Follow Me

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Follow Me

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

Deny himself!

Jesus said to follow Him we must first deny ourselves. That is the first step in the process! The NLT says of this turn from our selfish ways and the GOD'S WORD Translation says to say no to the things we want. Those adequately describe what Jesus says here, we must give up our desires and in essence as Paul says in Romans 6 die to our flesh! If anyone loves father, mother, brother, sister, or even themselves more than Jesus thy are not worthy of Him! We must die to ourselves as the first step of following Jesus. Look at the immediate context of the OP topic, Cephas, Andrew, John, James all left their families, businesses and lives to follow Jesus, that is the essence of the sacrifice required of all who seek to follow the Lord!

Take up His cross daily!

This process is more completely in line with what Paul described in Romans 6. When we are baptized into Christ we identify with His death, burial and resurrection. But to be baptized we must repent of our sins! So becoming a Christian is the first step in this process of carrying our cross, but not all of it. For Jesus said whosoever loves their lives will lose them but whoever loses their lives for the same of Christ will find life eternal! Carrying our cross is having the devotion and commitment to obey Christ even if it costs you your life! We are to be 100% sold out for the Lord, otherwise He is not really our Lord but one of but many things/people we obey and submit to. He must be all and in all and before all! Lastly notice this is to be done daily as well. Not just something we turn off and on when it's convenient or every Sunday in front of our religious friends!

I WILL!

Once we have these two principles down, we can begin to hear the Lord call out to us Follow Me! Then what does He say? I WILL make you fishers of men! Jesus says He will make us fishers of men when we fulfill our part of the equation. We do our part and He does His. Amen He is ever faithful! So for those of us who want to see souls saved but find not the strength to speak openly in the square or at work or anywhere Jesus says, Just follow Me and I WILL make you a fisher of man! Not maybe or if it pleases me, but I WILL!!!! Jesus walked in love, so we too must walk in love, sacrificial love that knows no limits and end! Have courage and take strength child of the Most High! Jesus will make you a fisher of man! Just do as He says do and He will be faithful to fulfill His part!


Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love NEVER fails!

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17, ESV)

Jesus tells all of us to follow Him. In so doing He will (emphasis on will) make us fishers of men. I know growing up I struggled with witnessing because I was such a timid and shy person. I wondered aloud how God could ever use me to share the gospel with anyone, because I could barely say hi to a stranger let alone talk about such a conflicting topic.

Well the other night I was praying and the following came to mind:

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. (1 Cor 14:1, NIV)

Now I've posted on this verse before (Mark 1:17) and how Luke 9:23 plays into becoming fishers of men. Now given this increased revelation into this "mystery" I'd like to present that 1 Corinthians 14:1 and Luke 9:23 are not in conflict with each other if it may seem so, but rather they speak of the same thing.

You see Luke 9:23 says, "And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." This speaks exactly of what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:31-14:1, LOVE. The love that Christ requires of us, the greater love that sacrifices all, is exactly that; a love that forgets completely about self and looks only towards pleasing Christ first and others second.

So when Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

He's really giving us a spiritual "road map" of sorts on what following Christ really looks like. It's not about how gifted we are, it's not about how much faith we may seem to have, rather it's about how much love we have towards others. For how much we love others around us, especially our enemies, is a direct correlation on how much we love God. It's not about self, it's about those around us.

Thus fulfilling Christ's greatest command: To love one another as He has loved us!

So follow the way of love! Christ will then make you a fisher of men!

13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, NIV)

My doctrinal statement

We refuse the Pastor worshipping trends found in most traditional churches.  Pastors are but one of several gifts given to the entire church by Jesus Himself to build up the entire church (Ephesians 4:11-12).  We do not worship the men or women behind the callings, nor do we ignore those callings in their proper place.  If Jesus gives them, we accept them and cherish all Christ's gifts.  The Holy Spirit gives gifts to every believer for the good of all (1 Corinthians 12:7-11), so we encourage all believers to walk in their gifts.

I believe in the Holy Trinity (Gen 1:2, 26; Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-34; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:9; 2 Cor 13:14). I believe it is a mystery that escapes the human mind, and yet the three eternal beings are one in how they act and operate. (John 8:28-29; 10:28-30; 14:9-11, 26; 16:13-15)

I believe people are saved by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), but that faith must be expressed by works (James 2:14-26).

These works include:

Water baptism (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21) both as a regenerative work (Romans 6:3-5; Titus 3:5) and symbolic of what happens in the spiritual (John 3:3-7, 7:38-39; 1 Cor 12:13; Titus 3:5)

Confession of Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 22:16; 1 John 4:15) and of our sins for forgiveness (1 John 1:9; Acts 19:18)

Once we enter the covenant of grace by Christ's blood, we must continue to abide in Jesus (Colossians 2:6; John 15:1-6; 1 John 3:23-24; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 5:1-2, 18-21) by believing in Him and living in love as He commanded us (1 John 2:5-6, 3:23-24, 4:7-21; John 13:34-35).

I do not accept the Pentecostal teaching of receiving the Holy Spirit "baptism" after being born again. Several scriptures seem to indicate we receive the fullness of the Spirit when we believe (1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 19:1-6; Ephesians 1:13, 22-23; Galatians 3:2-5; Col 2:9-10) 

I believe that all the gifts are active even today and necessary for the work of the gospel until the day Jesus returns. (Mark 16:17-18; John 14:12; 1 Corinthians 1:5-7, 12-14; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21; Revelation 19:10)

Believers are to be intercessors.  Every Christian has this calling on their lives and this is a point of emphasis within the fellowship.  (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Philippians 4:6; Luke 18:1-7; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:1)

Believers are also to be people of one thing, dwelling in the Lord's Presense (Psalm 27:4).  We start in this endeavor and continue in it be seeking the Lord (Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13; Psalm 105:4)  This is explained biblically in 2 Chronicles 20; fasting, praying, worshiping, scripture study, being humble, and waiting upon God.

