2 Timothy 2:21]

 

By Your Grace 

 

An Original Work / June 27, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Speak Your words to my heart,

Let Your grace and love impart.

Be to me all I need

To love and serve Christ my King;

To love and serve Christ my King.

Change my heart; be like You;

Let me love and serve in truth.

Guide my steps ev’ry day,

As I bow my knees and pray;

As I bow my knees and pray.

 

Love You, Lord. You love me.

You died so that I’d go free

From my sin; pure within;

By Your grace I’m saved from sin;

By Your grace I’m saved from sin.

Invite You in my heart;

Now I have a brand new start.

Repented of my sin,

So that I’d be cleansed within;

So that I’d be cleansed within.

 

Live for You ev’ry day,

List’ning to the words you say.

Make You Lord of my heart;

Be Your witness, grace impart;

Be Your witness, grace impart.

Obey Your ev’ry word;

Do the things I’ve seen and heard.

Your word, Lord, in me burns,

While I wait for Your return;

While I wait for Your return.

 

https://vimeo.com/125738774

 

Grace, Salvation, Faith, Works

An Original Work / June 23, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Saying, "Speak to Us Pleasant Words"

Galatians 6:7-10 NKJV

 

“7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

 

Now, the Lord is leading me today to take a slightly different approach with this passage of Scripture than usual, not at all changing the meaning in any way, but looking at just one of the many ways in which people in our day and time are sowing to the flesh and not to the Spirit, many of whom are those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. And this has to do with diluting and altering the message of the gospel to make it less offensive to the ungodly and more acceptable to human flesh. This dilution is very popular today.

 

Isaiah 30:8-11 NKJV

 

“8Now go, write it before them on a tablet,

And note it on a scroll,

That it may be for time to come,

Forever and ever:

9 That this is a rebellious people,

Lying children,

Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;

10 Who say to the seers, “Do not see,”

And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things;

Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.

11 Get out of the way,

Turn aside from the path,

Cause the Holy One of Israel

To cease from before us.”

 

“Speak to Us Smooth Things”

 

And this is the message being spread far and wide in many of the gatherings of “the church” today, at least here in the USA, and as led by many pastors of these congregations, as well as it is being passed along by their followers. And I get this message given to me sometimes by people who read what the Lord gives me to write and to post on the internet. And they try to get me to soften the message of the gospel, and to water it down, to make it less offensive and more inviting to the people, to speak smooth things, instead.

 

But Jesus Christ and his New Testament apostles did not water down the gospel message to make it less offensive and more appealing to the people. They told the people plainly that faith in Jesus Christ, which comes from God, and which is not of human flesh, commands (not merely suggests) that we must deny self, die to sin daily, and follow Jesus in obedience to his commands, as a matter of life practice, although not necessarily in absolute perfection (see 1 John 2:1-6). For if we do not obey, we will not be saved.

 

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 9:23-26; John 4:31-38; John 10:27-30; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 26:18; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 10:14-15; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 2:9,21,24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

 

The Diluted “Gospel” Message

 

But that message, although it is what was taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles, is largely being rejected as the gospel today, and it is being taught that it is “works salvation.” And so they claim that it is false. And it is being replaced by “another gospel,” which is “the gospel” taught by human flesh, and is of the flesh. Although it is partially correct, it is mixed with the lies of Satan. Thus, it is a half-truth which makes it a lie, a lie which is leading many people to hell on the promise of heaven when they die.

 

I have been rejected and cast aside in multiple institutional “churches” which are following the marketing plans of other humans on how to grow their numbers. And I have had individual professing Christians reject and cast me aside as unwanted, as well, because I speak the truth of the gospel, and I do not dilute it to make it more comfortable to the ungodly. But God did not call me to be a people pleaser. He called me to be a voice in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord for the people to receive the truth, not lies.

 

The Essential Gospel Message!

 

For what Paul preached here in Galatians 6 is essential to the gospel of our salvation and to the salvation of human lives. For whatever we sow, that we shall also reap. So if we think God is okay with us continuing in deliberate and habitual sin, and that he will not judge us for not obeying his commands, we need to read this passage again. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to God, according to the Scriptures, we will not have salvation from sin, and we will not inherit eternal life with God.

