Month: July 2015

Repentance / Atonement

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I’d like to write about an email conversation I had with a retired pastor recently.  In that conversation he made know to me that he had a grandson in prison (his offense I do not know) who was not only unsaved; he was (and this is that pastors own word) INELIGIBLE for salvation because he was unrepentant of his sins in his heart.  I sent that pastor scripture after scripture but could not alter his belief.  How horrible the results of scriptural confusion.  No man alive on earth is ineligible for the cross-work of Christ.  Repentance prior to salvation is a work and we today are not saved by our works, but by God’s unmerited, undeserved favor (grace) alone.  We do NOT deserve to be saved, but God loves His creation enough (and has future plans for it as well) to do it anyway.

Romans 5:8… “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.“ 

What a beautiful single verse gospel presentation!  Note carefully that Paul writes “while we were YET sinners” that Christ died for us.  This verse does not say that because we were repentant sinners, Christ died.  It says while we were actively sinning, Christ died.  We saw in Walk Worthy part 7, that Israel was commanded to repent (and to be baptized in water) by both John the baptist, Peter and the prophets.  Lets recap quickly via the prophet…

Zechariah 1:2-4… “The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers.  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.  Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord.”

Question:  How was a heathen like me, a stranger to the covenants and promises God made to Israel (Ephesians 2:12), to know anything at all of repentance of my sins; turning from my evil ways; not to mention anything at all about the Lord Himself without anyone telling me?  Neither the prophets, John the baptist, Peter and the 11 or Christ Himself ever left Jerusalem to spread repentance or the gospel of the Kingdom.  They remained in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:9).  The Kingdom was postponed due to Israel’s lack of belief in their Messiah.  The “great commission” remains unfulfilled by Israel (and it is NOT ours to go and do).  Praise God that He called Paul from His glorified place in Heaven, that Paul could tell me that while I was YET a sinner, Christ died for me!  I was not a “friend” to Christ in my sins.  Let’s continue on with Paul’s words in:

Romans 5:9-10… “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Notice carefully the verse states that when we were ENEMIES of God, Christ died for us.  Christ told the twelve that He was dying for His friends.

John 15:13… “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  And that’s what Israel’s Messiah went and did.  He died for His friends and His friends were those who did whatsoever He commanded them (John 15:14).  They repented and got baptized.  That was prophesied since the world began.  That Christ was dying for His enemies was kept secret since the world began and this information was revealed only to the Apostle Paul.  And that is not all, as Paul continues:

Romans 5:11… “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

Paul says that we (believers today) have NOW received the atonement.  That is the only location in the “NT” that the word atonement is used.  I like to break the word apart to see what it means: atonement… AtOneMent… At – One – Ment… we are now, as saved Christians, “at one” with God.  How does Webster define the word?

Atonement: 1) Agreement; concord; reconciliation after enmity or controversy.  2) Expiation; satisfaction or reparation made by giving equivalent for an injury or by doing or suffering that which is received in satisfaction for an offense or injury; with for.

Christ died for my sin.  I am atoned for.  Sin is not my problem.

We know what God says about reconciliation… He has reconciled Himself to the world and is now waiting gracefully for individuals to reconcile themselves to Him (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).  Therefore if an unsaved person, completely unaware of what God in Christ has ALREADY (past tense) done on his behalf; hears the gospel of his salvation (Christ died for his sin – Romans 5:8 above) and simply comes to believe the same; I ask, what role does the repentance of his sins play in that belief?  The natural response to hearing such amazing news is simply to say THANK YOU LORD!  Repentance will very likely set in shortly thereafter…

Before I place an even finer point on this, let me say right up front that any man, woman or child alive today, no matter his race, creed or religion, can simply believe this gospel and receive eternal life in an instant.  Gods grace is free!  Christ died for ALL men everywhere as Paul ALONE reveals in Holy Scripture.  But, you ask, “did not John say the same thing in 3:16?”  NO HE DID NOT.  At that time the WHOLE WORLD still had to approach the nation Israel (Christ’s “friends”) for salvation.  Gentile salvation was by way of Israel (Genesis 12:1-3).  The nation Israel WAS to be (WILL someday be) the channel of blessing from God to the whole world.  It is why they were formed (see: Why Israel?).  The prophet speaks of the 1,000 reign of Christ on earth in…

Zechariah 8:22… “Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.”

