Jesus Gives Life

Worship: Offer Your Bodies as Living Sacrifices

2012-01-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1-2

What is our perfect service and spiritual worship to God? Our bodies.

Notice what the verse in Romans does and doesn't say.

If we are in Christ (a born again person), our bodies are holy and pleasing to God already. We are to recognize the fact that this is true regardless of what we do or don't do, and regardless of how we feel or don't feel, and regardless of what others say or don't say about us.

We are to submit (offer and present) our bodies as a living sacrifice in service to him. Our bodies are in effect not our own. Because we are holy and pleasing to God always, we are to accept this fact by faith that we are a walking, living, perfect, and pleasing new creation, and representative of God, Jesus Christ, alive, living in us, because of God's mercy, and not anything we have done ourselves. The verse doesn't say to go get yourself holy. The verse doesn't say to make yourself pleasing to God.

Because God has been merciful to sinners, with forgiveness of sins for the whole world, for all time, and has given salvation of eternal life to the believing saints, he has made us perfect for all time, and hence, we are pleasing and holy because of who Jesus is. God, now wants to baptise your life, into eternal life, the moment in time when a hearer of the Word, becomes a believer of the Word, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Think about this for a moment. Jesus is alive, living in the believer, wanting to use the believer's body for reaching out to others. Wow, that is not only freeing, but it is with a thankful heart to say, "not my will, but your will be done." It is not having the believer go out and try to do more service for God. It is not the believer having to pray more to get God to do something for them. It is God working in and through the believer to do his will.

Opportunities abound in life for worship service. Not the kind of service that is demanding, or the kind of service that says I have to witness. But, the kind of service out of the thankful heart for what God, Jesus, has done for us, and continues to do in us, from the day we became a born again believer, and then throughout eternity. Once we understand that it is not us, but Christ Jesus alive living in us, and working through us, comforting those that need comforting, helping those that are in distress, sharing the good news of the gospel, that God was in Christ Jesus, not counting your sins against you and now wants to give a person eternal life, is spiritually liberating for the soul.

Maybe he wants you to share a simple word. Maybe your spiritual act of worship is your testimony, or comforting the coworker that is facing a life threatening situation with a loved one or even about themselves. Maybe the worship opportunity presents itself just to lend an ear, give a hug, share a lunch, cry with tears of sorrow and tears of joy. Worship maybe planting the seed of the gospel, or watering the seed, or being used by God to bring forth fruit. Maybe your worship is helping out friends or neighbors that have just gone through a terrible crisis in their lives, and they need help coping with their heavy hearts and the trials and tribulations of life. Other times, God may want to use a person to share truth with those around them.

Remember, if you are in Christ, God is alive, living in you, and wants to use you, for his perfect will. Service is in his hands. My body is in his hands. Results are in his hands. I am but the messenger's vehicle, and not I, but Christ alive, living in me.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Do you want to be used by God today to do his good and perfect will? Then, in light of God's mercy, get out of the way, stop putting up roadblocks, offer your body, and live by faith and let him do it in and through you.

Please read our welcome message.

The Sin That so Easily Entangles

2012-01-17T22:10:00.000-08:00

The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
Numbers 21:8,9

The sin that so easily entangles today, is the lack of faith in what Jesus has done. I am not talking about lack of faith in Jesus as God in the flesh, but what I am talking about is the sin of going back to the Day of Atonement for forgiveness, the sin of using 1 John 1:9 as a Protestant Christian bar of soap of confession for forgiveness, the sin of going to the confession booth for penance to get more forgiveness from God, the sin of confessing your sins to a priest in order to get right with God and have God forgive you more, the sin of saying prayers repeatedly asking for forgiveness as in using the Lord's Prayer as a cover for sins, the sin of thinking that you are going to repent of all of your sins, the sin of praying to the virgin Mary for forgiveness and using this as a conduit to God, the sin of having Jesus sacrificed on the alter of religion repeatedly as in the Catholic Mass to the masses, and the sin of having a mindset that you need to do something in order for God to do something for you as in practicing vending machine forgiveness.

Not looking upon, and accepting Jesus's finished work on the cross is the sin that entangles, snares, entraps, trips up, clings, and besets people today; as it did in the early days of Christianity with people going back to the day of atonement after hearing the truth of Jesus.

In chapter 12 of Hebrews, and in the first verse we read:

New International Version (©1984)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Now, consider what was in chapter 11 of Hebrews to see the comparisons between heros of the faith. The whole of chapter 11 talks about faith, and then in the beginning of chapter 12, the writer summarizes and declares to being surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses. Faith is the keyword in Hebrews chapter 11. Chapter 12 tells us to fix our eyes upon Jesus and exhorts us to not lose sight of this.

Hebrews 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Each and everyone of these witnesses exercised faith regardless of what the consequences meant for them, even to the point of some being mocked, tortured, whipped, stoned, sawed in half, killed, becoming destitute, afflicted, and tormented.

So, let's put the sin that so easily entangles, thwarts, and skillfully besetts in biblical context and understand the meaning of the Greek word used once in the bible, and translated to English as easily "Entangles" or "Besetts," and others, in the various bible translations:

G2139

εὐπερίστατος

euperistatos

yoo-per-is'-tat-os

Strong's Definition:

From G2095 and a derivative of a presumed compound of G4012 and G2476; well standing around, that is, (a competitor) thwarting (a racer) in every direction (figuratively of sin in general): - which doth so easily beset.

G2139

εὐπερίστατος

euperistatos

Thayer Definition:

1) skilfully surrounding, i.e. besetting

Part of Speech: adjective

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G2095 and a derivative of a presumed compound of G4012 and G2476

The opposite of faith is unbelief in what God has done through Jesus our Lord and Savior. It is the sin that so subtlety clings to a person, and in so many ways is undetected by many in the world of how the devil gets people to be tripped up by it and they don't even recognize it.

Let's get real, and realize the sin that so easily and skillfully entraps a person into believing the lie, and not believing the truth, that God was in Christ Jesus, and is no longer counting men's sins against them.

New International Version (©1984)
"That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."

Exercise faith today in the finished work of Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior, and God who came in the flesh to bring new life to the dead. Focus your attention on Jesus not yourself. Look upon Jesus and live. Understand that God has forgiven you forever, and ever; now receive eternal life.

Please read the Welcome message.

Love, Joy, and Peace; The Greatest is Love

2012-01-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

I saw a birthday card today that had the following three keywords on it; Joy, Peace, and Love. It was not meant to be a religious card, but those words reminded me of what eternally is at the heart of what true Christianity is all about. The gift of God to us is Jesus, God our savior.

I know I will not be doing these words the ultimate justice they deserve, especially from a biblical text standpoint, but with the help of God, hopefully it will put things in the proper context.

We have all heard the words, or the various quoted biblical texts about the fruit of the Spirit. The quoted texts below have been used by many folks both in the Christian and secular worlds, and even those words have been used in many songs throughout the ages. I have to say though, the words have lost their true meaning, because we as a world, fail to realize of "who" the words are actually talking about.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Colossians 3:14

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

1 Corinthians 13:13

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4:8

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:7

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Romans 13:10

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Bible quotes from English Standard Version

What I really want to point out here, is each and everyone of these attributes are of God, or should I say is how God displays himself to us through Jesus Christ.

Some folks might be thinking that you are able to outwardly perform one or two of those attributes described above sometimes, and even you might say to yourself you can do some of them most of the time, but inwardly they can not be attained not even close to 100% of the time, nor can you display those fruits to all people all the time.

What is Love? This is the question that has been asked down through the ages. Until we understand what God's love has been, and is for us, we can not love the way God loves us.

Love is forgiveness; not as the world forgives, but as God has forgiven us. Before we ever asked for forgiveness, God forgave us all (the whole world) of all our sins. Yes, read that a second time, God forgave you of all your sins before you ever asked for forgiveness. He forgave you of all your sins before you even committed them. He forgave you of all your sins before you were even born. God in Christ Jesus, sacrificed himself for all of us on the cross. God is not upset with you. Love is Jesus and Jesus is love.

Once we understand true forgiveness from God's perspective, then we can start to forgive others as God has forgiven us.

Joy in my heart, because he has done it all for me. There is nothing more I need to do to have God love me. I am forgiven for all time. I am loved for all time. Nothing separates me from his love.

Peace that passes all understanding. Jesus gives us the peace that passes all understanding. His peace is the greatest, because in spite of our circumstances, in spite of what we do, in spite of what others do to us; he will never leave us or forsake us, and totally loves us.

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Now is the time to receive his forgiveness, receive his love, receive his joy, receive his peace, and receive his life giving Holy Spirit today.

Please read the Welcome message.

Confession of Sins 1 John 1:9

2011-12-02T21:57:00.001-08:00

Confess Jesus Has Done it All

Here are a number of questions in reference to 1 John 1:9 from someone a bit confused on what the word confess means in 1 John 1:9 of scripture. Due to the number of questions being asked and statements being tossed around, I felt it was important to share these questions and the answers in full context about the 1 John 1:9 posting.

Shalom,

You seem to suggest that one does NOT have to nor need to CONFESS their Sins to be FORGIVEN of those Sins.

Perhaps you would also suggest then that Jesus was confused when He was teaching His disciples to PRAY the Lord's PRAYER in Lk. 11:4 - when he personally COMMANDED Believers to PRAY to the FATHER for the FORGIVENESS of their Sins...which you suggest they do NOT even need to CONFESS/Acknowledge/Admit.

Luke 11:4 (KJV) 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

However, if it is NOT necessary to CONFESS/Acknowledge/Admit our Sins then Jesus was wrong. Likewise, so was John, in 1 Jn. 1:10, which immediately follows, by the way, the CONFESSION Passage of 1 Jn. 1:10, John declares that he who does NOT say (CONFESS) that he has sinned, would be untrue as well.

1 John 1:10 (KJV) 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. In summary, while not being personally required to CONFESS one's Sins, sounds all warm and fuzzy - Initial Justification absent CONFESSION of one's Sins, while CONFESSING that Yeshua Jesus did indeed die for those said Sins - would seem to be a bit contrary to each other.

FORGIVENESS without CONFESSION...? Can we actually be JUSTIFIED and FORGIVEN for Sins we KNOWINGLY refuse to CONFESS.

PLEASE read Heb. 10:26-31

Shalom - meanings: Peace, Completeness, Hello

What does confess mean according to 1 john 1:9?

First off, the word "confess" simply means to agree with God. The word in Greek means according to Strong's G3670 - homologeō - ὁμολογέω is to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent. Let's be crystal clear; confess does not mean to ask for forgiveness.

Source: The New Testament Greek Lexicon

Strong's Number: 3670 o(mologeÑw
Original Word Word Origin

o(mologeÑw
from a compound of the base of (3674) and (3056)
Transliterated Word Phonetic Spelling

Homologeo
hom-ol-og-eh'-o
Parts of Speech TDNT

Verb
5:199,687
Definition

to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent
to concede
not to refuse, to promise
not to deny
to confess
declare
to confess, i.e. to admit or declare one's self guilty of what one is accused of
to profess
to declare openly, speak out freely
to profess one's self the worshipper of one
to praise, celebrate
Translated Words

KJV (24) - acknowledgeth, 1; confess, 17; confession is made, 1; give thanks, 1; profess, 3; promise, 1;NAS (26) - acknowledge, 2; admit, 1; assured, 1; confess, 6; confessed, 4; confesses, 6; confessing, 1; declare, 1; give thanks, 1; made, 1; profess, 1; promised, 1;
Verse Count
KJV NAS

Matthew 3
Luke 1
John 3
Acts 2
Romans 2
1 Timothy 1
Titus 1
Hebrews 2
1 John 5
2 John 1

Matthew 3
Luke 1
John 3
Acts 3
Romans 2
1 Timothy 1
Titus 1
Hebrews 2
1 John 5
2 John 1
Revelation 1

Confession has a much deeper meaning.

