“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
“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.” (James 1:13-18 ESV)
Certainly there are professing Christians in this world of ours who are still living in sin, still addicted to various sinful habits, who blame God when they are tempted or when they give in to sin, as though it is God’s fault somehow that they chose to sin of their own free wills. Or they will pass the blame on to someone else rather than take the blame for themselves for the evil that they committed. But it is true that we can be led into sin by those who tempt us to sin, but we still make the choice to sin or not to sin.
Yet it is also true that not everyone who is tempted of the devil to sin is tempted because of his/her own evil desire, for Jesus Christ, who was sinless, was tempted of the devil in the wilderness. And Job, who was a righteous man, was tempted of the devil when God permitted Satan to attack him physically and to murder his children and servants and livestock. For even if we are living holy lives unto God we may still face temptation of the devil to give in to fear or to give up hope, or whatever.
But there are people who are regularly being tempted to sin against the Lord because of all the evil that is stored up in their hearts. For the Bible teaches that “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” And it is true that what is stored up in our hearts will come out in our behaviors and words and attitudes. But also the “good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good.” So store up good in your hearts. (see Luke 6:45; Matthew 15:17-20)
Now there are many professing Christians today who are convinced that they are saved, sanctified, and on their way to heaven, based on a profession of faith that they made to believe in Jesus Christ one time in their lives. And so they are still living life for themselves and for the pleasures of the flesh, believing that God’s grace covers it all. But the Scriptures teach us if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not walks of obedience to our Lord, that we will not inherit eternal life with God. We will die in our sins.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; 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 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]
So, do not be deceived!! God has not changed! His word has not changed. Yes, we are not living under the Old Covenant liturgical and ceremonial laws that the Jews of old had to follow. But Jesus gave his life up 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.” And he said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the ones DOING the will of God the Father in heaven. (see Titus 2:11-14; Matthew 7:21-23)
Jesus died on that cross in order to put our sins to death with him so that by faith in him we will now be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him 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. And he shed his blood for us to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of living in slavery to sin so that we will now honor him with our bodies, and so we will now follow him in obedience to his commands in holy living, in the power of God.
[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]
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
No comments:
Post a Comment