03/06/24 FREEDOM OF WILL IS NOT SIN

03/06/24 FREEDOM OF WILL IS NOT SIN

FREE WILL IS NEITHER LIBERTINE NOR ANARCHY
(Free will is the God given ability to choose between options, which God either provides of He allows.)

We can choose from some realities that exist.
We cannot choose from all realities, since some realities are not congruent with other realities, and some realities are not consistent or compatible with our nature or spiritual status.

We can align ourselves with existing realities, whether good or evil.
We cannot create realities.

If it is a good reality, God is the Creator of that reality.
If it is an evil reality, God has not created it, but He allowed it,
An evil reality is a corruption or rejection of a good reality.
All realities are either in submission to God or in rebellion to God.

We can only experience reality based on our relationship with God.
We cannot add to it nor subtract from it.
There is both a positive and an negative side. A right relationship with God avails us of the positive and a wrong relationship with God aligns us with the negative.
"Choose ye this day."

God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
We do not create good and perfect gifts.

God gives us everything necessary for life and godliness.
We do not create or provide that which is necessary for life and godliness.

There is a false doctrine that says we can create our own realities.
We do not create the blessings of God.

We either receive or reject the blessings of God.
We are either qualified by grace to receive the blessings of God or we are unqualified and we do not receive the blessings of God.

God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
God gives spiritual and natural blessings arbitrarily.
God gives atonement for pre-born, newborn and infant children, which covers their inherited sinful nature from Adam,
God gave His Son to die for the sins of the world.
God gives sinful people the opportunity to be forgiven.
God gives provision and protection to all men, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of the sunshine and the rain.

The idea that we can create our own reality goes something like this:
If our mind conceives an idea
and if we believe that idea,
and then we verbalize our faith,
then we will create whatever we speak, whether positive or negative.
This is sometimes called, "Positive Confession and also known as, "Name it, claim it," or less fondly as, "Blab it grab it."
"Name It, Claim It," is a claim to self sufficiency, a robbery of God's glory, a deifying of self.

We either live by God's Divine will, which is possible by obediently trusting God alone, or we trust in our ability to create our own deliverance and live according to our own selfish will, regardless of the source of our self orientation.

We cannot speak reality into existence.
Only God has that power.

We can agree with God and we can trust God, for that which God wills and provides, or we can resist and reject that which God commands, in which case we will either become a partaker of God's blessing or the subject of God's displeasure.

There are people who believe that man has the same power as God, and further believe that humans have the power to create our own realities. This false belief stems from, and circles back to the false notion that humans are little gods, which has morphed into the idea that men are gods and that men become god, and masquerades under the misnomers of, "Prosperity Gospel," "Positive Thinking," Possibility Thinking," "Positive Confession."

Having the power of God in us does not make us God or make us equal with God.
Having the nature of God (being a partaker of Divine nature as born again believers in Christ) does not make us God or make us equal to God.

The blasphemous idea that we either are gods or become gods or that we are God, comes from people who mingle Biblical truths with devilish or worldly wisdom. Sometimes this lie is swallowed by non-suspecting, but well-intentioned Christians. But, as someone has said, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." It is not enough to sound Biblical, we must be Biblically sound in our beliefs.

For instance, some people will say, "every promise in the Book (the Bible) is mine."

This sounds great, but it is not true. There are some promises of God that were spoken to and intended only for certain individuals (such as Noah, Abraham, Joseph [OT], Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Mary, Joseph [NT], Peter, John), and there are some promises of God that were spoken to and intended only for certain groups of people (such as Israel or the Levitical Priesthood, or the Church or the Apostles).

Sometimes the promises themselves are misunderstood, but some people "claim" those promises for their personal use, to do that which God never intended for that person or anyone else to do.

Since the "Name It, Claim It" movement (The Word Of Faith Movement) was based on errant theology and new age philosophy, then the development of that movement has taken the wrong path doctrinally. The path that it has taken leads to major doctrinal errors. It has led to the, "little god" belief system, which has morphed into the false, "I am God" belief, which is now being touted by popular false teachers. 

Though the idea that we can create our own reality by speaking it into existence is erroneous, there is a sense in which our words can either bring blessing or cursing.

If we believe the truth and speak the truth, truthfully and accurately, then we open the door of our hearts to receive that which God wants us to have. We can receive what God provides, we cannot create our own blessing or destiny from nothing or from our own ability or from a faith which is not based in Divine reality, purpose or rule.