I believe Jesus will return one time, at the end of all things (even the Great Tribulation) to gather His Church to Him and reign for a 1,000 years before judging those who were lost (Revelation 19-20; John 14:2-3; Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Corinthians 15:23-26, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10; 1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:20-21)

I also do believe we as the Church should partake of the Lord's Supper as often as we meet.  From John 6:35-58; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 we should partake of the Lord's Supper as often as we can, for it has spiritual significance.  It is to keep us in remembrance of what Jesus did for us so we live accordingly....

Works of faith

So James says, "Faith without works is dead."  He doesn't really give much context outside of that though.  The book of James itself is about being humble and loving in view of God's mercy and love.  So perhaps these works he discusses are works of love, just as Jesus (James' brother) preached and commanded.  That would be a perfectly sound biblical stance and view if one holds to that.  Faith without works of love is dead....

But what if there is more to it?  What if those "works" were more than just love?

To be sure, water baptism was heavily preached by the Apostles, even the early church.  I do not believe the act alone saves anybody, no more than I believe uttering a "Sinner's Prayer" saves anybody.  Faith is what saves us.

Abraham was justified by his faith as expressed through his work.  So are we.

Notice also in the types given in NT writings of water baptism, those who pass through the waters signifying baptism, leave behind their old lives and enter into a new beginning:

NOAH as written and described by Peter

to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:20, 21 NIV)

ISRAELITES as written and described by Paul

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 NIV)

They left the old behind and through the water are entering a new beginning.  God even gives both a new covenant once they pass through the water.

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:8-17 NIV)

Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.” Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (Exodus 24:6-8 NIV)

So we can see the biblical precedent for water baptism as being pertinent to enter into a new covenant with God.  But as in all things, our faith is what justifies us.  Faith expressed through works.  I view baptism as just one of these as necessary.

What are the others?

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10:9, 10 NIV)

Confession is necessary.  We must not only confess Christ as our Lord, we must make Him Lord meaning He is in charge not self.  Most Protestants have no issue accepting this act as necessary for salvation, not even considering confession is a work that one must do.  They even preach that in a very blind sense.  You can not work for salvation but you must do this one work, confession, to be saved.  I used to accept that and teach it, so I understand.  It’s just not so.  You either teach no works can save us or some works save us.  But confession is an act, a work that is done.

Now look at this statement Paul made as he was testifying about his conversion to the Jews in Acts 22:

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’ (Acts 22:16 ESV)

Be baptized and call on his name….

Aeneas as he ministered to Saul told him both were needed.  Paul seemingly agreed and complied, then taught as much.

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5 ESV)

“THE WASHING OF REGENERATION”

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:3-5 ESV)

Even Jesus said in context of being born again that one is born again through water and Spirit.

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:3-5, 7 ESV)

So while most, if not all, accept confession as necessary for salvation, almost none (in Protestant circles) accept baptism in the same light, even though it appears scripture says both are necessary.

Works of faith that save us.  Faith justifies, works save.

What is salvation anyway?  You are not saved yet.  That comes when Jesus returns correct?

who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5 NIV)

Salvation in the eternal life sense is not received until we hear, well done good and faithful servant.  We see Paul clearly states in Romans 3:28, 5:1, 10:10 and Galatians 2:16, 3:24 that only through faith in Christ are we justified.  Yet he also states in Romans 10:10 that confession saves us, in Titus 3:5 that washing of regeneration saves us.  Peter joins in and says in 1 Peter 3:21 that baptism saves us (Washing of regeneration).  For again, as Paul explains in Romans 6, by baptism we join ourselves with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

So it is my opinion that faith without works means:

We initially validate our faith through baptism and confession, and then continue to demonstrate that faith through acts of love.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ (John 1:33 ESV)

John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16 ESV)

I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:8 ESV)

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11 ESV)

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4, 5 ESV)

So we see that in all four gospels the statement John made about Jesus baptizing individuals WITH the Holy Spirit is included. This is significant as it is one of the very few things that all four gospels state, clearly the Holy Spirit when He inspired the scriptures wanted us to understand the importance of the event. Jesus then right before He ascends reinforces His purpose in coming (again read John's statement) that the Apostles and the church would receive the promise of the Father (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21) which is the Baptism with the Spirit.

WITH the Spirit, not in the Spirit....

Now, Jesus equated the Baptism with the Spirit with that of the promise of the Father in Acts. Luke when he wrote his gospel, concluded it with this statement, apparently an equivalent statement made by Jesus concerning the same event, the promise of the Father coming....

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49 ESV)

In this statement Jesus indeed says the promise of the Father will bring power to the Apostles. So we can draw the connection with the promise of the Father, aka the Baptism WITH the Spirit, with Jesus statement in Acts 1:8:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV)

Power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you (Acts 1:8)... clothed with power (Luke 24:49)... promise of the Father (Acts 1:4; Luke 24:49)

Baptism with the Spirit....

Now here is where the question comes in:

What is the Baptism IN the Spirit?

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV)

Is being baptized IN the Spirit the same thing as being baptized WITH the Spirit. Both phrases use the greek proposition ev which means any number of things, but perhaps the connection can be made in context.