This is NOT happening today… Israel is mostly hated throughout the world.  They are as evil as the USA or any other nation on earth, though they wield tremendous influence over many earthly affairs.  God did give His Son that the whole world could attain salvation, but at that time (John 3:16) free grace was absolutely unknown.  Believing “in Him” does not save a man today as it did for Israel; but believing in what He did (died for his sins – mystery kept secret), does.  Good news for Israel (gospel of circumcision – believe “in Him”) and good news for heathen (gospel of uncircumcision – believe what He could do and did).  Two gospels (Galatians 2:7).

If Paul goes out of his way to say that we believers today have NOW received the atonement, that implies that someone else has not yet received it.  That someone else is Israel.  As the Kingdom is postponed, Israel has not yet received her atonement.  National Israel is NOT “at one” today with their Creator God. They missed their Messiah.  Let me say again specifically… any Jewish person alive today can be saved by Gods free grace; Paul’s gospel in Christ Jesus.  Any Jewish person alive today who is waiting for the first coming of his “messiah” (this is almost every Jew alive today – it’s what defines them as a people) is waiting for anti-christ to make his appearance on the world stage, and they will believe that anti-christ is god because anti-christ said he would be like God (Isaiah 14:12-15) and has most of the world fooled already.

When does Israel receive her atonement?  Why MUST they repent (and we not)?  They yet have sin to repent of.  The Kingdom is no longer “at hand”.  Grace is at hand.  The Kingdom (1,000 years long) will be offered again after Gods wrath is poured out on the world when Christ’s enemies (those NOT saved by grace) are destroyed, and He claims His throne.  Follow…

Peter preaches a murder indictment to Israel in:

Acts 2:22-24, 36… “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Those who were gathered and heard the Holy Ghost speak thusly through Peter had this response:

Acts 2:37… “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

They said “oh no, we screwed up, now what do we do?”  Peter answers:

Acts 2:38… “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Note carefully that remission is NOT forgiveness.  Remission is temporary.  Cancer goes into remission.  Sin is soul cancer.  Peter softens the murder charge to “manslaughter” and further clarifies Gods position to another group of Jews in…

Acts 3:17-21… “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.  But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”

These are some of the most important words spoken during the time when the Kingdom was “at hand”.  Let us dissect them carefully.  Peter (the Holy Ghost) commands that they (those Jews gathered) repent so that their sins could be “blotted out”.  Blotted out is wiped clean, forgiven totally (as ours are today – the atonement complete), not simply remitted.  When does this occur for them?  AFTER repentance “when the times of refreshing come”.  When are the times of refreshing?  When the Lord shows up for the second time… “from the presence of the Lord” (who is currently ascended into heaven and seated at Gods right hand) when God the Father returns Christ Jesus in wrath.  And when does that occur?  AFTER “the times of restitution of all things”, that is AFTER God judges this world of its sin cancer.  After the dispensation of free grace is through.

Note very well that Paul is not yet on the scene and therefore the dispensation of grace is as of yet unrevealed and therefore unknown to anyone, even the angels.

Israels atonement comes at the time of the restitution of all things… that is, Christ’s return (second coming) to earth to claim His rightful throne in Jerusalem.  Israel has not yet been made “at one” with God because they failed to see their Messiah.  One last time… any Jewish person today is free and highly encouraged to recognize that Christ died for their sins (all of them) and accept God’s gift of free grace without any further hesitation.  Paul went to the Jews always first… yet they always wanted to kill him because he took their authority away.  Gentiles no longer had to get to God through them.  Do not wait to go through the great tribulation that is fast approaching the unbelieving, unsaved world.  God has made a new way also written in the blood of Christ which has nothing to do with the promises God the Father made to Israel’s fathers.

