Let us set our minds on the cross and the promise we made before God and he made with us as we stood in its shadow as our Lord and savior Jesus Christ hung on it, sacrificing his blood for our sins. He bore the brunt of our iniquities so that we might be forgiven and set free to worship him in spirit and in truth. So let us continually go back to the cross in our minds, for that is where the blood of Christ and our salvation was given to us. Let us have a clear mind when we think on the cross, so that no harm should befall us. Let us not count his blood lightly, nor abuse his sacrfice for us to do evil. but rather; let us therefore continually strive to be pleasing to God who lives in heaven.
Oh how perverse this generation of men are. Even some of the ones who presume to worship God. For they battle against the reign of God for themselves. For do you not know that on the cross Christ died, and in that he died so that we might be set free from sin. Do you not know that all who are called by God are called to a life of righteousness before him. Not a righteousness unto salvation, for that is not earned it is freely given, but a righteousness before God.
Is God pleased with a wicked heart? Is God pleased with a luke warm heart? What do we think those things mean? Did God himself not call us to walk upright? Did God himself not call us to flee from sin? Did God himself not call us to resist the devil, and he would flee from us?
Those of us who were called, do we not now love God? Do we not love God more than we love this world. If God hasn't given you a yearning to know him, pray that he would give you a yearning today. God has called us to love him, to worship him, and to follow him and his ways for us, by now picking up our cross for him as he picked up his cross for us. For those of us who are now in Christ, weren't we crucified on the cross with him. Haven't we already put our old selves to death in him? So if we are dead to the flesh, we are already living in the spirit. So now those of us who now live in the spirit, aren't we to live as one who has already departed this life? Aren't we to live as the spirit of God dwells on this earth. Helping those who are in need. Clothing the naked. Feeding the hungry. Ministering to those who are too weak to minister unto themselves. Bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ which has now saved us to all who will hear.
Have you not changed? Didn't we put our old lives, our old ways to death? Haven't we been redeemed and therefore reformed in Christ's image? If we didn't change then what was the point? If we didn't take on Christ to be something different, then why did we do it? Did we take on Christ so that we could continue in our old ways? Weren't we called to repent of our old ways? Didn't he promise to transform us from the inside out? So now, why do we oppose God as he attempts to change us, isn't that what we were promised?
So now that we understand what we must do in our new life for Christ, let us make more mature decisions in his name. For the time is coming when there will be no more chances only regrets. For the end is near for us, even if there are future generations to come. For won't we all die in this life a physical death? And aren't we promised 2 deaths if we are not in Christ Jesus?
What did Christ mean when he said, unless we be born again we will not see the father in heaven? What did he mean when he said, unless we be born of water and of the spirit we will not see God? What does being reborn of the spirit mean if it doesn't mean to change who we are? Isn't it true, if I am a liar, that my spirit is a liar? So then isn't it true if I lie no more, then my spirit no longer lies and has therefore been born again? Isn't it true if I once did not live in Christ nor walk according to his teachings, I was lost and my spirit was lost? Now isn't it true, if I am baptized of him in Christ's name, and have renewed my spirit in a good concious towards the Lord and I now follow his teaching, that my spirit is reborn?
So now our faith saves us, but a righteous walk with God is our proof that our spirit is reborn in his likeness, which is to say born again. Is it possible to be born again on our own? No, this is impossible for a man to do on his own accord. Therefore let us ask God to renew our spirit through prayer and meditation to him. For the word of God tells us to pray without ceasing. For it takes a moment to come to Christ, but it takes a lifetime to overcome the flesh in him. For his work is not completed in us as Christians until we take our last breath in him doing his bidding, so that it may be fullfilled in the words of the prophets, Mat 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. Mat 7:14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Don't you see? Salvation is not just a gate, but a road. Christ is the gate and his teachings are the road. The road is the race of a Christian. Narrow is the road for it is the path which Christ made in his walk here on this earth. The path of servanthood by serving God.
