Understanding the chastening the of the Lord

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.         1 Peter 2:24

We've been studying the finished work of healing as of late. In the last article I revealed the truth that God doesn't teach us with sickness. Some will renounce this because we read about the chastening of the Lord in God's Word. 

So what is the chastening of the Lord? Is it God placing destruction in our path to get our attention? Is it God place obstructions to success in our life to make us change? Is it tragic circumstances? Just how does God chasten us? Let's examine the Scriptures.

 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,

    and don’t give up when he corrects you.

For the Lord disciplines those he loves,

    and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?  For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. Hebrews 12:5-11

First, lets define the word chasten. The original Greek word Paideia is defined as tutorage, that is education or training, by implication disciplinary correction. So the word simply means to train or instruct. Some may think well, training or teaching is accomplished by affliction or illness or tragic circumstances.

From instruction to affliction is a huge leap! Nowhere does the word imply anything remotely close to affliction or destruction. The problem is we read into a word in Scripture what we reason it should mean. When we do this we lose the true intent of a word and form ideas and philosophies apart from the Scripture. 

When Jesus, the Word made flesh, walked the Earth why do we not see Him "chastening" Israel with plagues or famine? Many of the religious leadership were steeped in self effort and proclaiming their traditions over the Word of God. It is true that many times Jesus taught the Law in its purest form. Absolute perfection that no man could ever achieve. Yet Jesus rebuked the teachers of the Law. Why? Because they through traditions watered down the obligations of the Law. The made the Law something any Jew could achieve with the right offering and effort. So with all this rebellion to God's intent to show men the need of a Savior why didn't Jesus visit famine and pestilence on Israel? 

To understand the chastening of the Lord we must first understand that character of God. He is good all the time. He is a good Father. 
The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7

God is always good. So if He is good He is not sending evil to correct you. Nowhere in Scripture is it recorded where God sent sickness to His people to train them. In the Old Covenant God had no intercessor no one to mediate between God and man. The price had not been paid yet. So when Israel broke the Covenant the Lord had no other choice but to remove His protecting hand. In the New Covenant Jesus is our mediator and great High Priest. He also bore all the penalty of our sins. So bad days and disasters are not the result of "God getting you". 

If you read the passage in Hebrews 12 it states clearly how God instructs. It states as Earthly fathers disciplined or corrected us in the flesh (the rod, or loss of privileges) God, the Father of our spirits disciplines us in spirit. How so? With His Word! 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

His Word coming forth through the ministry gifts, by daily devotions, and by the Spirit leading us into all truth brings about the correction we all need to grow. 

We need not accept sickness, or tragic circumstances as signs God is mad at us. We need not think God is trying to get our attention through illness or financial hardships. When we miss it or are not walking according to our true righteous nature He will quicken us with His Word to get us on the right track. It's never accomplished though condemnation or feelings that we are lost forever. It is not brought about by evil or tragic life events. We can trust in Him fully. He is forever good.

Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I pray the Lord bless you and keep you. I trust this has blessed you. I pray you consider sharing this with others. 

photo by David Castillo Dominici/courtesy of freedigitalphoto.net

Going deeper into truth or error?

I was so filled with joy to hear stories about your children walking in truth, in the very way the Father called us to live. 2 John 4

Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son. 2 John 9 Message

 In our last post we were examining Ultimate reconciliation and through the Word we refuted it as untruth. We began to examine the ideology of Historic Inclusionism. Is it the pure gospel of grace?

  I believe that Pastor Ryan Rufus made the case so clear about this view. It saddens me to write this but this philosophy is rooted in error. The spirit of error was prevalent in the founder of the particular group this idea stems from. The passing of the leader in the late 80s made this group rethink some of its views. That is the good news. The bad news is they still have roots of error in their doctrines. In the 2000s they changed their name. In the renaming of their group they put the word grace in the title. So today those hearing this beautiful message of God's grace readily receive anyone who say they're proclaiming grace.

  We need to more discerning than this. Here is why. Two different groups have web pages dedicated to "Christian Universalism". I don't want to link them. They are filled with error. On these web pages the moderators link this message of Inclusion to their own message of Universalism. We don't want to poison the gospel of grace with leading men to believe we are promoting Universalism or Inclusionism. 

