No Variation Due to Change

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:16-21 ESV)

“Do Not Be Deceived!”

How many times in the Scriptures are we Christians warned against being deceived? Plenty of times! Why? Because even we who believe in Jesus Christ are capable of and are vulnerable to being deceived if we are not careful, cautious, and judicious about testing everyone and everything against the teachings of the Scriptures (in context) in prayer, seeking the guidance and wisdom and counsel of the Holy Spirit in discerning lies from truth, and liars from truth tellers. 

We are to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine of salvation as was taught by Jesus and by his NT apostles. For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. So we are not to let anyone deceive us with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. So we are not to be partners with them. And we are to look carefully how we walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (see verses below)

[Matt 16:6-12; Rom 16:17-20; Eph 5:6-16; 1 Thess 5:16-22; 2 Thess 2:1-12; 2 Tim 3:1-17; Titus 1:10-16; 1 Co 3:18; 1 Co 6:9-10; 1 Co 15:33; 2 Co 11:1-4; Gal 6:3,7-8; Eph 5:3-11; Jas 1:16,26; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 2:26; 1 John 3:7; Rev 13:11-14]

So why are so many professing Christians actively being deceived by liars and manipulators and “devils” and those who by human cunning, and by craftiness in deceitful schemes, are deceiving naïve minds? A lot of it has to do with conditioning from early on in our lives to believe certain people, or not, or to practice particular rituals. Many of us were brainwashed by public education, our parents, church leaders, government heads, and the media to adopt certain values and belief systems and practices not aligned with God.

And so the only way that any of us are going to break away from these is if we open up our hearts and minds and are willing to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the Scriptures, and if we are willing to have some of our belief systems challenged and exposed for what they are, in truth. And to do this we have to be willing to accept that the Holy Spirit was given to us to teach and counsel and instruct and guide us in the right direction. So we have to be open to hearing his inner voice speak truth to our hearts.

For example, the Scriptures themselves are not going to instruct us in who to vote for in the presidential election here in the United States of America, if we are people who believe in the voting system and who believe that our votes actually matter and that we should even be involved in voting. But if you are someone who votes in the elections, and you are a Christian, then you should be seeking the counsel of the Holy Spirit to show you who these men and women really are and if you should even be voting for any of them.

For the Scriptures warn us much against putting our trust in human beings and against looking to other humans to be our “saviors.” And they warn us much against deception and deceiving spirits, and they counsel us much to test all the spirits to see if they are of God or not. So, please, be diligent in doing this with regard to your government heads and politicians and with regard to people claiming to be pastors and ministers of the gospel. For if you don’t, you could be following the antichrist and worshiping the beast.

And with regard to those who claim to be teaching and preaching the truth of the gospel, please know that God’s truth does not change with the passing of time. Yes, we are not under the Old Covenant, but the New Covenant demands walks of obedience to our Lord and to his New Covenant commands, and the forsaking of our sins, and holy living, for us to be in genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, and for us to have salvation from sin and the hope of eternal life with God. 

For God’s grace to us is not just forgiveness of sins so that when we die we get to go to heaven and not to hell. God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. For Jesus Christ “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,” “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:10).

“Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

For Jesus Christ died on that cross to put our sins to death with him so that we will now die with him to sin daily and walk (in conduct, in practice) in obedience to his commands in holy living. For if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord and to his commands, then we do not have the promise of salvation from sin and eternal life with God, regardless of what faith we profess with our lips. Please take this seriously!

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; 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 Peter 1:15; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Teach Them  

An Original Work / May 24, 2012

Based off various scriptures

Open up the blinded eyes of

Those who walk in sin’s darkness.

Turn them to the light of Christ

And to His righteousness.

Turn them from the pow’r of Satan.

Turn them to the peace of Christ,

So they may receive forgiveness

And eternal life. 

Teach them to put off their old selves

And their former way of life,

And to put on their new self,

Reborn to be like Christ;

To not copy worldly customs;

Be transformed in life and mind;

Obey freely His word in them,

Pleasing unto God.

Teach them how to love their neighbors

Truly as they love themselves;

Be a witness; share the gospel;

Satan’s lies dispel;

Comfort all who mourn in sadness;

Share Christ’s love and joy today.

Do this through your life and witness

For your Lord always. 

https://vimeo.com/125485489