Ephesians 4:25-29 NASB
“Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
When We Believe
When we believe in Jesus Christ with God-given faith, we are
crucified with him in death to sin and we are raised with him to walk in
newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Our old self was crucified with Christ in order that our body of sin might be
done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves of sin but of
righteousness.
So, sin is to no longer be our master. Jesus Christ is to be
our only master. And now we are to no longer walk (in conduct, in practice)
according to the flesh, but now according to the Spirit. For if we walk (in
practice) according to the flesh, in sin, we will die in our sins. We will not
inherit eternal life with God (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Pet 2:24;
Gal 5:16-21).
Therefore sin is to no longer reign in our mortal bodies so
that we obey its lusts, but we are to present our bodies to God as instruments
of righteousness. For we are slaves of the one we obey, and if that be sin, it
will end in death, not life eternal. But if that be obedience, it will result
in righteousness which leads to sanctification which ends in eternal life.
Ridding Yourselves Of
So, when we read these instructions to us, the saints of
God, with regard to the things we are to rid our lives of, and with regard to
the things we are to do, instead, these are not mere suggestions or
recommendations. They are not optional. We don’t get to choose to do them or
not to do them. For our eternity depends on us obeying our Lord and his
commands.
[1 Jn 2:3-6,
15; 1 Jn 3:4-10, 18, 24; 1 Jn 5:2-3; 2 Jn 1:6; Jn 8:51; Jn 14:15-24; Jn 15:10;
Rom 6:16; Heb 5:9; 1 Pet 1:2; Jas 1:21-25; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb
4:1-13; Matt 7:21]
So, we need to take this seriously. For, contrary to what
many are teaching these days, Jesus did not die for us on that cross merely to
forgive us our sins, to free us from the punishment of sin, and to promise us
eternal life with him. Also contrary to what many are teaching these days, we
do indeed have to repent of our sins, obey our Lord, and submit to him as Lord.
Therefore we are to be ridding our lives of falsehood (lies,
deception), we are not to sin in our anger, we are to cease stealing from
others, and we are to not let unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, etc. But
we are to speak the truth in love to one another, but truth as God defines
truth. And we are to work with our hands and be generous to others, and we are
to speak to others what is beneficial for them for their edification.
So, if we are deliberately practicing (habitually) sexual
immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, selfish
ambition, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, we
will not inherit the kingdom of God. If we are not obeying our Lord, we will
not see heaven. If we are sowing hatred and not love, we will not have eternal
life with God.
Ephesians 4:30-32 NASB
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
We grieve the Holy Spirit, thus, when we choose to continue
living in habitual sin while refusing to obey the Lord. But it isn’t that it
just makes God sad that we have chosen the way of sin rather than the way of
righteousness, but that if we continue on that course, and if we do not turn
from our sins (repent) and walk in obedience to our Lord, we will not inherit
eternal life with God no matter what we profess with our lips.
So, this is why we have so many warnings and urgings and
strong counsel and exhortations written to the church telling us that we must
put these things out of our lives, for if we don’t, then we will not get to go
to heaven when we die. We will not be saved at the end from our sins when Jesus
comes to take his bride to be with him for eternity, which is when our
salvation will be complete, and not until then.
So, you know your own life and practices. You know if you
are engaged in any habitual sin. You know if you have been resisting God’s
Spirit and his counsel to you, and if you have been choosing sin over God and
over righteous living. So, please know also what the Scriptures teach regarding
our salvation and eternal life with God and what happens to us if we continue
in or return to living in sin and do not repent and obey.
Therefore, if you want to be sure of heaven as your eternal
destiny, please know what the Scriptures teach, in context, and then obey them.
[Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17;
Eph 4:17-24; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15; Tit 2:11-14; Jas 1:22-25; 1
Jn 1:5-9; Rom 12:1-2; Eph 2:8-10; 1 Co 15:58; Php 2:12-13; Jn 8:31-32; Rom
11:17-24; 1 Co 15:2; Col 1:21-23; 2 Tim 2:10-13; Heb 3:6, 14-15; 2 Pet 1:5-11; 2
Pet 2:20-22; 1 Jn 2:24-25; Rom 8:24; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim
1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5]
I'll Meet You In The Morning
By Albert E Brumley
I will meet you in the morning by the bright riverside
When all sorrows has drifted away
I'll be standin' at the portals when the gates open wide
At the close of life's long weary day
I'll meet you in the morning with a 'How do you do?'
And we'll sit down by the river and when rapture of the
plane is renewed
You'll know me in the morning by the smile that I wear
When I meet you in the morning, in the city that is built
four square
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iq6daOKXdw
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