   What about Historic Inclusionism? What are their main points? That all are righteous. This includes those who are not born again. That all are God's Children, that all men are in the Family of God. That all men have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. That all men have the new nature. The life of God is already within. Being born again is not becoming a new creation and receiving right standing  with God and the Spirit making His abode within, but rather it is an awakening to your true identity. That every man is included in the redemption. So basically you're already in whether you like it or not. 

   

   Are these Biblical views? If you don't accept these as truth are you not walking in the "deeper" realms of grace? I get so fed up with foolishness in the name of the Lord. These ideas put men in so much bondage. Am I believing the message the way the "elitist" teach it? I saw this in faith teaching years ago. If you didn't believe  ideas like faith means not having a job, or never taking medicine you just had a "faith" problem or a weaker faith. Let me be real truthful. I say it in love. All these Inclusionist views are plain  wrong and a misunderstanding and twisting of the Scripture to fit a presupposed view. Sadly, I shudder to write this, but sadly a few popular grace proclaimers on social media (YouTube, Facebook, etc.) adhere to these views. Many ascribe to their views because it sounds so similar to real pure grace. 

   Do all men have the new nature within? Do they have the life of Christ within? What does the Word teach?

   

   We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.  1 John 3:14-15 NKJV

   If one possess the new nature and new life within they WILL be walking in this love. I have sad news for the followers of inclusion. Unsaved men do not have the new nature within. The new nature has the love of God shed abroad within it. Love will be evident. 

  In my personal life I worked in the Law enforcement community. I know of many thousands of people incarcerated and personally supervised  many of them inside the prison walls of this nation. I know of one case where a man who with seven others found a random woman on the street and by force brought her back to their apartment and brutally raped her. Did he just have the New Nature (which possess the God kind of love) dormant within? Did the Holy Spirit inside this unsaved man just fall asleep while he assaulted and brutalized his victim? Doesn't seem like the new nature would follow this  type of living. 

   Are all God's children apart from faith? What does the Scripture state?

   Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1

  

   For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:26-27

    

    But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12

   These passages have the same theme. It is only by faith that we are the children of God. This alone disproves Inclusion as truth. Yet through extremely poor Bible interpretation and presupposed mindsets those in Inclusion will cite these passages as saying it does prove inclusion because the word all is used. 

   So because the word all is found in many Bible passage this give the Inclusionists the entire foundation of their philosophy. What they need to study is context and find the intended audience of the passages where the word all is used. If you study 1 John 3:1 it does use the Word all. Don't stop reading there though. Note it goes on to differentiate between all and the World. Who are the all here? The saved, those who received the Lord. Who are the World then? Those who have not received Him. Even though the word all is used it doesn't imply the unsaved are included. The World according the Apostle John is not included in the Family just because Jesus paid the price. We see there must be a response on the part of the unbeliever. 

   What about the unsaved already having the Holy Ghost within? What does the Word say?

   

   But you do not live in the flesh. You live in the Spirit, assuming, of course, that the Spirit of God lives inside of you. The truth is that anyone who does not have the Spirit of the Anointed living within does not belong to God.  If the Anointed One lives within you, even though the body is as good as dead because of the effects of sin, the Spirit is infusing you with life now that you are right with God. If the Spirit of the One who resurrected Jesus from the dead lives inside of you, then you can be sure that He who raised Him will cast the light of life into your mortal bodies through the life-giving power of the Spirit residing in you. Romans 8:9-11

    And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"... Acts 19:1-2a 
 (I suppose Paul didn't consult the Trinitarian Theologians before asking this question. I am so intrigued to know of so many who know more than the Apostle Paul today...excuse the snarky tone)

 How can it get any clearer? In Romans 8 the Apostle Paul keeps using the word if. If you have the Spirit within, you're alive to God. If you don't you don't belong to Him yet. So how could you already have the Spirit within but, then have Paul admonish you with instructions about if you don't? This view is so easily proven unscriptural. It also forces those who adhere to it to dismiss clear scripture that disproves their points of view. 

  

  What about already being made righteous? What about being reconciled? What about God taking away the sin of the World? I believe 2 Corinthians 5 holds the key to understanding these truths. 