People today are not saved the way Israel was saved 2,015+ years ago.  I don’t know how much longer God will be so longsuffering with the world.

Sin today is NOT the issue.  We are forgiven ALL trespasses through Christ (Colossians 2:13).  God made Christ to BE sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).  This was completely unknown to Israel and also the angels (1 Corinthians 2:8).  Today there is no sin to repent of.  Sin was destroyed completely by God on Christ’s cross.  The penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  Christ was made to be sin.  God forsook sin (Mark 15:34) and killed sin on that cross (Mark 15:37).  We only know that by way of Pauline hindsight.  Those who were alive during that crucifixion had no idea what God was about to do in beginning the 2,015+ year dispensation of free grace.

Peter WAS aware of these prophetic words however as Paul’s dispensation was dawning on him…

Zechariah 12:10… “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

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

…and spoke these words, his last in the book of Acts…

Acts 15:11… “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”

He says; “shall be saved”.  That is future tense.  The future, when Israel looks upon the One whom they pierced, in mourning and repentance.

Why must Israel constantly repent?  Why does John say…

1 John 1:9… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

…because their sins are not yet forgiven, just remitted.  This, for the same reason Jesus taught them to pray, “…give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…”  If they don’t forgive, they will not be forgiven.  Fortunately, they will be Holy Spirit empowered to forgive.  They will be forgiven completely, made to be “at one” with God (atoned), when Christ sits on His rightful throne.  He is not there today.

I am in a constant state of amazement how supposed Bible believers and professing Christians can read these words and still place themselves under the bondage Israel was under.  They do not comprehend the grace that was given unto Paul to give to the world.  We don’t follow Peter (catholics and protestants – you are both wrong), we follow Paul.  Believers today are AT ONE with God through no effort or merit whatsoever of their own.  God has done it all.  If you, dear reader, do not realize this most simple fact, you are not saved… you are not yet a Christian though you profess to know Christ.  If you are repenting of your sins, you are not aware that God has forgiven you ALL your sins and your very sin nature.  This is the gospel for today.  Christ died for your sins.  You are forgiven all trespasses.  That is the free gift of God which a man must receive.  Believe it, and be saved today.  Amen.

That pastors grandson will not hear the gospel of his salvation from his grandfather because that pastor does not understand the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus as Paul describes in amazing detail throughout 13 Biblical epistles.  The epistles written directly to people today.  Being a retired pastor, he would have to come to immediate terms with the fact that he had been wrong about salvation for his entire “career” and has misled countless numbers of people.  That is a horrible realization.  He is FAR from alone however.  ALL psudo-christian-religion stands with him.  Is it not however, better to realize error now and be able to correct at least some of its results?  Only mans pride stands in the way.  God will make all things manifest in His time however.  Oh, the shame that man will feel… all for lack of literally believing Gods Word.

Next Post… “Sin and the Law (rightful liberty).“

Walk Worthy, part 7 (as we ought).

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I believe I have come to the end (at least for now) of the Walk Worthy series of writings.  Long time coming  🙂  We as believers in this dispensation of God’s free grace are called to a vocation, an ambassadorship, while we exist here in this earthly vapor (James 4:14).  Paul, again and again, exhorts us to walk worthy, specifically because of what God in Christ has “worked” on our behalf.  By now we know for certain that our salvation is not by any works we have done; that being under the law brought us only to the knowledge of our sin condition and worked death in us, as the penalty of sin is death.

Romans 7:5… “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.”

We who are saved into the body of Christ have believed and trusted the glorious gospel of Christ; and thus sin and the law have no dominion over us.

Romans 6:14… “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Romans 6:17-18… “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

We are now the servants of righteousness, no matter how we act here in this world.  As our good works do not gain us favor with God, nor our evil works can separate us from God.