In fact, we can believe and confess ourselves into blessings or we can believe and confess ourselves into cursings. Positivity does not create blessing, and negativity does not create chaos. However, those who trust God and give praise are opening themselves to the deliverance and work of God. Those who complain, cry, bemoan their lives are opening themselves to the defeat and oppression of the devil.

There is a vast difference between believing God for His provision and creating your own blessings.
On the other hand, the door to defeat and destruction is opened when doubt and complaint rises from the heart and spews out of the mouth.

We don't create our own reality, but we do choose our own reality, depending on whether we trust and submit to Christ.

Being, thinking, speaking and doing are grounded in our relationship with God.

If you go about with a negative, complaining, fault finding, defeatist attitude and behavior, you are denying the presence and power of Christ.

Spewing doubt and despair is not neutralized by offering a quick incantation of empty praise.

Being a Christian does not mean we will have a life with no conflicts or difficulties, but it does mean that we will be victorious. Sometimes the victory is not obvious, but remember, God has a purpose for us, which may be through troubles and trials. "All things WORK TOGETHER for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." "We walk by faith, not by sight."

03/05/24 HEAR AND HEED

03/05/24 HEAR AND HEED

As a preacher of the gospel, I warn people about the impact sin has on individuals, families, communities, nations and the world. 

To ignore the warnings is to embrace the coming judgements. 

Don't get swept away by the coming judgements of God. Call on the One Who has called you to turn from sin.

3/4/24 NO NEED TO DECONSTRUCT TRUTH

3/4/24 NO NEED TO DECONSTRUCT TRUTH

A very basic way to approach some supposed contradictions concerning the Deity and Humanity of Jesus.

Simply stated...

Jesus is God.

Jesus is man.

Two natures in one Person.

 

Keep it simple..

If it is a human realm issue, it is His human nature.

If it is super natural realm issue, it is His Divine nature.

Yes, it is more complicated than this, but after all of the theological understanding and explanation, it still comes back to these basics.

 

We can't understand everything we see in the Bible, but whatever the Bible says, we can trust.

Knowing that the Bible is true prepares us to learn Biblical truths that are difficult and beyond our comprehension.

 

Light (truth) leads to faith and faith leads to obedience and obedience leads to more light, and so on...

You can build your life on Biblical revelation without being an expert in the details.

There are experts in the details who have no real grasp of the basic message of God's word and have no relationship with God.

Remember...

If it is related to the human realm, it has to do with Christ's human nature.

If it is related to the Divine realm, it has to do with Christ's Deity.

When Jesus did the things that only God can do, it was His Divine nature.

When Jesus did the things that only relate to man's condition, it was His human nature.

 

Jesus never gave up His Deity, but as a man, Jesus chose not to exert Divine power or prerogatives.

For instance, God cannot be tempted with evil, but Satan did try to tempt Jesus.

Jesus overcame His temptations, but He did not overcome them by His Divine nature.

Jesus was tempted, in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus resisted temptation by trust in God's word.

There was nothing in His victory over temptation and sin which is not available to all believers, through faith in and submission to God.

There were things that the man Jesus did not know.

There were problems that the man Jesus suffered.

 

Jesus chose not to respond to earthly troubles as the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God.

In His Messianic mission, as a man, Jesus only used powers that other children of God are able to use. As a man, Jesus was not omnipotent.

In His Messianic mission, as a man, Jesus only knew what could be known by human beings. As a man He was not omniscient.

In His Messianic mission, as a man, Jesus was only in one place at a time. As a man He was not omnipresent.

 

There were occasions when Jesus either exercised or enjoyed Divine intervention. But those times did not interrupt His Messianic mission as the perfect human sacrifice.

In fact, Jesus Who is God, learned obedience, as a man. In His submission and growth as a man, Jesus proved Himself to be qualified as the Messiah, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

 

In this simple presentation there is plenty of "meat" to take. There is no reason to fight over the bones.

Jesus responded in a very similar way when the Disciples asked Him if He was about to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus did not go into an in-depth explanation. Jesus told them, in so many words, it was none of their business. Here are His words, from Acts 1:7-8

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

Sometimes we need to be satisfied with what He has made clear. We never need to press Him for that which we want to know, in order to satisfy our own curiosity or selfish purposes.