The very word to confess also has a much deeper meaning to agreeing with God about the whole aspect of what Jesus did on the cross and what sin really is all about. The question and statement being proposed above is one of confession for the forgiveness of sins as what Jesus was teaching in the "Lord's prayer" as some would say is for today's believers to do. And while we are at it, why stop there in our understanding of forgiveness? Why not take it back all the way to the sacrificial system of obtaining forgiveness for a person's sins where they practiced atonement (killing of animals) for sins on the alter? After all, didn't God command Jewish people to sacrifice animals for their sins? If Jesus and God are one and the same, was God wrong for requiring a sacrificial system for getting a person's sins covered in the first place?

What has changed? Why don't we use the sacrificial system for forgiveness today? Why don't we use the Lord's Prayer as a foundation for getting our sins forgiven today? What has so drastically changed that the forgiveness issue has been settled once for all? Why does God say in the bible today that when Jesus comes back, he is not going to deal with sin ever again? "And he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him." (Hebrews 9:28) So, how could the writer of Hebrews ever make a statement like that if we still need the sacrificial system in place, or use the "Lord's Prayer" as a template guide to getting our sins forgiven? The answer is, he could not.

My point here is that there are periods in time from the human perspective where something is said in the bible that is required by God at that particular point in time. In the old testament, God required the sacrificial system in place for getting ones' sins forgiven or atoned for, or covered, until the one that was promised (Jesus) would take them away. In essence, atonement was a covering of sin until Jesus took sin away at the cross. Jesus was the complete propitiation for all the world's sins at the cross. The word is propitiation in the new testament when it comes to describing what Jesus has done. Jesus did not cover sin, but took it away on the cross. We have so watered down the cross today, and even the message of salvation, that many use the word atonement (and even some bible translations have the word atonement) to describe what Jesus has done for us; as though Jesus is an extension of the atonement system in the old testament. Let's clarify this completely, Jesus is the one that took the sins away. God is not going to uncover them or expose them again. John the Baptist got it right when he said, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." Now, we should be shouting from the roof tops, "Behold the Lamb of God, Jesus the one that took away the sins of the world!"

As far as confession, or agreeing with God concerning our sins, of course the believer agrees with God concerning their sins. But, there is also the agreement with God concerning what has happened to our sins when Jesus, God in the flesh, took them away completely on the cross. In fact, many are living a lie today, and the truth is not in them, and thinking that they need more forgiveness today in order to be saved or even maintaining salvation, or to remain in fellowship with God, because in their minds, salvation to them means getting their sins forgiven. Salvation is not getting your sins forgiven today. Salvation is receiving eternal life. See also, "What is salvation and how can I know with full assurance that I’m saved?"

What is willfully sinning according to Hebrews 10:26?

The book of Hebrews and especially the section of Hebrews 10:26-31 puts this in perspective. This section is talking directly with the person that is going back to the sacrificial system or in this case, thinking that they need more forgiveness from God for their sins. A person like this is wilfully sinning in their continual denial before God when it comes to understanding of what Jesus has done on the cross for their sins. This person is trampling on Jesus.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

I agree, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." What are you going to do with the sin issue? Are you going back to the confession booth for forgiveness? Are you offering a sacrifice for your sins after knowing the truth? Are you continually using 1 John 1:9 to cover your sins to gain forgiveness? Are you asking God to do what he has already done for you? Are you trampling on the Truth? Are you thinking that more forgiveness is needed by God for your sins?

Please read the Welcome message.

More information on related topics below:

Ultimately, the sin that so easily entangles is the denial that Jesus has done it all, and wrongfully thinking that something else is necessary for forgiveness to be executed on our behalf. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Saints and Sinners in God's Eyes

2011-07-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

The question is, are we saints or sinners according to the bible?

I once had an email conversation with a person that had his identity confused with that of being a sinner. The devil would like nothing better than to get a saint's identity to that of being a sinner.

A sinner in God's eyes is everyone that has not received Christ. A saint is someone who has received Christ. All saints do commit sins, but God never-ever calls a saint a sinner. How could he call his own body a sinner, if he took away all our sins when he took the punishment for sins on the cross? Sinners and Saints both sin. Sinners are not saints. Saints are not Sinners (as an identity). Saints do sin but God does not see a saint as a sinner.

If a person is in Christ, God sees the righteousness of God. A believer's identity should be in Christ. Look at all the references to saints and sinners in the bible below. After the cross, the delineation between "Saints and Sinners" is crystal clear.

Some will say that we are arguing over saint and sinner word semantics. It is extremely important to have a proper understanding of the words used when reading the bible. If we are arguing about semantics, then so be it. But, I will tell you this, that my identity is not a sinner. Don't let Satan get your identity off as being a sinner. If you are in Christ, you are a Saint, you are not a sinner. Yes I sin, you sin, we all sin. Wow, what else is new? But, rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Rest in his total forgiveness, not as a license to sin, but one of freedom in Christ. If a person is in Christ, he will be lead by the Spirit of God, not to sin, but to do the right thing. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!"

References to Christ dealt with sins once for all:

2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 5 (Whole Chapter)
Ephesians 2:1 [ Made Alive in Christ ] As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, Ephesians 2:1-3 (in Context) Ephesians 2 (Whole Chapter)
Colossians 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, Colossians 2:12-14 (in Context) Colossians 2 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:14-16 (in Context) Hebrews 9 (Whole Chapter)
Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28 (in Context) Hebrews 9 (Whole Chapter)
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 1 Peter 3:17-19 (in Context) 1 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)

See all references to Saints below:

Acts 9:13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. Acts 9:12-14 (in Context) Acts 9 (Whole Chapter)
Acts 9:32 [ Aeneas and Dorcas ] As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. Acts 9:31-33 (in Context) Acts 9 (Whole Chapter)
Acts 26:10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Acts 26:9-11 (in Context) Acts 26 (Whole Chapter)
Romans 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:6-8 (in Context) Romans 1 (Whole Chapter)
Romans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. Romans 8:26-28 (in Context) Romans 8 (Whole Chapter)
Romans 15:25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. Romans 15:24-26 (in Context) Romans 15 (Whole Chapter)
Romans 15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Romans 15:25-27 (in Context) Romans 15 (Whole Chapter)
Romans 15:31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, Romans 15:30-32 (in Context) Romans 15 (Whole Chapter)
Romans 16:2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. Romans 16:1-3 (in Context) Romans 16 (Whole Chapter)
Romans 16:15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. Romans 16:14-16 (in Context) Romans 16 (Whole Chapter)
1 Corinthians 6:1 [ Lawsuits Among Believers ] If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 1 Corinthians 6:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 6 (Whole Chapter)
1 Corinthians 6:2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 1 Corinthians 6:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 6 (Whole Chapter)
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, 1 Corinthians 14:32-34 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 14 (Whole Chapter)
1 Corinthians 16:15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, 1 Corinthians 16:14-16 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 16 (Whole Chapter)
2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: 2 Corinthians 1:1-3 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 1 (Whole Chapter)
2 Corinthians 8:4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 2 Corinthians 8:3-5 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 8 (Whole Chapter)
2 Corinthians 9:1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints. 2 Corinthians 9:1-3 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 9 (Whole Chapter)
2 Corinthians 13:13 All the saints send their greetings. 2 Corinthians 13:12-14 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 13 (Whole Chapter)
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:1-3 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter)
Ephesians 1:15 [ Thanksgiving and Prayer ] For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, Ephesians 1:14-16 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter)
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:17-19 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter)
Ephesians 3:18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, Ephesians 3:17-19 (in Context) Ephesians 3 (Whole Chapter)
Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:17-19 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter)
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Philippians 1:1-3 (in Context) Philippians 1 (Whole Chapter)
Philippians 4:21 [ Final Greetings ] Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. Philippians 4:20-22 (in Context) Philippians 4 (Whole Chapter)
Philippians 4:22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. Philippians 4:21-23 (in Context) Philippians 4 (Whole Chapter)
Colossians 1:4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— Colossians 1:3-5 (in Context) Colossians 1 (Whole Chapter)
Colossians 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:11-13 (in Context) Colossians 1 (Whole Chapter)
Colossians 1:26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. Colossians 1:25-27 (in Context) Colossians 1 (Whole Chapter)
1 Timothy 5:10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. 1 Timothy 5:9-11 (in Context) 1 Timothy 5 (Whole Chapter)
Philemon 1:5 because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. Philemon 1:4-6 (in Context) Philemon 1 (Whole Chapter)
Philemon 1:7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. Philemon 1:6-8 (in Context) Philemon 1 (Whole Chapter)
Jude 1:3 [ The sin and doom of Godless men ] Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Jude 1:2-4 (in Context) Jude 1 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelation 5:7-9 (in Context) Revelation 5 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 8:3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. Revelation 8:2-4 (in Context) Revelation 8 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 8:4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. Revelation 8:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 8 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 11:18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great— and for destroying those who destroy the earth." Revelation 11:17-19 (in Context) Revelation 11 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 13:7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. Revelation 13:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 13:10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. Revelation 13:9-11 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. Revelation 14:11-13 (in Context) Revelation 14 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 16:6 for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve." Revelation 16:5-7 (in Context) Revelation 16 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. Revelation 17:5-7 (in Context) Revelation 17 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 18:20 Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.' " Revelation 18:19-21 (in Context) Revelation 18 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 18:24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth." Revelation 18:23-24 (in Context) Revelation 18 (Whole Chapter)
Revelation 19:8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Revelation 19:7-9 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter)

Some will say that didn't Paul look at himself as a sinner? In actuality, Paul looked at himself as a sinner in the past. If you read 1 Timothy 1:15 in context, you will see that Paul talks about himself as being the chief of sinners. But if you look closely at these passages, you can see that he was talking about himself as he was once a blasphemer and a persecutor, and a violent man. Paul goes back and forth from the past to the present to the past again. In fact, this is a typical Hebrew writing style of that day, of the writer placing themselves in the past as though it were the present when writing things about the past.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim 1:12-17

Take a look at the following referenced information that puts Hebrew writing styles in historical timeline perspective:

Young’s Literal Translation
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
1863

I. That the Hebrews were in the habit of using the past tense to express the certainty of an action taking place, even though the action might not really be performed for some time. And

II. That the Hebrews, in referring to events which might be either past or future, were accustomed to act on the principle of transferring themselves mentally to the period and place of the events themselves, and were not content with coldly viewing them as those of a bygone or still coming time; hence the very frequent use of the present tense.

God does not see Paul today as a sinner, but instead sees him as a saint.

Furthermore, God does not see believers in Christ as sinners but instead sees them as saints.

Sure, saints sin, but sinners are never saints, nor are saints ever sinners in God's eyes. See all the references to Saints above.

Take a look at the following reference document:

Short sermons on important subjects
By Jonathan Edmondson, 1857

SERMON CXXXI.
A WORD TO SAINTS AND SINNERS.

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness : for by strength shall no man prevail. 1 Samuel ii, 9.

The words of our text are a part of Hannah's elegant song, when God had given her a son, who was to be a great Prophet in Israel. Penninah, her adversary, had triumphed over her; but now she triumphs with holy joy in the Lord her God. Thus the saints shall triumph when time is swallowed up in eternity; but sinners shall be silent in darkness: for by strength shall no man prevail. We shall find it profitable to consider, in the first place, the conduct of the Lord to his saints; secondly. his conduct towards sinners; and, thirdly, the general inference, that by strength shall no man prevail.

I. The Conduct Of The Lord Towards His Saints.
But who are saints? The word saint, wherever it occurs in Scripture, signifies a holy one. It is sometimes applied to good men on earth; and sometimes to glorified human spirits in heaven. But as the word saint is opposed to the word sinner, we infer that saints are not sinners, and that sinners are not saints. The one may have his infirmities, and the other may make a high profession; but they are, and ever will be, widely different characters. Read more.

Place your identity on Christ and his righteousness, not your own. It is extremely important that we see ourselves as God sees us. That is living in total forgiveness.

The judgment of sin occurred once for all. If there were any more judgment for sin required by God, Jesus would have to die on the cross again and again, (see the book of Hebrews which talks specifically about this) and as the Catholics try to say is occurring in the "Mass".

God's judgment of sin is eternal through Christ's payment, but it occurred one time and will not occur again. When Jesus comes back he is not going to deal with sins again. See Christ dealt with sins above once for all.

The judgment of sins by God in Jesus Christ covers eternity.

