Friday, March 29, 2013

Made Alive in Christ

We cannot at anytime lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), we must always look to the word of God because we can so easily be deceived by our emotions. How many people do you know who commit willful sin whom you would consider nice and likable people. One of the most prevalent of this willful sinning in our society is the sin of fornication. It is so common place in our society that almost no one gives it a second thought, that is why Hebrews 10:26-30 seems so poignant and harsh to someone who has not been transformed through the Spirit of God.

"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of A fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “ Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, "The Lord will judge His people.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Now while fornication is exceptable in society; it is not exceptable to God who is Holy, righteous, and just. The bible is very clear on this; that no fornicator will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9) and sexually immoral persons will go to hell (Revelation 21:8). God the Father gave His precious Son and punished Him with all of His fury for our sins. Can you imagine the anger God has towards sinful men who trample the blood of Christ under foot and count His sacrifice as unclean by forsaking Him to continue in their sins? Now while I used fornication as an example this is true of all willful sin!

One of the most magnificent passages in scripture is Ephesians 2:1-10. This passage so clearly depicts that salvation is The Lord's alone, and that the one He has saved has been transformed.

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ( by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

There are so many versions of what is called Christian it just astounds me and I cannot understand it. We have one source to reveal to us who Jesus Christ is, anything outside of that source is a lie and comes from men. It is time to stop giving out opinions and to read the scriptures, the scriptures are the only source to reveal God to man.

Jesus revealed the Father to us (Matthew 11:27). If you believe in Jesus but don't believe the bible you are an Anathema (outside the body of Christ) the bible is the only source on earth to reveal Jesus Christ to us. If you say that you believe in Jesus but don't believe everything the bible says you are not a believer in the Jesus of the bible, you are believing in a different gospel. This kind of thing is a Perversion of the Gospel and has been happening since the gospel was first preached by the apostles and is prevalent in society today.

" I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:6-9)

There is nothing you can do to be saved, Jesus said "It is finished" (John 19:30) all work for salvation has been completed by God in Jesus Christ on the cross in His blood through faith. Salvation is a gift of God, by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. There is nothing you can do to be saved, salvation of sinful men is for the glory of God alone The Lord shares His glory with no man.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Romans 3:23-28)

Turning away from sin and following the law of God cannot save you, however a refusal to turn from sin will condemn you. We are justified solely by the grace of God, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, by His perfect Holy sacrifice on the cross, bearing the full wrath of God for our sins in His blood through faith. Fully satisfying the anger of God against sinful men for our sins through faith. Turning away from sin cannot satisfy the anger of God for our sins, the blood of Jesus Christ did that through faith in Him alone, Jesus said "It is finished". Now while turning away from sin cannot save you, and faith in Jesus Christ alone does; a refusal to turn from sin will condemn you. So what must we do in light of this news of God's hatred of our sin and Jesus Christ completed work on the cross, the gospel of Jesus Christ? Repent and believe in the gospel.


Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