Kneel Before the Lord

Psalms 95:6-7 ESV

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

For he is our God,

    and we are the people of his pasture,

    and the sheep of his hand.”

We read in Romans 12:1-2 that to present our bodies to Jesus Christ as living sacrifices to God, holy and acceptable and well pleasing to God, is our spiritual worship of God, our reasonable service to God. We are to serve God with our lives, doing what he commands and what he has called us to do and to be. And to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made to be like Jesus Christ in character and in deed. 

And to kneel before God doesn’t have to be a physical thing at all, and it should not be merely physical. For kneeling is a sign of deference and respect and of submission, too. It is an expression of honor, surrender, and reverence to God. And the position in which we kneel has more to do with the disposition of the heart than it has anything to do with a physical position. It is the same as bowing down, in other words.

So, although singing songs of worship to God can be part of our worship of our Lord, if our hearts and our lives are not surrendered to Christ, and if we are not living in submission to his will for our lives, and if we do not practice daily giving our lives to the Lord as living sacrifices to do his will and to serve him with our lives in living holy lives pleasing to him, different from the world, then we are not truly worshiping our Lord.

For if we are truly his sheep, then we are those who are following him with our lives in obedience to his commands, in practice. We are listening to the Lord speak to our hearts through his word and through the Holy Spirit living within us, and we are doing what his word teaches us we must do, perhaps not perfectly, but we are growing and maturing and changing and progressing in our walks of faith in a forward and not a backward direction.

[John 10:27-30; Romans 12:1-2; Titus 2:11-14; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Ephesians 4:17-24; Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23]

Psalms 95:7-11 ESV

“Today, if you hear his voice,

    do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,

    as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

when your fathers put me to the test

    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

For forty years I loathed that generation

    and said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their heart,

    and they have not known my ways.’

Therefore I swore in my wrath,

    ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

Now, this is repeated for us in Hebrews 3:1-19 and Hebrews 4:1-13 which also go along with 1 Corinthians 10:1-22 teaching. So this is not just OT teaching, but this is NT and New Covenant teaching. For we learn in the Corinthian passage that the things that took place when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years were written down for us as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.

And then we are given some examples of what is meant by this. Many of them were idolaters and revelers and those who indulged in sexual immorality and who put Christ to the test and who grumbled and complained against God and against his servant Moses because they didn’t like their circumstances. And most of them died in the wilderness and did not get to go into the Promised Land because of their disobedience which our Lord described as unbelief. We are not to be like them or we will die in our sins.

So, if the Lord is speaking to you today about the life you are living, and if he is warning you that you need to change, please take him seriously. For it doesn’t matter what your lips profess. What matters is what you do with Jesus and with his Word and with his gospel. For Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and live for him and no longer for ourselves, and so we would honor him with our lives and no longer live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

And there are all kinds of warnings to professers of faith in Jesus Christ all throughout the New Testament like this one here. For biblical salvation is not a one-time thing which takes place in our lives, done deal. The Scriptures clearly teach progressive salvation for they teach that what we practice, and how we live, will determine where we will spend eternity. For faith is faith in practice, in walks of faith and obedience to our Lord, and not just something we profess with our lips. We have to live out that faith in our daily lives.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

So, we have these warnings given to us to not be like most of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for forty years who ended up dying in their sins and who did not enter into God’s eternal rest because of their disobedience which our Lord called unbelief. And it was because they loved their sin more than anything else that they did not enter into God’s eternal rest. And the New Testament teaches us the same, that if we walk in sin we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips profess.

So, please take God’s word seriously and don’t play with fire. Repent of your sins today, die to sin daily and walk in obedience to your Lord, in his power and strength. Do not give the devil a foothold in your life, but resist him, and flee temptation, don’t toy with it. For Jesus Christ died on that cross to deliver us from our slavery to sin so that we might now walk in obedience to his commands (New Covenant) and that we might serve him with our lives.

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

Making the Gospel Message Clear 6

Colossians 4:2-4 ESV

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

This is a six part series on the subject of making the gospel message clear. The first writing covered the subject of “Salvation.” Second was “Obedience of Faith.” Third was “Redemption and Forgiveness.” Fourth was the “Grace of God,” and fifth was “God’s will and purpose.” This last one, number six, is on the subject of Gentile believers now being one with Jewish believers in Christ in one body as fellow heirs of the promises of God to his people Israel. But these writings are devotionals, not doctrinal treatises.

Jew and Gentile One in Christ

“This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6 ESV).

Now I know this is a “sticky” topic for a lot of people, but I hope and pray that you will read these Scriptures and that you will prayerfully consider them in light of the fact that we who believe in Jesus Christ, whether Jew or Gentile by physical birth, now live under the New Covenant. And so we must look at what the New Covenant teaches regarding who is true biblical and spiritual Israel today in the sight of God.

Ephesians 2:11-16 ESV

“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

Do you see what this is saying? We who were Gentiles (non-Jews) by physical birth were at one time (before Jesus died for our sins) separated from Christ and alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise. But we didn’t remain alienated from the nation of Israel and we didn’t remain strangers to the covenants of promise related to the nation of Israel. For through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Jew and Gentile have been made one people via faith in Jesus Christ. We are now members of the same body and partakers of the same promises.

For when God made his promise to Abraham and to his seed, the seed spoken of was and is Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah of the Jews (Galatians 3:16). So if we belong to Christ, by genuine God-given faith in him, then we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29). For not all the physical descendants of Abraham are his children, and not all who are descended from Israel are true biblical Israel (Romans 9:4-8).

For it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring (Romans 9:4-8). And who are the children of promise? All who belong to Christ are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29). For the Jews who do not believe in Jesus Christ, as unbelievers, are now the same as non-Jews and any other people who don’t believe in Jesus Christ. And those who do not believe in Jesus Christ have no inheritance with those who are the children of God and followers of Christ (Galatians 4:22-31).

For Jesus Christ told the non-believing Jews that they do not know God the Father, but that their father is the devil, and that they do the works of their father (the devil), and that their will is to do their father’s (the devil’s) desires. And so they are not of God (John 8:18-19,38-47). But this is not limited to just unbelieving Jews but to all who prove that they are not true believers in Christ for they have not forsaken their sins to follow Jesus in obedience and to walk in his righteousness (see 1 John 3:4-10).

