Tag Archives: gospel

The Abundant Life – #3 – The Separated Life

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The separated life is simultaneously positive and negative.  The old adage – “be in the world, but not of the world,” was derived from the topic of this article.  

Romans 1:1

 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. . .

Read that carefully!  We are to be “separated unto the gospel of God”!  This is  POSITIVE SEPARATION.

2 Corinthians 6:17

 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

We must come out of ANYTHING that is contrary to the perfect will of God. This is NEGATIVE SEPARATION.

FOR THE BELIEVER – TO BE SEPARATED –  MEANS TO BE SANCTIFIED (SET APART) FOR SALVATION AND SERVICE

1. The Word of God has the power to separate the believer from sin.  John 17:17 – Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.  Ps. 119:11 –   Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

2. God the Father has the power to separate the believer unto the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thess. 5:23 – And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. God the Son has the power to separate the believer unto righteousness, “not having spot, or wrinkle.”  Eph. 5: 24,27 –  

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; 

26 That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,

27 That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

4. God the Holy Spirit has the power to separate the believer unto salvation and service.  2 Thess. 2:13 –  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

If we are not separated, we can still have a relationship with God, but we can not have fellowship with Him.  This is the problem of the dominant church spirit at this time – Laodicea.  The majority of churches are now so closely allied with the world, there is no fellowship with God.  They may be united with Him at Calvary, but separated from Him in sin.  

Isaiah 59:1-2

59 Behold, the Lord‘s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

Without separation we can have:

  • Influence without power
  • Movement without achievement
  • Trying without trusting
  • Serving without success
  • Spiritual battle without victory

WITHOUT SEPARATION UNTO GOD – OUR ENTIRE CHRISTIAN WALK WILL BE “WOOD, HAY, AND STUBBLE.” 

THE TRULY ABUNDANT LIFE IS ONLY MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST – MADE REALITY BY SEPARATION UNTO HIM. 

Repentance – #7 – The Evidence of Repentance

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Acts 26:19-20

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

20 
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles,  that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

The evidence (proof) of repentance towards God, and faith towards our  Lord Jesus Christ can be positively seen in truly converted individuals – and it is demonstrated vividly for us in Scripture.

REPENTANCE IS A CHANGE OF MIND, HEART, AND WILL

1. Doubting Thomas repents – Thomas refused to believe that Christ had been raised from the dead until he could see with his own eyes, and touch with his own hands,  the risen Savior.  

John 20:24-29 –  24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.  25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.  26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said,  Peace be unto you.  

27 Then saith he to Thomas,  Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.  

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him,  My Lord and my God.  

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.   

Thomas repented, believed, and made his great profession of faith with – “My Lord and my God.” 

2. Three thousand (!) changed their minds, hearts and wills on the day of Pentecost, and immediately gave evidence of their repentance. 

 Acts 2:41-47 –  41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles  44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.  Please take note that these believers did not go back to living the way they did before their conversion.

3. Saul of Tarsus experienced repentance when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.  He then gave evidence of repentance – 

Acts 9:1-18 –   And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,  2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord?

And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.  

7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.  8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.  9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.  

10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.  

11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,  12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.  

13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:  14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.  

15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:  16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.  

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.  18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

4. Cornelius, his entire family and friends repented when they heard the gospel as preached by Simon Peter, and then evidence of repentance followed their conversions.  Acts 10:24-48

5.  The Philippian jailer and his house repented after being witnessed to by Paul and Silas – the evidence of repentance followed.   Acts 16:26-34 –  26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.  27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.  28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.  29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,  30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.  33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Don’t be fooled by the “God loves me no matter what I do,” preaching out there.  While it is true that He loves without measure – He also demands proof of conversion.  Not for Himself – He knows who is truly saved or not.  The evidence of repentance is to give Him glory and honor, to exalt His Word and His name above our own, and that our lives may testify of His Grace and Mercy.  Some people claiming the name of Christ, live like the very devil.   Sinners should never be able to say that believers are hypocrites, and no different than the world.  We should demonstrate our repentance in such a fashion that we lead some to their own repentance.

Repentance is a change of the mind, the heart, and the will. 

The proof of repentance is. . .

1.turning from sin

Ezekiel 18:30

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

2. turning to God

Acts 26:20

. . . that they should repent and turn to God,

3. followed by good deeds

Acts 26:20

. . .and do works meet for repentance.

This concludes our seven part study on repentance. 

The next series will be an in depth study of The New Birth.

The New Birth – #4 – The Only Means

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John 3:14-15

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Numbers 21:5-9

5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Moses lifted up the serpent for a sinful, disobedient people.  Anyone bitten by the fiery serpents was given a choice.  With an act of faith and humility, he could simply look at the brazen serpent and live – 0r – with an act of stubbornness and pride, he could refuse to look, and die.

Isaiah 45:22

 LOOK UNTO ME, AND BE YE SAVED, ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: FOR I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE.

“Even so must the son of man be lifted up.”  Just as the brazen serpent in the wilderness was the only means for the children of Israel to be healed, so is the death of Jesus Christ the only means for the new birth.  The only way to achieve regeneration is by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

means

noun: means; noun: means of something

  1. 1.an action or system by which a result is brought about; a method.

Romans 1:16

 FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.

THE SINNER MUST COME TO CHRIST BELIEVING:

1. That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. 

Isa. 53:1-12 –

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Zech. 13:6 – And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

2.  That Christ was buried.  This is the proof of His death.  He was in the tomb for three days and nights. 

3. That Christ rose again, according to the Scriptures.  Here is the power of the Gospel that saves, but it is powerless to save the sinner who does not believe.  Rom. 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

THE MEANS OF THE NEW BIRTH CAN ONLY BE FOUND ONE WAY:

1. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. . .”  is the only means of the new birth.  Acts 4:12 –  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

2. Our blessed Redeemer, Jesus Christ, gladly came into the world to become the only means of the new birth.  John 12:27 – Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.  

John 17:1-5 –

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

3. That the Holy Spirit came into the world on the Day of Pentecost to convince and convict all men, everywhere, of their personal need for the new birth.

John 16: 7-11

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

A personal faith in the death, burial, and resurrection is the essential and only means of the new birth.

Jesus Christ the Son of God – Part 6

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After forty days of teaching His disciples, the risen Christ ascended upon high, to be seated at the right hand of the Father in glory. 

HEBREWS 10:12

 But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. . .

THE MESSAGE OF THE SECOND COMING IS SO IMPORTANT, THAT IT IS DOCUMENTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT OVER THREE HUNDRED TIMES.

A. He is coming again to take His Bride, the church, to be with Him. 

1 Thessalonians  4:16-17  

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 John 14:1-6

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

B. He is coming again to judge the nations.

Matthew 25:31-46

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

C. He is coming again to save the Nation of Israel – apart from the rapture of the church.

Romans 11:25-25

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

D. He is coming again to sit upon the throne of David. 

Luke 1: 31-33

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Isaiah 9: 6-7

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

E. He is coming again to bring righteous judgment to the earth.

Hebrews 1:8

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

JESUS CHRIST IS COMING BACK TO EARTH AGAIN!

water in a weary land

Acts 1:11. . .

. . .this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.

This concludes our study of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For the other studies in this series, please see the Apologetics page.  Our next course of study will delve into the subject of sin – its origin, consequences, and its remedy.