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.  Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 NKJV

Do these passages promote inclusion? Again the word all is cited. So the Inclusionist comes to the conclusion that all means all humanity. Note Paul says He died for all. The Original KJV states it more clearer, that because He died for all it is clear that all were already dead. Dead in sin and trespasses. So Paul goes on to state that in order to receive the new creation you must be in Christ. How are we in Christ? It is when we receive Him. It is when we are born again. In John 3 Jesus Himself states we MUST be born again. He stated unless we are born again we will not see or experience the kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom? Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

So, Paul is not teaching inclusion. He is teaching the need for faith in God. What about reconciliation? What about Jesus taking away the sin of the World? What about 1 John 2:1? He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole World. Doesn't this prove historic inclusion? If you want to believe it does you will make these passages say so. Jesus in truth paid the full price at Calvary. He took away the sin. Is that salvation though? No, salvation includes forgiveness and reconciliation but it is not salvation. These are only a small portion of salvation. Salvation is receiving the Lord and Him in turn imparting His righteousness, giving you His Spirit within and you being remade a New Creation in Him, it is receiving adoption into His Family. Again, to be in the Family of God we must believe. What about reconciliation? You see there are two parties involved in any relationship. 

God, has done all there is to do for us to be saved and righteous. He has forgiven sin. He has reconciled with us. He is no longer angry because the price for sin has been paid. This is all on God's side of the relationship. We need to now be reconciled to Him. Say my wife and I had a disagreement. We could both sit at the table to discuss it. She could be over it, hold no resentment, and already be reconciled to me. For me to experience the reconciliation I would have to be reconciled to her. It would be on my end to now receive the reconciliation offered. This is seen clearly in this passage when Paul admonished that we be now reconciled to God. How could we need to be reconciled to God if we already were?

One thing these historic Inclusionist deny is that they are  Universalist. They continually say a decision must be made to go to Heaven. So the inclusion view is you're included and already in until you're out. How does this view adhere to the absolute Biblical truth of Eternal Security? It is therefore contrary to it.

 Think of this. If we all are already in the Family, already righteous and already possess the New Nature within how could anyone saved or unbelievers then ever be lost? The truth of Eternal Security proves beyond doubt when one receives the New Nature within they are sealed with the Spirit. The Spirit is the guarantee of one's Salvation. To be in the Family means to have been adopted by  Abba Father. So the unGodly, unsaved man who never "awakens" to the "truth" of his "true identity" (who remember, already has the new nature, the indwelling Spirit, and been adopted in the Family according to the Trinitarian Inclusionist) will what now be cast away in the end? How can one be unadopted and unsealed? When does the Spirit leave? So one can be included in the Family and partaker of the Divine Nature and then thrown into hell for not receiving Jesus as Lord? Really? The Word is clear only the unrighteous (the unbeliever who rejects the grace and free gift of righteousness) will be lost and suffer eternal damnation. It seems Trinitarian Theology tosses aside certain Bible truths to establish one of their main points, but then uses those same discarded truths to establish the other points of view they hold to. Trinitarian Theology is actually saying, your all in but not really. Because, you're "in" but can still be "out" in the long run. You see how confusing this Trinitarian Inclusionism is?

 Lets not poison the flowing streams of God's pure gospel of grace. These ideas and philosophies are not the pure grace message Jesus has proclaimed to the World. The message to the lost is not wake up to who you already are. The message to the World is God loves you immeasurably. God is not holding your trespass against you. He is not mad at you. He has paid the full price for you. Simply receive Him freely. He will adopt you in His Family. He will make you a new Creation. He will never leave you or forsake you. Once you truly receive Him you will be never lost. Receive Him be reconciled to Him. This is the gospel of grace message we should always be proclaiming. This will set the captive free. Let's proclaim a pure gospel. Let's remove ourselves from a gospel of grace rebellion and be apart of a revolution that will alter lives for Christ. 

I know these words were hard sayings. I pray these words do not make you cease reading my blog. I pray this enlightened you to the pure gospel of His grace. Your feedback is welcomed. Consider sharing if this has blessed you.