For, “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22

And what about those who did not believe in Jesus Christ who were once Israel? They were cut off from the vine, but they can be grafted back into the vine by faith in Jesus Christ just as we Gentile believers in Christ were grafted into the vine. And if we do not remain in Christ and him in us, and if we go back to living according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit, we can be cut out of the vine just like they were (see Romans 11:17-25).

[John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 9:4-8; Romans 11:17-25; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-18; Ephesians 3:6; 1 John 2:22]

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

Making the Gospel Message Clear 5

Colossians 4:2-4 ESV

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

This is a six part series on the subject of making the gospel message clear. The first writing covered the subject of “Salvation.” Next was “Obedience of Faith.” After that was “Redemption and Forgiveness.” Then was the “Grace of God,” and this one is “God’s will and purpose.” After this will be the subject of Gentile believers now being one with Jewish believers in Christ in one body as fellow heirs of the promises of God to his people Israel. But these writings are devotionals, not doctrinal treatises.

God’s Will and Purpose

There is so much ground to cover here. So, where to begin?

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10 ESV).

God’s will for us, as followers of Jesus Christ, is that we know what his will is for our lives, which we learn about in the Scriptures, and that we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to his will and purpose for our lives in a manner (way) that is worthy (suitable, fitting, appropriate) of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. And it is that we bear fruit in every good work, which are the works God had planned for us in advance that we should walk in them.

So, contrary to what many people are teaching today, we who believe in Jesus are to live our lives according to the express will of God, which is written down for us in the Scriptures, i.e. we are to obey our Lord. And we are to conduct our lives in a manner that is suitable and appropriate of the Lord Jesus who laid his life down for us on that cross to free us from our slavery to sin so that we would now walk in obedience to his commands (New Covenant). And we are to live our lives to please him in all that we do.

Worthy

[Matt 10:37-38; Lu 9:62; Eph 4:1; Php 1:27; Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12]

Pleasing God

[Romans 8:8; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Galatians 6:8; Ephesians 5:10; Colossians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 2 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 11:6; Hebrews 13:6; 1 John 3:22]

Good Works

And we are to be bearing fruit in every “good work,” which is also contrary to what many people are teaching today. But these are not our own fleshly good works which we determine we will do for God. For, as God’s workmanship we are created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). And please note that Ephesians 2:10 goes with Ephesians 2:8-9 which is the primary Scripture people are using to claim “no works” required.

Works Required

[Eph 2:10; 1 Co 15:58; 2 Co 9:8; Gal 5:6; Php 2:12-13; Col 1:9-14; 2 Thess 1:11-12; 2 Tim. 2:21; Tit 2:11-14; Jn 15:1-11; Tit 3:8; Jas 2:17]

Chosen by God to be Holy

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:13-16 ESV).

For we were also chosen by God before the world began to be holy and blameless before him, but not just in status, but also in conduct, as his obedient children. And we were predestined of God to be conformed to the image (likeness in character) of Jesus Christ. And to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made to be like Jesus Christ in character and in deed. And it involves surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ to do his will and to walk in his ways and in his truth.

[Romans 8:29; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Ephesians 1:3-12; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 1 Peter 2:4-5; 2 Peter 3:10-12; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 4:7]

Purpose of the Church

Then, the purpose of the church, the body of Christ, is so that we can minister God’s love and grace and encouragement to one another to help us to grow in Christ and in our walks of faith in him. And it is also that we might share the truth of the gospel of Christ (what Jesus and his apostles taught us) with the people of the world so that they can come to know Christ, too.

Body of Christ, Life and Ministry

[Ac 2:42-47; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Rom 12:1-8; 1 Co 3:9,16-17; 1 Co 6:19-20; 1 Co. 12:1-31; 2 Co 5:1; 2 Co 6:14-16; Eph 1:4,22; Eph 2:19-22; Eph 4:1-32; Eph 5:17-30; Col 1:18-24; Col 2:19; Col 3:12-16; 2 Tim 1:9; 2 Tim 2:21; 1 Pet 1:13-16; 1 Pet 2:4-9; Titus 2:11-14; Heb 3:13; Lu 9:23-26; Matt 7:21-23; Jude 1:20-21; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]    

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

Making the Gospel Message Clear 4

Colossians 4:2-4 ESV

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

This is a six part series on the subject of making the gospel message clear. The first writing covered the subject of “Salvation.” Next was “Obedience of Faith.” After that was “Redemption and Forgiveness.” This one is “Grace of God,” and following this will be God’s will and purpose. And then will be the subject of Gentile believers now being one with Jewish believers in Christ in one body as fellow heirs of the promises of God to his people Israel. Included in these may be other related topics the Lord may introduce along the way. But these writings are devotionals, not doctrinal treatises.

Grace of God

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

So, what is grace? The Greek word is xaris. God’s grace to us is his kindness to us, his favor. It is his gift to us. It means “leaning towards to share benefit… preeminently used of the Lord’s favor – freely extended to give himself away to people… reaching (inclining) to people because he is disposed to bless” (source: Biblehub.com interlinear). And for what purpose did Jesus Christ freely extend himself to give himself away to people?

Well, the Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died that we might now live for him and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so we would now honor God with our bodies. And he died so that we would be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but to God and to his righteousness.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

And then we read this in Titus 2:11-14 about God’s grace:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

So, God’s grace to us is not just forgiveness of sins and the promise of heaven when we die. His grace is about Jesus giving himself away for us on that cross so that we can die with him to sin and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. His grace to us then instructs and trains us to say “No!” to ungodliness and worldly and fleshly passions and lusts so that we can now, by the grace of God, live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return.

And not only that, but Jesus Christ gave himself up for us on that cross to redeem us (to buy us back for God out from) all lawlessness (disobedience to our Lord) and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). And he is to be Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives and we are to serve him with our lives because he now owns us.

Nonetheless, “certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). And how do they do this? By teaching that God’s grace forgives us all our sins and promises us heaven when we die, but regardless of how we live. But forgiveness of sin is not free license to continue living in sin, for it teaches us to renounce sin and to live holy and godly lives.