Romans 8:38:39… “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our salvation in Christ, the cross-work of Christ, has made us such.  We are absolutely and perfectly complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).  The law has come to a temporary end.  Christ has nailed the law, the old covenant, to His cross…

Colossians 2:14… “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;”

…in favor of the new covenant for Israel; and absolute liberty and freedom for those in the body of Christ (Galatians 5:1).  Let’s examine that a bit more closely as I AM saying that the body of Christ is NOT a part of the new covenant (and that will sound strange to most).  To Israel, the new covenant is written in Christ’s blood and put into effect at His death.  The writer of Hebrews (God) says to the Hebrew believers:

Hebrews 9:15-17… “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.”

The new covenant states that no longer will Israel have to attempt to rely on themselves in the following of the law to “become” righteous as they did in time past (Deuteronomy 6:25); but that God will “write the law in their minds and hearts” by way of Holy Spirit empowerment, that they will be made able by God to follow His law perfectly!  The law in all its perfection will return with the return of Gods Israel.

Hebrews 8:8-11… “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued NOT in my covenant, and I regarded them NOT, saith the Lord.  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will PUT my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, from the least to the greatest.”  See also Jeremiah 31:31.

We see this beginning to take place in the early Acts period in the Jerusalem church.  Amazing things were taking place because of that Holy Spirit empowerment!  Yet, when national Israel ultimately failed to recognize their prophesied Messiah, God cast them temporarily aside (Hosea 1:9-10, Romans 9:25-26) and called the Apostle Paul to try to talk some sense into them; AND to reach out to the heathen, whom were left without any pathway to God in the world by Israel’s apostasy and their blaspheming (rejection) of the Holy Spirit, whose work was made manifest to them in myriad signs and wonders committed by the twelve Apostles AND Paul.  Indeed, so severe was the law program and the following of commandments that if Israel did not “bring forth fruit” (ultimately, converts (repentant’s) to the Christ of Israel – God) they would be cast into hell.  John (the greatest prophet – Luke 7:28) says to Israel in:

Luke 3:7-9… “Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth NOT forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Praise God that we are not under such covenant agreements!  Should I, in my current ambassadorship, NOT bring forth fruit, I do NOT have hell to fear, but lack of reward.  Paul speaks to us, the body of Christ, in:

1 Corinthians 3:14-15… “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

We will all (all those saved by Paul’s gospel of grace) be purified by this saving, cleansing “baptismal” fire at the judgement seat of Christ after we perish from this world.  But no matter our effectiveness here (as we are all different), we shall be with Him in eternity simply because we obeyed that form of doctrine, the gospel as revealed unto Paul.  Amen.

As one saved by grace and come unto the knowledge of the truth of all Christ has done on my behalf; and seeing that I am NOT under the law, how OUGHT I to walk (not, MUST I walk) in order to bring forth fruit (or converts, believers) to the Christ, NOT of Israel and the law (who will return someday in wrath and vengeance) but in this period of grace and reconciliation to the whole world (2 Corinthians 5:19)?  The differences in the aspects of Christ to these two groups (1: Nation Israel/Gentile nations and, 2: body of Christ, neither Jew nor Gentile) is as different as the effect of the law versus the effect of grace upon a man.

Romans 7:6… “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”

Grace is an “inside out” transformation of a man, while the law has an “outside in” effect.  Coming to realize what God in Christ has done (through Bible study), a man begins to allow the Holy Spirit to work within himself and starts to desire internally to serve his Lord.  While the law commanded that “ye must“, grace says “ye ought“…!  Desire comes from within and the law comes from without.  We serve in newness of spirit and NOT by the letter of the law!

Jesus says to Israel in Matthew 6:15… “But IF ye forgive NOT men their trespasses, NEITHER will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  Outside – in.  Law commands.

While Christ through Paul says to the body in 2 Corinthians 2:7… “So that contrariwise ye OUGHT rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.”  Inside – out.  Grace compels.

Such is a rather stunning difference, no?  How do we (the body of Christ) “get away” with such?  We are completely forgiven of course!

Colossians 2:13… “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your fleas, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you ALL trespasses.”

How else does Paul say we OUGHT to be engaged with the world?

1 Thessalonians 4:1… “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.”

As we have received the gospel of our salvation from Paul, to please God today, we ought to follow him!

