Outside of God's Will

Video Talk

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 ESV

“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”

The body of Christ, the church, is comprised of all who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives. We have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we have been raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now to live as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin is to no longer be what we practice, but now righteousness and holiness and obedience to our Lord are to be our practice.

However, here in America anyway, so much of what is being called “church” isn’t really the body of Christ, his true church, but they are people of the world, and they are the worldly, and they are people who are building their businesses and their earthly kingdoms and who are following after men in their deceitful scheming. And so they are also people who have altered the character of God and the gospel to make it more appealing to the world.

And so the gospel which is progressing and gaining much ground, and which is permeating so much of the church today (or what is falsely being called “church”) is not the gospel taught by Christ and by his New Testament apostles. But it is a half-truth gospel created in the minds of men who are wanting to attract the world to their gatherings. And it is moving further and further away from the truth so it probably isn’t even half true today.

Therefore, the gospel message, which is gaining much ground today, and which is showing up in movies and TV shows and videos and books and memes on social media and in people’s sermons, is outside of God’s moral boundaries, and it is outside of God’s will for his church, his body. For it is teaching or it is leaving the impression that you can believe in Jesus, have your sins forgiven, be on your way to heaven, but it doesn’t have to change how you live, or it is regardless of how you live. But that is a lie from hell.

Thus, this false walk of faith which is being strongly promoted today through so many mediums is a departure from biblical walks of faith, and it is in opposition to the true gospel and to its messengers. And it is attacking the true faith, calling it false, while it keeps moving further and further away from the truth altogether. And so many people professing faith in Jesus Christ are buying into its lies and they are not living for the Lord Jesus.

But this passage of Scripture from today and all of the New Testament tells us a different story. For we, as followers of Christ, are to walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the teachings of the Scriptures (under the New Covenant), and according to the expressed will of God, and according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. And we are to walk in holiness and righteousness, and not in sin, in walks of obedience to our Lord.

Therefore, sinful practices of any kind should have no part in our lives, and we are definitely to abstain from sexual immorality. And have you noticed how often sexual immorality and/or sensuality or immorality or adultery show up in the lists of sins in the Scriptures? And usually they are at the front of the lists, too. And sexual immorality is rampant today within the gatherings of the church (or what is called “church”).

But we, as God’s people, are not called to impurity, but in holiness. And to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. So, just know that if sin is what you practice, and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord is not what you practice, you will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what faith in Christ Jesus you profess with your lips. See:

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMCJqlRGEPQ

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As the Deer 

By Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

 So my soul longeth after You

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield

 To You alone may my spirit yield

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

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