Please read the Welcome message.

When Jesus Christ Comes Again

2010-07-28T00:12:00.000-07:00

Jesus is not coming back to deal with sin ever again. He did it once, for all. Forgiveness of sins has happened in the past, now eternal life is at hand in the present. Receive eternal life via the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, the perfect man without sin, who became sin for us. Your sins are forgiven now. Jesus offers everyone that will receive forgiveness, eternal life. Receive his forgiveness today, and receive his life in you.

Many folks on both sides of the Calvinism and the Arminian debate are fighting over the forgiveness issue and not understanding the life giving issue of Jesus Christ. Calvinists and Arminians definitely do not speak the same language at all. I am not talking about differences of opinion, and they certainly have that; but more toward an understanding of the very foundation of Christianity. This is not about semantics, but truth.

Jesus Did Not Atone for Sin, He Took it Away Forever.

It will probably come as a shock to both the Arminians and the Calvinists, that Jesus did not atone for sin. Jesus took away the sins of the whole world. Jesus was the propitiation of sin. Propitiation is not atonement. Atonement covered sins in the Old Testament via the blood of bulls and goats. Jesus did not cover sins, he took them away completely, never to see them again, never to bring them up again, never to condemn a person again because of their sins. Yes, I know there are a couple of places in the New Testament that some bible translations have the word propitiation, translated as atonement, but if you look at other translations, the word is propitiation, not atonement. I suspect bible translators over the centuries have struggled mightily with the forgiveness issue, the eternal life issue, and the election issue, as though these were all one and the same.

For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:24-28

If there was any more forgiveness required by God, he would have to die on the cross again. Is he going to do that? No! Forgiveness was completed, finished, done once for all, done for all time.

Forgiven Forever. Behold the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. Jesus

Please read the Welcome message.

Hebrews 6:4-8 Understanding of Falling Away

2009-03-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

There seems to be much confusion over a few passages in the book of Hebrews of the Bible concerning being brought back to repentance and falling away from God. Let's take a look at the book of Hebrews.

But before we look at some passages in the book of Hebrews, it is wise to keep the following verse of scripture from the book of Romans at the forefront of our minds.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

The book of Hebrews was written to the Jewish Christian Church around 70 A.D. Some scholars have placed the writing after 70 A.D., between 85 A.D. to 95 A.D. However, given the fact that there is so much talk about the Jewish sacrificial system, the Jewish Levitical Priesthood, and the Jewish Temple, my inclination is it was written sometime before the destruction of the Jewish Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. However, it isn't necessary to be dogmatic on the actual date the book of Hebrews was written.

The human author that penned the book of Hebrews is equally not written in stone. I trust God wanted it that way. Some folks think it was written by Paul because of certain writing styles, and others theorize it could have been written by someone else around the same time. Others have made the case for someone close by to Paul, or even one of the other Apostles. Once again, I don't believe it is an absolute requirement that we establish who the human writer that penned the book of Hebrews down on parchment, but it is much more important to focus on the subject at hand. Besides, there have been numerous theologians down through the centuries that have written volumes in regards to "Who is the author of Hebrews?" that we don't need to rehash that subject here. Feel free to do some research yourself; do a Google Search on Who Wrote Hebrews if you wish. I'll place my vote on Paul, but I can ask God that in the future.

From a historical standpoint, the early church was made up of mainly Christian Jewish believers. Yes, I know that might be an oxymoron statement of "Christian Jewish believers" to some Jews today, because they would say, "that you can't be both a Christian and a Jew at the same time," but in the interest of clarity and brevity, the early church was mostly a group of Jewish people that were believers in Jesus Christ. These Jewish believers, believed in Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Messiah, believers in the New Covenant, and had come out of centuries of their families being steeped in the traditions of going to the Jewish Temple to get their sins forgiven on the Holy Day of Atonement and offering other ongoing sacrifices.

The Jewish people down through the centuries, before and after Jesus' birth, death, burial, and resurrection, had been involved in a sacrificial system of various and diverse types of offerings being brought forth at the Temple Alter of God in order to gain forgiveness of sins by God. The Temple sacrificial system by the Jews had ceased for the most part after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, after fire was set to the temple, and subsequently tearing the temple down by the Roman soldiers, stone by stone, to get to all the melted gold that had run down in the cracks of stone. There probably were still pockets of animal sacrifices being performed by Jews after this time, but without the prescribed method for sacrifices no longer present with the Temple having been destroyed, the days of animal sacrifices by the Jews had all but ceased. See references in regards to: Qorbanot: Sacrifices and Offerings.

So, when reading the bible, Christian Old Testament [Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)] or Christian New Testament, it is important to always understand the context of the various books in the bible when reading the words of God. That is extremely important when it comes to understanding the historical settings and understanding within regards to the book of Hebrews from the target audience's perspective.

The book of Hebrews is one of comparisons. It is comparing the new to that of the old. It compares Jesus Christ being superior to the prophets, superior to the angels, superior to Moses, superior to Joshua, and superior to the Levitical Priesthood in which the priests offered sacrifices day in and day out in the Temple. The book goes into great depths of explaining the new promise in detail for Israel and the New Covenant, which was promised long ago by the Prophet Jeremiah. It really is a foundational book for Christianity and understanding early Judaism, that Jews today would do well to read it from gaining a better insight into their own Jewish world beliefs, and the world of their forefathers before them.

Jeremiah 31:31-34

"The time is coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.

It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,"
declares the LORD.

"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.

No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."

The following hypothetical question was brought forth about a passage in chapter 6 of the book of Hebrews.

I am still confused about Hebrews 6:4-8. I become a Christian when I was younger, but then recently I have fallen away the Lord. Can I come back? I think so.

The person asking this question is confused on falling away from the Lord; as though there is something they can do to cause God to separate one's self from the Lord. There have been numerous pastors, teachers, and professors at Christian Bible colleges, universities, and even seminaries that are teaching people and seminary students that they can fall away from salvation. Once again, this shows that they have a strong misunderstanding of what salvation and forgiveness are in the first place. These folks equate getting your sins forgiven as salvation. Salvation is new life from the death. Salvation is receiving Jesus' life inside you the moment you believe in him. This is the true meaning of being "Born Again". A person goes from spiritual death to receiving the Holy Spirit of God for life. I will add, it is for eternal and permanent "life." It is not temporary life. You can not repent of your unbelief one day, because repentance in the New Testament is always a one way street, and receive Jesus to begin with that day, and then somewhere down the line, in your life, do something bad where he is going to leave you. This teaching that you can do something to get rid of Jesus is bunk. For ... he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

Let's take a look at the passages together in detail from the beginning of the 6th chapter of Hebrews. Let's grow up. Let us all become mature in Christ is the theme.

1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The writer of Hebrews was trying to take these early Christian believers, and bring them up in maturity. But, the writer had to keep going back to the basics for many of them. They were so caught up in their traditions, that they were finding it impossible to move forward. The writer was talking to two groups of people. Those that were babes, and those that were mature in Christ. However, the babes were constantly going back to their traditions of thinking that they had to offer sacrifices at the alter, even though they were saying that they believed in Christ Jesus and the total sin offering he provided for all. In my opinion, the writer of Hebrews had the patience of Job, but wrote this as a warning and exhortation for the baby group.

It is important to note that only God and the individual person of God are themselves the only ones that can truly know whether they are a Christian or not. However, the writer of Hebrews writes in such a way that it causes a person to think.

Not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death.

What is the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death? First off, it bears repeating here, that repentance is always a one way street in the New Testament. That means that you can not repent one day of your unbelief in Jesus Christ, and then then turn around the next day and say, "I don't believe in Jesus Christ," because that would mean that you never repented in the first place. I will also say that no one has ever repented of all of their sins. I know, you have heard it said many times, "that a person has to repent of all of their sins in order to be saved." That saying is a bunch of baloney. Think about it, let's say you say, I am going to repent of saying lies, and then tomorrow, you lie again. You never repented with the true meaning of repentance in the first place. Repentance has been so watered down, both in Christianity and in Judaism, that most people don't even look at the true meaning of the word repentance. You are speaking double talk and are double minded in your thinking. You are confused in your understanding of forgiveness by God.

You must repent of your unbelief, or you will remain spiritually dead.

The King James Version might be a bit clearer in the true meaning of verses one and two in chapter 6 of Hebrews.

1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

This is baby stuff. This is immature thinking. This is the early church trying to go back to the Mosaic sacrificial system of bringing the sacrifices to the alter, and also at the same time saying Jesus did it all. These were dead works that never brought life. They never repented of them. The organized church of today is no different in their teaching when it comes to error in thinking about repentance, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, and eternal judgment.

Catholic churches teach that you must go to the confession booth to get your sins forgiven, while at the same time saying that Christ forgave you of your sins. Which is it? Did he forgive you or do you need more forgiveness in the confession booth?

Protestant denominations teach that you need to 1 John 1:9 yourself before Christ will forgive you, while at the same time teaching that all of your sins; past, present, and future have been forgiven. Which is it? Do you need more forgiveness of sins if all your sins are forgiven? The bible teaches that forgiveness of sins and atonement is in the blood, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. So, either Jesus did it all or you need more forgiveness.

Judaism teaches today, since the destruction of the Temple, that forgiveness is obtained through repentance, prayer and good deeds. The fundamental question of Judaism comes into play is how many prayers and how many good deeds will earn enough forgiveness from God? Think about it, how much is required by God? Furthermore, Yom Kippur is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish religion. 'The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of Atonement," and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year.' In the Old Testament Days gone by, the "Day of Atonement" was the day that the High Priest "Kohen Gadol" was required to make a blood sin offering in the Temple "Holy of Holies and call upon the Name of YHVH to offer blood sacrifice for the sins of the people." References: Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement and also with a second reference below.

The role of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) in the Yom Kippur Avodah (Temple Service) is quite intriguing. Halachah mandates that the Kohen Gadol sacrifice a bull as a Korban Chatas (Sin Offering) and confess (1) the sins of himself and his household, and (2) the sins of the Kohanim, prior to slaughter. This bull must also be the personal properly of the Kohen Gadol; it is not purchased with public funds. The Kohen Gadol then offers a goat as a Chatas on behalf of the entire nation. After sacrifice, both animals are intertwined and burned together.

Yom Kippur 5764 - Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer - OU.OR

Shemot - Exodus 30:10

And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

So, we see that the main religious systems are all about what you are doing, instead of what Jesus Christ The Messiah has already done. The focus with religion today, is always on self.

True Christianity is always focused on God, and what he has done for us, by providing the perfect sacrifice for all of our sins, through Jesus Christ The Messiah.

The hypothetical question above shows the deep inward misunderstanding of the Gospel message, and the thought process of the person asking the question in the first place. It shows the focus of self, instead of the focus on God and salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When a person "falls away," they are falling away from the true Gospel. They are going back to their own sacrificial systems of playing religion, thinking double minded thoughts, and never having repented in the first place. In verses 4 through 6 of Hebrews chapter six we read, "It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."

These people were sampling with a taste at the table of God. They never wholly swallowed what what they were tasting. They were spitting it right back in the face of God. They were around people enlightened, sharing the Holy Spirit, as though they accepted what Jesus had done for them, but they continued to fall away from the true teachings of Jesus. They kept wanting to go back to the "Day of Atonement." They kept sacrificing to God. They wanted to earn their own forgiveness in things that they were doing. This was a public disgrace, because to their loss, they were crucifying the Son of God over and over again. Here they were saying that Jesus did it all for them, and then the next day rolled around, and they wanted to sacrifice for their sins again. How could anyone be brought back to repentance, if they never repented in the first place? This shows that they never repented in the first place. You can not go back from where you have never been. It is impossible.

This is exactly the same as the Catholic saying to their people that God forgave them, and then the next day going to the confessional booth and the Mass, and thinking that somehow God is being sacrificed all over again. This is exactly the same as the Protestant saying that all his sins are forgiven, and then the next day asking for more forgiveness through a misunderstanding of 1 John 1:9. These folks are spitting in the face of God, publicly disgracing Jesus Christ in front of everyone.

Then the writer of Hebrews issues a very stern warning for those folks with a comparison with land that has good soil, and land that has poor soil.

