The Sound Words of Jesus Christ

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:3-10 ESV)

In chapter one of 1 Timothy the subject of “a different doctrine” was discussed, and here it is explained for us in more detail. We can recognize it as a “different doctrine,” because it does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness. Amen! That’s it in a nutshell! And so much of what is being passed off today as “the gospel of Christ” does NOT agree with the sound words of Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, but appeals to human flesh, instead.

For so much of what is called “the gospel” today requires only a surface level profession of faith in Jesus Christ. And then we are guaranteed forgiveness of all sins (past, present, and future) and heaven as our eternal destiny, which can’t be taken away from us, but regardless of how we live from that moment forward. So there is no requirement for dying with Christ to sin, forsaking our sinful practices, and walking in obedience to his commands in holy living. But that is against what Jesus taught, and against godliness.

For Jesus taught that if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to (save) our old lives of living in sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if we die with him to sin (lose our lives) and follow him in obedience, then we have the hope of eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God the Father in heaven (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

So those who are teaching this altered version of the gospel which contradicts the teachings of Christ and godliness, for it makes no requirements for death to sin and walking in obedience to our Lord’s commands, they are puffed up with conceit and they are not walking in the understanding of the Scriptures. And some of them indeed have an unhealthy craving for controversy and love to argue in favor of a “grace” of God which gives them free reign to continue in sin without consequence.

For they are teaching an image of God which is not who he is in character, or at least partially they are misrepresenting his character as a genie in the sky there to grant them their every request while they snub him and refuse to obey him, and while they go their own way, instead. For so much of what we hear today is about what God does for us, but not much about what he requires of us and what we ought to be doing for him, by his grace, and in his power, strength, and wisdom, and according to his will and purpose.

The gospel message that is gaining the most popularity today is very “me” focused, i.e. it is all about what God does for us but not much about what we ought to do in love response for him and to him. So it is very selfish and self-serving. So we need to have a godly perspective of God and of his grace and of his salvation, and we will learn that Jesus died that we might die to sin and now live for him and to his righteousness, and no longer in sin, and no longer for self and for self-pleasure, but all for the glory of God.

And it isn’t just those who desire to be rich who fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil, but it is all who desire to please self above all else. It is all who approach God and Christianity with a selfish mindset thinking only of what God can do for them but not of what they should do for him. Since they are still fleshly and not godly they fall into a snare and into many senseless and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of selfish desire is a root of all kinds of evils.

So, don’t fall for that lie which tells you that you can “believe” in Jesus and now all your sins are forgiven, and heaven is now guaranteed you, but that it doesn’t have to alter how you live. For many have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pangs because they bought into the lie and they followed the lie and not the truth of the sound words of Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness. But if we live to the flesh and we don’t obey our Lord, we will not have eternal life with God.

[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]

Living Water 

An Original Work / November 21, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

My people have forsaken Me,

Their Savior, who died on a tree;

Made idols, and they worshipped them;

So empty, they will ne’er fulfill.

Lord, You are the hope of Your chosen ones.

Those who turn away from You will be shamed;

The Spring of Living Water left behind.

Living Water satisfies.

The thirsty, let them come and drink;

Believe in Jesus as their King;

The gift of Jesus given them,

So they will never thirst again.

Indeed, the Living Water flows within.

It springs up like a fountain cleansing sin.

Eternal life in heaven promised them.

Living Water glorifies.

Oh people, won’t you come to Him?

Obey Him and repent of sin.

Let Jesus come and live within.

Surrender all your life to Him.

My people, won’t you turn your hearts to Me?

Forsake your idols and then you’ll be free.

Won’t you come now to Me on bended knee?

Living Water sanctifies.

https://vimeo.com/379511565