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Saturday 31 May 2014
Thursday 29 May 2014
BIBLICAL VIEW ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST PART 6 - PART 12
Friday 23 May 2014
BIBLICAL VIEW ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST PART 5
“My little children, these things write I unto you, THAT YE SIN NOT. AND IF ANY MAN SIN, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2
Here Apostle John was in his old age admonishing his children in Christ. Saved souls are not supposed to sin but they can sin if they choose to. AND IF ANY MAN SIN. The question one should then asked is
WHAT MAKES A SAVED SOUL TO SIN?
“LET NO MAN SAY WHEN HE IS TEMPTED, I AM TEMPTED OF GOD: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: BUT EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED, WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY OF HIS OWN LUST, AND ENTICED. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:13-15
“BUT EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED, WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY OF HIS OWN LUST, AND ENTICED…”
The above is very clear. Like I said we are free moral beings. Every saved soul is tempted from time to time but yielding to it is the issue.
TEMPTATION IS JUST THE SUGGESTION TO DO EVIL
SIN IS YIELDING TO THE EVIL SUGGESTION.
The devil doesn’t force anyone to sin because it is against spiritual laws. He can only persuade you and give you strong reasons why you should sin. This is what he did to Eve in the Garden of Eden,
“And the serpent said unto the woman, YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, THEN YOUR EYES SHALL BE OPENED, AND YE SHALL BE AS GODS, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL.
And when the woman SAW that the tree was GOOD FOR FOOD, and that it was PLEASANT TO THE EYES, and a TREE TO BE DESIRED TO MAKE ONE WISE, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:4-6
Eve was a saved soul in the garden. The devil via the serpent gave her reasons why she should eat the fruit. She was not forced to eat it but she made her choice to eat it. She violated 1 John 2:14
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the LUST OF THE FLESH, and THE LUST OF THE EYES, and THE PRIDE OF LIFE, is not of the Father, but is of the world” 1 John 2:15-16
Were the three dimensions of lust found in Eve? Yes they were.
LUST OF THE FLESH - tree was GOOD FOR FOOD
THE LUST OF THE EYES - that it was PLEASANT TO THE EYES
THE PRIDE OF LIFE - TREE TO BE DESIRED TO MAKE ONE WISE
This is what James was trying to explain. Every believer falls into sin due the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. God has given you the grace to overcome sin but you must exercise that power by your own personal will.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU” James 4:7
BELIEVERS ARE NOT MEANT TO SIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SEED OF GOD IN THEM
“WHOSOEVER is BORN OF GOD doth not commit sin; FOR HIS SEED REMAINETH IN HIM: and HE CANNOT SIN, because HE IS BORN OF GOD.” 1 John 3:9
This is the truth about God’s salvation. We should not sin because we have received the power to overcome sin. His seed is in us. The power of righteousness is in us but living the reality of it depends on your walk with God. This is why I emphasize PERSONAL DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
“This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YE SHALL NOT FULFIL THE LUST OF THE FLESH. For the FLESH LUSTETH AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH: and THESE ARE CONTRARY THE ONE TO THE OTHER: SO THAT YE CANNOT DO THE THINGS THAT YE WOULD.” Galatians 5:16-17
This will now take us into the very sensitive and deep issue about salvation in Christ.
WHAT REALLY IS SALVATION IN CHRIST?
WATCH OUT FOR PART 6
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BIBLICAL VIEW ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST PART 4
That one can rebel against The Holy Spirit’s is evident in the way many believers live their lives in disobedience to The Word of God. But He is a patient Spirit who understands human weaknesses and bears long trying to help them overcome their weaknesses. This is why the Word declares in James 4:7,
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:7, 10
The Holy Spirit walks with humble people. You are the one that must humble yourself before Him. Many Christians are so proud and stubborn and they are given the Holy Ghost tough time. This is why you see many speak in tongues and still swim in sins.
CAN REAL BORN AGAIN SIN?
Yes they can and they do. Paul referred to the Corinthians Christians as carnal people.
“AND I, BRETHREN, COULD NOT SPEAK UNTO YOU AS UNTO SPIRITUAL, BUT AS UNTO CARNAL, even as unto babes in Christ. I HAVE FED YOU WITH MILK, AND NOT WITH MEAT: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. FOR YE ARE YET CARNAL: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
These were spirit filled believers and they were born again. They were heavily gifted by God’s Spirit but were feeding bottle believers.