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Now, the writer of Hebrews turns the coin, and starts talking to the other group of people. He has confidence in the following group.

Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The writer is talking to another group and encouraging them not to become lazy in their understanding. Not to give in to error in teaching. Be diligent to the very end. If that means going against the tide of religion, then so be it. If that means focusing on God, and not yourself, which is the things that accompany salvation, then so be it. If that means standing up for what is right, and good, and honorable, even when it goes against the tide, then so be it. If that means loosing a friend because of your true belief in the truth of Jesus Christ, then so be it. If that means being thrown out of your church or synagogue when you share the truth, then so be it. Allow God to lead you in all ways. Remember, the work of God is this, to believe in the one God has sent. Imitate those that through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

John 6:28,29

Believe in Jesus, and receive eternal life today. I beseech you, God has reconciled you to himself through Christ Jesus, now be reconciled.

Please read the Welcome message.

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

2009-03-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

"Hello, I have never done this before, contacting someone about God, but I really am confused, I am 16 and I am concerned about heaven and hell, I was told that if you ask for forgiveness from god then he will forgive your sins and you will go to heaven, I am so scared of going to hell, I don't believe that I should go to hell, but like most teenagers, I have lied, used gods name in vain, but I don't drink, smoke, have sex etc, I am totally confused, I don't know how to act, or what to do, or am I just supposed to be me, I don't know if I should be christened, because I don't know if it is wrong to do so, I have so many questions, I have tired to read the bible but it really scares me sometimes, please can you reply and help, thank you so much."

I thought it would be good for folks to read what are some of the fundamental concerns for people in the world. A teenage reader writes in about the questions in life, that we all ask at one point or another. God tells us to become like a child. In fact, he wants everyone to become a child of God. Listen to God's calling you to himself.

Don't Worry

Don't worry. God loves you so much that he took care of all of the bad things you have ever done or will do, and placed it on himself, in Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of all of your sins, so he could give you eternal life when you believe in him.

Don't worry, your sins are already forgiven. Jesus is God in the flesh who took the punishment for your sins, my sins, and the world's sins.

Everyone of us has lied or done something bad, or have bad habits that are hard to break. That is why Jesus took away the sins of the whole world. Now, the really good news is God wants to give you eternal life. Believe in Jesus, and what he has already done for you, by forgiving you your sins, and receive his eternal life into you. He will never leave you.

When I was about your age, I thought the same way as you are thinking. I thought God was upset with me because of things I had done. But, he is there, with open arms, just waiting for you to receive him.

To receive him, just place simple faith in this. Jesus did it all for you, so all you need to do is believe in him and receive his life in you.

It's not difficult. Talk to him, and he will talk to you. Place your faith in him, thank him for the forgiveness and receive your new life. Once you receive him, you will be born again, and all things will become new.

There is nothing you can do to make yourself a Christian. And, no amount of bad things could keep you away from God. There is only one way to God, faith by believing in Jesus. Don't let others confuse you. Let God guide you and teach you.

God so loved (insert your name), that God sent Jesus Christ his only begotten Son to die for you, so that when you believe in him, you will have eternal life.

I suggest reading the New Testament, beginning with the first chapter of John.

This is the story of Jesus John 1

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testifies concerning him.

He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ

Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."

They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Jesus the Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Jesus' First Disciples

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Jesus is calling you today. Are you listening? If you haven't received him, now is the time to do it. Once you accept him, and what he has done for you, then rest in his life in you. God wants to set you free His Way with eternal life. He wants to welcome you with open arms into the fellowship of believers today. Please read the welcome message. More information can be found for our mission in life at Sundays website. Feel free to contact us with any questions or just to send us a message or thought or two.

Do Sins Separate Us From God?

2008-06-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Do you believe God, when he says through the Word of God that he is not counting men's (your sins) against you? Or, are you believing men when they say, "that God has made it possible for us to be pardoned from our sins and transgressions of the law. God offers us the gift of forgiveness if we believe that Jesus Christ died in our place."?

Which is correct today? Did Jesus forgive you of all of your sins and not counting them against you, or do you need more forgiveness by God today? If God is not counting your sins against you, then your sins are not separating you from God. Your transgressions (sins) are already pardoned (forgiven). God is not offering forgiveness today; God is offering salvation of eternal life. God freely gave us all forgiveness. We can choose to confess and agree with God and receive it (accept it, believe it, grab hold of it, rest in it, place faith, confidence, and trust in it, settle it, reconcile it in your heart) or not. It's your choice, and be sure not to go down the wrong path with men placing heavy weights upon your shoulders, taking a verse or two from the bible out of context, as many do. Read about understanding 1 John, and the Lord's Prayer before and after the cross.

Forgiveness is Not a Vending Machine

Forgiveness is not a vending machine from God. You don't place your requests for pardons for lying, worrying, cheating, stealing, lusting, adultery, anger, and murdering transgressions in to God, and out plops forgiveness for sins. No one gets their sins forgiven today!

"What did you say, are you crazy!?"

Your sins have already been taken care of. God forgave everyone their sins on the cross 2000 years ago. Not believing, or trusting, or feeling like it, or placing faith that God forgave you, doesn't negate the fact that God did indeed forgive you.

The only consequence (wages) of sin before God today that needs corrected is death to life. The consequence of sin is death, not lack of forgiveness. Are there consequences for sins today in the world? Yes, but not by God. God keeps no records of your wrongs.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

We are all born into this world dead (spiritually dead) and need spiritual life. Sin's affect was spiritual death for all of mankind. God forgave everyone their sins at the cross, so that everyone that believes in him receives eternal life and is saved from death, unto life eternal. Jesus broke down the sins separation barrier with his sacrifice on the cross, once for all sins. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit," 1 Peter 3:18 Believe in him and you shall receive life.

The message of the bible is clear, that God was in Christ Jesus, reconciling the world to himself, not counting any mans' sins against any person today. Does that mean that everyone is saved? No way! Salvation is eternal life. Most people want to get their sins forgiven by something they say or do, or feel sorry for, or some form of works mentality, or doing some form of penance, or using a single verse of scripture, taken out of context, (see understanding 1 John 1:9) as a sort of Christian bar of soap to make themselves righteous before God. But it is only by faith in the finished work of Jesus that a person can come to salvation and eternal life. Not everyone by faith receives forgiveness in Jesus's life; not everyone receives eternal life. In fact, refusing to listen to the Holy Spirit of God their entire lives, and not receiving Jesus by faith alone is the only sin not forgiven. All other sins, every sin, of all of mankind is forgiven by God. 1 John 2: 2

John the Baptist said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

Jesus said before his death on the cross that took away all sins, "And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." Mathew 12: 31-32

Jesus has committed the message of reconciliation to me. I am Christ's ambassador, as though God were making his appeal through me. I implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we, you, me, and everyone that believes might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Be thankful to God that he has broken down the sin barrier for you. He tore in two, the curtain of separation from the top, down to the bottom that separated us from himself. Praise Jesus and his name for ever and ever!

Please read the Welcome message.

Baptism By God

2008-05-15T23:00:00.001-07:00

There is only one baptism that counts today. That is the baptism by the Holy Spirit. Any other type of baptism today is simply an outward expression of the true baptism that takes place in a believer that has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This regeneration occurs for a person when they come to saving faith in Jesus and what Jesus did for all sinners on the cross. Jesus took away the sins of the world, so that anyone that believes in Jesus and his finished work of taking their personal sins away at the cross, is born again of the Spirit of God.

Prior to believing in Jesus, a person is dead in their sins, because they did not believe. But, when a person repents of their unbelief, and trusts in Jesus, Jesus comes to live within that person and gives them eternal life. This is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; giving life to the dead, becoming born again in the spirit.

Baptism In The Holy Spirit

by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13).

This is a definitive verse on one of the great themes of the Bible. The preposition “by” is the Greek, en, which can take many meanings (by, with, through, etc.) depending on context, but is most frequently and most naturally rendered simply as “in.” The baptism in one Spirit is the theme of this passage, teaching us that every one of the “brethren” (v.1), those who, “speaking by the Spirit of God” have acknowledged Jesus to be their Lord (v.3), have been “baptized into one body”—the body of Christ Himself. Read more about baptism of and by the Holy Spirit.

If anyone is saying that you need to be baptized with water in order to be saved, they are deceived and the truth is not with them. Many denominations today make many man made rules and regulations for their religion. Catholic theologians wrap up their arguments with single verses of scripture, taken out of context, and approached from the belief that believing in Jesus is only the first step in salvation. They are badly deceived into thinking they have to do something in order to be saved for the long term, so-to-speak. Baptism to Catholics is a Holy Sacrament (not the effective work of God and God alone), that must be done, performed and administered by men, in order to take away sins, completely ignoring the fact that Jesus took away the sins of the whole world. They view water baptism as a step in the process of becoming a Catholic Christian. To Catholics, Jesus was only the starting point of salvation. Catholics are not the only ones that are deceived. Many Protestant denominations place much emphasis on water baptism also. Both Catholics and some Protestant denominations say that infants must or should be water baptized; citing scripture that told about households (Acts 16:15) and families (Acts 16:33) were baptized in the early church. While these scriptures do show baptism, they however do not show that baptism was necessary for salvation. These scriptures showed what was happening in the early church. People were not saved by baptism of water but through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul even placed the emphasis on Jesus Christ as the one who saves and placed very little emphasis on water baptism. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:13-17, "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."

Be Baptized By God

Baptism from God is the greatest miracle of all. Baptism of water, by men, pales in comparison to the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit. Nothing is a greater miracle than a former unbeliever (spiritually dead person) becoming a true believer (born again) and having the Holy Spirit baptize that person into the body of Christ Jesus. Only true believers are baptized into the Body of Christ, and only by God are they baptized into Jesus's body. Repent and believe; place your trust (faith) in Jesus completely as the one who saves completely. Don't add man-made works to salvation. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water though. Baptism by water, if done in the proper context and understanding for the believer, is a wonderful picture of the baptism that is done by the Holy Spirit of God. But, don't ever confuse the two and say that water Baptism is required for salvation.

Simply put, Baptism by God the Father, by the Holy Spirit, Baptized into Jesus's Body, is the most important Baptism that one could ever experience for salvation of their eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Please read the Welcome message.

Are There Prophets in Contemporary Christianity Today?

2008-05-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

History Comes Alive
John Prepares The Way

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "

John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

Matthew 3:1-4

A reader asked some questions about Prophet;

Do we have in existence prophets in contemporary Christianity?

If yes, then what are their roles in todays Christianity?

How do we know that one is a prophet?

Before we take a look at those questions, let's look at the last Old Testament prophet, John the Baptist. It's important to note, John was a prophet, but not "The Prophet," who is Christ Jesus.

John the Baptist was telling the people of a redeemer that was to come, that would save the world from their sins. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, John said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be reveled to Israel."

Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." John 1:29-34

Now, you might think that John was this cool evangelist and preacher who thought of himself as this great prophet of God. In fact, John's disciples were getting upset that Jesus was taking people away from John. In essence there was a bit of jealousy going on here.

An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." John 3:25-26 (although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. John 4:2)

Now, John had a bottom line. John told his disciples about Jesus being from above. But, he had this one key item to say about Jesus and himself, "He must become greater; I must become less."

Wow, can you imagine it, A preacher telling the followers of himself to go to Jesus instead of himself. Just think of all the mega churches today that have leaders that are constantly striving for more accolades and more attention. With their cute smiles on their faces, their health and wealth gospel, and telling their followers that they can all have smiles on their faces too, and financial prosperity for every Christian with a pocket full of dollars, if they just follow the simple guidelines to Christian wealth, health, and happiness. Give me a break. All of these leaders must become less, and he, Jesus must become greater.

So, John goes on to tell more about Jesus.

"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." John 3:31-36

So, we can see that this prophet of God was pointing to Jesus as the one who gives eternal life. This is the key to both the New and the Old Testaments. The Old Testament writers wrote about the One to come. The New Testament writers wrote about the One who had come. In fact, the New Testament didn't begin until after Jesus was crucified on the cross. That is why, John the Baptist is viewed as the last of the Old Testament prophets.