03/03/24 IT IS ENLIGHTENMENT, NOT REVELATION

03/03/24 IT IS ENLIGHTENMENT, NOT REVELATION

Do not boast in your own wisdom, and then shame other Christians who believed God was leading them in a different direction.

God's eternal, revealed truth, clearly found in His word is applicable on all men. However, we are each allowed to seek the Lord and follow Him according to the knowledge, wisdom and grace given to us personally, as long as it aligns with His revealed word.

Just because you made a decision that worked out for you, don't strut around like you just came down from Mt. Sinai. Love and humility goes along way in communicating salvation to others.

03/03/24 STEPS AND MISSTEPS also REPOST

03/03/24 STEPS AND MISSTEPS also REPOST

Don't take your blessed relationships for granted, even the ones that you expect to be sure in your life. We can always depend on God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), He never changes, nor can He change. He blesses those who faithfully follow Him and He judges those who turn from Him. He is faithful.

Humans are subject to change.
This is good for the sinner who turns to God.
This is good for the believer who is growing in grace and knowledge.
This is bad for the believer who refuses to move forward, the believer who turns back from following God.

Those who are in Christ (presently, continually, obediently) will change from glory to glory, from faith to faith and grace to grace.

Here is a post I made in 2021 concerning STEPS AND MISSTEPS OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. I hope it is helpful.
11/05/21 STEPS (and missteps) OF SPIRITUAL LIFE
There is a lot of talk about "Progressive Sanctification," in the Christian life, most of which is erroneous and is an excuse for coming short of God's will and calling.

When God brings a Christian to a point of decision, such as Total Commitment (aka death to the Old Man, Entire Sanctification, the fullness of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit) or God leads (requires) the believer to turn from a specific behavior or God leads a believer into a new direction, but the believer is not willing to obey God, then they use the idea that they are "progressing" in their walk. But it is not progression when we refuse to follow fully, it is sin, which must be faced and we must repent (abandon) all known sin.

Usually, if repentance is quick to follow a sin, then the believer can move forward in the grace of Christ. However, depending on the impact of the sin or depending on the time between the sin and the repentance, the person may lose anything, and everything, up to their own soul. If they do not confess and repent of that sin, they will not be restored and they will lose their soul. 

ENTRANCE
God reveals Himself to us, while we are in the darkness of nature's night (spiritual darkness of the unregenerate).
God calls us to a living and loving relationship with Himself, through Christ's atoning death and resurrection.

OBEDIENCE AND GROWTH (EXPECTED)
As we walk in His light, He gives us more light.
God leads the faithful believer out of temptation.
God convicts the errant believer, even when he is yielding to temptation.
God convicts the backslider after he has disobeyed, and God calls him to repentance.
Sin (deliberate disobedience to the known will of God) separates us from God. It only takes one sin to separate us from God, rather than a habit of sin or a life of sin, or an ongoing practice of sin.
Remember Adam?
How many sins would it take to disqualify a "savior" from being a savior?
James tells us that God has given us His word, so that we might not sin.
God told us through David that God's word that we might not sin against God.
The Bible teaches that when we break one commandment, we break all the commandments.
As soon as we sin against God, even once, we need an advocate and we have an advocate with God, Christ Jesus the righteous.
There is never a reason for sin and backsliding.

REBELLION (UNNECESSARY)
If we are not obedient, we walk in less light and His light in us is diminished.
We fail to walk in light by either stopping in our spiritual journey or turning aside from God's path or going back to sin in open rebellion.

Sometimes our failure to walk with God is negligence and it sometimes seems negligible.
Sometimes our failure to walk with God is obvious but gradual and unalarming (though it should be alarming).
Sometimes our failure to walk with God is a sudden and significant departure from an active and vibrant relationship with God.
In any case, failure to walk in God's light is willful disobedience to the known will of God and there is no excuse for backsliding.

BACKSLIDING (REPENT OR FALL AWAY)
The backslider can and must repent or he will eventually fall away completely (apostatize) and irrevocably. Repentance will restore a broken relationship with God. Failure to repent and be reconciled to God will end a relationship with God.
God gave us His word to save us from sinning, and also, if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Christ Jesus the righteous.
God gives us everything necessary for life and godliness.
He that is born of God does not commit sin.
He that sins is of the devil.
Jesus came to save His people from our sins.