“SO THAT YE COME BEHIND IN NO GIFT; WAITING FOR THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST:“ 1 Corinthians 1:7
If you have really read through 1 and 2 Corinthians you will discover that apostle Paul had serious problems with this set of believers. These were born again people who were not ready to grow up in their salvation experience even with all what Paul had taught them and The Holy Spirit’s presence in their midst.
The problem they had was that they were not fully ready to allow God to work in them and grow up in their salvation experience. Paul knew if they die in such a state they will go to hell irrespective of their confession of The Lordship of Jesus.
“KNOW YE NOT THAT THE UNRIGHTEOUS SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU: BUT YE ARE WASHED, BUT YE ARE SANCTIFIED, BUT YE ARE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Paul was talking to believers. He warned them of the end of unrighteousness. THERE IS NO ETERNAL SECURITY FOR SINNING BELIEVERS BUT FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. His grace is there but we have to make up our minds to yield to The Spirit’s Tutoring and allow Him to help us.
The church today is like this set of people who believe the acceptance of salvation is all it takes to please God and make heaven. They neglect the issue of total obedience to the laws of righteousness. They put everything on God. No wonder we have gifted sinful believers and ministers on our pulpits today whose end will be like the people in Mathew 7
“MANY WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY, LORD, LORD, HAVE WE NOT PROPHESIED IN THY NAME? AND IN THY NAME HAVE CAST OUT DEVILS? AND IN THY NAME DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS? AND THEN WILL I PROFESS UNTO THEM, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY.” Mathew 7:22-23
I want you to read the verses above very well again and again. These were born again believers. He didn’t deny the exploits they did in His name but only told them what they didn’t do.
“…DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY”
They refused to do what they were expected to do believing salvation is all about God and man has no part to play in it. Their unrighteous lifestyle denied them access to eternity with Jesus. Are we not seeing many ministers who emphasize all the other packages of salvation but neglect the main foundation for them all-RIGHTEOUSNESS?
“ IN RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALT THOU BE ESTABLISHED: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. “ Isaiah 54:14
“BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT. “ Mathew 5:48
“For THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION hath appeared to all men, TEACHING US THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, AND PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS.” Titus 2:11-14
Born again believers who profess to know Christ are gifted in all the other packages of salvation but neglect the issue of righteousness. We can exercise our faith to get miracles, signs and wonders but we do not exercise our faith to live right. We are becoming rich and wealthy while we remain in our filthiness. We are getting contracts and big time jobs while we wallow in our sins. We are getting married and giving out hands in marriage while we romance unrighteousness. We are making waves, fame and what have you yet iniquity rules in our lives.
ARE WE SAVED?
YES.
BUT ARE WE LIVING TO GOD’S STANDARD?
NO.
The church today is just like the Laodician church in THE BOOK OF REVELATION. They had accepted the gift of salvation and were enjoying the packages but neglected the number one thing that concerns God mostly-RIGHTEOUSNESS
“I KNOW THY WORKS, THAT THOU ART NEITHER COLD NOR HOT: I WOULD THOU WERT COLD OR HOT. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. BECAUSE THOU SAYEST, I AM RICH, AND INCREASED WITH GOODS, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING; and KNOWEST NOT THAT THOU ART WRETCHED, AND MISERABLE, AND POOR, AND BLIND, AND NAKED: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; AND WHITE RAIMENT, THAT THOU MAYEST BE CLOTHED, AND THAT THE SHAME OF THY NAKEDNESS DO NOT APPEAR; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:15-18
IS THIS NOT THE TRUE PICTURE OF THE CHURCH TODAY?
We have become so cold to the things of God especially in the area of our Christian living. It’s mind boggling what many ministers of the Gospel do in the secrets and they are still bold to teach half-baked truth. You can see male pastors today frying their hairs, putting on ear-rings, keeping concubines, watching indecent films, giving positions to unregenerated people in their churches, romancing politicians, living large and luxuriously etc.
I saw a female Gospel minister exposing her boobs on the internet while teaching the Word of God. I saw another female who called herself an apostle dress seductively on the internet. Are we not cold and lukewarmed? You might called them agents of darkness but they are confessing that Jesus is Lord. Is that not all that it takes be saved?
And we still believe that man has no part to play in the free gift of salvation he received from God. O When one decide to accept God’s salvation, he has a lot to learn in order to grow in that grace of salvation.
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Jesus remains,
BIBLICAL VIEW ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST PART 3
You are a free moral being with the sole power to determine and decide your eternal destiny by accepting Jesus for your own good or rejecting Him to your own peril. All humans must pay for the consequence of their actions. The devil knew there was going to be eternal judgment but still decided to rebel against God because he understood the PRINCIPLE OF TIMING IN DIVINE JUDGEMENT (Ecclesiastes 8:11, Mathew 25:41, Genesis 18:20-21) of which I can’t go into now.