So, with that in mind, let's look at the word Prophet and Prophecy.

Prophesy prof'i·sê v. [Gr.propheteuo]
A divinely inspired utterance or writing which is attributed to God. To speak as an ambassador or representative of God. A foretelling of some event or thing which is to come. To explain or interpret religious writings or subjects. To speak as a messenger of the gospel. The act of discharging the prophetic office.

Who are the prophets of today?

The bottom line, a prophet in contemporary Christianity today must match up to what the Word of God has to say. If a person or group is adding to the Word of God, in what they say and do (as in what more you must do to be saved), then they are not a true prophet of God. Can a Christian be wrong in their interpretation of the Bible today? Yes, they can. That is why, like the Bereans of the Apostle Paul's day, we should all check the scriptures on everything to make sure that what is said, always matches up to the Word of God.

As John stated 2000 years ago and goes for us today, "He must become greater; I must become less."

Please read the Welcome message.

What Do I Do After I Sin?

2008-05-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

Thank You Jesus; You Paid The Price For Me!

Great article, but I have a question: so what do I do after I sin? How would I pray? How would I settle it?

Good question. First off, we need to understand what sin really is.

Anything not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) We sometimes get it in our heads that there are little sins, and big sins, and in between sins.

For example: Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

* In essence getting angry with someone and saying a bad word to someone is the same as committing murder in God's eyes.

Another example of sin is Matthew 5:27-30 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

* So, we don't see too many people cutting off their right hands or plucking out their right eyes today (nor their left eye or hand either).

* Additionally, Jesus commands us not to worry in Matthew 6:25-34.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

* So, if Jesus tells us NOT to worry, and we worry, it's important to understand that worry is sin...

Once a person understands what sin really is, this brings a person to the end of themselves, of being able to make themselves righteous in the sight of God.

So, if you understand that you need Jesus and his righteousness, and his free offer of grace, a person comes to understand that God did it for us and forgave us of all our sins. Forgave is a past tense of forgive. This is the key. If a person understands that his or her sins have been forgiven, then there really is only one thing we can do, and it is to accept the forgiveness found in Jesus and say, "thank you." How much sense does it make, to keep asking for something that I already have?

Colossians 2:13-14 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

The debt has been settled.

This is only one side of the good news story of the gospel message. The other side of the coin is, once a person believes that Jesus did it all for them and receives (accepts it), then Jesus wants to give a person eternal life. When a person receives Jesus, and the forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ, Jesus comes to live within that person. Nothing can separate a person from Jesus once they come to him by faith. Not even a person's own sins that he or she commits in the future prevent separation from God.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here is an excellent link overview of Christ's FINISHED Work on the Cross

Be sure to download and listen to the Real Audio audio at People to People Ministries - Real Answers.
http://www.realanswers.net/realaudio/1john.ram

Also, take a look at this article about understanding the "Lord's Prayer" after the cross.

In Jesus's name,

Jim W.

Please read the Welcome message.

Do You Believe Jesus is God?

2008-02-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 10:17

Are You Convinced? Are You Convinced Jesus is God?

The message of the bible is clear. Jesus is God in the flesh. He came to this world to save sinners, died for all the sinners of the world, was buried, and on the third day came back alive from the dead so that all that believe in Him would have eternal life.

Your Sins Are Forgiven.

Please read the Welcome message.

What Makes a Person a Christian?

2008-01-28T23:59:00.000-08:00

What is it to be a Christian?
Does growing up Catholic make you a Christian?
Does growing up in a Protestant denominational make you a Christian?

How about becoming a Catholic, or becoming a Baptist, United Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian (Presbyterian USA PCUSA or Presbyterian Church of America PCA), Reformed, Pentecostal, Evangelical, Charismatic, or Foursquare, Episcopalian or Anglican, Churches of Christ, Assemblies of God, Seventh-Day Adventist, or joining a Non-denominational Christian church; does that make you a Christian?

What about becoming a Mormon or Latter-day Saints, or first converting to Judaism and obeying the Jewish Mosaic Laws and the Ten Commandments, or how about becoming a Jehovah's Witness; can any of those religions help you on a path to true salvation?

Does going to a Catholic church or a Protestant church or even going to any church once a year, twice a year, or 52 times a year make you a Christian? What about following the Catholic seven sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist (Holy Communion), Confirmation, Confession (Reconciliation), Marriage (Matrimony), Holy Orders, or Anointing of the Sick; can any of those sacraments make you a Christian? What about becoming baptized under a Protestant denominational church; will that help you become a Christian?

What about saying the Rosaries everyday for a year, or wearing scapulars, medals, or crucifixes around your neck or any religious images on the walls or shelves of your home; does any of that make you a Christian?

How about being good, or doing good things, or helping the poor, or giving your money to charity, or helping others when they are in need; does any of that make you a Christian?

Why do I ask these questions? Because most of these questions are asked all the time, if not out loud, at least in the minds of billions of people from all over the world.

Nothing stated above makes anyone a Christian. I'll repeat this, there is nothing anyone can do to make themselves a Christian. No amount of going to church, no amount of going to the confession booth, no amount of saying the Rosaries, not belonging to a certain religion, no specific church membership, no amount of obeying the ten commandments, no amount of giving money to the poor, no amount of praying everyday, no amount of being good, no amount of good works, not even baptism, nothing you do can ever make you a Christian.

So, help me, what is the answer to becoming a Christian?

Faith

How to be a Christian; by faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God.

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. Romans 10:1-4

Listen my friends, listen to God. There is a righteousness from God, and his name is Jesus. He is the righteous One. He is the one that took the world's sin and paid the price for it. Believe in Jesus and be saved. Nothing more, nothing less will do.

If you are trying to be righteous before God in what you do; take warning from the old testament word of God.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

The filthy rags referred here in the Bible is related to a woman's period and menstrual rags. (Ref H5708: From an unused root meaning to set a period (compare H5710 and H5749); the menstrual flux (as periodical); by implication (in plural) soiling: - filthy.)

Why be a Christian?

So, do you really want to try to go before God in your righteousness? Think about it, listen and hear the word of God. Get your thinking right. Place your faith in his righteousness not your own. Believe in Jesus and be saved onto eternal life. This, and only this will be counted for righteousness with God. Faith in Jesus is what makes a Christian a Christian.

I Am The Way, The Truth, & The Life, Said Jesus

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

Please read the Welcome message.

The Lord's Prayer: Matthew 6 Forgiveness Before and After the Cross

2007-12-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

The Lord's Prayer in biblical context and understanding what is being said in the verses of the bible.

Understanding The Lord's Prayer

Prior to Jesus giving himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, the disciples asked Jesus, "How should we pray." Jesus gives us some instructions, admonitions, and examples of what to do and not to do.

I dare say, that most Christians today have given very little weight to the admonitions in the verses of the bible of what not to do in prayer, and have turned an example of a prayer into a doctrinal belief system of sin and forgiveness. People have a tendency to ask, "What about Matthew 6:12, where Jesus says, 'Forgive us our sins, just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.'; doesn't that prove that we should ask for forgiveness from God?"

Let's take a look at the Lord's Prayer to begin with in full context.

Jesus Teaches About Prayer Before The Cross in Matthew 6:5-15

Jesus said, "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Jesus Teaches About Forgiveness Before The Cross

Here is the real kicker when it comes to understanding forgiveness before and after the cross. In the book of Matthew chapter 6, verses 14 and 15, we read, "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." New Living Bible Translation

Now, after reading that, do you really want God to forgive you, as you forgive others? Be truthful with your answer. How about that worker that took the credit for something that you did, and got promoted instead of yourself, and till this day you still are holding a grudge against them. How about the neighbor that is constantly rude to you, and doesn't even say hello? How about that person that stole from you, and still to this day you are holding resentment against that person that had taken something of yours? Is God holding a grudge or resentment against you because of your resentment toward others? Let me tell you the good news.

God Teaches About Forgiveness After the Cross

God forgave you and the world, of all of yours and our sins, before you and we even ask or asked for it. That is what the cross is all about. God is not holding a grudge or resentment against anyone today. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us, forgiving us of all our sins at the cross. Forgiveness is not conditional from God on what we do or don't do.

Colossians 2:13

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

Colossians 2:12-14 (in Context)
Colossians 2 (Whole Chapter)

So, what is a person to do today regarding the sins I/we commit or are committed against others, from God's perspective and against us?

First off, we should thank God for forgiving that sin of yours against others. Because of the cross, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Second, we should forgive others because God has forgiven you. Don't forgive others of their sins today against you because you think you have to do this in order for God to forgive you of your sins.

Colossians 3:13

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:12-14 (in Context)
Colossians 3 (Whole Chapter)

How Does God Want Us To Deal With Sins Against Us?

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (in Context)
Ephesians 4 (Whole Chapter)

What and How Should we Pray Today?

The Lord's Prayer After the Cross

Our Father Who is in heaven, Holy is Your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And thank you for forgiveness of my sins, and help us to forgive others as you have forgiven us.

And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

For I know you have forgiven me of my sins, and who am I to hold sins against others. Not my will, but your will be done.

Thank you for the forgiveness of all of my sins.

Please read the Welcome message.

Journey to Discovering New Life in Christ Jesus

2007-11-20T17:18:00.000-08:00

Bob George from Real Answers and people to people ministries.

Understanding Christianity, salvation, religion, and what it means to have new life in Jesus Christ. Receiving the power of God through Jesus Christ coming to live within a person when a person receives Jesus as Lord and Savior.

In everything give thanks.

Please read the Welcome message.

Your Sins Are, And Have Been Forgiven!

2007-10-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

This story of forgiveness by God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, is key to understanding the total forgiveness that happened at the cross. In much the same way that as the Jewish teachers of the law of that day were harboring hatred toward Jesus, we now have new teachers of the law today upset with the total forgiveness that is found only in Christ Jesus.

Many Have Heard the Story About How Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. Matthew 9

Reading the story above is definitely a miracle of healing, but there was an even greater miracle, that being forgiveness of sins. Prior to the death of Jesus on the cross, where Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, Jesus saying, "Your sins are forgiven," was in direct contradiction to the Jewish teachers of the law. Under the Mosaic Law, no one got their sins forgiven without bringing a sacrifice for sin to the temple of God. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness or atonement through a blood sacrifice. However, the Old Covenant, under the law of God, given to the Israelites, did not actually take away your sins, but it covered them, or as is stated in the Old Testament, the sacrifice was an atonement sin offering. So, you can imagine that when Jesus said, "Your sins are forgiven," the teachers of the law viewed Jesus' saying this was like a mere man claiming to be God, and that was blaspheme, for only God could forgive sins. They went ballistic.

And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, except God alone? Luke 5:21

So, Jesus showed us and the people around at that time that he has the power to forgive sins, by giving the physical healing miracle sign for all to see and read about today. Jesus is God in the flesh and has the authority to forgive sins.

At the cross, Jesus did more than forgive this man his sins, he forgave the sins of the whole world.

How Does The Religious World Do Forgiveness?

Today, we have an unbelieving generation of people that are involved in the religious systems today. Catholics teach that you must go to the priests to get your sins forgiven. Protestants teach that you can ask for forgiveness directly and have your sins forgiven. Both the Catholics and the Protestants use select items of scripture in order to convince the world that they are right. Other religions of the world teach that you must do something in order for God to do something for you. Meanwhile, God is saying, "I have forgiven the whole world, now believe it and receive eternal life." It is finished. No more sacrifices for sins, no more asking God to do what he has already done. If there was any more forgiveness required by God, Jesus would have to die all over again, and I can tell you that is not going to happen. Even in the religion of Judaism, forgiveness is structured on a to do list. Judaism teaches today, since the destruction of the Temple, that forgiveness is obtained through repentance, prayer and good deeds. The fundamental question of Judaism comes into play is how many prayers and how many good deeds will earn enough forgiveness from God? Read understanding of falling away from God in Hebrews chapter 6 for more information about Judaism.

Forgiveness is all by God

Forgiveness is received and not gotten. You don't get your sins forgiven. Your sins have already been forgiven. My sins have been forgiven. The world's sins have been forgiven. Everyones' sins have been taken away. Now, receive forgiveness, receive Jesus, and receive eternal life.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, 'A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.' I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel." Jesus the Lamb of God

Behold Jesus, who took away your sins.