Lose it or leave it? Our eternal redemption in Christ

Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.               Hebrews 7:25

In the Last few articles I've posted I have endeavored to till the good ground of our hearts with truth and not tradition. I've laid a good foundation from the Word concerning who we are in Christ and the true nature of salvation. I highly encourage you to read these articles if you have not done so. Some of the questions that may arise in these upcoming posts will find answers in these previous articles. 

Having laid the proper foundation of what it truly means to follow Christ, then the objections that eternal salvation is really a means to be lazy or to continue living in sinful indulgence are no longer valid. I do understand that there will be those, so entrenched in their religious traditions, that no matter what truth from God's Word you show them they will dig their heels in deeper and reject the truth that eternal salvation is just that, eternal.

Why is this? Because the flesh loves to boast in some level of accomplishment. That and the flesh ruled mind just won't wrap its mind around the concept that it's a finished work. Its like those misinformed among us who seek to fast to become more righteous. Or like the brethren who say we need to walk in love so let me seek God to be more loving. Wait, hold it. Doesn't the Word say the very love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts? Something that is already been done. Grace supplies, He so loved us, so we can now love others. All it takes is one to simply agree with God about who He said we already are. Doing this will allow that love to 
effortlessly flow through us to others.

For the next several posts we are going to examine if we can lose our salvation or forfeit it, walk away from it, or "return" it to God. You don't want to miss any of these posts. We are going to examine all the passages that seem to suggest we can forfeit our salvation or lose it by our actions. When it comes down to it there is only four 
views about eternal salvation. 

The first view is that salvation is something predetermined and not based upon any choice or freely offered gift. This is the Calvinistic view. That God preordains some to Hell and some to Heaven. Since you can't choose to receive Him then you can't lose it or leave it. 
The second view is that based upon your level of commitment and obedience is your salvation secure or assured. 
The third view is that though your conduct is vitally important the fact that we aren't completely perfect some allowance for sin is made. Yet, if you choose to "walk away" or forfeit your salvation then you have lost your salvation because you left it.
The final view is the freely offered grace of God. That your merit didn't get you into the Family of God therefore your merit is not the measure of your salvation. That once you freely receive God's perfect gift of grace you can never lose it and will never walk away. That His grace perfects you and is the true source of fruitful Christian living.

Let me start this off by stating I disagree with the first view. Why? Because Jesus stated in John 3:16 that whosoever believes in Him will never perish. For there to be a whosoever that offer must be consciously made to all. So I am not a Calvinist. I believe we can make a conscious choice to receive God's grace and love it is never forced upon us. This is exactly what the inclusion delusion is perpetrating on the Body of Christ. By saying all are already saved but don't know it means they had something put on them against their will.

Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.               Hebrews 7:25

This passage sums this series up. He is able to save once and forever those who come to Him. So, if you will, lay down the weapons and lets examine the Scripture with an open heart. Nothing I write in the upcoming posts is to stir division or strife. 

I pray you stay with me on this journey and examine our salvation in Christ and the security He offers. Pray blessings on you and your loved ones this week. God is good. 

First responders (our eternal redemption 4)

And he has entered once and forever into the Holiest Sanctuary of All, not with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the sacred blood of his own sacrifice. And he alone has made our salvation secure forever! Hebrews 9:12 Passion

We've been doing a study over the past three articles on our eternal redemption in Christ. I know how controversial this topic is to so many. Can we lose our salvation? Can we forfeit it or give it back and renounce God after becoming a new creation in Him? Are we not just individually predestined to salvation so therefore it's His preservation not mine? 

There are numerous questions. We will address all of these in upcoming articles. You don't want to miss those. So as we continue looking at our eternal redemption I was impressed by the Lord to lay more foundation concerning this truth. 

Why the picture of an ambulance on this post? It represents where we are going with this one. What a lesson on first aid? No, although I've had my fair share of those. What do we generally call the EMS or paramedics? We saw this especially during the 9/11 attacks. We refer to them as first responders. Under grace and eternal salvation we are also first responders. 

What do I mean by this? 

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 

You see the first response? We are loved. He so loves us. This is the supply of grace. He loves us and what is the result? We genuinely respond in kind. We love Him, because He poured His love on us.

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:18 NLT

I trust you can see the play on words but receive the simple truth I am conveying. When we have His unconditional love poured out upon us and are resting in the security of that love, we will have a genuine response of love in return. When we have a genuine response of love what does that translate into in our daily lives? A life filled with genuine fruit. 