God knows the choice that each creation will make because He is Omniscience. He doesn’t determine that choice. We determine such as humans. Let’s look at the case of Cain in The Bible. His offering was rejected he then decided to avenge his rejection on Abel. God gave him the opportunity to repent but he didn’t.
“And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, SIN LIETH AT THE DOOR. And UNTO THEE SHALL BE HIS DESIRE, AND THOU SHALT RULE OVER HIM.” Genesis 4:6-7
“AND THOU SHALT RULE OVER HIM” This was the fact. He had the capacity to overcome that murderous thought in his heart but he had to make the choice. We to as humans are daily faced with such a choice, which is why many Christians chose to sin all the time. This means the sovereign will of God is never forced on anyone. He has all the power but satan still chose to rebelled against Him.
HAVE YOU EVER PONDERED WHAT MIGHT HAD GIVEN THE DEVIL THAT TOTAL CONFIDENCE AGAINST HIS CREATOR?
I want you to know that while salvation in Christ is totally free, you are the one that will make the choice to accept it and still make the choice to keep it. Let’s see Romans 6:23,
“For the WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; but THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
It is called a GIFT. This is the Scripture. It is not my words. Can you force a gift on someone? It’s impossible. If salvation is a FREE GIFT then I have the sole right to decide to reject or accept it. For a school of thought to say that salvation is God’s doing and man has no part in it is not totally true. Salvation on its own is totally God’s package but for man to be saved is totally man’s choice.
“And this is the condemnation, THAT LIGHT IS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND MEN LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19
Salvation came into the world but man decides to reject it. It is a personal choice. Salvation is a gift but what you do with the gift is entirely yours to decide. But if you know the purpose of the gift you will use it in the right way. This is where there is error in Christendom. Many don’t know the purpose of that gift that is why they abuse it. Like someone said years ago,
IF THE PURPOSE OF A THING IS NOT KNOWN ABUSE IS INEVITABLE
Salvation is a total package. IT IS NOT LIMITED TO FREEDOM
FROM SIN ALONE. It contains the totality of God’s blessings for mankind which some are righteousness, power, grace, prosperity, glory, honour, dominion, divine wisdom, healing, peace, deliverance etc.
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach GOOD TIDINGS UNTO THE MEEK; he hath sent me to BIND UP THE BROKENHEARTED, to PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, and the OPENING OF THE PRISON TO THEM THAT ARE BOUND; To PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD, and the DAY OF VENGEANCE OF OUR GOD; to COMFORT ALL THAT MOURN; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, TO GIVE UNTO THEM BEAUTY FOR ASHES, the OIL OF JOY FOR MOURNING, the GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS; that they might BE CALLED TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, WHO HATH BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST:” Ephesians 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:” 2 Peter 1:3
Salvation is like a software which one must learn to operate. This is why The Holy Spirit was given to us to help us understand this gift of salvation and learn how to use it the way God has programmed it.
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. HOWBEIT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, IS COME, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. “ John 16:12-15
“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. But God hath REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT: FOR THE SPIRIT SEARCHETH ALL THINGS, YEA, THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
The Holy Spirit accompanies the free gift of salvation in order to help us become what He wants us to become. He is our Instructor. He is to teach and guide us to become the full salvation we have received. Just like God the Father, The Holy Spirit is subject to that universal principle of Love. He doesn’t force anyone to become subject to Him. We are to yield ourselves to His leading. This is a choice one must do as a Christian.
“For AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, they are the sons of God” Romans 8:14
To tell you that He doesn’t force Himself on one the Bible declares He can be grieved.
“AND GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, WHEREBY YE ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION.” Ephesians 4:30
Watch out for Part 4
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Jesus remains,
Wednesday 21 May 2014
BIBLICAL VIEW ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST PART 2
If you have not read PART 1 of this series kindly click on
the link below so that you can flow along with me.
“AND I AM SURE THAT THE KING OF EGYPT WILL NOT LET YOU GO,
NO, NOT BY A MIGHTY HAND.“ Exodus 3:19
Why will God made that statement concerning Pharaoh?
God knew he was naturally stubborn, pompous, arrogant and
proud. He demonstrated this when he told Moses in Exodus 5:2
“AND PHARAOH SAID, WHO IS THE LORD, THAT I SHOULD OBEY HIS
VOICE TO LET ISRAEL GO? I KNOW NOT THE LORD, NEITHER WILL I LET ISRAEL GO.”