2 Thessalonians 3:7… “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

We ought to work for a living.  Why would Paul say such a thing to these otherwise very faithful Thessalonian believers?  Lets examine what Jesus told His earthly followers, Israel.

Matthew 6:31-33… “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

These men did not have to concern themselves with necessities such as food.  As God fed the church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38) with mana from heaven, so too did He miraculously feed the multitudes of Israel with bread and fish.  If these men would seek first the Kingdom of heaven, which was Christ among them (Luke 17:20-21), their father in heaven would miraculously provide them their daily requirements of food, water and clothing!  God is not working in this way with believers today… today we must work if we desire to continue to exist.

Paul says the stronger brother in the faith ought to bear the weaker brothers infirmities.

Romans 15:1… “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

WE OUGHT TO SPEAK THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST…

Ephesians 6:19-20… “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Colossians 4:2-4… “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;  Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

How SHOULD we behave ourselves?

We should walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).

We should not serve sin (Rom 6:6).

We SHOULD NOT be ignorant of the mystery (Rom 11:25).

No flesh should glory in His presence (1 Cor 1:29).

Our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1 Cor 2:5).

He that preaches the gospel should live of the gospel (1 Cor 9:14).

We should keep under our sinful bodies and bring them under subjection (1 Cor 9:27).

We should not lust after evil things (1 Cor 10:6).

We should not have fellowship with devils (1 Cor 10:20).

We should care for one another (1 Cor 12:25).

We should not trust in ourselves (2 Cor 1:9).

We should not live unto ourselves but unto Christ (2 Cor 5:15).

Our minds should not be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor 11:3).

We should do that which is honest (2 Cor 13:7).

We should please God and not men (Gal 1:10).

We should remember the poor (Gal 2:10).

We should obey the truth (Gal 3:1).

We should glory only in the cross of Christ (Gal 6:14).

We should be (are) holy and without blame (Eph 1:4).

We should be (are) to the praise of His glory (Eph 1:12).

We should not boast in ourselves (Eph 2:9).

We should walk in good works (Eph 2:10).

We should be (are) fellowheirs with Christ (Eph 3:6).

We should understand Paul’s estate (Phil 1:12).

No man should beguile us with enticing words (Col 2:4).

We should suffer tribulation in this world (1 Thes 3:4).

We should abstain from fornication (1 Thes 4:3).

We should know how to possess ourselves in honor (1 Thes 4:4).

We should (will) live together with Him (1 Thes 5:10).

We should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12).

We should be: “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from ALL iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”  Titus 2:13-14

This, my brothers and sisters, is not a comprehensive list of all the things Paul would have us do.  I don’t think such is possible to collect.  How could one collect and name all human behavior?  It is but a beginning of what will begin to happen to a person when once he realizes all Christ has done on his behalf.

The keyword here is LET; we SHOULD be humble and…

Philippians 2:5-16… “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

Note carefully that Paul is NOT telling us to “work” FOR our own salvation, as He is speaking to the already saved Philippian believers.  He is showing them how to “work out” the salvation they already possess with fear (awesome respect for) and trembling (to consider that the unsaved will spend eternity in hell) toward God.

Walk worthy indeed.

Amen and amen!

Next Post: “Repentance / Atonement“

Walk Worthy, part 6 (Obey).

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Are we grace believers supposed to obey commandments?  We understand that the Law (as perfect, just and righteous as it is) was not given for men to follow to the letter (that is not possible for fallen man); but to show that same fallen man that he is in desperate need of a Savior if he wishes to spend his eternity with his Creator outside of hell.  We should examine carefully what Paul says about obedience and commandments.

1 Corinthians 14:37… “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things I write unto you ARE the commandments of the Lord.”

If Paul is not the most misunderstood man in all human history, I don’t know who is…  The Holy Spirit is telling us through Paul that the things he has written in his 13 epistles ARE the COMMANDMENTS for believers today, the church the body of Christ.  What is at the core, the essence of Paul’s writings, that we are to obey; the goal being eternal life with God?