Responding to the love and nurture of our loving Father is what produces a life that is a witness to others that we are in Christ. To many want to put the Church back under the rigors of Old Covenant Law. They feel the hard taskmaster image of God that many had under the Mosaic Law is what the Church really needs to produce holiness and purity in daily living. 

I am pointing to the real source of fruitful living. A place where we as believers aren't reveling in sinful habits but in genuine response to the Love of a Holy and caring good Father. We are the first responders to the love, the righteousness, the holiness, the compassion He poured into us.

Remember grace supplies where Law demands. He made us righteous and holy by the blood. He declared us right and made us right. He washed us in the blood and made us clean and pure. We are now holy and upright and righteous. That is who we really are inwardly. We then respond by being who we already are. As Paul Ellis said it's not do holy it's be holy. 

So rest in Him and what He has accomplished. Be who you already are. Be the first responder, the first to respond to who you have already been made. Responding isn't a worked up performance or striving to be something. Response is simply defined as to answer. So what is your answer to who you already are. 

If you know you have been made holy and righteous within what is your answer? We answer yes, I agree with what you made me Lord, when we identify with the new nature. We answer no, not because we sin or miss it, but when we say things like "I'm so unworthy" or "we need to be more holy or get righteous". These negative words are what actually produce the missing it or blowing it or falling into a sinful habit. 

Focus on the finished work of Jesus. Look to the cross and live. That is where we were made holy and righteous and had His love poured out to us. He paid the complete price. Instead of focusing on people's faults and "rubbing their nose" in their mess ups and sins we should point them to the cross. If they aren't saved, point them to Jesus and He will make them a new creation. That junk will soon fall away. To those who are born again and made new point them to the finished work. Reveal to them, their sins, their bad habit, their poor attitude is not who they are. Show them how to say yes to their true nature.

I just laid out a foundation for fruitful, victorious living. Saying yes to who He already made us. Now as genuine responders to His love how does this apply to our eternal redemption? Glad you asked. Over the last three posts we saw that salvation is not something we can earn. We learned it is by grace alone through faith alone. We saw that we can't maintain something we could never achieve or earn in the first place. We saw that we weren't just declared righteous but made righteous. That we actually are a new creation. That we have a new identity. In this post we see saying yes to who we actually are produces fruitful living. So putting all this together what do we have?

We have a working understanding of what it means to be in Christ. That unearned, undeserved eternal life was offered to us and we received it by the faith He gave us by hearing the Word. That we can't maintain this salvation by our actions or belief. That we are truly a new person and we agree with what God says about us. This answers the objection some may raise, that eternal security produces license to live in licentious living and an unfruitful walk. To the contrary, resting in the finished work and completely secure salvation and identifying with who He made us produces right living and lasting fruit that makes the lost want to come to Christ. 

I trust this lesson has encouraged you and revealed the goodness of God to you. I pray His peace and security blesses you throughout the upcoming week. 


imagecourtsyofvectorolie/freedigitalphoto.net

The true DNA of the Believer (eternal redemption 3)

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  Hebrews 9:12

We are in a series about our eternal salvation in Christ. As I've said many times if salvation isn't eternal then it is only a mere temporal salvation. Praise be to the Most High God that it is an eternal salvation He purchased for us. 

Who do we think we are?

How we think of ourselves in Christ is the key to living the victorious, abundant life of Christ. 

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.“Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you. Proverbs 23:7

Right thinking is the key to success. Agreeing with the Word of God is what produces right believing which in turn produces right thinking. We need to think right about who we actually, already are in Him. 

Are we simply forgiven sinners?

Too many get this impression about who we are in Christ. We see our great sin before we trusted in Jesus and therefore after we turn to Him we still think of ourselves as that sinful person. We may even say we believe we are righteous. At the heart of the matter is how do you define and apply this righteousness? Let me elaborate.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 ESV

Many accept and even promote the truth that we are justified by faith. That is literally declared righteous by faith. They even affirm we are declared right only by belief in Him and trusting in Him. Afterwards though, they insist you must maintain or produce a life that is outwardly flawless.