Hope you can see his overblown arrogance from the verse
above? Did God give him an opportunity to repent? Sure He did.
“Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou SEE WHAT I
WILL DO TO PHARAOH: for WITH A STRONG HAND SHALL HE LET THEM GO, AND WITH A
STRONG HAND SHALL HE DRIVE THEM OUT OF HIS LAND.” Exodus 6:1
God was ready to show forth His power that might persuade
Pharaoh to repentance. All the plagues that came on Egypt were the acts of God
to show His supremacy over Pharaoh and his gods. At the fourth plague, his
magicians acknowledged the hand of God.
“And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring
forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon
beast. THEN THE MAGICIANS SAID UNTO
PHARAOH, THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he
hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. “Exodus 8:18-19
Did he see the acts of God?
Yes, he did.
Did he repent?
No, he didn’t.
Are many seeing the acts of God today?
Yes, they are.
But are they repenting?
Few.
It took the killing of the first born sons of the Egyptians
before Pharaoh allowed them to go.
But what did he do after they left?
He mobilized his army to go and bring them back.
“AND IT WAS TOLD THE KING OF EGYPT THAT THE PEOPLE FLED: AND
THE HEART OF PHARAOH AND OF HIS SERVANTS WAS TURNED AGAINST THE PEOPLE, and
they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving
us? And he made ready his chariot, and
took his people with him: And he took
six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over
every one of them.” Exodus 14:5-7
Was it God that turned their hearts?
No. It was a choice they made. Verse 8 of that place now
said,
“And the LORD
hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt …” Exodus 14:8
This came after he made up his mind to pursue God’s people.
That hardening means the Lord encouraged, strengthened, emboldened. It’s like
God saying, since you have decided not to repent let me leave you alone to do
what will lead to your destruction.
What is the meaning of God’s Sovereignty that many
misconstrue today.The word SOVEREIGNTY MEANS ABSOLUTE CONTROL OR THE POWER OF
TOTAL CONTROL. I want to take you deep into an apostolic teaching and not just
mere logo some are very proud of.
God has absolute control over all creation but He gave man
dominion over the earth.
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful,
and multiply, and replenish the earth, AND SUBDUE IT: AND HAVE DOMINION over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth.”
Gen 1:28
God is not a bossy God or one that must have His way by fire
by force. He made all things and gave them a freewill (THE ABILITY TO MAKE
CHOICES).Even the angels of God were not robots or forced to obey God. They
have the ability to make choices.
God is love. WHEN LOVE IS FORCED IT NEGATES THE DIVINE
UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLE OF LOVE. That is why you can’t force a lady to love you as
a man vice versa. And if by any means you were able to coerce the lady to love
you it will not be true love again. GOD IS LOVE AND HE WANTS US TO SERVE HIM IN
LOVE NOT IN FEAR.
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to
us. GOD IS LOVE; and HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD, and God in him.”
1 John 4:16
This is the basic truth. When you are truly saved, you are
not coerced to serve God; you serve Him because you love Him. I serve Him not
because of what He can do for me, but because I love Him. When you truly love
God, you don’t have that negative fear about God. You are awed of who He is.
That is why in 1 John 4:18,it says,
“ THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT
FEAR: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in
love.” 1 John 4:18
So the sovereignty of God is the one of love and not the one
of a tyranny or a dictator. We must flow in His love constantly and not abuse
it for selfish gains.
“WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN, THAT
GRACE MAY ABOUND?” Romans 6:1
The angels of God
knew about His sovereignty and that was why satan could rebel against God. Isaiah
14:12-14. He was also able to persuade other mighty and low angels to join in
his rebellion against God. The Bible told us one third of the angels followed
him. Revelation 12:3
They exercised their free wills even though it was against
God’s will. It was a choice they made and the devil never forced them but they
made the conscious effort to rebel against God. IF SUCH BEINGS WHO WERE IN HIS
PRESENCE DAILY COULD REBEL AGAINST GOD, HOW MUCH MORE HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVEN’T
SEEN HIM OR EXPERIENCED HIS AWESOME PRESENCE.
The angels were kind of saved so to speak but voluntarily
decided to throw it all away in order to be independent. satan only wanted
independence and sole worship from the other angels. He knew very well there
was no way he could defeat God. It was absurd. To overthrow His Creator, not in
infinite light years.
We see that God sovereignty is imbedded in love and HE DOES
NOT CONTROL ANYONE AGAINST THEIR PERFECT WILL. Everyone makes choices. WE ARE
FREE TO MAKE CHOICES BUT WE ARE NOT FREE FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH CHOICES.