 

Now, that may sound harsh and unloving to some people. But it is the most loving thing I could ever say to anyone, if truth be told. For if I feed you lies to make you feel good, and you end up in hell, but on the promise of heaven, then I am guilty of hate in the worst way. So I would rather that you end up in heaven even if it means that I am hated and rejected on this earth for telling people the truth that many people do not want to hear. So I must not lose heart because some people think I am too strong on this subject. God will use what he has given me to share for the salvation of human lives.

 

The Battle for Truth

 

Based off Malachi 1-4

An Original Work / May 18, 2013

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Truth is marching, truth is marching.

 

I love you. Honor me.

Tell the truth. You’ll be free.

Sing My praise all your days.

I will give all you need.

 

Truth is marching, truth is marching.

 

Turn from sin; cleansed within.

Stand in awe of My Name.

Teach what’s true. Walk in peace.

Follow Christ, in His ways.

 

Truth is marching, truth is marching.

 

Show to God faithfulness.

Do not be adult’rous.

Do not shed shallow tears.

Do not be insincere.

 

Truth is marching, truth is marching.

 

I have sent messengers,

Who have giv’n my address.

They call for repentance,

And they warn of judgment.

 

Truth is marching, truth is marching.

 

I, the Lord, do not change,

So return – blessings gain:

Healing comes; joyfulness;

Freedom from your distress.

 

https://vimeo.com/117023801

 

Saying, “Speak to Us Pleasant Words”

An Original Work / June 22, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Carry Each Other's Burdens

Galatians 6:1-2 NIV 1978

 

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

 

The Family of God

 

Another word for “brothers” is brethren, which, in context, is intended to mean fellow-believers in Jesus Christ, i.e. the family of God as a whole unit, which would include males and females. We, as the family of God, are to watch out for one another, care for one another, and encourage one another in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord. And we are instructed in the Scriptures that we should be doing this daily so that not one of us is led astray by the deceitfulness of sin and might fall away from the Lord.

 

But let me add a word of caution here. If this is of a private matter, then it should be dealt with privately, male with male, and female with female. But biblically speaking, if the one committing the sin is not willing to repent of one’s sin, to turn from the sin, and to obey God, then it becomes a matter for the church to intervene (example: 1 Corinthians 5). Sadly, from my experience, I don’t see much of that happening these days. Instead I see a great tolerance of deliberate and habitual sin in what is to be the church.

 

Caught in Sin

 

Now, what does it mean to be “caught in a sin”? It can mean that one is literally caught in the act of sinning, i.e. someone else witnessed the act of them sinning. Or it can mean that someone is overtaken by sin, such as in being engaged in a sinful habit, an addiction to any particular sin. They are trapped, snared, and hooked in/on any particular sin or all sin. And they either have not sought a way out of it, or they do not desire to be relieved of it, or they have been too afraid to admit that they are trapped in sin.

 

And who should restore them gently? Those of us who are spiritual. So, what does that mean? It means we are those who believe in Jesus Christ, who have by faith in him died to sin, and who are now living for God in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living. Sin is not our practice. This doesn’t make us perfect in every respect, but obedience to our Lord and living in moral purity, honesty, faithfulness, and the like, is what we practice, by the grace of God, and in the power of God, for we take God’s word seriously.

 

Restore Them Gently

 

This word “restore” means “to equip, to perfect, to prepare, to restore, to mend, to repair, to make in good working order, to make fully functional. It stems from a medical term having to do with putting a joint which is out of place back into place, which is a painful process. But this is about helping someone caught in sin to be delivered from that sin and to be brought back into a proper spiritual condition, to be made right with God in obedience to our Lord. But they have to be willing and cooperative or it won’t happen.

 

And to restore such a one gently is not to coddle them in their sins, nor to give them permission to keep sinning for an elongated period of time. For gentle is humble, and it is meek, and Jesus was meek, but he was not weak on sin. He did not placate sin in the life of the sinner, nor did he soften the gospel to make it less offensive to the sinner. Jesus spoke the truth plainly, with much love, knowing that it is the truth which sets people free, not the lies which make people feel good. So tell people the truth they need to hear.

 

But Watch Yourself!