So, the question is not, "How can I get my sins forgiven today?" but rather how do I receive forgiveness of sins today. This is a straw man question of how to be forgiven of yours and my sins today by God. It's not a question of how to ask God for forgiveness, but one of receiving forgiveness by faith in Jesus that God himself provided, for the sins of the whole world on the cross, 2000 years ago. If you are still questioning forgiveness and confession of sins, with questions in regards to the "Lord's Prayer" in the book of Mathew 6, verse 12, and the letter of 1 John 1:9, then I suggest you click those two links with detailed overviews, and read those particular passages with the understanding of the context and historical significance at that period of time.

Please read the Welcome message.

You Are Forgiven Ministries!

2007-10-12T22:21:00.000-07:00

Understanding God's Forgiveness is Paramount to Giving Forgiveness to Others

God is not offering forgiveness to sinners today, because he offered it almost two thousand years ago, with the death of Jesus on the cross. What did you say? Let me clarify it. God does not forgive people of their sins today because he forgave it on the cross with his sacrifice for sins 2000 years ago. God is now offering eternal life to those that believe in Jesus, the one that took away the sins of the whole world. Praise God!

Jesus offered himself on the cross for the sins of the entire world. Now he is asking people to accept it in Him and receive his life, which is eternal life for the believer.

Jesus, being God in the flesh, did forgive everyone of their sins at the cross almost 2,000 years ago. The words of the bible are clear, God forgave (past tense) everyone of their sins at the cross. Let's be clear here, God has forgiven everyone of their sins. God is not requesting us to come and get forgiveness today, simply receive the forgiveness that is found in Christ Jesus.

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Colossians 2 13-15

It is very important to understand the words of the English language. Forgave is the past tense for forgive and is not to be taken lightly.

God's forgiveness today is not predicated on what you or I do or don't do. True forgiveness of others is based on our understanding of God's forgiveness of you or me. Simply put, if I think I need more forgiveness from God, with pleas of asking for forgiveness when I do something wrong, then I will tend to extend that same standard when forgiving others. No big deal with that type of a conditional forgiveness here. Even people that are not believers in Jesus extend forgiveness to others when they ask for it. But, God has given forgiveness to the world before the world even asked for it. Now that's a gift of grace to be received.

As we read in the book of Hebrews 7:27 we read that Jesus sacrificed himself once for all sins and he is not going to sacrifice himself anymore for sins. "Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself."

Now, that you are forgiven, receive that forgiveness in Jesus Christ, and then you will receive eternal life the moment you believe. Believe in Jesus, and you will be saved.

God offers people life. When you receive Christ for life, you have forgiveness for life. Forgiveness is not something you get when you are saved. Being forgiven before you are saved, does not give you eternal life. Salvation is Eternal Life. Believing in Jesus gives you eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Please read the Welcome message.

Repent of Repentance and Believe in Jesus

2007-09-08T01:10:00.000-07:00

How do you truly repent? Do you repent of all of your sins, or do repentance unto life?

The following was said by Jesus when he began his Galilean ministry.
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
Mark 1:14,15

When studying the bible, it is wise to sometimes dive into the meaning of words from the original Greek or Hebrew text. The word repent is one of those words that will surprise you of its original meaning and will take you down the right path when properly understood in biblical context, or the wrong path when misunderstood. The Internet has made doing the research into the meaning of words much easier than ever before. Many of the online King James Bibles have the Strong's Hebrew and Greek words highlighted and can be quickly clicked on to read their meanings from the original language. Our understanding of even simple words today have been changed with usage over the years. English dictionaries typically give the usage meanings for today, while many times totally ignoring the meaning of the same word usage from hundreds or thousands of years ago.

Why is this important for biblical study? Well, with a wrong understanding of even one word in a verse of scripture today, people can get off track and go down the wrong road very easily. Even scholars, have made the mistake of building on the wrong foundation because of a wrong understanding of a word in the first place. Entire doctrines have been built using a single word, with having the wrong understanding of the meaning of the word.

Words are everything. We communicate with words. If our words have different meanings, then the message will have a different meaning for those that are hearing. So, lets get on the same page and take a look at the words repent and repentance.

Repent and Repentance

Whether you are are a Christian, or one that is looking for information on Christianity, it might come as a surprise to you that no one has ever repented of all their sins. But a Christian has repentance unto life and salvation, and has repented of their sin. At first glance, that statement is confusing, because I am sure you have heard ministers, teachers, and evangelists tell people that they must repent of their sins in order to be saved.

The meaning of the word repent is more than feeling sorrow for your sins. The word is a complete reversal in the thinking process. In fact, repent is so strong a word that it involves a 180 degree turn from what a person is thinking to new thinking. The Strong's Greek Dictionary has the meaning of repent from a couple of different words; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction):--repent. Understand the word repentance: compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication, reversal (of (another's) decision):--repentance. It's important to note that both of the definitions include a reversal in the thinking process. For example, if I have repented of my unbelief in Jesus Christ and have become a believer that he died on the cross for all of my sins, then I have truly repented of the sin of unbelief. However, if a person says they have repented of all of their sins, and then goes out and gets angry with someone, or lies, or cheats, or steals, or does any sin at all, then they really have not repented of all their sins in the first place. Because if they had, they would never sin again, according to what true repentance is. Now, let's be honest here, no one has ever repented of all of their sins. Sure they might feel sorry for all of their sins, but that is not biblical repentance. In addition, a person can not repent of their unbelief and start believing in Jesus, and then go back to unbelief in Jesus Christ. Because in essence, the person never had true repentance in the first place. Repentance is a one way process. You can't repent one way, and then repent another way, because that person never truly repented to begin with.

Now, if this all sounds confusing to you, simply replace the word repent with the phrase (changed my thinking permanently).

Think about all the ministries that you have heard over the years that say over and over again that you have to repent of all of your sins. You know in your heart you could never do this, nor do you want to be a hypocrite and say that you have done this or could do it, because you know that would be a lie. And, since lying is a sin, you know you couldn't repent of all of your sins. Strange, but not so strange logic right...

Now, let's also understand that it is impossible to be brought back to repentance, because a person can't go back where they never had gone in the first place.

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace." Hebrews 6:4-8

This had to do with people having heard about Jesus, and saying, "yes we believe in Jesus and his dying on the cross for our sins," and then in the next breath saying, "we need to sacrifice for our sins on the alter according to the law." These people were in effect spitting in the face of God, and telling God he was a liar, and they were crucifying the Son of God all over again. It was a total public disgrace. They never truly repented, for if they had, they would never have gone back to the sacrificial system.

Things are not so different today. People say, they believe that Jesus died for their sins, now, I have to go to the Catholic confession booth to get my sins forgiven, or thinking as a Presbyterian and having to ask for forgiveness to get my sins forgiven, as though someone could do something in order to get their sins forgiven by God.

Get out of the mode of wrongful thinking, turn back to God. Repent and believe that your sins are forgiven. Repent unto new life. Repent unto salvation. Place your faith in Jesus, and his works; not on your asking for forgiveness, not on your false thinking that you are repenting from all of your sins, or going to the confession booth, or doing penance.

If you are a born again believer in Jesus, understand that the verse of Hebrews above was talking to the people that said they had repented, but really never had repented in the first place. They shared with the true body of believers, they nibbled on the fruits, but never completely swallowed hook, line, and sinker.

Please read the welcome message.

Someone recently wrote in a short hypothetical question in regards to not having an understanding about Hebrews 6:4-8 and being confused about falling away from the Lord. For the response to this question please refer to: Hebrews 6 Understanding of Falling Away.

Understanding 1 John 1:9

2007-08-30T01:09:00.000-07:00

The Bible

It always is amazing to see how many verses of the bible are taken out of context. There is a history of using one or two verses of scripture to build a whole doctrinal belief system. So called Christian religions all over the world have done it through the ages.

Never base a belief system on what people tell you, but base it on truth. No one person has all the answers, but there is one that will show you the truth, and Jesus is the truth that shall set you free.

The bible is rich in information, but just like any book, if you pick it up and start reading in the middle, without understanding the complete context, you are very likely to get the wrong impression. Every book of the bible has it's own unique context for the period of time that it was written in. While every book of the bible has scripture that is profitable for teaching, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness; it is important to take everything in context before building a wrong belief system.

Today, as with any period of time, man has a tendency to be lazy, and wants to be spoon fed for most of their lives. Critical thinking skills are seldom taught in schools today. Part of the problem lies in the cold hard teaching of historical elements of history to our middle school, high school, and college age young people; without developing the understanding of what was going through the minds of the characters involved at the time. History is boring when nothing but dates and times have to be remembered, and even an understanding of certain issues are rather mundane without a complete understanding of the people involved at the time.

Current understanding of 1 John 1:9 for most people, is much like a statement of history without a proper understanding of the context in which it was written. Read more about understanding confession of sins in the context of 1 John 1:9.

What was going on, when John wrote 1 John 1:9?

First off, many of the letters of the New Testament are written in the context of responding to concerns, doctrinal error, and false teachings by certain groups of people. Think of many of the letters as being a type of response to a question or series of questions. Just like in the game show "Jeopardy," where a statement of fact is given, the person must answer in the form of a question. Well, we have the answers in the bible, but what are the questions?

1 John was written, in response to a pastor from a confused church in Asia asking John, "How do we deal with this doctrinal heresy of 'Gnosticism?'"

Gnosticism comes from the Greek word "gnosis", which means knowledge. The Gnostics were a group of people who believed they possessed superior spiritual knowledge. They believed that all flesh is evil and that only spirit is good. Because they believed that, they didn't believe that Jesus really came in the flesh - they believed He was an illusion. They also believed that because sin had to do with our flesh, there really wasn't sin - sin was also just an Illusion. (That's similar to people today who believe sickness is an illusion.) The church in Ephesus was filled with people who not only didn't believe Christ came in the flesh, they didn't believe sin was real. Real Answers

1 John

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life" (1 John 1:1). The Gnostics taught that Jesus didn't come in the flesh, so John assures his readers that Jesus was real and not an illusion.

"We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ" (verse 3). This verse reassures the people hearing the letter that he and others had seen and heard Jesus in the flesh and testified to this truth. It also shows that there were the group of Gnostics who in fact did not have fellowship, (salvation) with the group of believers. John wanted the Gnostics to believe in order to have saving fellowship with believers.

"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all" (verse 5). There are two groups of people in regards to salvation, either those that are in the light (saved) or in the darkness (lost). If you are in Christ, you're in light, and you're saved. If you are not in Christ, you're in darkness, and you're lost.

"If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." (verse 6). The Gnostics were great at claiming they were saved, in Christ; but in reality they were lying to themselves and others and were not living by truth.

"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin" (verse 7). So, walking in the light is walking in the truth of Jesus and that the blood of Jesus goes on forever, eternally to cleanse us from all sin. A person walking in the light is saved, and those that walk in the light have fellowship with one another. Actually the teaching of going in and out of fellowship is a misrepresentation of the scriptures. A person is either in the fellowship saved, or out of the fellowship lost. There's no in between. If confession of sins (as in asking for forgiveness) was a prerequisite for forgiveness by God, then the statement that he "purifies us from all sin" could not be true.

Note: the true meaning of the Greek word homologeō, translated confess, means to agree with God completely. It does not mean to ask for forgiveness as many people teach.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (verse 8). Sin to the Gnostics was a figment of their imagination. They felt, and believed they had no sin in their lives and so John addresses this directly with a very strong statement of fact. If anyone, including me, you, they, we, he, or she claims they are without sin, that person is deceived and the truth is missing in their lives. Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is missing in a person who claims to be without sin.

What does confess mean in 1 John?

On the other hand, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) The Gnostics were told in no uncertain terms, if they were to confess (agree with God completely) that they did indeed have sins in their lives, that God would purify them for all unrighteousness.