“1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

“6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” See Romans 6:1-23

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

Making the Gospel Message Clear 3

Colossians 4:2-4 ESV

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

This is a six part series on the subject of making the gospel message clear. The first writing covered the subject of “Salvation.” Next was “Obedience of Faith.” This one is “Redemption and Forgiveness.” And following that will be God’s grace, God’s will and purpose, and the subject of Gentile believers now being one with Jewish believers in Christ in one body as fellow heirs of the promises of God to his people Israel. Included may be other related topics the Lord may introduce along the way. But these writings are devotionals, not doctrinal treatises.

Redemption and Forgiveness

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7 ESV).

The word “redemption” in the Greek is “apolytrosis,” which means "buying back from, re-purchasing (winning back) what was previously forfeited (lost)." “(‘redemption, re-purchase’) emphasizes the distance (‘safety-margin’) that results between the rescued person, and what previously enslaved them.” (figuratively) to restore "something back, into the possession of its rightful owner – i.e. rescuing from the power and possession of an alien possessor" (Wm. Barclay). (source: biblehub.com interlinear) Such as in this context:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14 ESV).

For Jesus Christ shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of sin so that we will now honor God with our bodies (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; cf. 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15).

This is also in the context of Colossians 1:9-14 which says:

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

So, I believe we can see here that our redemption involves Jesus Christ dying on that cross, not just to save us from the punishment of sin, but to rescue us from the domain of sin, and out of our lives of living in sin and for self so that we can now follow him with our lives in holiness, righteousness, self-control, godliness, moral purity, uprightness, faithfulness, and honesty, to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in and being zealous for good works, which are the good works that God prepared in advance that we should walk in them (see Ephesians 2:10).

Now I want to say here that redemption and forgiveness are intrinsically linked together, as is shown in Ephesians 1:7 and in Colossians 1:14. And forgiveness, in the Greek, is “aphesis” which means “send away, forgive, releasing someone from obligation or debt.” But this isn’t just about “sending away” the punishment of sin, but this is about “sending away” the control and the power and the slavery to sin so that we can now be slaves of God and of his righteousness, and so we can live holy lives, morally pure, upright, godly, honest and faithful, by God’s grace, and in his power.

For do you remember the story of the woman caught in adultery? Jesus forgave her sin, but then what did he say to her? “Go and sin no more.” (see John 7:53-8:11).

And what did Jesus teach? He said:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:23-26 ESV).

Should I Not Preach Jesus 

An Original Work / July 4, 2013

Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13

Woe to me should I not preach Jesus.

I’m compelled to preach the full gospel.

I make myself a slave to ev’ryone

To win their hearts to Christ.

All this I do for my Lord Jesus,

And for the sake of His Name;

Do it for the sake of His gospel,

So that I, its blessings gain.

Scripture notates the sins of others;

Written down for us as examples

To keep us from setting our hearts 

On evil as did those of old.

Do not worship other gods of man;

Do not give your hearts to them;

Not partake in immorality.

Do not test your Lord and King.

So, be careful if you think you are

Standing firm in your faith in Jesus.

God has given his word to warn us, 

So through faith we will not fall.

No temptation has o’ertaken you

Except what is commonplace.

God is faithful to not let you be

Tempted past what you can bear.

He gives the way of escape. 

https://vimeo.com/116057811 

Making the Gospel Message Clear 2

Colossians 4:2-4 ESV

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

This is a series on the subject of making the gospel message clear. The first writing covered the subject of salvation. Next in line is “obedience of faith.” And following that will be redemption, forgiveness, grace, God’s will and purpose, and the subject of Gentile believers now being one with Jewish believers in Christ in one body as fellow heirs of the promises of God to his people Israel. Included may be other related topics the Lord may introduce along the way. But these writings are devotionals, not doctrinal treatises. 

Obedience of Faith

The apostle Paul was a servant of Christ Jesus, set apart for the gospel of God… “to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” (see Romans 1:1-6). Thus, we are going to learn here that genuine God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ requires obedience to our Lord Jesus/God and to his commands under the New Covenant, in practice. 

But before we get into that I want to first look at this word “faith” and what it means and how it is used in the Scriptures. For the word “faith” means faithfulness, and its usage includes belief, trust, confidence, and fidelity (loyalty, devotion, commitment, conformity). And it means to be persuaded, in this case to be persuaded by God, which is the persuasion of God’s divine will and purpose for our lives.

For this faith is not of our own doing, not of the will of man and not of the flesh of man, but of the will of God. And this faith originates with God, and it is gifted to us by God, and it is persuaded of God. So, we don’t get to decide what this faith should look like. God does, and the Scriptures do, and so we need to know what the Scriptures teach about what this faith looks like. For God persuades us as to his holiness and righteousness and of our sinfulness and of our need to be delivered from slavery to sin so we can now, in the power of God, walk in his holiness and righteousness, and no longer in sin.

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

So, how is obedience tied in with our faith? We read in Romans 6:16,22:

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” And “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”

And we read in John 3:36 that “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” And in Acts 5:32: “And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” And in Hebrews 5:8-9: “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” 

See also: [Eph 2:8-10; Heb 12:1-2; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Acts 5:32; Tit 2:11-14; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-32; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Matt 7:21-23]

But can we not obey the Lord and still have faith, and still be saved from our sins and on our way to heaven? No! Read the noted Scriptures above and…

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury” (Romans 2:6-8 ESV).

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:3-6 ESV).

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

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

Making the Gospel Message Clear 1

Making the Gospel Message Clear 1

Colossians 4:2-4 ESV

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

The “mystery of Christ” is the gospel of Christ, of our salvation, to bring about the obedience of faith (Romans 16:25-27). It includes redemption through the blood of Christ and the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace and the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ (Ephesians 1:7-9). And this includes God’s grace, and it includes the fact that Gentile believers are fellow heirs with Jewish believers in Christ, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel (Ephesians 3:1-12).

Wow! That “packs a punch!” It has a powerful effect or it is capable of having such an effect. It says a lot! It “covers a lot of ground”, i.e. it deals with much information and many facts and a large area of a subject which I am going to attempt to cover here, by the grace of God, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For this speaks of salvation, obedience of faith, and redemption, forgiveness of sins, God’s grace, his will, his purpose, Jew and Gentile one in Christ, of the same body, of the same faith and promises. And these are all part of the gospel. So, this may take more than one writing.