The universe has been programmed to run by cost and effect principle. This is
called the LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING.
WATCH OUT FOR PART 2. Like I said, it’s going to be one long
series. God help us all.
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Jesus remains,
THE CHIEF SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE UNIVERSE
BIBLICAL VIEW ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST PART 1
“Nevertheless
the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, THE LORD KNOWETH THEM
THAT ARE HIS. And, Let every one that nameth the NAME OF CHRIST DEPART FROM
INIQUITY. But in a great house there are
not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some
to honour, and some to dishonour. IF A
MAN THEREFORE PURGE HIMSELF FROM THESE, he shall be a vessel unto honour,
sanctified, and MEET FOR THE MASTER'S USE, and prepared unto every good work.”
2 Timothy 2:19-21
The Word of
God is greater than anyone no matter how great that figure might be in
Christendom. Salvation is from God. It is a free gift offered by the eternal
God to man to redeem his soul from eternal destruction in the pit of hell. It
cost God a lot via sacrificing His Son on the Cross of Calvary through the
shedding of His blood for the remission of sins. But is made available freely
to as many who desire it.
The grace of
God is on all who have accepted the Lordship of Jesus after total repentance
from sin. We are not saved by our own effort it is by the mercy of God. As true
as this statement is we need to understand that God does not force salvation on
anyone. IT IS A MATTER OF PERSONAL DECISION THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL CAN MAKE JESUS
HIS LORD. Jesus said,
“COME UNTO ME, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest” Matt 11:28
This was
Jesus’ call to salvation. Come unto me is an appeal that Jesus made to the
people of His own days and He is still making it today.
“BEHOLD, I
STAND AT THE DOOR, AND KNOCK: IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE, AND OPEN THE DOOR, I
WILL COME IN TO HIM, AND WILL SUP WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. “ Revelation 3:20
There is a
decision to be made for anyone to get saved. You must make up your mind to
accept the free gift of salvation from God. God does not force anyone to be
saved but He wants everyone to be saved but it has to be a personal choice.
“He came
unto his own, and HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT. But as MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his
name:” John 1:11-12
It is very
clear from the above that a choice and a decision are involved in the issue of
accepting the free gift of salvation. I want to reveal the heartbeat of God for
all humanity. Even though He wants all men to be saved but HIS WILL ALONE
CANNOT SAVE MAN. Man must make that conscious effort to accept His free gift.
“The Lord is
not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL
SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” 2 Peter 3:9
Look at this
statement, “…NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO
REPENTANCE”
This is the
will of God. That all should come to repentance. But the question is this,
WILL ALL
COME TO REPENTANCE?
I believe
you know the answer already.
Romans 3:23
declares,
“FOR ALL
HAVE SINNED, and come short of the glory of God; BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS
GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS: “Romans 3:23-24
We are
sinners by virtue of the fallen nature we inherited from Adam. WE DON’T BECOME
SINNERS WHEN WE SIN, WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE SINNERS.
“WHEREFORE,
AS BY ONE MAN SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, FOR THAT ALL HAVE SINNED” Romans 5:12
But when we
decide to accept the free gift of salvation in Christ, then we become justified
by His grace. Redemption plan is something that is meant for all but not all
will accept it.
Why?
We have the
right to exercise our wills against the will of God as free moral beings. God
doesn’t bend our wills to His own.
Although He can create circumstances that can help us bend our wills as
He did unto Nebuchadnezzar when he became a human animal for seven years Daniel
4.
“And at the
end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine
understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and
honoured him that livethfor ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom is from generation to generation: … NOW I NEBUCHADNEZZAR PRAISE AND EXTOL AND
HONOUR THE KING OF HEAVEN, ALL WHOSE WORKS ARE TRUTH, AND HIS WAYS JUDGMENT:
AND THOSE THAT WALK IN PRIDE HE IS ABLE TO ABASE.” Daniel 4:34-37
The godless
king bent his will to acknowledge the supremacy of God. Unlike His counterpart
Pharaoh who hardened His heart even after God demonstrated His power and
majesty in Egypt. There is a question people have asked about the case of
Pharaoh which some school of thoughts has termed THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD.
This school believes it was God that hardened the heart of Pharaoh so that He
could destroy him. This is where people need to flow with the Holy Spirit in
order to receive DIVINE REVELATION and explain The Scripture better.
WATCH OUT
FOR PART 2, I have not said anything yet. This is going to be one long Bible
Revelation Series.
Or connect with me of facebook
or send me an email
apostlefrancisministries@gmail.com
Jesus remains,
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