After Paul concludes his thorough teaching on the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, he goes into what the body of Christ is and how it should operate within itself. Before he can get to the meat and bones of the discussion (last half of 1 Corinthians 12) he needs to remind the Corinthians how they enter the body in the first place, Jews and Greeks, slaves and free, are all made a part of the body of Christ by being baptized IN the Holy Spirit. By this baptism in the Spirit, we identify with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5) Now Romans 6:3 says, "baptized into Christ..." this is significant because it draws a connection between the two experiences. Paul does make the connection in other letters between Jesus and the Holy Spirit (in the same letter and passage actually), Peter does too:

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9 ESV)

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV)

inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (1 Peter 1:11 ESV)

There is a connection between Jesus being referred to as the Spirit. So Paul making the statement in Romans 6:3:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3 ESV)

Baptized into Christ Jesus - he is saying the same thing as he does in 1 Cor 12:13 that we are all baptized in one Spirit....

So what I'm trying to say (perhaps somewhat unsuccessfully) is that:

The baptism IN the Holy Spirit is the event in which the individual comes to faith in Christ and identifies with His death, burial, and resurrection and enters the Church through faith. I'm talking about "the Church" the real Church, that only true believers are members of, the body of Christ, not the building down the street... Just to be clear on that.

The baptism WITH the Holy Spirit is an event where believers are given power to witness to Christ's resurrection. Given for ministry purposes. Gifts, boldness to speak, etc.... So when we see people who have no power, we should be right in asking, are you ministering? Are you going out into the highways and byways inviting people in? If not, this could explain the lack of power in the individual's life.

Now, the Baptism with the Spirit can occur many times in an individuals life, sort of as in the Old Testament where God would "clothe" individuals with the Holy Spirit for a specific purpose. Multiple times even if necessary. So there is biblical precedent. And this does not change the significance of the Baptism in the Spirit, as it is this event by which the Spirit enters us and we are born again, becoming children of God.

The significance of Water Baptism

In considering the significance of water baptism, this possibility came to mind and please entertain my thoughts. You see, water baptism is emphasized quite a bit in the New Testament for it to be just another sacrament that has no real significance over just another good work one might do in obedience. So throughout the course of considering this subject in prayer, this is a possibility I’m willing to accept.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39 ESV)

Now Jesus here says if we are thirsty we should come to Him and drink. Thirst is the most intense of human desires and urges and water has always been the most thirst quenching of liquids. In fact Jesus says He gives living water to those who ask Him. (John 4:10-14) Jesus even says there, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14 ESV)

Now Jesus says this “river of living water” that flows from within those who believe in Him comes from within their heart. In Romans 5:5 Paul writes God poured out His love into our hearts by giving us the Holy Spirit, a clear reference to the statement Jesus made in John 7. Yes it is possible for Paul to know about this because remember Paul learned his message from Jesus Himself. (Gal 1:12) He even said in Galatians 4:6, “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."” God sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts, which leads to eternal life (John 4:14).

So what does this have to do with water baptism?

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; (Matthew 3:16 ESV)

Jesus is our example in all things. He is the One we should follow and model our lives after. Jesus received the Holy Spirit at the moment in which He was baptized. This is significant I believe. Paul even makes the statement:

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, (Titus 3:5, 6 ESV)

2 things here:

The washing of regeneration (Greek, 3824. Paliggenesia, the new birth, regeneration)
renewal of the Holy Spirit (Greek, 342. Anakainósis, Change of heart and mind)

so we are saved by the washing (Greek, 3067. Loutron, same word used in Ephesians 5:26 in stating Jesus cleansed the Church by washing her) the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. This sounds awfully similar to Peter’s statement on Pentecost!

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 ESV)

Now I know the greek is different in the two verses by the two apostles, but the essence of the message is the same. Change your heart and mind and be washed so that you can receive the Holy Spirit, thus receiving adoption into God’s family (Romans 8:15; Gal 4:6) and eternal life (John 4:14; 1 John 2:25).

This is the significance of water baptism. Jesus draws the connection between the Holy Spirit and “living water” and the waters of baptism merely represent this living water that will flow from within your heart, where the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the believer. And as you are baptized, you join yourself with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-11). By identifying with Him in this, you are given new life (the new birth, regenerated) by the Holy Spirit who is given to you.

So what does belief have to do with this?

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14, 17 ESV)

As you hear the message of Christ, you accept that only through Him you can obtain cleansing for your sins. You decide to obey Jesus in whatever He wants you to do (make Him your Lord) through your believing in Him.

This is an inner truth expressed by an outward act. Thus statements about being born again through water and Spirit are made true.

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3, 5 ESV)

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5 ESV)

Even the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel preached a message similar to this:

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV)

Thus with the connection between the "living water" and the Spirit, when you are baptized in water, you are baptized in the Spirit and enter the new covenant. (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3-11)

What is Christian prophecy?

Prophecy in the New Covenant is defined/broken down as:

For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10 ESV)

testimony - Gr 3141
marturia: testimony
Original Word: μαρτυρία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: marturia
Phonetic Spelling: (mar-too-ree'-ah)
Short Definition: witness, evidence, testimony
Definition: witness, evidence, testimony, reputation.

What does this look like outside the obvious "go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15) context:

On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. (1 Corinthians 14:3 ESV)

This is what prophecy does. New Covenant prophecy builds believers up. It encourages them. It also consoles/comforts them. Why? Because all prophecy, points to Jesus! Any prophetic word that does not glorify the Lord nor point the recipient of said prophecy to him is highly subject to falsehood, or even a lying spirit.

Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21 ESV)

Some have received prophetic words in the past in such environments and because they were false and said individuals had not received wise counsel on what to do with such words, they gave up on "prophecy" at all. I think we need to understand who gave such words, mark them, and avoid them, but never give up on hearing from the Lord. In context of 1 Thes 5:20-21 even, despising prophecy is a portion of quenching the Spirit (1 Thes 5:19) Confess such failings and hurts to the Lord and allow him to replenish you.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:1-3 ESV)

Any time you receive a prophetic word, test it. As I stated already, all true prophecy points to Jesus. Whether prophesying to the lost, or to the saints, prophecy always points people to Jesus. John even said so much.