 

If we are trying to help someone who is trapped in sin to come out from underneath that weight of sin, we need to be on guard against the wiles (tricks) of the devil. For Satan will try to guilt trip us or to tempt us or whatever he can do so that we will back down from helping this brother or sister in Christ to come out from underneath whatever is entrapping them. And so we need to be humble, and guarded, and not to think too highly of ourselves or we may fall into temptation and need to be restored ourselves.

 

And to carry each other’s burdens is not to tolerate or ignore or placate deliberate and habitual sin in those who claim faith in Jesus Christ. Too much of that is taking place today in the gatherings of the church, or of what are falsely being called “the church.” Too many are giving professing Christians a pass, and then calling that “grace.” But God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives (see Titus 2:11-14).

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

 

My Sheep 

 

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV

An Original Work / June 24, 2012 

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

 

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

 

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full…

 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

 

https://vimeo.com/114938263

 

Carry Each Other’s Burdens

An Original Work / June 22, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Led By The Spirit

Galatians 5:16-21 NKJV

 

“16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

 

“19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

 

The Law vs The Law

 

Most of us who are Christians today were not brought up under the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, circumcision, dietary, and Sabbath laws. So, for someone unfamiliar with the Old Covenant laws, seeing written in the New Testament that we Christians are “not under the law,” it might well be a confusing subject. And some people are using this to their advantage and they are teaching that God says that we don’t have to obey the law, i.e. his commandments. But we indeed do have to obey God.

 

So, when we are reading in the Scriptures that we are not under the law, please do not take it that you do not have to obey the commandments of God. It is just saying that we do not have to obey all the restrictions of the Old Covenant, but it does not give us the freedom to disobey our Lord’s commands under the New Covenant. And God’s moral laws never went away, which our Lord makes clear through his servant, the apostle Paul. For all the law is fulfilled in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

But this word love is not just the feel good kind based in our emotions. The word love in the Greek is agapē, which means to prefer. And for the believer in Christ it means to prefer what God prefers, to choose his choices, and to obey them in his power. And what God prefers is all that is holy, righteous, morally pure, upright, faithful, honest and obedient to his commands (under the New Covenant). And we are taught in the New Testament that if we do not obey God, that we do not know God, and we do not have life in him.

 

Walking in the Spirit

 

By faith in Jesus Christ, if our faith is of God, and if it is biblical faith, and not that of the flesh, that should result in us denying self, dying to sin, and obeying our Lord’s commands as a matter of life practice, not necessarily in absolute perfection (1 John 2:1-2). But lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin against God. So, walking in the Spirit is living to please God, turning from sin, and obeying his commands, in practice. Then we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh in our lives.

 

And then we are given here a list of the works of the flesh, and in most of these lists in the Scriptures, the ones listed first have to do with sexual sin which appears to be the predominant sin holding people in bondage today. And if sin is what we practice, by habit, and not obedience to God, then we are not in relationship with Christ Jesus, and we don’t have salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. So we must put away all sin, including lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, idolatry, murder, and the rest.

 

And now we must walk (in conduct, in practice) by the Spirit, living to please God in all that we are and say and do. And we must live morally pure lives to the glory of God, in the power of God, by his Spirit. So, instead of adultery, we are faithful. Instead of hatred, we are loving. In place of lies we now tell the truth. Instead of wrath, we are kind. In place of resentful and bitter, we are forgiving and compassionate. Instead of being rebellious, we cooperate with God. And instead of doing wrong, we do what is right in God’s eyes.

 

Put Offs and Put Ons: [Matthew 5:27-30; Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 3:5-11; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:1-17; 1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10] 

 

Servant of the Lord

 

Based off Romans 1:1-17

An Original Work / July 26, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Servant of the Lord;

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

Through Him, and for His name alone,

We receive His grace

To call people, Him to obey;

Coming from their faith.

Servant of the Lord,

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

 

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ;

Always praying for others’ needs;

Helping hand to lend;

Giving courage to others’ faith,

For the praise of God.

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ.

 

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

In the gospel find righteousness:

Being right with God.

Turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ.

By faith, live in Him.

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

 

https://vimeo.com/119511640

 

Led By The Spirit

An Original Work / June 22, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love