It is important to note, that the Greek language has many words that have subtle differences in meaning in Greek, but are translated to the English language using simple English words. Forgive and cleanse as used in 1 John are two such words that have much deeper meanings in the Greek language. "In the Greek language, the words "forgive" and "cleanse" mean past actions that have results today and will continue to have results in the future. Also, the word "all" used in these verses means all. It doesn't mean that we are cleansed of just our past sins and our past unrighteousness, it means we were cleansed of all our unrighteousness. And if God cleanses us from all unrighteousness, then we are cleansed forever!" Real Answers In other words, how could the individual confessing each and every sin attain forgiveness, (what if you missed one, or forgot a sin) when scripture tells us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins? Hebrews 9:22

The literal meaning of 1 John 1:9 verse is to have forgiven and to have cleansed. Jesus' past action continues on into the eternal future. People can enter into the complete forgiveness and complete cleansing of all sins by God, through faith in Jesus Christ, not by confessing each and every individual sin, but by agreeing with God in regards to a person having and commenting sins in their lives. Suggest reading Christian Living 1 John 1:9 about forgiveness and an understanding of what confession of sin really is about.

"If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives" (verse 10). Once again, the importance of this verse is to stress the fact that a person claiming to be without sin in their lives, has no place for the word of God. The Gnostics of nearly 2,000 years ago are very similar to the people of today that claim they had no sin in their lives.

The scriptures talk about various groups of people, and directly to many groups of people. Some of the people are lost, and some are saved. The first chapter of 1 John is definitely talking to people that are lost, and not a part of the body of Christ. It was a plea and a rebuke from John to this Gnostic group to repent from this false teaching and believe the truth.

So, What Does The Church Teach Today?

Many Christian churches teach that you must confess your sins in order to be forgiven. They teach that you can go in and out of fellowship with God. They say you must keep short accounts with God. The reason for the short accounts is so you do not forget the sins you committed and thus be out of fellowship with God for an extended period of time. This teaching of being in and out of fellowship is something that man has placed upon the body of believers.

What Does The Word of God, the Bible, Teach?

"God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." (1 Corinthians 1:9). Once in the fellowship of Jesus Christ, a believer is eternally in the fellowship. There is no bouncing in and out of fellowship. God's fellowship with a believer (a saved person) is not dependent on what a person does but on what Christ did. Bringing God's level of forgiveness and fellowship down to man's level of forgiveness and fellowship is a travesty.

People use the 1 John 1:9 as a Christian bar of soap. People say, "When I do something wrong, it makes me feel good to ask for forgiveness. There can't be anything wrong with that, can there?" This is how the keeping short accounts with God is justified by many in the world today as a means of getting back in good graces with God. The confession booth and the confessing of sins on a daily basis is the justification for using this single verse of scripture to keep yourself clean.

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins" (Colossians 2:13) God forgave people before they ever asked for it. We are reconciled with God, through Jesus Christ, now be reconciled. That means believe it.

Once a person gets a hold of the truth of what God did for them in Jesus, then the forgiveness issue becomes much clearer. God's forgiveness is far far greater than any other type of forgiveness. Man's forgiveness is minuscule when compared to God's forgiveness in Christ Jesus. When a person fully accepts the forgiveness from God, only then can he or she start to reflect true forgiveness toward others as only can be found in Jesus.

For a person to go through life thinking that when they do wrong, they can simply go to God to get forgiven is nothing more than an extension of the old covenant or old testament. The Jews had their Mosaic laws, given to them by Moses, in which they would continually offer animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. However, the law never provided a release from sin. We see that, "the power of sin is the law" (1 Corinthians 15:56). The Jews continually had to go back to the alter, the Catholics continually go to the confession booth, the Protestants continually go and use 1 John 1:9 as a means of getting their sins forgiven and feeling better about themselves. But, none of this is effective for change. This process just covers over the truth of what is going on in a person's heart. God is looking for a heart change.

And so, we have a new and final solution to the problem of sin. "The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God." Hebrews 7:18-19

Confession of sins as a forgiveness vending machine keeps a person focused on self, rather than focused on others or even focused on God. When Jesus hung on the cross and said, "It is finished!", those words meant that everything was done. There was no more sacrifice for sins required. God is done with dealing with the sin issue from his perspective. He asks people today to simply believe it. "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them... God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:18,19,21).

So, what is a person supposed to do today when they sin? Are we supposed to ignore it? Well, scripture gives us instructions in this area. Paul addressed this particular scenario for people thinking that the freedom in Christ would allow them to go out and sin more. Paul responded to this license to sin teaching, "By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2). He continues to tell us that "we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. . . In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. . . For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:6,7,11,14).

Think about it. If you have been living under the teaching of asking for forgiveness, has it really brought about a life change, or stopped you from sinning? Once a person grabs a hold of the truth of the unconditional love, the total forgiveness, and never being out of the fellowship with God, that person will be one with a thankful heart toward God.

A wrong understanding of God's unconditional love and forgiveness will result in a love and forgiveness toward others that is based on man's forgiveness instead of God's. If a person thinks they have to ask for forgiveness from God in order to be forgiven, then that person will exemplify the same sort of forgiveness toward others. They will think that there is no way I am going to forgive the person that did wrong to me, until they ask for it. Believers are told today, "be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32) Understanding God's forgiveness is paramount toward treating others with the kind of love and compassion as completely displayed by God. Once a person accepts the truth, that they are forgiven completely, then that person will "love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

The issue of forgiveness is one of the most important elements of the faith in Jesus Christ. For a person to continually feel they must confess their sins in order to be forgiven by God is actually telling God they don't believe he did it all for them. I'm not going to pull any punches here. In essence, it's like spitting in the face of God and mocking him. They think that their confessing their sins is the reason God forgives them today.

Put the forgiveness issue to bed. Please, believe and receive the total forgiveness that is in Christ Jesus. If you are a true believer, your life as a believer in Jesus and the lives of those around you depends upon it.

Related information that is helpful to your understanding:

Confession of sins as it relates to 1 John 1:9
The Lord's Prayer in context before and after the cross
Saints and sinners in God's eyes
The sin the so entangles folks today
Falling away from the faith
Repent and believe in who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us

Please read the welcome message.

My Christian Journey

2007-08-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

I have been a believer for over 20 years now, and have appreciated the voice of People to People Ministries over the years.

My story of the Christian journey has been quite an experience. Coming out of an early childhood of growing up in the Byzantine Catholic religious system, and then into a marriage where my wife thought there was little difference between Catholics and Protestants, and finally to my spiritual conversion in a bible study where we were looking at Jesus, and I came to the realization that Jesus forgave me of all of my sins. My heart was filled with joy, I was ready to dance the world away, because a great load had been lifted off my soul. I thought God was hacked with me, because I hadn't gone to the confession booth in years. Now, I knew the truth, and the truth did set me free.

This bible study was through one of the Presbyterian denominations, PCA, that are quite conservative as apposed to the more liberal Presbyterian denomination, PCUSA.

After a couple of years at the church, (which was a newer church) the minister thought I might be a good candidate for eldership, along with five or six other fellows. Since the minister was only two years into the starting of this new church, and there were no elders, he wanted us to have a good foundation for what PCA Presbyterians believed and taught.

So, out came a ton of books, including The Westminster Confession Of Faith for study classes. Talk about deep studies, I felt like I was in Seminary school for six weeks. I took everything seriously, all the while comparing the teachings to the various bible verses. You see, I was being taught by the Holy Spirit, and was also listening to numerous Christian radio broadcasts, including People to People.

People to People was the one place that I could go to get consistent teaching, which matched up to the bible and what the Holy Spirit had shown me two years prior to this leadership class.

Well, as is typical of my usual self, and being led by the Holy Spirit, I could not be quiet about the total forgiveness issue. Needless to say, I did not become an elder. I was quite outspoken. This resulted in a church trial, where we (myself, wife, and family) actually I was told in no uncertain terms that they did not want me to talk about the forgiveness issue anymore, and if I could not abide by this, they wanted us to leave.

Since I had to do what I felt was right from God’s perspective, I could not agree to being quiet about being totally forgiven and felt like I had to dust off my shoes, shake out my clothes, and move on with my Christian walk.

Recollecting on this time of my life, it always struck me as really strange and quite illogical, that a group of people could say that all your sins have been forgiven, past, present, and future, and then in the next breath take something out of context from the bible and build a completely new doctrine out of one verse of scripture, while so many verses of the bible support complete forgiveness of sins. Instead of looking at a single verse in the context of the particular book of the bible, or the situation that was being addressed by the writers of the New Testament, people tend to follow the teachings of man, instead of God.

Many church goers are followers of men, and have forgotten to be followers of God. Unlike the Bereans in the Apostle Paul’s day, that checked the scriptures to see if what was being taught by the Apostles was true; men today would rather believe in man’s teachings instead of God’s truth.

Believers are told today to be proclaimers of the good news of reconciliation. Jesus was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting men's sins against them. 2 Corinthians 5:19

This is great news! Proclaim it from the rooftops. Believe it and receive eternal life. The forgiveness issue has been dealt with by God. Now, people need new life.

Please read the Welcome message.

Why Do I Need Jesus? Why do you Need the Cross?

2007-08-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

The question is, does God grade on the curve?

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

Let's take a look at that statement from the bible. Do you think you are included in the word all? Come-on, answer truthfully.

Now, how does that fit with what the popular teachings of men, that state man is basically good?

Comparing what the bible teaches and what man teaches, and reflecting on your own heart, what can you conclude about man? Is man basically good or sinful? I think if you were to be honest with yourself, you would say that man is sinful.

In 1 John 1:8 the bible teaches that people that claim to be without sin deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them.

Once again, the truth is not in a person that claims to be without sin.

Reading a little further in 1 John 1:10, people that claim they have not sinned are calling God a liar. In fact, those same people have God's Word no place in their lives. This is no different than spitting in the face of God.

A person claiming to be without sin would have no need for a Savior.

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Romans 3:10-12

According to Romans, no one is righteous, no one that is good, and no one that seeks God.

The Whole World is Held Prisoner

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14

Sinful man without the Spirit of God, does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. These things are foolish to the sinful man. The natural man can not understand the things that come from the Spirit of God.

Since the Spirit of God is foolish to the natural, sinful man, they have turned to their own way of dealing with everything.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

The picture of sinful man is like sheep that have gone astray.

Everything Not of Faith is Sin

The definition of sin in Romans 14:23 is summarized as: "...and everything that does not come from faith is sin."

According to Luke 19:10, the natural (sinful) man is described as lost. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." This verse also shows that Christ came to save the lost.

Natural men and women throughout the ages have spent a life of guilt, worry, anger, fear, loneliness, anxiety, emptiness, and a lack of purpose in life.

Sinful Man is Already Judged

The natural man is condemned already.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:17-18

The reason the natural man is condemned already is because God's wrath remains on him.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. John 3:36

Natural Man is Alienated From God
Enemies in the mind of the sinful man.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. Colossians 1:21

The mind of a natural man, also called sinful man, is classified as dead and hostile to God.

The mind of sinful man (Or mind set on the flesh) is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind (Or the mind set on the flesh) is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8

There is no way that the natural man can please God because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God.

According to 1 Corinthians 15:50 flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Because, the flesh is perishable and dead to God.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 6:23

Jesus said: "... In regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; ..." John 16:9 So, we can see that Jesus summarizes sin as unbelief in him. But, there is good news for the believer.

The Good News for the Believer

God made him who had no sin to be sin [Or be a sin offering] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— Colossians 1:22

Believe. Place your faith in Jesus and what he did on the cross for your sins, not what you are doing, or the works you do that you might think are earning you brownie points with God. Remember, God does not grade on the curve, only perfection will do. Trust in his perfection, not yours.

Please read the Welcome message.

What is the New Testament or Covenant?

2007-08-08T00:38:00.000-07:00

Understanding Christianity involves an understanding of what the New Covenant or New Testament is all about. A testament is really a synonym for a will, as in "last will and testament." When the last will and testament of a person is exercised, it is after a person has died that the covenant takes affect and the inheritance is received by those named in the will.

In the bible, this is also true for the New Covenant to go into affect.

In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. Hebrews 9:16,17

This is very important to understand the delineation of the biblical time-line. When Jesus was alive on earth, he taught under the old covenant or Old Testament. He taught under the Law, which included the ten commandments and all the teachings of Moses, which many years before were given to Moses by God.