So remember, the testimony (or witness) of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Prophecy edifies (builds up), encourages, and consoles (comforts) the saints. Never despise prophecy, test it, hold to it if it is found to be true, reject the bad. 

What is basic, fundamental Christianity?

So what is plain, fundamental, easy to understand and follow Christianity?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:37 NIV)

Jesus gives us rest from all our struggling to earn God's grace and salvation! And He rejects no one thatncomes to Him! With me so far?

This leads us to:

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4, 5 NIV)

This is the true state of basic, fundamental Christianity. Abiding in Jesus. Coming to Him and receiving His rest are just the beginning steps. Abiding is the daily state of blessedness for all believers. it is what God made us in Christ for. To abide in Him and He in us!

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27 NIV)

It's not about formulas and how many do-goods you can do before your time is up. It's about a relationship with Jesus, the One who shed is blood so you can draw near to God.

So how do you abide? It's not in doing good. Nor do you earn the right to abide by how well you behave or how many right deeds you do.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, (Colossians 2:6 NIV)

Just as you received Jesus! You are to continue your life in Him!

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” (Acts 16:31 NIV)

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:23, 24 NIV)

By believing you receive the Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:13-14) by continuing in that state of believing your "fruit" will grow (Galatians 5:22-23) First and foremost is love! 1 Corinthians 13

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 NIV)

So we also see that there is a direct correlation between Him loving us and us loving others. We can do so only because he loved us first and poured out that love into our hearts by giving us the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5)

So basic, fundamental Christianity is to live everyday of your life in utter and complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to you and transform you more and more into the image of His likeness!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5, 6 NIV)

What is the Holy Trinity?

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." 2Co 13:14

The Trinity is a topic of extreme importance. It is not however easily understood. Not that I claim to know how God works within himself, but I felt inspired to attempt to explain so here it goes. My apologies in advance to those of you who are theology majors. (I'm not)

Perhaps the best place to start is:

"And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."" Mat 3:16-17

A clear distinction is made here. Jesus is being baptized, the Holy Spirit is descending, the Father is expressing joy in Jesus.

I want to attempt to explain this from the perspective of Jesus' relationship with the Father and Holy Spirit.

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God." Joh 1:1-2

"I and the Father are one."" Joh 10:30

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation," Col 1:15

"For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ," Col 1:19

Now Jesus is God. He was the visible manifestation of all the Father was and still is. I believe this is because Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly in every matter.

"In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him," Heb 5:7-9

"But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise." Joh 5:17-19

"So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me." Joh 7:16

"So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me." Joh 8:28

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The wordsher that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves." Joh 14:10-11

We can see that Jesus' relationship with the Father was based off His obedience to the Father's will. He obeyed completely in every matter presented before him. This was the basis of Jesus saying the Father was in him and he in the Father. This was made possible by the Holy Spirit.

So what about the Holy Spirit?

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV)

trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. (1 Peter 1:11 NIV)

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9 NIV)

Now the Apostles knew that the Lord and the Spirit were so closely knit together they were

"For He is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God gives Him the Spirit without limit." Joh 3:34
virtually inseparable. Just as Peter said of the Holy Spirit and the Father in Acts 5. The Lord also had a working relationship with the Spirit:

"One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus Himself was baptized. As He was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on Him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "You are My dearly loved Son, and You bring Me great joy. "" Luk 3:21-22

"Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness," Luk 4:1

"Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit's power. Reports about Him spread quickly through the whole region." Luk 4:14

Jesus was limitless in the Holy Spirit. God gave his Son the never ending flow of the Spirit. By this relationship with the Spirit, Jesus was able to carry out perfect obedience to the Father and perform completely every task set before him.

This I believe is the basis for Paul's teaching that Jesus was the exact representation of the Father on earth. The Father worked his works through Jesus as he willed. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were working together in perfect unison; the Father leading Jesus, the Spirit empowering Jesus, Jesus glorifying the Father through the Spirit. It was as if there were just one of them walking and talking on earth, even though there were three distinct personalities.

Now I'm sure I don't do this doctrine justice. I probably missed some scripture references, but I feel this short synapsis captures the essence of the Holy trinity. That three different and distinct persons can be so perfectly united in thought, deed, and will that it is as if there were only one person.

I also believe this model is meant for us too as believers, that Jesus gives us the Spirit to empower us to serve and grant us adoption into the family of God and we in turn take our marching orders from Jesus as revealed by the Spirit

What does the world really need?

Well the obvious answer is Jesus.  But with a church on every street corner, a minister in every neighborhood, things are just not progressing as they should.  Church attendance is down by and large, especially among younger generations, and and social standards are dropping at an alarming rate.

Can you imagine even 20 years ago that (in America at least) things would look as they do now?  I highly doubt it.  So that begs the question, what can we do to right the ship?

More messages won't do... I mean anyone can upload http://www.youtube.com/ and find a message about sin, grace, and Jesus...

More programs won't do... they can go into any secular organization for those and they would probably enjoy those more.

What about love?  Hmmm now there's a thought.  This word love is just a word without any action to it.  Telling someone I love you while beating them down is just empty bellowing.  A tree with leaves.  A car without fuel.  It's useless.

What does the scriptures say about love?

Love is from God, in fact... "God is love." 1 John 4:16 indeed we love only because He loved us first.  1 John 4:19

But what does Christlike love look like?

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Christlike love is God first, others second, myself last.  Yes even I am behind my own enemies.  Remember Jesus prayed for those who put Him on the cross and asked the Father to forgive them, He even kneeled at Judas' feet and washed them.

Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would have them do to you.

