True Christianity must be based on correct interpretation of the meaning and message of Scripture as enlightened by the Holy Spirit in the heart of a true believer. Thus, any systematic christianity taught by seminaries and churches is by definition a pseudo christianity or simply a christian philosophy of life. Anyone espousing a legalistic form of christianity is most likely presenting his or her own ideas based on their conscience. Conscience is not how God speaks to us. Quite the contrary, conscience is that part of a fallen nature which allows humans to think that they can be; like God, apart from God.
Much of the Bible is about a particular legalistic system, knowledge and use of this part of the Bible, to promote fear, without understanding and explaining God’s purpose and Grace in the New Covenant is a gross misunderstanding of the Bible. Have you ever noticed, that people with a strong conscience, usually want to tell other people how they should live.
Here is the plan.
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1. WE WERE ALL BORN GUILTY (IN ADAM’S NATURE) AND SPIRITUALLY DEAD.
Romans 3:19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.Romans 3:2323 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 8:33 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
2. WHILE WE WERE YET GUILTY, JESUS DIED FOR US
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
3. GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO HIMSELF.
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
1 John 2:22 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
GOD WAS IN CHRIST - CAN YOU COMPREHEND THAT!
1 Corinthians 2:9-14 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
4. BY HIS DEATH HE RECONCILED US, BY HIS LIFE HE SAVES US.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Romans 7:44 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
1 Peter 1:3. Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
SALVATION IS MORE THAN JUST GETTING OUR SINS FORGIVEN, IT IS RECEIVING LIFE.
5. THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM WOULD BE BORN AGAIN.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
6. THAT WE WOULD HAVE LIFE - HE HAS GIVEN US HIS LIFE (A NEW NATURE)
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o - THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD, IN US
o - NOT JUST A PRINCIPLE OF LIFE
WE ARE REDEEMED, FORGIVEN AND GIVEN ALL WE NEED FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS
- WHAT HAPPENED?
Romans 8:1-2 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Romans 8:15-16 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
John 6:28. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Colossians 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love [which ye have] to all the saints,
Continue reading “Let Scripture Tell You The Plan”
January 15th, 2010
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Salvation, Saving Faith |
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What is the Gospel?
I asked this question in a Bible study group with about twenty people. I gave them time to write out their answer. The answers were unexpectedly varied indicating that there is little common understanding of what the gospel is. Can “the gospel” have different meanings? Paul said, there was one gospel which is the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. 1Corinthians 15:1-4
The term is frequently used in preaching, teaching and Bible studies and many times seems to imply more than Paul’s statement. When used in this way, it is a term which people will define by projecting their particular idea into it, similiar to the terms “hope” and “change” which politicians use.
How many passages in the Bible can be considered the gospel, or “good news”? Many denominations preach the “Sermon on the Mount” as applicable to Christian living.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:17-20 (KJV)
Was that “good news” for the Jews He was teaching?
Here is what Jesus said to Martha in Chapter 11 of John’s Gospel.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:21-26 (KJV)
So what do you say the Gospel is?
John MacArthur’s book “the Gospel According to Jesus” is about “Lordship salvation” and “making” Jesus Lord in our life. Is that “Good news”?
Jesus is Lord of our life; we don’t make Him Lord of our lives.
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March 8th, 2008
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Theophilos |
Grace, Faith & Life, Salvation, The Gospel |
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We know God does the saving, but what is our part? We repent and believe. Does repenting mean we must make a commitment to make Jesus the Lord of our life before we are saved?
Listen to this seven minutes of a sermon on why a Pastor thinks that a guy he is talking to can’t be saved. Click on Sermon to play audio.
Continue reading “What is Saving Faith?”
March 7th, 2008
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Grace, Faith & Life, Salvation, Saving Faith |
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Christian faith is not our intellectual resolve and commitment to something, this is just religious belief.
Faith is not our hope in a promise.
Faith has to do with our experiencing the object of our faith in our heart.
God has never spoken to me, or anyone I’ve ever known, verbally, or through any means of direct revelation. He has spoken to us in His written Word. But, I know Him through a “spiritual” communication in my heart. (It is not our conscience; I will cover that in a later topic.) I believe God speaks to us spiritually with a still small voice deep in our inner being which is also sometimes called our “heart”, when we come to understand the “Truth” of His scripture for all areas of our life.
If this is true, then I understand faith to be “responding to what God puts into my heart“.
Continue reading “How do We Increase in Faith?”
March 6th, 2008
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Grace, Faith & Life, Salvation |
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There are several terms used for essentially the same process in a Christian’s life, “increasing faith”, “growing in grace”, “spiritual maturity”, and “sanctification”.
Increasing Faith # 2 PET 1:5-12 EPH 4:14-24
When we talk about increasing our faith, we are talking about spiritual maturity in terms of “putting on” something new. When we were “born again”, we didn’t get a new old (old being the Flesh). We were not made righteous in the Flesh. By the grace of God, we are being changed from the image of Adam into the image of Christ. This change comes by responding to what God puts into our heart by the Holy Spirit enlightening us as to the meaning of Scripture. He is not looking for “sacrifice” but a contrite heart. The Psalms 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart”. I think this means He is changing the desires of our heart, not giving us what we want.
Continue reading “What is Growing in Grace?”
March 5th, 2008
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Christian Life, Grace, Faith & Life, Salvation |
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Our problem is not our sin.
Our problem is that we are spiritually dead.
GUILTY and DEAD
From a Biblical perspective, everyone is born in the image of Adam, born without the Spirit of God in them. This means that we not only have the distinction of having the same basic fallen nature of Adam, but we are also dead spiritually.
If we are guilty and dead, we not only need to be forgiven, but we need life. Jesus not only came to pay the penalty for our sins, but to give us life. Romans 5:10
Chapter two of Genesis explains how Adam was created in God’s image. And that God breathed the breath of life into man.
The soul consists of the MIND, EMOTION and WILL. Animals have this, but animals don’t consider where they came from or how they came to be. Animals don’t have the “breath of life” which God gave man.
The Bible and our experience indicates that man is BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT. Man was created by God, in the image of God. Created with free- will, the ability to choose.
An unanswerable truth, for natural man, is “how are we here” and “why are we here”? These are spiritual questions which reveal the difference between spirit and soul (man and animal).
Lack of understanding of the difference between the spirit and the “flesh” is the major misunderstanding of Christianity today. Scripture talks about the contention between the spirit and the flesh. Scripture also says God is spirit and “speaks” to us Spirit to spirit.
Continue reading “New-Life Plan”
March 3rd, 2008
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Theophilos |
Christian Life, Grace, Faith & Life, Salvation, The Gospel |
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