Romans 6:16… “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?“ 

It seems we humans have a choice.  By the above verse we might choose what we are to obey; “sin unto death” or “obedience unto righteousness”.  Let’s continue reading…

Romans 6:17-18… “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

We can see (by the past tense “were”) that the unsaved man who once chose to serve sin, obeyed from his heart “that form of doctrine which was delivered unto him” by Paul.  God then made him free from sin because of that choice and he thus becomes the servant of righteousness (God). Thus God reminds that man…

1 Corinthians 7:23… “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.”

That “form of doctrine” can be nothing other than the glorious gospel of Christ, the gospel of the free grace of God, as delivered unto the Apostle Paul by the risen and glorified Lord Himself.  In this case then, a mans obedience is “belief” that he is a sinner in need of a Savior and “trust” that Christ died for that mans sin nature according to the scriptures and was buried and rose again for his justification, according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Had that man allowed sin to reign in his mortal body by not obeying the doctrinal commandments given to Paul (the gospel of grace), that man would today be obeying the lusts of his mortal flesh and not the Spirit of God Himself.

Romans 6:12… “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”

When we make the choice to obey the gospel of grace, God destroys our sin nature judicially by imputing (charging to the account of) His Son’s righteousness unto us.  We are seen as dead, buried (therefore punished already) and effectively risen with Christ.  We are freed of sins effects upon us because God sees only His sinless Son in us. We now have His righteousness, no longer any vestige of our own (as if there ever was).

Romans 6:7… “For he that is dead is freed from sin.”

To the Galatian believers, who were coming under vicious attack from men who would bring them under the subjugation of religious bondage by adding works to grace, Paul writes:

Galatians 3:1… “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?”

Again we see that the believer is to “believe in the truth” which is Christ crucified, in order to be obedient to the will of God in this dispensation of grace.  To the individual who chooses not to obey (to believe what God says to us today through Paul) the news is not good at all.  We see that explained to the very faithful Thessalonian believers who were remarkably troubled by such unbelieving men, thinking they had somehow missed the translation (rapture) of the church because of the severity of their present tribulations, Paul writes:

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10… “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

I can only pray the saved reader takes these words as a call to arms if you will, to become that ambassador/soldier Christ through Paul calls us to be, so as to try and prevent as many people as possible from this most horrible and eternal punishment.  A punishment so easily avoidable, simply by obeying the glorious gospel of Christ.  God does not ask us to alter a thing about ourselves in order to come to Him.  He has a gift, the most precious gift humanity has ever been presented with, the gift of His Son’s own Righteousness, imputed to any and all who would simply believe they are in need of it.  God is NOT asking us to obey the 10 (actually 600+) commandments.  He is NOT extending to men today the IF/THEN conditional covenant agreements He made with the children of Israel.  He is not even asking the “Gentile” nations to bless Israel, as He is NOT dealing with nations today, but individuals.  He is asking us through Paul to believe that Christ died on our behalf because that is exactly what we needed to be made right/sinless/perfect.  He provided it all.  It is a gift so few choose to take (I believe) because so few explain it correctly.  “Christianity” has a bad name among unbelievers because of this.

You KNOW you have explained the gospel correctly when people answer with “that’s too easy” or “but anyone could do that” or “that sounds like a get out of jail free card”.  Well yea, EXACTLY…!!! The gospel of free grace IS a get out of jail (hell) free card!  God does NOT want you to choose hell; He wants you to choose Him!  (And make no mistake, it is your choice.)  It is the last card God is presenting to us.  It is meant to be THAT simple because we humans are THAT easily misled.

2 Corinthians 11:3… “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the SIMPLICITY that is in Christ.”

This gospel is for the worst of us, the dumbest of us, the simplest of us and the rest of us degenerates and enemies of God, because God has tried everything else with mankind already.  This is our last chance to demonstrate even a modicum of obedience to our Creator before Christ catches away His body of ambassadors (today’s obedient believers) and allows anti-christ to ascend to power in the world – before He comes back with all His mighty angels to finally make His enemies (those “left behind” and not blessing future Israel) His footstool.