When Jesus died, he brought into affect the New Covenant.

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15

So, we can logically place two different periods of time in history; one before the death of Jesus Christ and one after the death of Jesus Christ. This really is the dividing line of what the cross was all about.

Under the old covenant or Mosaic Law, there was no forgiveness without the shedding of an animal sacrifice.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22

Since we all live today after the cross, from God's time-line perspective, we are living in the age of the New Covenant. The new covenant is one where God remembers our sins no more.

"This is the covenant I will make with them after that time," says the Lord. "I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 10:16-18

Because our sins have been forgiven through the death of Christ, there is no more sacrifice for sin required. If we needed more forgiveness, Jesus would have to die again. We know from Hebrews 9:26-28 that Jesus died for sins once, and he is not going to die again.

Rejoice in the good news! Remember that Jesus taught under the old covenant, to show us that we could never do all that the law required. Now that we live under the new covenant, God expects us to accept by faith, that Jesus did it all for us, taking our sins away, not counting them against you and me, so that we can now receive new life.

Be careful about taking scripture out of context. Don't build an entire theology or doctrine (belief system) out of one verse of scripture. And always remember the old and new testament time-line.

Please read the Welcome message.

Jesus said, I Am The Way, The Truth, & The Life.

2007-08-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14 6

When the New Testament began, Jesus' followers became known as followers of The Way. They preached, taught, and proclaimed that Jesus was the only way to come into the presence of God.

The Way, The Truth, and The Life message is just as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago.

Before Jesus died on the cross for payment for the sins of the whole world, Jesus was telling his disciples (followers), that he was going away.

Thomas, one of the disciples, wanting to know more information asked Jesus, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. John 14

Jesus and God the Father are one. When the disciples were looking at Jesus in the flesh, they were looking at the Father. When they heard Jesus speak, they heard God speak. When they saw Jesus do some miracle, the disciples saw God the Father doing the miracles.

Jesus was and is God and is the exact representation of God the Father. Jesus was also the exact representation of what God intended man to be in the first place. Jesus while on earth did nothing on his own, but what the Father told him to do.

So, Jesus tells them to believe.

Don't believe because I say to believe, but place your faith in Jesus, and he will show you the way, the truth, and the life.

Ask with an open heart for wisdom from God, and it will be given to you.

Please read the Welcome message.

God has Reconciled you, so Be Reconciled to God

2007-08-05T01:28:00.000-07:00

Reconciliation is seldom used in our daily vocabulary today. Its meaning is to reestablish a close relationship, to settle or resolve, to make compatible, and to bring (oneself) to accept. See reconcile.

When the bible talks about reconcile, the word is used in all aspects of the meaning.

Jesus paid the penalty for sin, and reconciled the world to himself, not counting yours, mine, and the worlds sin against people. Additionally, he also provided the means for people to have a close relationship between God and man.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

God now, requires people to believe it, by faith. This is the part where a person accepts the finished work on the cross. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. Now believe it.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:19-21

So, be reconciled. Reconcile your way of thinking with God's way of thinking. Make your thoughts his thoughts.

This is not rocket science folks. Reconciliation is such a beautiful term, especially as it is described in the bible. If you are trying to reconcile yourself, you are not believing God when the bible clearly teaches that you have already been reconciled.

Once again, the good news is you have been reconciled. Shout it out. God is not counting your sins against you! God is not counting my sins against me!

Please read the Welcome message to understand what this Christian blog is all about.

What is the True Gospel?

2007-07-30T23:27:00.000-07:00

What did you hear growing up? Did you ever hear the Gospel when you were younger?

Did you hear, "come down the isle to get your sins forgiven?" Did you hear, "you've got to be good in order to get the blessings of God?"

Well, if you went down the isle to get your sins forgiven, or thought you had to be better in order for God to give you life, you are badly mistaken in your understanding of the true gospel message.

First off, you don't get your sins forgiven today, because they have already been forgiven 2000 years ago. Now, you can choose to receive forgiveness. And, if being good was a prerequisite to receiving the blessings of God, no one on the planet would ever be able to receive the blessings of God, because the bible clearly states, that no one is good, except God himself. Good is defined by God, from the moment of life to the moment of death, a person never thinking a bad thought, never lying, always loving and looking out for the other person, never saying anything bad or getting angry, and never doing anything wrong throughout a person's entire life. How do you measure up to good? I can tell you that no one measures up to good.

The True Gospel message is one of life. Jesus died on the cross, reconciling the world to himself, not counting mans' sin against him. Certainly that is good news in itself, but that is not the entire gospel message. The other half of the story is that God wants to give you eternal life. Eternal life begins the moment a person believes in Jesus, God in the flesh, and receives the Spirit of God for life.

Bible in Basic English, John: eternal life faith

John 3:15 So that whoever has faith may have in him eternal life.

John 3:16 For God had such love for the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction but have eternal life.

John 3:36 He who has faith in the Son has eternal life; but he who has not faith in the Son will not see life; God's wrath is resting on him.

John 5:24 Truly I say to you, The man whose ears are open to my word and who has faith in him who sent me, has eternal life; he will not be judged, but has come from death into life.

John 6:40 This, I say, is my Father's pleasure, that everyone who sees the Son and has faith in him may have eternal life: and I will take him up on the last day.

John 6:47 Truly I say to you, He who has faith in me has eternal life.

A dead man needs life. If you are trying to get yourself cleaned up in order to face God, forget it. You will be living a life of lies. Put an end to trying to do it yourself. Enter into Jesus' death on the cross, so you can receive his risen life.

The way is not difficult, but it is a stumbling block. Throw out your religion of lies and start believing the truth, Jesus died for your sins so he could give you eternal life. Come to him by faith.

Please read the Welcome message.

Everyone is Forgiven by God, But Not Everyone Is Saved

2007-07-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

If everyone's sins are forgiven, does that mean everyone will be saved?

NO way! That would be universal salvation or universalism. Just because all your sins are forgiven, does not mean that everyone will have eternal life with God. Jesus died for everyones sins, but not everyone receives the forgiveness and the saving life that can be found only in Christ Jesus.

Jesus came to give life to the lifeless (the dead). Everyone that is not spiritually born of God, is dead in their sin of unbelief and needs spiritual life.

Most people today are not rebelling against God. They are rebelling against religion. Because deep down inside a person, they know in their heart, that they can never do all the things that their religious systems tells them they need to do in order for God to take them to the promised land, or to have eternal life, or whatever your idea of salvation is.

Praying five times a day, facing east, going to a catholic church, going to a protestant church, thinking positive thoughts, going to the confession booth, or whatever your religious works system that has been embedded into your heart from birth, will not get you to be in right standing with the one true God.

Growing up Catholic, I had to go to the confession booth once a month and tell a priest what my sins were for the month. So, when I went to the confession booth I had this one problem; I forgot how many times I had sinned, and how many times I disobeyed my parents or lied, which for a young child was some "bad sinning". No, there are not different degrees of sin, but that is what people think and what I thought at the time. So, I would make up stuff to say to the priest. I would think to myself about various times of sinning and try to decide, was the time when my parents wanted me to do my chores, and I didn't take the trash out to begin with, but took it out later, was this a sin to my parents? And really, how many times did I really sin in the month - 5 times, 10 times, or 17.5 times? Think of the confusion, trying to remember the specifics. So, I would just make up stuff and add an extra lie count for the made up stuff. Then the Catholic priest would say, "OK, now for your penance say five 'Our Fathers' and five 'Hail Marys', and now make a good act of contrition." So this went on, month in and month out. Stupid, stupid, and stupid.

Then one day, after I had been out on my own, and was much older, someone shared with me that Jesus had forgiven me of all my sins. Wow, this was great news! That day I freely received the forgiveness of God and believed in Jesus as God in the flesh, who took away my sins, never to be brought up again. Jesus sent his Spirit, to come and give me life and I received his life into me. He did the work that I could never do for myself.

This is the Good News Gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved at the moment of belief.

Please read the Welcome message.

Forgiven Forever now Receive Eternal Life

2007-07-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Behold the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world.

When Jesus came upon John the Baptist preaching to the people to repent and believe in the one to come and take away the sins of the world, John saw Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29

Well folks, I'm here to tell you, "Behold the Lamb of God that took away the sin of the world."

You see, when Jesus, God in the flesh died on the cross, he placed upon himself the penalty for every sin committed in the world, past, present, and future.

Now, that yours, mine, and the world's sin have been taken away, there is only one thing to do. That is believe that Jesus did it, finished it, took sin away from being a barrier to coming to God and thank him for what he did, and receive new life.

The Catholic church teaches that you must get your sins forgiven in a confession booth. Many Protestant churches teach that you don't have to go to a confession booth to get your sins forgiven, but you can ask Jesus to forgive your sins directly. Both of these are wrong. You don't get your sins forgiven today, because you already got your sins forgiven before you were ever born, at the cross where Jesus died.

In God's sight, "without the shedding of blood," there is no forgiveness. And, I can tell you this, Jesus is not going to hang on a cross again for the sins of the whole world.

Logic is key. If you are thinking, God must be really hacked at me for all the wrong I have done, or for not going to church, or for not doing the right things, or for yelling and getting angry with others, or worse yet, a thief, murder, adulterer, or place your worst imaginable thought here, then you are completely wrong in your thinking of God. God knows everyone is not perfect, and only perfection will do in God's sight, to have eternal life. So, God did for us, what we could not do for ourselves. He cleansed us so he could fill us with a new life.

Receive the forgiveness that is in Christ Jesus, and you will be saved onto a new life.

Words are key. The word is receive not get. When you receive something from God, it should be with a thankful heart. Put away your prideful thinking that you have to do something in order for God to do something. This is from satan, the prince of lies. There is only one way to eternal salvation.

Believe in Jesus and receive eternal life.

Please read the Welcome message.

Jesus is the Christmas Message

2006-12-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Story Is One Of Hope

To consider what this means for the soul is a wise decision. We can say the name of God anytime, but Jesus, that is his name. Accept the gift of Christmas and rest in his forgiveness. Jesus became the perfect man on my behalf and your behalf. Jesus is the only one that was and is, and is to come, that is perfect, without sin. God was reconciling the world onto himself, not counting man's sin against him. Now be reconciled.

God's reconciliation means he is not counting your sins against you or my sins against me. Nothing separates us from God except our unbelief in him. That is why God asks us to be reconciled; believe in Jesus and rest in Jesus. We are all equal in his sight and I commit as much sins as the next man. But, in Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins. This is not something we get or ask for every time we sin. There is only one thing to do, start believing in Jesus, and receive the forgiveness that is in him and you will promptly receive everlasting life.

The message is loud and clear, that a child could understand it. Be a child this Christmas and receive Jesus today.

This is the good news story of Christmas.

Jim Wize

Click here for our Christmas Message To The World.

Please read the Welcome message.

Welcome to the Seekers, Searchers, and Finders

2006-12-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

Do You Need Rest For The Soul?

Everyone that is seeking answers to the difficult questions in life, to those that are searching for truth, and others that have found their way to a new life, needs rest for the soul.

I'll bet you need rest for your soul too.

This website will be a place where you will read about the truths of the bible and gain a better understanding of true Christianity. I am not talking about the history or the religious system of Christianity, but a wonderful rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, who came and took the world's punishment on himself, so he could give life to all that believe.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ or just someone searching, and are interested in knowing more about what this thing of being "Born Again" is all about, I invite you to open your heart.

If you are confused by all the teachings of the world and the various religious systems that tell you what you have to do, and feel like you are weighted down and weary by a heavy burden, that you know in your heart you can never attain, then you have come to the right spot. You will get a "tell it like it is," explanations that will not pull any punches. Also, like the Bereans, of the Apostle Paul's day, approx. 2000 years ago, they searched the scriptures to see if the things Paul was saying were true. Don't believe in me, but do your own research and see if the things I tell you are true. However, if you want to know the truth, ask God to reveal it to you with a humble heart.

Acts: 17 Verses 10-11

10 And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews;

11 and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those things were so;

Youngs Literal Translation

Signed Jim