Justification is a beautiful gospel truth. Take the English word and it is the simple beautiful gospel message. Justified, Just-if-I'd never sinned. Being declared righteous is not fully what happened when we became new creations in Him though. This is just partially what occurred.

Not just "declared" righteous but actually made righteous! 

This is the great, glad news! This is who we really are. It's not complete to believe you are just declared righteous but still a sinner by nature.  No, you are actually declared right and then made righteous in Him. You see the full message of grace is not just that you have been set free from the weight of the Old Covenant Law and totally forgiven all your sins. It must also include the reality of our being made a completely brand new creation. We are completely new in Him. 

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

What about the flesh?

We are made completely new. The old is completely gone. It is wiped away. So what about the flesh? What about a sin nature? To say that believers have a sin nature is an unfortunate tradition brought about through some poor translating in certain Bible translations on the Market.

Some teach that the reason we still mess up as believers is because we still have a sin nature. That God's new life within is fighting this daily uphill struggle with an opposing nature we still possess. Is this truth? Of course not. For more info I highly recommend reading after Ryan Rufus on this subject here.

Why do we miss it so often then? Its because we have the flesh to contend with on an ongoing basis. The flesh though isn't you or your body. Your body is the temple of God. It is good because God made it. The flesh is simply a mind set. It is a thinking process that is contrary to the Word of God. I am not suggesting we can't live victorious over the flesh. We can through Him and His grace. We don't have to miss it at all, ever. 

Andrew Farley says it so well. The flesh is simply the policies of the former administration. We used to think and feel and believe a certain way before Christ. Now that we are completely new and that is our true DNA, conflict may arise when those former policies wish to dominate our thinking and urge us to act on them. Knowing though what the flesh is and how it operates brings us into a place of victory. 

We have the victory through our new creation.

We operate in victory over these fleshly thoughts and ideas when we identify with our new nature. We can choose to identify with who we actually already are. Doing so brings change, lasting change within us. 

So this is the answer to the objections and concerns raised by some, who believe that if we teach that once we are born again and made a new creation, nothing will ever change that or remove it, we give people an open license to live in unbridled lust and sinfulness. If you want to dwell in the midst of evil and corruption and wicked lust and can rejoice and celebrate it I suggest you get born again and receive the righteous new nature in Him. 

Knowing I am forever secure in Him and can never renounce it or walk away or "sin it away," becomes a motivation for devotion to God. Once we realize we have a completely new nature from above it removes this fear of licentious living. We no longer need to keep God's people in fear and anxiety about their security in Him. 

Teaching people they can lose it or renounce it produces anxiety in their relationship with God. It can create a sense of drawing back from God. What if I ever get weary? Could I renounce Him? What if I miss it to many times? I struggle with this sin. Will He keep forgiving me? These types of thought processes are the direct result of traditional, legalistic and law minded teaching designed to keep the Saints from wandering and under the control of Church leadership. Reject these thoughts and philosophies. Rest knowing you are forever safe and secure in His hand.

So who do you think you are? You are the righteousness of God in Christ. You aren't just declared right but actually made righteous. You have a complete new nature that desires a passionate relationship with our Father God more than anything. We are forever secure in this love. Rejoice in this wonderful knowledge.

I pray this article has blessed you and I pray that God pour out His lovingkindness upon you all this week. In Him...

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Sustained maintenance (Our eternal redemption 2)

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.  Hebrews 9:12

We've started a new study on our eternal redemption purchased for us by Christ Jesus. This Biblical truth is not without much controversy. Many well meaning and concerned Christian brothers and sisters debate and resist the idea of an eternally secure salvation in Christ. We've seen numerous debates about this view. Many have heard the objections raised concerning this topic. I believe though we can sum up all these concerns into two main objections.

The first one is the legitimate concern some have. Notice I stated legitimate concern. If we can't stand a thorough examination and scrutiny of our beliefs from those with genuine questions then I'd have to question the validity and surety of those beliefs. The Word of God is the more sure source for any view or belief. When I see those who pass over concerns or questions from legitimate sources  I note a tinge of arrogance and critical attitude within them towards others. 