So, let’s get started. The first subject we will deal with is salvation. What are we saved from? And what are we saved to?

Salvation

The word rendered “salvation” in the Greek is “soteria” which means deliverance, salvation. It is defined as “God’s rescue which delivers believers out of destruction and into His safety” (source: biblehub.com interlinear). And what does this word “deliver” mean? It means to “take out, remove, completely out from, remove completely, bring into a complete rescue” (biblehub.com). But what are we rescued and delivered and saved out from? 

Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father (Galatians 1:4) and to deliver us from the domain (power, control, rule) of darkness (sin, evil, wickedness) (Colossians 1:13). And he died to deliver us out of our slavery (bondage, addiction) to sin and from the domain (power, control, rule) of sin, and from hell as our eternal destiny (Romans 6:1-23). So we are saved, not just from the punishment of sin, but from the control of and the power of sin over our lives and out from our slavery (addiction) to sin so we no longer walk in sin.

And I am going to stop right here and state that all of this is conditional on what we do in heart response and in action with regard to what our Lord provided for us through his death and resurrection. For if we are truly delivered from the power and rule of sin over our lives, and if we are truly delivered out from our addiction (slavery) to sin, it means we will no longer walk in sin. Sin should no longer be what we practice. We should no longer be living under the control of sin, for if we are, it will end in death, not in life eternal with God, regardless of what our lips profess.

[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]

And what are we saved to? To walk in newness of life in Christ, dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, so no longer enslaved to sin but now living as slaves to God and to his righteousness. To present the members of our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness. To obedience to Christ which leads to righteousness and sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God. And now to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await our Lord’s return (Romans 6:1-23; Titus 2:11-14; cf. Ephesians 4:17-24).

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 (obey) him. For if we hold on to (save) our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we die with him to sin and we live to his righteousness (lose our lives), then we have the hope of eternal life with God. For if we are ashamed of Jesus and of his words in this life, he will be ashamed of us (deny us) when he returns (see Luke 9:23-26).

To be continued…

Should I Not Preach Jesus 

An Original Work / July 4, 2013

Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13

Woe to me should I not preach Jesus.

I’m compelled to preach the full gospel.

I make myself a slave to ev’ryone

To win their hearts to Christ.

All this I do for my Lord Jesus,

And for the sake of His Name;

Do it for the sake of His gospel,

So that I, its blessings gain.

Scripture notates the sins of others;

Written down for us as examples

To keep us from setting our hearts 

On evil as did those of old.

Do not worship other gods of man;

Do not give your hearts to them;

Not partake in immorality.

Do not test your Lord and King.

So, be careful if you think you are

Standing firm in your faith in Jesus.

God has given his word to warn us, 

So through faith we will not fall.

No temptation has o’ertaken you

Except what is commonplace.

God is faithful to not let you be

Tempted past what you can bear.

He gives the way of escape. 

https://vimeo.com/116057811

Be An Encourager

Colossians 3:16-17 ESV

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

The word of Christ is his teachings, but it is the whole of the Scriptures, the Bible (Genesis to Revelation). For the Scriptures are God’s God-breathed words which he breathed into his prophets and apostles of old. But not all teachings apply to us, such as the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification and dietary laws and restrictions, including the requirement for circumcision. But we are still under God’s moral laws.

And not every word spoken in the Scriptures is for us today, but it may be words spoken to specific people at a particular time that are not for us, the body of Christ. But we can still learn from those. But every word spoken to the body of Christ for her instruction in godliness and in holiness and in repentance and salvation and in obedience to God and in how we are to live as followers of Christ is also for our encouragement and for our instruction.

But to have the word of Christ dwell within us isn’t just about head knowledge, and it isn’t just about teaching what it says. But it is about the word of Christ becoming a part of our lives and being lived out in our daily lives in the power of God. It is about us living the word of Christ throughout our days on this earth, in practice, as guided by the Holy Spirit. It is about Christ’s word becoming a reality in our lives, not just on our lips.

But then we, the body of Christ, are to teach and to admonish one another with a strong encouragement that involves warning and cautioning one another away from what is sinful, and away from the lies to follow after the truth of God’s word. And we are to speak the truth in love to one another, and exhort one another daily so we are not taken captive by false doctrines and so we are not hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, etc.

And we are to speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs for our mutual encouragement in the Lord. So this is not about a song service where a praise band leads the congregation in singing. This is like me saying to you, “The Lord has put this song on my heart to share with you for your encouragement,” or “He has given me a song to write and I believe I am to share it with you for your encouragement.”

So, this is not about performing nor entertaining. And this is not about having to sound great or professional. This is about us sharing our hearts with one another and sharing the encouragement the Lord has given us, one for the other, whether in word or in song or even in a picture. For we are all to be ministering to one another. The pastor is not to be the “minister” while the people are the spectators. We all (each) are to have a part in ministry.

[Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

And “whatever we do, in word or deed,” needs to be in agreement with the Lord and with his divine character and will, and with the Scriptures, and not against the Scriptures. For the name of Jesus is not just a name. It is the character and divine will and purpose of our Lord. So this is encouraging us to make certain that our actions and our words are compatible with the character and the will of God and that they are not contradictory to our Lord.

Video Talk

https://youtu.be/HhkN0RIgpMQ 

Caution: This link may contain ads

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

As God's Chosen Ones

Colossians 3:12-15 ESV

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

This is speaking to those who have been crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and who were raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness (see Colossians 3:1-4; Romans 6:1-23; Ephesians 4:17-24).

As those who have died with Christ to sin and who are now living to God and to his righteousness, we are chosen of God to live holy lives, pleasing to God. And to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world and from the ungodly because we are now, by the Spirit, being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ in character and in deed.

Therefore, we are to be, in action and in conduct, those who have compassionate hearts and who show the kindness of God of God to others. But being compassionate and showing kindness is not going soft on sin, as many would have you believe. For this makes no compromises with sin and it does not placate nor comfort people in their sinful practices. For the kindness of God is his grace to us which trains us to say “No!” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s soon return (see Titus 2:11-14).