MATURITY HAS TO DO WITH INCREMENTAL GROWTH IN GRACE, PURITY HAS TO DO WITH INSTANTANEOUS DIVINE CLEANSING FROM ALL SIN
God calls us to salvation (justification, sanctification, purity and maturity).
There are instantaneous, crises, Divine works of saving grace, which leads us to growth in grace.
Some realities come by crises transformations, some realities come by growth in grace.

Conversion of a sinner to a saint is a Divine, instantaneous, crisis work of saving grace, which includes justification, regeneration, adoption, sanctification. At the time of our salvation we are forgiven of our sins, delivered from the power of sin over us and transformed into a new creation.

Entire Sanctification of a believer is the Divine, instantaneous, crisis work of grace, which purifies the heart of the believer from all sin (the inner inclination to sin aka the sinful nature, through the Baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:8-9).

After our conversion (the reception of a new nature), we begin to realize that we still have an old sinful nature that wars against us and our walk with God. Though God enables us to obey Him in our new life (our new walk with Christ), we suffer an inner struggle that often ensnares us in sinful action.

God's plan for us is to be cleansed (not forgiven) of the sinful nature. Remember, as in natural life, there is a difference between birth and cleansing. Cleansing takes place after the baby is born. Likewise, the born again believer has life, but he is in need of a cleansing.

This cleansing comes to the believer when the believer willfully trusts God for complete cleansing and deliverance.

At the time of our Entire Sanctification we are cleansed, delivered from our inherited sinful nature (the Old Man, Carnal Mind, Double Mind).

Along with the instantaneous works of grace there is continuing, advancing steps of growth in grace, walking in the light, going from glory to glory, faith to faith, grace to grace in the healthy Christian life. This is popularly referred to as "progressive sanctification."
The term is unfortunate because it has become an excuse for rebellious people to NOT make full surrender through self sacrifice and self denial, but rather expect total cleansing to just happen through growth.
Some spiritual realities are grown into and some realities are reached by deliberate steps of faith.
It is better to use the phrase, "grow in grace and knowledge," since "progressive" implies slow, incremental change.
Growth in grace is essential, but it must not be confused with the Divine work of purifying the Christian heart.

Growth in grace occurs when we walk in the light of God's word. We need to eat, drink and breath in order to stay alive. This is true for our spiritual self as well as our natural life. The spiritual man needs the life giving properties acquired through reading God's word, praying, meditating, trusting and obeying God. Spiritual food, drink and breath imparts spiritual life, and life results in growth in grace.

God calls us to Himself and He convicts us of our sin over a period of time.

Whoever accepts, receives, yields to the call of God is instantaneously and miraculously transformed from a sinner to a saint, and is changed from darkness to light and becomes a new creation in Christ.

Sanctification (being holy by being set apart from sin and set apart to God) begins immediately by cleansing the Christian from his past sins, cleansing the Christian's conscience, cleansing the Christian's daily behavior.

There is Divine work and there is human submission involved in the experience and life of salvation.

Only God can do the Divine part of salvation (such as call, convict, forgive, sanctify, regenerate) and God will not do the human part of salvation (such as believe, repent, confess, obey), though He enables the convert to do that which God requires of him.

Here is God's intended life cycle of a Christian. 

CONVERSION
(including saving faith, confession, repentance, regeneration, justification, initial sanctification, adoption, obedience). 

GROWTH IN GRACE
(through obedient faith, study, fellowship, walking in truth, following Jesus and Holy Spirit, self denial). 

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION
(by recognizing the corruption of the heart that remains after conversion, and recognizing the will and ability of God to deliver from that inner corruption, and making complete surrender, total commitment, and asking God to cleanse you from all sin by filling you with the Holy Spirit, which purifies our hearts by faith). 

CONTINUED AND AGGRESSIVE GROWTH IN GRACE
(not only has the good seed been sown in our hearts, the evil root of unbelief has been rooted out, allowing us to grow unhindered by personal and inner conflict).

03/02/24 VIDEO 3/2/18

I hope you enjoy and learn from this video.

 A true witness witnesses to a false witness.

02/29/24 IT'S A FAMILY THING

02/29/24 IT'S A FAMILY THING 

I don't know, but I am guessing that the closest a person comes to knowing (though infinitesimally) the kind of pain our Heavenly Father has concerning rebellious folks, is felt by Christian parents who watch their children walk away from light.