It is the attitude that saysif I were hungry but unable to buy my own food, I would someone to give me something to eat.  If I were thristy, I would want a cup of water.  If I were naked or cold, I would want a coat or blanket.  I get the sense Jesus taught this as one of His most profound teachings on the Judgement was this, as found in Matthew 25:

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

[I]40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, [B]you did for me[/B].’[/I]

John, the disciple closest to Jesus, the one most in tune with His heart of compassion and love, explained this even in 1 John 3:

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

There's that idea of sacrifice again.  Others before myself.  The world has people who give love and compassion on those who return the favor to them.  Jesus told us we must go beyond that!

Luke 6:32-34
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

What the world needs is an exhibition of God's love.  The love that conquers the coldest of hearts.  There are many though who profess to love Jesus that you would be better off crossing a rattlesnake in the middle of the Sahara desert.  Surely one who has God's love in them can do better than that.

We must do better.  Not that all of us are that way.  Indeed most who I converse with here seem that you would be very nice people to encounter.  But when we see a fellow believer bad mouth someone, or mistreat them, or use them.  Do we confront the sin?  Or do we let it ride so we can keep a friend?  We all are the body of Christ, we must do what is necessary for the mutual edification of the saints.

James would agree with this...

James 2:1-4
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

I have seen people walk into a church with street clothes on and (I kid you not) all 300 in the congregation gasped at the same time.  Not one millosecond later that individual and his entourage walked right back out.  That is not what Jesus wants from us!

Paul called it being a "living sacrifice".  Dead to ourselves yet alive to God.  Being alive to God means being alive to others.

Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Like the "T" of the cross, the vertical intersects with the horizontal.  How we treat others is a direct reflection of how we love God.

1 John 4:20-21
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

The world needs love.  Jesus' love.  The love that is ours through the indwelling, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Now, I doubt many of us here have "big and important" ministries (whatever that means) I mean we are on CF.  So what's the point?

A man was walking along a deserted beach at sunset. As he walked he could see a young boy in the distance, as he drew nearer he noticed that the boy kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it into the water.
Time and again he kept hurling things into the ocean.

As the man approached even closer, he was able to see that the boy was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time he was throwing them back into the water.

The man asked the boy what he was doing, the boy replied,"I am throwing these washed up starfish back into the ocean, or else they will die through lack of oxygen. "But", said the man, "You can't possibly save them all, there are thousands on this beach, and this must be happening on hundreds of beaches along the coast. You can't possibly make a difference."
The boy looked down, frowning for a moment; then bent down to pick up another starfish, smiling as he threw it back into the sea. He replied,


"I made a huge difference to that one!"

Making a difference, no matter how small at first.  Ripples in the water are always small when first struck, and yet notice how they grow!  So perhaps one person doesn't make a big difference in the grand scheme of 7 billion people.  But you never know, and just one to Jesus is the equivalent of the whole.

As you go throughout your daily routine, just ask the Holy Spirit to show you someone He can love on through you!  Look for chances to show Christ's love.  If He asks you to lay hands on someone, do it.  If He asks you to give a dollar, or pound, or whatever, do it.  If He asks you to sacrifice yourself for someone else, do it.  Remember Jesus did for you.  I will comply myself with this and together we can become what Jesus died to make the church, His very body here on Earth.

God bless you!

Where does guilt come from?

Where does the remembrance of sin along with guilt and shame come from?

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (Revelation 12:10, 12 ESV)

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. (Zechariah 3:1 ESV)

Satan clearly is the one that accuses us and reminds us of our sin.

God said He would never remember our sins again, completely forgiven.

as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12 ESV)

Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. (Isaiah 38:17 ESV)

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25 ESV)

He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19 ESV)

When you are reminded of how sinful you are/were that is Satan coming at you... Not God making you feel bad for your past. God justified all who believe completely, set us free from our sins, imputed His righteousness to us in Jesus who lives in us. So we should not allow ourselves to dwell on our past and sin, but rather on our place in Christ. (Romans 8:5-8, 15-17; Col 3:1-3; Phil 4:8; 2 Cor 10:5)

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:5, 6, 15-17 ESV)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

What are you thinking about (2)?

Roman 6:11 NIV In the same way, count [logizomai] yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

logizomai: to reckon, to consider
Original Word: λογίζομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: logizomai
Phonetic Spelling: (log-id'-zom-ahee)
Short Definition: I reckon, count, decide
Definition: I reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose.
HELPS Word-studies
3049 logízomai (the root of the English terms "logic, logical") – properly, compute, "take into account"; reckon (come to a "bottom-line"), i.e. reason to a logical conclusion (decision).

What you say is reckoning (taken from Romans 6:11) is the Greek word logizomai (Greek 3049), which as shown above is a verb (ACTION) meaning to reason to a logical conclusion. In other words it's a thought process in which one person considers all the possible solutions and comes to the logical conclusion.

Romans 8:5-8
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

Those who live in the flesh have their minds set on the flesh, those who live in the Spirit have their minds set on the Spirit and His desires.

Phil 4:8
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Romans 12:2
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Cor 10:5
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Look at how many times Paul talks about the Christian thought process and how important it is to the actions of the believer. It's fact that what we dwell on affects our actions. Paul even tells us WHY we should set our minds and thoughts upon heavenly, Spiritual things...

Colo 3:1-3
3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

For you died, died, as in past tense, already happened.... Hmmm now where does that sound familiar?

Romans 6:1-11
6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count [reckon, logizomai] yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

When we decided to follow Jesus and believed, we died instantly with Him. No longer slaves to sin, that has already happened...

It's like a person with a million dollars in their bank account but not knowing about it. They are millionaires even though they don't know it. What they need is the knowledge of what they have. Telling them how poor and miserable they are isn't going to help them see they have vast riches stored away just waiting on them to get it. Telling them how to go down to the bank to get what's theirs will.