And humility is to have an honest and fair and just evaluation of ourselves, to neither think too highly nor too lowly of ourselves. It is the opposite of pride, so this is the opposite of vaunting ourselves for selfish purposes. And meekness is not weakness, for Jesus Christ was meek when he walked the earth, but he definitely was not weak. For he spoke the hard truths to the people that many did not want to hear, and many people deserted him and rejected him for it, too. And they eventually put him to death on a cross.

And bearing with one another is also not about placating and coddling people in their sins nor just ignoring their sins out of fear of offending them with the truth. It just means we are patient and we wait on God for him to act and to change people’s hearts but while we continue to do what Jesus did in speaking truth to their minds and ears and hearts, and being willing to forgive their offenses against us. But forgiveness is not permission to keep on sinning. It just leaves the exacting of punishment to God.

Above all we are to put on love. And the Greek word for love is agape, and it means to prefer what God prefers, which is what is righteous, holy, godly, morally pure, upright, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord. So if we are putting on love, that means we are walking in holiness and godliness and in honesty, moral purity, and faithfulness, etc. So that means we will not deliberately and habitually nor premeditatedly sin against others to do them harm, but we will do for them what is good and brings honor to God.

And the peace of God, of Christ, which is to rule our hearts, makes no compromises with the world and with sin so as not to “ruffle feathers,” and so as not to offend people. For this peace comes from living righteously in walks of obedience to our Lord and from no longer walking in sin, making sin our practice. So if the peace of God is ruling our hearts then we are walking now (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh. And so we are living to please God with our lives.

[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] 

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

IF You Have Been

Colossians 3:1-4 ESV

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Our faith in Jesus Christ is not a one-time experience in our lives which secures heaven for us for eternity, regardless of how we live. Our faith is a walk of faith, and it is progressive, which is why the Scriptures teach that we must walk by faith and not by sight, and according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, and that we must no longer walk in sin but now in righteousness and in holiness and in walks of obedience to our Lord or else we will not inherit eternal life with God.

But it begins with dying with Christ to sin and being raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, in his power, no longer living as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And now we must die daily to sin and to self and follow him in obedience, not necessarily in absolute perfection, but in walks of surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, making him truly our only Lord (Owner-Master). For we are now to be his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God the Father prepared in advance that we should walk in them.

And if this is true of our lives, that we have died with Christ to sin, and we have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer living as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, then we should also be those who are seeking after what is of God – what is righteous, holy, godly, upright, morally pure, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord and to his New Covenant commands.

We should no longer be those who are seeking after, longing for, and passionate for what is earthly and of the devil and what is ungodly and wicked and immoral, etc. Sin should no longer be our practice, our habit. But righteousness and godliness should be what we practice. Our minds should be set on Christ and on following him in obedience wherever he leads us in doing whatever he commands us to do, and then when Christ who is our life appears, then we will also appear with him in glory.

[Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:16-21; Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; I John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-24; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14]

Colossians 3:5-10 ESV

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Therefore, if we have indeed been crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and so we have also been raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, then we should no longer be those who are living under the control of sin, obeying its sinful passions. For if sin is what we obey, and if obedience to our Lord is not what we obey, that leads to death, not to life eternal. But if obedience is what we obey, that ends in eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-21).

So, we are now to put to death what is earthly in us, by the Spirit, as we cooperate with God’s work of grace in our lives. Therefore such things as sexual immorality, impurity, passion (lust), evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry, should no longer have any part or any sway in our lives. We are not to be those who are “struggling” with these sins, in practice, i.e. who are regularly giving in to them deliberately and habitually.

For dying daily to sin, by the Spirit, does not entail us habitually and deliberately walking in any of these sins. It means that, by the Spirit, we are daily saying “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly and worldly passions and lusts, and by the Spirit we are living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the power of God, for the glory of God (Titus 2:11-14). This is not saying we will never sin, but that sin should not be our practice. We should no longer deliberately and habitually and premeditatedly be sinning against our Lord.

Why? On account of these the wrath of God is coming. For we are all going to reap what we sow and we are all going to be judged by God according to the things we have done in this life. And if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what faith in Jesus Christ we have professed with our lips. So, we need to take this to heart.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

How Can I Serve You?

How can I serve You, Lord?

What shall I say?

What shall I do for You?

Show me this day.

I lay my life down now,

All now for You.

Your witness I will be,

Telling what’s true.

Surrender all for You,

Your will obey,

Live holy unto You,

Kneel down and pray.

I love You more than words

Can now express.

Your servant I will be,

Give Your address.

An Original Work / August 28, 2023

Deluding Many with Persuasive Arguments

Colossians 2:1-3 ESV

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 

What was Paul’s message here in these words? The Apostle Paul was continually being attacked for his messages by his opponents. He was continuously being hounded and falsely accused of teaching lies. For the enemy of our souls wanted to silence him because he was speaking the truth of God’s word that so many of the people did not want to hear. But he didn’t give up. He continued to resist the lies and to proclaim the truth.

For God had called him, not only to preach the truth of the gospel, but also to refute the lies of the enemy and to warn the believers in Christ against buying into the lies in order that he might present everyone mature in Christ. And so he toiled and struggled with all his energy that God so powerfully worked within him to keep on speaking the truth, and to keep on rebuking the lies, so that the people would follow the truth and not the lies.

Colossians 2:4-8 ESV

“I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

His concern was that there were people who were conning and tricking some people with persuasive speech (arguments) which were not based in truth but in half-truths, usually which were diluted and altered gospel messages, either leaning toward adding on to our salvation what God does not require, or else they were removing from the Scriptures many of the truths of the gospel, and God’s requirements for us, in order to appease human flesh.

And this is the situation we are in today, as well. For we have many wolves in sheep’s clothing and charlatans among us who are telling the people lies disguised as truth in order to get the people to believe the lies, which are usually half-truths, and in order to get them to reject the truth of God’s word. And many of these people can be very convincing with their smooth talk and their manipulative tactics in how they twist the Scriptures.