Look, the point of following the truth is to understand it enough to have it working in our everyday life and to be able to clearly share it with others. Having this understanding let me articulate the concern some have. If folk will know they can never lose their salvation then what witness will they be to the World? My response is what witness do Christians who believe you must maintain it display to the lost? Look, knowing we are free from performance and completely forgiven produces a living vital relationship with God. I will further address this concern in an upcoming post.

The second objection raised I believe is rooted in control and condemnation. The objection is stated in various formats but the motive is always apparent from the speaker. The objection just merely states we can lose our salvation. This objection rarely has much Scriptural backing. The speaker merely shouts louder, and strongly proclaims you better watch it, you can lose it! They just scream louder "you can sin away His grace!" "If you keep committing the same sin over and over, God won't forgive you any longer!" These folk cringe at the idea of a secure salvation. If a believer's walk is forever secured then no fear can be implemented to control the sheep into submission, and the giving of donations. This is the true motive, I believe, for this objection.

In this article I want to further address the faulty view of conditional salvation. This is why I've titled this article "sustained maintenance". The idea perpetuated by many is that once this salvation is received it is now our responsibility to uphold our own salvation.

9He gave us resurrection life and drew us to Himself by His holy calling on our lives. And it wasn’t because of any good we have done, but by His divine pleasure and marvelous grace that confirmed our union with the Anointed Jesus, even before time began! 10This truth is now being unveiled by the revelation of the Anointed Jesus, our Life-Giver, who has dismantled death, obliterating all its effects on our lives , and has manifested His immortal life in us by the gospel of grace. 2 Timothy 1:9-10 Passion translation

 You see how gloriously good the glad news is? Not by any good we have done, but only His divine pleasure and marvelous grace brought us this salvation! It is an amazing redemption we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. So if it's not by any good we have done that brings this salvation, then how is it one bad thing we do causes us to forfeit it?

Look at what this new life produces within us.

13 And if under the old system the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of young cows could cleanse men’s bodies from sin, 14 just think how much more surely the blood of Christ will transform our lives and hearts. His sacrifice frees us from the worry of having to obey the old rules and makes us want to serve the living God. For by the help of the eternal Holy Spirit, Christ willingly gave himself to God to die for our sins—he being perfect, without a single sin or fault Hebrews 9:13-14

You see, the complete message of grace is we are free from Law and performance and completely forgiven and made an entirely new being. We are new creations in Christ. This new identity He made us is who we identify as. Knowing we are new and clean and pure before Him produces such liberty and true love from deep within. 

Knowing who we are in Him takes this burden to be accepted and perform well enough to maintain our relationship away from us. If I rest assured in my true identity I won't be trusting in my good deeds in my own strength to maintain my relationship. With new life, new identity understanding my trust is in Him alone.

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Philippians 1:6

The way salvation is taught in some circles this verse seems to be interpreted this way;
He who began a good work in you expects you to complete it until He returns. 
Praise the Lord though this verse doesn't teach this. It says He who started the work will be responsible to complete it. So this idea that those who haven't perfectly resisted sin and addictions must have forfeited their place in the Family of God, is just religious tradition. This view that if one doubts and fears and in the midst of turmoil makes a soulish cry of renouncement of God is lost forever is not the good news of a forever faithful Father. Good God in Heaven under the Old Covenant which is rooted in performance stated He was forever married to the "backslider". How much more are we now close to Him in this New Covenant established on better promises. 

So let go of sustained maintenance of your relationship with God. This is pressure to get it just right everyday. I've heard some use math principles to describe our relationship with God. If one single digit is off or in the wrong column then the whole equation fails. Wow. So glad God my Father isn't a math professor! 

Look, if not one single righteous act could have made us right with God before we received Him why do we believe one unrighteous act removes us from salvation? What part of Eternal Redemption do we not comprehend? If it isn't eternal then it's not eternal, its temporal redemption. These ideas of maintaining, sustaining, perpetuating our own walk is completely illogical. How could we possibly maintain or sustain something which we could never earn, achieve or work to receive in the first place?

Be free today to love God because He first loved you with an everlasting, unquenchable love!I trust this message has renewed and refreshed your heart. I pray blessings on you this week. Remember you can sign up via email to receive these articles and not miss any. Bless you, sustained and maintained by Christ finished work not my own!








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