That's what I'm saying, Christ has ALREADY gave us the victory. He has already set us free. If we are slaves to sin, it is a mental thing only. Not a physical reality! Paul gives us the means by which to free those in such a state. Satan's last means by which to keep believers enslaved is to make them believe they are slaves still and worst yet, must work their way to complete their salvation. I believe the Galatians were falling for this lie, and perhaps some here teach this heresy.

It is not complicated, but again that's a CF norm, complicated theology that makes individuals seem knowledgable and religious.

You can keep it. God says dwell on Him and what He desires and He will set all things as they should be. Let His love, power, and grace flow through your heart to your mind and through you as a person in your actions and words.... That is the "means" by which people are to be freed... but wait, they already have been. You merely have to set your mind on it....

To simple to be true right?

You are gods!

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? (John 10:34-36 NIV)

Now the Son of God called the Jews "gods" because they had received the scriptures only, what is He talking about?

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11 NIV)

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-9, 11 NIV)

By the word of the Lord, the scriptures, comes a knowledge of righteousness and holiness. Don't misunderstand, these things do not come by the scriptures themselves only a knowledge of them. IOW, how we can be made holy and righteous.

So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, (Galatians 3:24-26 NIV)

Now we see Paul referring to the Law as a guardian that was designed to lead us to Christ who is himself our righteousness, means of holiness, and redeemer. (1 Cor 1:30) The law and scriptures were always designed to lead us to faith in God and His means of righteousness.

This is what Jesus is saying to us today; You are gods....

In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:17, 18 NIV)

“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” (John 10:33 NIV)

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:13 NIV)

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:14-17 NIV)

Now scriptures are clear, all who believe in Jesus have the Spirit of adoption in them, making them children of God. If children then we too have the right to call God our Father and indeed we do and should for that's what He is. Like Jesus, if we claim God as our Father, then we too make ourselves equal to Him.

Indeed being "born again" we have the very Spirit and nature of God within us.  That is why I say or rather repeat as Jesus did, you are gods. Because you are made in the very likeness of God your Father. Holy, Righteous, Redeemed....

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27 NIV)

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Romans 6:4, 6, 7, 18, 22 NIV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

This new birth in the Holy Spirit, the spirit of adoption making us children of God leads us to the very nature of God. So when Jesus Himself says things like:

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12 NIV)

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. (Mark 11:22, 23 NIV)

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:8 NIV)

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17, 18 NIV)

HE REALLY MEANT IT! If you as a believer, a child of God, have doubted the power within, step out full of grace and power through the Spirit and walk in the fullness of the life God gave you.

What will it look like? Ask the Spirit to reveal His work to you...

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. By myself I can do nothing; (John 5:19, 20, 30 NIV)

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. (John 7:16 NIV)

“But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. (John 8:26-28 NIV)

but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” (John 10:32 NIV)

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (John 14:10 NIV)

for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13 NIV)

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV)

To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:29 NIV)

What the Father works in me will not be what He works in you. Stop asking Him to be like someone else and be who He created you in Christ Jesus to be!
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,(1 Corinthians 1:30 NIV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 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 people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 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. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NIV)

According to 1 Corinthians 12, God places us exactly where He wants us and we each have a different calling, but no one has any less power or anointing than the other.
But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:18-20, 28, 29, 31 NIV)

This in fact is your reality as a child of God. He lives in you to work His purpose in you. If salvation began with Him and not you, and He revealed Jesus to you when He wanted to:

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. (Galatians 1:15, 16 NIV)

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” (John 6:37, 39, 44, 65 NIV)

Then surely the work He created you for (Eph 2:10) must wait until He reveals it and works it in you. Wait on Him! Let Him work His purpose in you! Indeed that's all we can do, Jesus said without Him we could do nothing!

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4, 5 NIV)

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3 NIV)

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14 NIV)

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. (Psalm 40:1 NIV)

Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God. (Psalm 38:15 NIV)

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. (Psalm 37:7-9, 34 ESV)

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:24-26 NIV)

Oh Lord! I am yours and you are mine! I love you! I wait for you to fulfill your purpose in me! Thank you for putting your Spirit in me! For making me pure, holy, and righteousness! Not by my own works, but by your grace! I am nothing without you! Fulfill your good pleasure in me oh Lord!

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Last edited by onlybygrace84; 24th April 2014 at 11:22 AM.

Follow Jesus (the way of love)

Mar 1:17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

Luk 9:23 And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

1Co 14:1 Follow the way of love...

Jesus said for us to follow Him we must deny ourselves first then take up our cross. Sounds a lot like the Christlike love we are all to have:

Joh 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Joh 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Matt 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you...

1Jn 3:16-18 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1Co 13:4-8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (Deny yourself)

Jesus even told us the ultimate expression of love is to surrender one's life for someone else, just as He did.

Joh 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (Take up your cross)

Now Jesus in Mark 1:17 said to follow Him and He would make us fishers of men. He will make us fruitful in His service.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Abiding in Him/Following Him; what does that look like? We have already discussed love and it's application.

1Jn 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Believe and love. The two are virtually synonymous though, for love comes naturally from genuine belief.

Believe (Gr 4100 pisteuo, verb) is the action of faith (Gr 4102 pistis, noun). It is being like Jesus and living like Him: BE-LIVE/BELIEVE.

1Jn 4:16-17 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

1Jn 2:6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

To abide in Jesus, to follow Him and bear fruit, all one must do is believe. Love will flow naturally from that!

Joh 7:38-39 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Eph 1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Rom 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Col 2:6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Lord yourself to us so that we know you better. Empower us to love others as you love us Jesus!

God hates you and will reject you! (NOT!!!)

Nah, I'm just playing with the title, but I got your attention didn't I? Well going with the trend recently of condemning threads saying unless you are completely perfect in thought, deed, and word you are damned forever, I thought this would be appropriate...

