“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:7-10 ESV)
If you have been led to believe that you can pray a prayer to receive Jesus Christ into your heart, and/or that you can make a confession of faith in Jesus Christ, and/or that you can acknowledge him and who he is and what he did for you on that cross, and that you are now saved and on your way to heaven, but without being told that faith in Jesus requires death to sin and following the Lord now in obedience to his commands, as required by God for salvation and for eternal life with God, then you have been deceived.
For if we leave out the message of the cross, that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and that he died that we might live for him and no longer for self, then we have cheapened his gospel of grace and we have made it something it is not. And it will save no one from their sins, and they will not have the hope of eternal life with God because they have been fed a lie which they believed instead of being fed the truth that will save their souls from hell and that will give them true hope of heaven.
For by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are 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. Therefore, we are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its passions and desires. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (Romans 6:1-23).
Now we must live our lives according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh. For if we live according to the flesh, our minds are set on the flesh, and that results in death, not life eternal with God. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So, by the Spirit we are to be putting to death the deeds of the flesh, and we will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:1-14).
For if we claim to be in fellowship with God/Christ, but while we are still walking in deliberate and habitual sin, we are liars. And if we profess to know God/Christ, but while we do not obey his commandments, in practice, we are liars. For whoever practices righteousness is righteous in the eyes of the Lord. But whoever makes a practice of sinning is not of God, not born of God, not a believer in Christ, but is of the devil, and thus will not inherit eternal life with God (1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10).
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 our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in walks of obedience to his commands, in holy living, then we have the hope of eternal life with God, provided we continue in those walks of faith unto the very end (Luke 9:23-26).
So don’t be deceived by the lies that so many people are telling these days who leave death to sin and walks of obedience to our Lord out of the gospel message, and who do not warn you that if you continue in sin and not in walks of obedience to the Lord, that you will not inherit eternal life with God. For Jesus said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father in heaven. And many will hear him say that he never knew them (Matthew 7:21-23).
Please know that how you live matters, and will determine where you spend eternity. For God’s grace to us is a gift of deliverance from our slavery to sin and empowerment to walk with God in obedience to his commands. For his grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. But if we walk in sin, and not in obedience, we will not have eternal life with God (Titus 2:11-14).
So, don’t be deceived! Whatever we sow on this earth we will also reap. So if we sow to the flesh, from that flesh we will reap corruption (destruction, death). But if, by the Spirit, we sow to the Spirit, then from the Spirit we will reap eternal life. So don’t believe the lies which tell you that you can have salvation from sin and the promise of eternal life with God, but regardless of how you live. And this doesn’t mean we will never sin, but that if sin is our practice, and not obedience to God, we will not have eternal with God.
So, as followers of Jesus Christ we are not to grow weary of doing good, the good works that God prepared in advance that we should walk in them in his power and strength (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14). But we are to do good to everyone according to how God defines “good”, and according to what the Scriptures teach that we are to do as followers of Christ. For we are to do what is honest, upright, morally pure, faithful, and obedient to God, and we are not to do what is immoral, dishonest, unfaithful, and disobedient.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
My Heart’s Desire
An Original Work / June 29, 2013
Based off Romans 10:1-21; Luke 9:23-26; Ephesians 4:17-24
Loved Ones, Oh, my heart’s desire
Is that you might come to Jesus.
Many appear zealous for God,
But they do not trust in Him.
They have not submitted to the One
Who saved them from their sins;
Not forsaken their sins,
Nor have they obeyed their King.
The word of the Lord is near you:
The word of faith we’re proclaiming:
That you must confess your faith
In Jesus as your Lord and King:
Believe in Him as your Lord,
And follow Him where’er He leads.
Share the gospel; be a witness,
And meet others’ needs.
Beautiful are the feet of those
Who bring the good news of Jesus:
Anyone who would come to Him
Must deny himself today;
Die to sin and self, and
Let the Spirit transform you in heart;
Put on your new self in Jesus,
Yielding to the cross.
https://vimeo.com/115643303
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