So, why do these people do this? Why do they attack the truth of the gospel and fill people’s minds with lies? It has to do with what is stored up in their hearts. Some of them are people who are angry with God because God did not perform for them as they thought he ought to. And so their hearts are filled with bitterness and resentment against the Lord and against those who are following the Lord and who are teaching the true gospel, too.

Some of them, too, are people whose lifestyles are represented by what is dishonorable, improper, corrupt, immoral, wicked, dishonest, and sinful. So many of them have hardened their hearts against the Lord and against the truth of his word because they are the self-indulgent and the sexually addicted and those whose minds are filled with the lusts of the flesh, and the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, and they won’t let go.

So, even if they do know the truth of the gospel, they resist it, and they oppose it, because it reminds them of their sinful condition and of their need to repent (to turn from their sin) and to follow our Lord Jesus in obedience to his commands. And so they fill their minds with lies, instead, which will give them permission to keep walking in deliberate and habitual sin without conscience, compassion, and genuine remorse.

And even if they are shown the truth, and their lies are exposed, they will not yield. They will not give an inch, for they are stubborn and unyielding, for they want to continue in their sin. And so they will continue to resist and to refuse the truth of the gospel, and they will continue on in their sin, holding on to the lies, resisting God and his word and his messengers, even strongly opposing the truth while spreading their lies.

But we must resist the lies and we must hold fast to the truth, but the only way we are going to know the truth is if we are students of the Scriptures who study them in their full context, prayerfully, seeking truth and righteousness and holiness in walks of obedience to our Lord, and if we forfeit our sinful practices to now walk in the ways of the Lord in obedience to his commands (New Covenant) out of love for God and for his Word.

And then we have to stand on the truth, even if most people turn against us and oppose us and even lie about us. For we must have the heart of Christ, like Paul did, in putting the true needs of the people above his own comfort, for he truly cared deeply for them that they know the truth and that they walk in the truth and that they come to maturity in Christ and that they are not led astray by liars and deceivers who don’t care for their souls.

And sometimes we just have to walk away from some situations where we are not able to reason with those who are stubborn and unyielding and who will not listen to reason and to the truth but who want to hold on to the lies, many of them because they are living in sinful addiction and they do not want to give up their sins in order to follow the Lord in obedience and in order to live holy and godly lives for the glory of God, in his power.

The Truth of the Gospel

So, what is the truth of the gospel? It is that Jesus Christ died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. For he died that we might live for him and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood for us to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of sin so we will now honor God with our bodies (with our lives). And Jesus died that we might be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him no longer as slaves to sin but now as slaves to righteousness.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

And Jesus Christ 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 (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Christ we die with him to sin and live to his righteousness, in his power, then we have eternal life. For Jesus also said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father in heaven.

[see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14]

Therefore, if sin is what we practice, and if we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord in living holy lives pleasing to God, in practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what faith in Jesus Christ we profess with our lips. For it is not enough to just give lip service to the Lord, but we must surrender our lives to him, walk in his ways, obey his commands, and not walk in sin.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

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

If You Continue in the Faith

Colossians 1:21-23 ESV

"And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister."

If we are of genuine God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, then prior to us coming to faith in Christ we were once separate from him and unable in our own sinful flesh to be approved by him or to share in his righteousness and holiness. For we who were outside of genuine faith in Jesus Christ were considered to be his enemies because we were still living in sin doing evil deeds, not living in obedience to our Lord in righteous living.

So, what else is this saying? It is saying that before we came to faith in Jesus Christ we were living in sin doing (practicing) evil deeds. So we were (past) doing (in conduct, in practice) what is wicked, sinful, corrupt, dishonest, and immoral in the eyes of God. So this is saying that once we come to faith in Christ we should no longer be doing evil deeds, in practice. It doesn’t mean we will never sin, but sin should not be our practice.

For by God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its passions. For we are slaves of the one whom we obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness, to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23; cf. Romans 8:1-14; Ephesians 4:17-24; Titus 2:11-14).

By this faith we are reconciled to God, we are brought into fellowship with him, and the hostility we had against him, as his enemies, is thus removed from us. And now he is able to present us as holy, separate (unlike, different) from the world because by God’s grace we are now becoming like Jesus in character and in word and deed. And now we are living righteous, moral, upright and godly lives, by the grace of God, and no longer in sin. Now we are people of integrity no longer living in sin but now for the Lord.

And all of this is contingent on us continuing in the faith taught by Paul and by Jesus Christ and by the other NT apostles. And that is not the faith that is permeating the American church today. For neither Paul nor Jesus nor the other NT apostles taught that we can make a once-in-our-lifetime profession of faith in Jesus Christ, have all our sins forgiven, be on our way to heaven and that nothing can take that away, even if we continue living in sin.

Jesus taught if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity, but if for the sake of Christ we die to sin and live to righteousness, we will have eternal life by the grace of and in the power of God (see Luke 9:23-26). For if sin is what we practice and if godliness, righteousness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

And the faith that Paul and Jesus Christ and the other NT apostles taught is divine persuasion of God, it is of God, it is gifted to us by God, it is not of our own doing, not of the will of man nor of the flesh of man. For we can’t even come to faith in Christ unless God the Father first persuades us as to his righteousness and holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to turn from our sin and to obey God. For biblical faith = obedience, and disobedience = unbelief.

[John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; Romans 1:18-32; Acts 26:18]

Our salvation from sin is not a one-time thing which takes place in our lives and now we are good to go to heaven when we die regardless of how we live. The gospel Paul taught dispels that notion completely. For Jesus Christ died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and so we will no longer continue in deliberate and habitual sin. For if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God. So this is why this tells us that we must continue steadfast in the faith that Paul taught (in biblical context).

[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] 

Video Talk

https://youtu.be/wSaDsOEVeNw 

Caution: This link may contain ads

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

The Way of Truth Being Blasphemed

2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

False Teachers

False teachers are definitely now among us, and they are many in number and are multiplying. And the masses are following them for they are telling them what their itching ears want to hear. And they don’t have to be people who are in any official position of rule or authority over anyone, but they can be anyone who is sharing the Scriptures with other people and who is sharing what they are getting from the Scriptures.