We have it far easier than Adam had it.  God told Adam NOT to do something Adam wanted to do.  Adam of course, as all of us would have, chose to do exactly the opposite of what God said.  God simply asks us to accept a gift… the gift of His Son; and most of us can’t even do this.  We would rather “work” for our own salvation because we feel we deserve it.  We are so proud of ourselves and what we feel we are worth…

Romans 4:4… “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”

Does the Creator God of Heaven actually owe us something other than eternity away from Himself in hell?  No… He does not.  We reject Him continually, why should He continually accept us?  He will not.  Sinners who reject a God who has reconciled Himself to them do not deserve eternity with Him.  Even sinners like me who have accepted Gods gift do not deserve eternity with Him, but we get it anyway!  God is just cool like that…  😉

Lets put a very fine point on the work versus grace argument.

Romans 11:6… “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Grace is either 100% pure, or it is not grace at all.  Salvation is either the pure gift of God based upon absolutely zero merit of our own, or it is no gift at all.

Obey from the heart the form of doctrine which our Creator God Jesus Christ gave unto the Apostle Paul – it is a gift with no strings attached.  Accept the gift He so willingly provides before it is too late and His longsuffering nature comes to an end as it surely someday will.  Peter understood well what God was doing through Paul.  Speaking to the Jewish believers in Christ about the dispensation of grace given to Paul, he writes:

2 Peter 3:15-16… “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

We can also find cross-dispensational wisdom in the words of the prophet Hosea.  He writes to the nation Israel (Gods nation of priests to the world with whom He had an if/then covenant agreement) about their lack of (Mosaic) knowledge; but a man in today’s dispensation will be destroyed for a similar lack or rejection of (Pauline) knowledge.

Hosea 4:6… “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no more priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

The Creator God is a very serious God.  He demanded much of Israel because that’s what Israel wanted.

Deuteronomy 6:25… “And it shall (then) be our righteousness, IF we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He hath commanded us.”  I added the “implied then” to the verse to demonstrate more clearly the if/then nature of the agreement.

He demands next to nothing of us, save that we obey the information (knowledge) He gave to Paul on our behalf, which is to accept His gift.  People today are destroyed in the same way, for lack of the knowledge of the gospel of the grace of God; and the fault lies at the feet of believers today, here on earth in Christ’s stead, for not communicating that glorious gospel more effectively.  We don’t have to DO to be saved (indeed, this is an insult to Gods gift), we have to KNOW.  The vast majority of “christian” churches tell people to DO things in order to be saved, and to DO things to “maintain” that salvation till they die and are judged.  Wrong, wrong, wrong…

2 Corinthians 4:3-4… “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

It is not satan who actively blinds their minds… their minds ARE blinded by satan BECAUSE they are lost, and they are lost BECAUSE they believe NOT.  Should they ever decide to believe (obey the gospel of grace and accept Gods gift), there minds will be able to see clearly the stunning beauty of what God hath wrought on their behalf.  So simple yet apparently so profoundly difficult…

Colossians 1:9-10… “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

Walk worthy indeed.  Men are dying eternally for lack of knowledge and it is only we, who are here in Christ’s stead and understand the message He gave to Paul, who can do anything about it.  The stakes could not be more high.

2 Corinthians 5:20… “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

God has reconciled Himself to the world; men must now reconcile themselves back to God by accepting His gift… this is the ambassadors message.  Grace and Peace (not YET judgement and wrath) from God the Father is the message!  The sin debt is paid and God is wholly satisfied with the payment.  Grow in that grace, grow in the knowledge of what God has done; share that knowledge with those you know and those you meet.  One of two things will happen to the heart of a man who hears the pure gospel of grace presented to him.  His heart will either melt and he will be saved by accepting Gods gift, or, his heart will harden and he will not.  Either way the seed got planted and you will have obeyed the will of God for mankind today.

1 Timothy 2:3-4… “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

In closing…

Colossians 4:2-6… “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;  Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:  That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.  Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Amen…

Next Post: “Walk Worthy, part 7 (as we ought).“