19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Those are the words of Jesus in one of His most famous and well known parables (The Prodigal Son) as recorded in Luke 15, I cut most out for the sake of brevity. What is something we can learn from this parable? The boy made mistakes, and even in the midst of incredible transgression, his father was full of compassion for him. Not only was he compassionate towards him:

1.) he was LOOKING for him to return
2.) he ran towards the son, and didn't wait for the son to come to him
3.) he was AFFECTIONATE towards his son

He COMPLETELY took his son in.... His son was willing to relinquish his sonship just to have a place to stay, but the father would have NONE of it, choosing instead to reinstate his son to a position of honor in his house and celebrating! There is no condemnation there! The Father didn't say, Get out of my sight you have offended me, He said My son (my child) was lost, and now is found!

In another parable, in the SAME chapter (Luke 15), Jesus said He would search for His sheep that had wondered astray until He found them! So that none would be lost! Sounds eerily familiar with what Jesus said in John 6:39, "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." Jesus is our Shepherd (John 10) after all right. We belong to Him and He said He would never lose us or cast us out! John 6:37 In fact Jesus made it incredibly simple to understand:

John 6:47
Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.

Yes, sin grieves God's heart. It's not okay to live in unrighteousness... The punishment for doing so does not result in damnation as a child of God though. Paul himself described this in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 in that even if we have no works of righteousness to present to Jesus on that Day, we will be saved! Why? Because He can not deny Himself! (2 Tim 2:13) He placed His seal on us! Ephesians 1:13-14 A seal in ancient times secured the item of which it was fixed to until that item was in the possession of the individual it was addressed to.... Since we were sealed with the Holy Spirit, who GUARANTEES our inheritance in Christ, we can not be lost, in the sense of being damned with the world....

Even Paul when describing the wrongful practice of the Lord's Supper in the Corinthian church said something profound in this sense in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32. Paul says those who partake of communion unworthily are guilty of Christ's blood! Wow, talk about a sin among sins! BUT how does he finish the instruction to the carnal Corinthians?

Those who do partake of the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner were disciplined by the Lord so that they would NOT be condemned with the world! So surely if those who were found guilty of Christ's blood and yet still considered in Christ could not be condemned, how in the world can any of us find a way to be expelled from the love of the Father? Romans 8:33-39 NOTHING can seperate you or me from God's love! Nothing, nothing nothing!

When you sin, confess your sin and receive forgiveness! 1 John 1:9

He won't remember your sins once He forgives them! (Isaiah 43:25) and He will seperate you from your sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) He does not hate you for sinning, He does not disown you because you make a mistake. Why oh why do those of you who spread such garbage doctrine think that is okay? When we were born again, born from above (John 3:3-7) we were given Christ's very nature! (Colossians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 2:16) Does the old nature have power and rule over the new nature? NO!

It is written!

Greater is He that is IN you than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4)

EVERYONE born of God (who believes in Jesus 1 John 5:1) overcomes the world! (1 John 5:4)

Sure some struggle intensely with sin.... In fact some of you who spread such things have testified that you fought sin for years before you were freed. And yet you admit that you did not free yourself, but rather God freed you! So why in the world do you teach that we must free ourselves from sin, we must overcome as if it's something done in our own power.

Yes 1 John 5:18 says those born of God do not continue to sin... But if Paul can admit that he dealt with sin and was not yet perfect entirely (Romans 7; Philippians 3:13) then surely there is a great deal of discernment and spiritual understanding needed for such interpretation. I think John was speaking of those born of God being free from the power of sin, not being subject to obey sin because we have the power to overcome, because again, John starts his First Epistle by saying if we sin, confess and be forgiven! God loves His children with a love that none of us can completely understand! He wants us to depend ENTIRELY upon Him for all that we need and need to do.

I'll close with this prayer of Paul to the Ephesian church:

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

What is a watchman?

John 5:19, Jesus gave them this answer: "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he SEES his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."

There's been A LOT of quibble here lately over exactly what a watchman is in the church and what there function should be. Now in line with my other thread about controversial church titles and ministries, I post this here for everyone's viewing and reading pleasure (or displeasure).

Jesus taught in several places in John about how He did only what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19, 30, 6:38) and spoke what the Father told Him (John 5:30, 8:28, 12:49-50, 14:10)

Now Jesus in John 14:10 says to His disciples in the Upper Room:

Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

This goes DIRECTLY in line with 1 John 3:24, "The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."

Those who keep God's commands, He lives in them as they live in Him. And what are God's commands? Well John answers that in verse 23, the previous verse:

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

Now I've answered the love portion in other threads here much to the dismay of others. Pretty much in a nutshell, to keep this OP as short as possible, as you continue in your belief in Christ, you walk with Him, as you walk with Him you begin to mature in the fruit of the Spirit (John 15:4-6; 1 John 3:23-24; Colossians 2:6-7; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:16-25) So believe, walk, love.... Thus fulfilling the 2 commands of God in 1 John 3:23-24.

Back to John 14:10, Jesus said that His works verified His status in the Father and that the Father was in Him. Works that Jesus attested were only done as He saw them or words that were only spoken as He heard them.

Is this not what a watchman is? Someone who stands guard over others and looks out for events and listens for any noise. Perhaps this is the definition of a NT watchman, someone who watches for the Father to move and then moves along with Him and listens for the Father to speak and speaks what they hear.

Now perhaps some will take this and run with the sin message, I'm not going to whitewash all Christians as if we are all perfect, none of us are completely YET. But proclaiming sin sin sin is not what I'm speaking of.

How can the Father constantly bicker us about our sin when we are the very righteousness of Himself in Christ? That makes no sense at all!