Therefore let us all help to sustain one another in a brotherly love. Let us keep reminding each other to be ever vigilant and watchful, for we know do not at which hour of the day or night the Lord will come for us, but it approaches quickly. Pray for one another's spiritual well being, and pray that the Lord delivers us all to his kingdom clothed in a white robe of Jesus Christ. Amen
Oh how perverse this generation of men are. Even some of the ones who presume to worship God. For they battle against the reign of God for themselves. For do you not know that on the cross Christ died, and in that he died so that we might be set free from sin. Do you not know that all who are called by God are called to a life of righteousness before him. Not a righteousness unto salvation, for that is not earned it is freely given, but a righteousness before God.
Is God pleased with a wicked heart? Is God pleased with a luke warm heart? What do we think those things mean? Did God himself not call us to walk upright? Did God himself not call us to flee from sin? Did God himself not call us to resist the devil, and he would flee from us?
Those of us who were called, do we not now love God? Do we not love God more than we love this world. If God hasn't given you a yearning to know him, pray that he would give you a yearning today. God has called us to love him, to worship him, and to follow him and his ways for us, by now picking up our cross for him as he picked up his cross for us. For those of us who are now in Christ, weren't we crucified on the cross with him. Haven't we already put our old selves to death in him? So if we are dead to the flesh, we are already living in the spirit. So now those of us who now live in the spirit, aren't we to live as one who has already departed this life? Aren't we to live as the spirit of God dwells on this earth. Helping those who are in need. Clothing the naked. Feeding the hungry. Ministering to those who are too weak to minister unto themselves. Bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ which has now saved us to all who will hear.
Have you not changed? Didn't we put our old lives, our old ways to death? Haven't we been redeemed and therefore reformed in Christ's image? If we didn't change then what was the point? If we didn't take on Christ to be something different, then why did we do it? Did we take on Christ so that we could continue in our old ways? Weren't we called to repent of our old ways? Didn't he promise to transform us from the inside out? So now, why do we oppose God as he attempts to change us, isn't that what we were promised?
So now that we understand what we must do in our new life for Christ, let us make more mature decisions in his name. For the time is coming when there will be no more chances only regrets. For the end is near for us, even if there are future generations to come. For won't we all die in this life a physical death? And aren't we promised 2 deaths if we are not in Christ Jesus?
What did Christ mean when he said, unless we be born again we will not see the father in heaven? What did he mean when he said, unless we be born of water and of the spirit we will not see God? What does being reborn of the spirit mean if it doesn't mean to change who we are? Isn't it true, if I am a liar, that my spirit is a liar? So then isn't it true if I lie no more, then my spirit no longer lies and has therefore been born again? Isn't it true if I once did not live in Christ nor walk according to his teachings, I was lost and my spirit was lost? Now isn't it true, if I am baptized of him in Christ's name, and have renewed my spirit in a good concious towards the Lord and I now follow his teaching, that my spirit is reborn?
So now our faith saves us, but a righteous walk with God is our proof that our spirit is reborn in his likeness, which is to say born again. Is it possible to be born again on our own? No, this is impossible for a man to do on his own accord. Therefore let us ask God to renew our spirit through prayer and meditation to him. For the word of God tells us to pray without ceasing. For it takes a moment to come to Christ, but it takes a lifetime to overcome the flesh in him. For his work is not completed in us as Christians until we take our last breath in him doing his bidding, so that it may be fullfilled in the words of the prophets, Mat 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. Mat 7:14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Don't you see? Salvation is not just a gate, but a road. Christ is the gate and his teachings are the road. The road is the race of a Christian. Narrow is the road for it is the path which Christ made in his walk here on this earth. The path of servanthood by serving God.
Therefore let us all help to sustain one another in a brotherly love. Let us keep reminding each other to be ever vigilant and watchful, for we know do not at which hour of the day or night the Lord will come for us, but it approaches quickly. Pray for one another's spiritual well being, and pray that the Lord delivers us all to his kingdom clothed in a white robe of Jesus Christ. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment