I want to apologize for not publishing any posts yesterday. I got caught up in taking care of my home and I didn’t even have my own Bible study time.
Now…this is something that I read a little earlier this morning and I thought about sharing what the Bible actually says about that three-letter word…sin.
“I realized that if I, as a Christian, died living in active sins and came before God, I would be judged and condemned to Hell because after putting on the perfect garment of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, I had dirtied my robe and had refused to repent of active sins.” This belief is not Biblical at all even though it is taught and preached in many churches. The teaching that should be taught is that IF you have given your heart totally to Christ and you are saved by the Holy Spirit and changed from the person you were into a “new creation”, even that un-intentional sin is forgiven. IF however, you have not been saved as a new creation and you are living in a state of active sin, then you will go to hell.
There are many who believe that they are saved by their knowledge of Jesus and they’re “going through the motions” like going to church and prayer and occasional reading of the Bible. This is not salvation, it is knowledge of Jesus and that is all. This is a deception that has been placed into many sermons and misquoted by many so there are many who actually believe it. You are not a Christian by association and you don’t become one just because your grandmother said that she has been a Christian all of her life.
Being and becoming a Christian only comes to each of us when God touches our heart and breaks it spiritually so that we know that we need Jesus. At that point, we will seek Him in prayer whether we are driving our car or we are in a revival, or wherever we may be. We KNOW that we need Jesus and we need Him NOW! Don’t turn away from that knowledge when it comes to you. God touches you and me for a purpose and because He loves each of us.
The fact that we can come into God’s Presence and ask for anything is beyond awesome and humbling, yet many people don’t take advantage of it until something in their life is going sideways. The fact that we, as Christians, have the entire Trinity of the Godhead willing to hear our prayers even about dumb things is astounding! God loves all of humanity enough that He hears whenever someone begins to confess and come to Him for repentance and salvation. I can’t even imagine the depth of love that is required for Him to even be tuned into the human race in that way!
We have the honor of being able to go into the presence of God, the Creator of the Universe and everything in it. Have you ever considered our privilege, that we can do this? God is much more than any personality or leader on Earth. He is Holy and perfect and the Creator of all, yet we can even come to Him and ask about our lost keys or our glasses. It sounds crazy but He wants to be involved in your life and mine, even in the little things. All that we do and have has come to us because of His grace and blessing toward us because of Jesus.
We have so much simply because of the grace of God and yet we act as if we are spoiled children. We want more and we want it now! God loves us and He will only grant to us those things that He deems worthy for us to have. Degrees and education are great but have you considered that the apostles were not “learned men” yet they started His Church and their teaching, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has changed the world and it is still being changed until that day when the Church is taken up.
Jesus, the Living Water, came to us to redeem and refresh and bring Life to everyone who will believe. The Son of God was separated from His Father while He hung on that cross for you and for me and for the whole world. He had never been separated from God the Father but for those few hours that He took our sins…He was. During that time He took the sins of the entirety of the human race and He bore those sins and their consequences on Himself. The pain, the heartache, and the guilt of ALL of humanity’s sins.
He also endured the rejection of His people and all of the punishment of the scourging and the nails and the agony of having to raise Himself up, on His nail-pierced feet in order to breathe and to say the words that needed to be spoken before He gave up His spirit. He gave His life so that we could have an abundant eternal life with Him. It isn’t a promise of wealth or privilege, it is much more than that. It is the promise of eternity in His Presence. Don’t turn away from Him when you feel His call on your heart and your life. Drink deeply of the river of living water from Him.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/luk.16.10/46341
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/jhn.14.26/34743
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. James 1:22-24 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/jas.1.22-24/46337
24 The LORD bless thee and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.
This is the blessing of the Lord for the children of Israel but it can be applied to the church today. If we will do His commandments and be His children as the New Testament says. That does not mean that we only go to church on holidays nor do we only pray to God when we think we need Him.
Walking with Jesus and God the Father is a daily walk. A daily practice that we should do gladly because God chose us before the beginning of the world. We are and have been chosen to be His representatives in this world and until that day comes that the church is taken up…I will be writing here and putting the words that He gives me out here so that others might find Him and come to know Him as their Savior.
Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance: Matthew 3:8 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/mat.3.8/34734
When you have given your heart to Jesus and He has changed your heart to be His, this is the beginning of your walk through life with Him. It is still your choice to turn away from your old life and your old way of doing things, God does not force you to leave your friends behind but if you truly are changed then you won’t be the same person ever again.
Many people seem to think that they are Christians because they grew up in church or because they had an emotional experience at a revival and said the right words and were baptized. You can go through the motions and still not be saved. Because it is the Holy Spirit that should’ve convicted you that you NEED Jesus, not your emotions. Genuine repentance and conviction of your sinful nature will truly bother you IF you go back to living and being the person that you were before.
You cannot be a “little bit Christian” any more than someone can be a “little bit pregnant”! You either are or you’re not!
The Living Message of Christ 