He forgave all our sin in Christ (Colossians 2:13-14; Acts 13:38-39) and He told those in the OLD COVENANT, a covenant secured by the blood of goats, bulls, and lambs (Hebrews 10:1-11) that He would separate them from their sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) and that He would cast their sin into the deepest sea (Micah 7:19) and would NEVER remember them (Isaiah 43:25), surely He would do more so for us, in the NEW COVENANT, a covenant secured and purchased FOREVER by the very blood of God Himself! Hallelujah!

Rather, I think a watchman can very well be a vague label for an evangelist, or an apostle, or even a prophet. Perhaps more so a prophet than the others going by Ezekiel's ministry in the OT, but the possibilities are there. But his duties I think are clear. To wait upon the Lord (Ps 62:1, 5; Ps 27:7-8, 14; Ps 37:7; Ps 25:3-5) and when He acts or speaks, we do as He does. That I believe is the calling and duties of a NT watchman.

What is the New Nature?

The New Nature

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(All scripture quoted from the NIV unless otherwise noted)

Romans 5:17-19
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Here Paul compares the old man and nature (that which is in Adam, in the flesh) to the new man and nature (that which is in Jesus, in the Spirit).

The old brings death, sin, and condemnation.
The new brings life, righteousness, and justification.

What is a nature though? Nature as defined by (Dictionary)

9. the instincts or inherent tendencies directing conduct: a man of good nature.
10. character, kind, or sort: two books of the same nature.
11. characteristic disposition; temperament: a self-willed nature; an evil nature.

Instincts, disposition, temperament, etc.

A lion kills because that is it's nature, it MUST kill to survive. No one calls a lion a murderer because it takes life, we know that nature dictates that a lion must take life. That is it's nature.

A light shines because that is it's nature! Lights can not give off darkness. Even when they are broke, lights don't shine darkness. Lights by nature shine and illuminate things.

When we were in our old nature, we were sinners, naturally. It's what we did!

Romans 7:18
For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

Romans 7:25
in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Psalm 51:5 NLT
For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

Ephesians 2:1-3
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Psalm 58:3
Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward.

Job 14:4
Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one!

Because of our NATURE from the moment we were born, that which we inherited from Adam, we were dead, we were enemies of God because of our NATURE. You didn't have to think about sin, to sin, you were in sin just by nature.

Likewise once a person is in Christ, they have a NEW NATURE! They are no longer dead, filthy, or sinners. God declares them righteous by the blood of His Son, Jesus!

Romans 7:24-25
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

John 3:3-7
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

Ephesians 2:4-7
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Does the Holy Spirit give birth to imperfection?! If you preach that we as regenerated believers can fall from grace because of sin, then you do. That is the fact. We are given a new nature when we believe!

The new nature leads us to live in righteousness just as Jesus is righteous.

1 Corinthians 2:16
We have the mind of Christ

Colossians 1:27
Christ IN you, the hope of glory!

Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Ephesians 1:13-14
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit GUARANTEEING our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

God put Himself in you when you believed! It was not a work of your flesh, it was not a reward for being righteous! (Ephesians 2:8-9) So how in the world can you work and perform anything to help God secure what He Himself has already done?! You can't! He secures those who by FAITH ALONE abide in Him. There is nothing that the flesh can do to help this!

John 6:63 NLT
The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing.

By the new nature that was birthed within you at the moment you believed, you resist sin. You died at that moment to your old nature! You were identified with Christ and His death so that you would be raised with Him to new life, the NEW NATURE!

Romans 6:3
all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death

Romans 6:6-7
we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6:14
sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:18
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Do not look at this message as me proclaiming, once in Christ a person can sin freely. God forbid I should say that lest I be found sharing a false gospel. I am proclaiming to all who read this that in the New Nature I am incompatible with sin, I am no longer subject to my flesh and it's desires. I am dead to it! Completely unresponsive to that which at one time made me an enemy to the Most High.

Should I give in to my old nature at any point and commit transgression, my new nature does not cease to exist. The old is not more powerful than the new!

1 John 4:4
GREATER is He that is IN YOU, than he that is in the world!

HALLELUJAH! MY GOD IS GREATER!

Praise the Lord you are New in Him! You must accept this and believe! Only believe! That is ALL Jesus wants from us! To believe that He is able to do all things through us!

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me.

1 John 3:23-24
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

John 6:28-29
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

John 6:47
Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.

The one who BELIEVES (no other stipulation there) HAS eternal life!

John 5:24
"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Those who believe will NOT be judged but HAVE ALREADY (past tense, it's ALREADY happened) crossed from death to life!

Luke 7:36-38, 44-5036 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them... 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
This story I want to use as an example. This woman was a known sinner, who by the Lord's own admission had committed MANY sins. If anyone in this room deserved condemnation it was her. Yet what did Jesus tell her? Her FAITH had saved her and led to her sins being forgiven.

Now note this, and please do not miss this: She had a work here in which she could claim was something to boast of. In fact, the work was done for Jesus Himself. She wiped His feet with her very hair, poured EXPENSIVE perfume all over His head, and yet Jesus makes NO MENTION of these works having anything at all to do with her salvation. Instead her faith had saved her.

These works she had done for Jesus were a natural out flowing of the love she had for Jesus because she was forgiven and knew it. She believed Jesus when He said "Your sins are forgiven." Perhaps she had heard Him say it before, I don't know, but she was forgiven before she entered that room for Jesus said her works were just an expression of her heart before Him; a natural out flowing of the love she had for Jesus because she knew she was a sinner who had been forgiven of much.

No doctrine there, no well this is what she had to do, it was an honest expression that Jesus noticed and yet still said that her faith alone was what saved her.

Just believe! Only believe! You must believe! It's what you were born for!

All glory to Him who loves us and had freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us! All glory, power, dominion and praise be to You Jesus forever and ever. Amen! HALLELUJAH!