Yet, when I speak of false teachers, I am speaking of those who are deliberately saying what they know is false with the full intention of deceiving people into believing their lies. And they are those who are deliberately on the attack against those who are speaking the truth of the Scriptures. And so they willfully twist the Scriptures to make them say what they do not say. For these people are not of God, but of Satan.

These are people who fake their Christianity so that others who profess faith in Jesus Christ will listen to them. These are those who are not living in submission and in surrender of their lives to Jesus Christ, but who are still walking according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit. And so they alter and rework and falsify the truth of the gospel and the character of God, of Christ, in order to justify their lies.

Many of them are teaching a gospel message which makes no requirements for repentance (turning from sin), for dying with Christ to sin, and for living to God and to his righteousness. They make no requirements for walks of surrender and submission and obedience to our Lord, and none for us to be living holy and godly and morally pure, upright, honest, and faithful lives to the glory and praise of God. For they call that “works salvation.”

And so they find ways of excusing away sin by calling it something other than what it is. But sin is not of God, nor of the will of God, but it is of the devil and of the flesh and of the will of man. And it is against God. And if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness is not what we practice, it will land us in hell and not in heaven. And some biblical examples of sin are things such as lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery and sexual immorality.

[Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 3:5-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8] 

Walking in Sin

And speaking of sexual immorality, these false teachers of the people are leading many people astray to follow after their sensuality. Another word for this is licentiousness, and it means “immorality, depravity, shamelessness, wickedness, corruption, dishonesty, wantonness, self-indulgence, outrageous conduct, conduct shocking to public decency and lewdness – smut, obscenity, impurity, pornography, and the rejecting of restraint.”

And they are able to get away with this because they just call sin something else. For example, I was in a ladies Bible study group at a local church gathering about ten years ago, I think it was, and I brought up the subject of someone who was living in sexual immorality and in sexual addiction (idolatry). And their response back to me was to tell me that this person could not help it, for it was a sickness, a disease. Wrong!

And this is what many people are doing, excusing away sin by lessoning its true nature and by calling it some psychological illness that people can’t help. Or they claim that when they “believe” in Jesus that all sins are forgiven and so they can keep sinning without it counting against them. Or they say that God can no longer see when they sin, but that when he looks at them, all he sees is Jesus, even if they are vegging out on immorality.

But the truth of the Scriptures teaches the opposite of that. They teach that we are without excuse if we, after having been shown the divine nature of God choose to suppress the truth and to follow the lies, instead. We are without excuse if we exchange the truth about God for a lie, and if we worship and serve the created rather than the Creator who is God – Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit (one God in three persons).

We are without excuse if after having made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ we go right back to living in sin, doing what we know is evil and is against God, yet all the while making excuses for our sinful behaviors or by lessoning or rebranding sin so as to make it less offensive and not something against God and not something that can affect our eternal security. But God will judge those who deliberately walk in sin.

For Jesus Christ said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven. And he said that if we want to come after him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow him (in obedience to his commands). For if we hold on to sin, and if we do not renounce sin to obey our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life.

So, please take this to heart. Don’t be a hypocrite who professes faith in Jesus Christ but who then lives like the devil and/or who yields to the devil and to sin on an addictive and deliberate basis, and who then opposes God and the truth of His Word, and who attacks his messengers who are bringing the truth of the Scriptures to the people. Surrender your lives to Jesus Christ today, forsake your sins, and follow Jesus in obedience and in holy living.

[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] 

Broken Cord

An Original Work / August 29, 2018

Your bond is broken with your Lord and Savior

And your testimony is separate from Him.

Your words not matching your actions today.

Repent of your sin and bow down and pray.

Live what you testify in truth always.

Purity’s lacking in your life and witness,

For you profess one thing, but other you do.

Not moral, spiritual. Still of the flesh.

Not living in truth to what you confess.

Lying about it puts you in a mess.

Living a lie is your practice, ‘tis true of you.

Masquerade righteousness – none of it true.

Your heart is not given to your Lord God.

Because of how you live, you are a fraud.

Turn from your sin and give your life to God.

https://vimeo.com/287303934 

The Knowledge of God's Will Pt 2

Colossians 1:9-14 ESV

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Note: This writing is the second of two parts, for this passage would be too long to cover all in one writing. But I wanted to keep both writings in context, so I am quoting vv. 9-14 in both in order to keep this in the context in which it is written. But this one will be covering vv. 13-14 only.

The knowledge of God’s will is a rather broad subject which entails so many different topics, but we can learn to know his will through the study of the Scriptures (in their context), if we are willing to hear the Lord and what his word teaches us, and if we are willing to obey his will and to walk in his ways in obedience to him, by the grace of God, and in the power of the Spirit.

Delivered and Redeemed

This word “delivered” in the Greek is “rhuomai,” which means to draw to oneself, i.e. deliver. It means “to draw or rescue a person to and for the deliverer. So this is about the Lord Jesus delivering us from our slavery to sin in order to bring us into fellowship (communion, partnership, cooperation) with him. “Redemption” has a similar meaning in that it means that by the blood of Christ we are bought back for God (redeemed) out of our lives of slavery to sin so we will now honor God with our bodies (with our lives).

Romans 6 has a good description of this. For it speaks of how we, by God-given faith in Jesus Christ, are crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and of how we are raised with Christ to walk now in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So no longer are we to let sin reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its passions, for if sin is what we obey, it will end in death, but if obedience to God is what we obey, it ends in eternal life with God.

[Romans 6:1-23; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15]

And what is the domain of darkness? The word for domain in the Greek is “exousia,” which means power, command, authority, influence and domain. And it has to do with control, the power and influence of darkness (sin, wickedness, evil) over our lives when we are living outside of the will of God, still walking in sin according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. 

And Romans 6 teaches us that by faith in Jesus Christ we are to no longer be enslaved to sin, we are to no longer continue living in sin, for we are to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, and we are to no longer allow sin to reign (have control or power over us) in our mortal bodies to where we obey its passions. For if we do, we will die in our sins.

Transferred

So, by faith in Jesus Christ – a faith which comes from God, is empowered by God, is gifted to us by God, is persuaded of God, and is not of our own doing, and is not of the will of man nor of the flesh of man – we are delivered (rescued, set free) from the domain (power, control) of darkness (sin, wickedness), and we are transferred to the kingdom of Christ. And to transfer means to change its place, but we have to watch the wording here.

[Hebrews 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44]

For we are not transferred just from no profession of faith in Christ Jesus to a profession of faith in Christ, i.e. this is not merely a change in status. For we are removed (delivered) from our lives of living under the power and control and enslavement of sin to now, by the grace of God, living as slaves to God and to his righteousness, walking in holiness and in obedience to our Lord, now under the power of God and his Spirit, living lives pleasing to God.

For Jesus Christ said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven but only the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven. For many will stand before our Lord on that day and will profess that they did this or that in his name, but he will say to them, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness,” because they would not obey the Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; 1 John 2:3-6).

Forgiveness

Now “forgiveness” is a word which is commonly being misused and abused in modern-day Christianity here in America. So many are teaching that we can just pray a prayer after someone else, or we can just make a confession or an acknowledgment of Christ as Lord and Savior, and now all our sins are forgiven (past, present, and future), heaven is now secured us, and nothing can take it away from us, but regardless of how we live. That is a lie!

The Greek word for forgiveness is “aphesis” which means “release, pardon.” It has to do with “something sent away” (source: biblehub.com interlinear). And what is sent away when we are forgiven our sins? The biggest thing it sends away is the power and control of sin over our lives which had kept us enslaved to sin and which resulted in death and not life eternal. For we are not going to be delivered from the punishment of sin if we are not delivered first from our slavery to sin, and if we continue to walk in darkness (sin).

[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] 

For if we read this passage correctly, redemption and forgiveness of sins are intertwined, not separate events. And Romans 6 blends them together. And Jesus’ words summarize this well when he told us that to come after him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For, in essence, he said that if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for his sake we die to sin and now live to righteousness, in obedience to him, then we have eternal life with God (Romans 6:1-23; Luke 9:23-26).

The Spirit Calling

An Original Work / November 12, 2019

Hear the Spirit calling.

He’ll keep you from falling.

Tenderly He’s calling,

“Come and follow Him.”

Walk with Jesus daily.

Don’t give in to lazy.

Folks may call you crazy.

Fellowship with Him.

Follow where He leads you.

Eat what Jesus feeds you.

His love will renew you

If you follow Him.

Do what Jesus tells you.

Don’t let your faith fail you.

His love will avail you

If you walk with Him.

Jesus, Lord and Savior,

Reigneth now forever.

He gave us His favor

So we’d live with Him.

Turning now from our sin,

Holy Spirit live-in.

Holiness we walk in,

Purified by Him.

https://vimeo.com/373006449

The Knowledge of God's Will Pt 1

Colossians 1:9-14 ESV

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Note: This writing will be in two parts for this would be too long to cover all this in one writing. So, I will quote this whole passage in both writings in order to keep this in the context in which it is written.

The knowledge of God’s will is a rather broad subject which entails so many different topics, but we can learn to know his will through the study of the Scriptures (in their context), if we are willing to hear the Lord and what his word teaches us, and if we are willing to obey his will and to walk in his ways in obedience to him, by the grace of God, and in the power of the Spirit.

But as we continue to read here, we see that the knowledge of God’s will is directly related to us being able to walk (in conduct, in practice) in a manner (way, conduct) worthy of the Lord. And what does it mean to be worthy? It means “appropriate, fitting, proper, and suitable” of the Lord, and of his gospel, and of his calling on our lives, pleasing to him, bearing good fruit.

[Matt 10:37-38; Lu 9:62; Eph 4:1; Php 1:27; Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12]

So, if we conduct our lives in a manner worthy of the Lord, and of his gospel, and of his calling on our lives, in a manner (conduct) pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work, what should that look like? 

It means, as obedient children, we are not being conformed to the passions of the flesh, but we are being conformed in character and in practice to the image of Christ, by God. It means we are living holy lives, separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made to be like Jesus. And it means suffering persecution for the sake of the gospel of our salvation, and because we are living holy lives, and because we are not walking in sin.

And it means that good works are definitely required of us, but they are the works of God which he prepared in advance that we should walk in them. For we are required of God that we must repent of our sins (forsake our sins), die to sins daily, and walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands in walks of righteousness or we will not inherit eternal life.

[Ps 139:13-16; Rom 1:6-7; Rom 8:8,28-29; 1 Co 1:9; 1 Co 12:1-31; 2 Co 5:9; Gal 5:13; Gal 6:8; Eph 1:3-4; Eph 5:10; Col 1:9-11; 1 Thess 4:1,7; 2 Tim 1:8-9; 1 Thess 2:4; 2 Tim 2:4; Heb 11:6; Heb 13:6; 1 Pet 1:14-16; 1 Pet 2:9; 2 Pet 1:3; 1 John 3:22; Eph 2:10; Tit 2:11-14; Php 2:12-13; Ac 26:18; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Lu 9:23-26; Matt 7:21-23; Gal 5:16-21] 

For those who are qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light are those who are walking in a manner worthy of God, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing (growing) in the knowledge of God in all practical understanding and application to our every day lives. This doesn’t mean we are perfect people, but sin is no longer our practice. Now righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God are what we practice.

But we don’t do this in our own flesh. In fact, it is impossible to do the works of God in our own flesh because they are of God and so they are only operated in the power of God’s Spirit. Now some people may try to fake them, but they can’t do them, in reality, for these are only empowered by God and are not operable according to the flesh. And so God gets all the glory for what is accomplished in our lives via our walks of faith in him.

The Spirit Calling

An Original Work / November 12, 2019

Hear the Spirit calling.

He’ll keep you from falling.

Tenderly He’s calling,

“Come and follow Him.”

Walk with Jesus daily.

Don’t give in to lazy.

Folks may call you crazy.

Fellowship with Him.

Follow where He leads you.

Eat what Jesus feeds you.

His love will renew you

If you follow Him.

Do what Jesus tells you.

Don’t let your faith fail you.

His love will avail you

If you walk with Him.

Jesus, Lord and Savior,

Reigneth now forever.

He gave us His favor

So we’d live with Him.

Turning now from our sin,

Holy Spirit live-in.

Holiness we walk in,

Purified by Him.

https://vimeo.com/373006449