Saving Grace

 

People today are so turned off by legalism that they pervert the truth that we are forgiven of all sins - past, current and future - and allow sin to grow in their life. They feel no remorse for breaking God's heart.

They sit around drinking beer, wine, cocktails and even hard liquor discussing the Word of God. They smoke their cigars and pipes in church fellowships, and they allow their language to digress to that of a drunken sailor.

They feel this is spiritual, because they are breaking the bonds of legalism. They claim that the current church emasculates men and say that the "letter of the law", in the current evangelical church, prevents them from having a living relationship with our mighty God.

I agree that living only according to the "logos" - written Word of God - can mask the sinful desires within a person's heart. I also agree that a 'rhema' - the living Word - relationship is the most important aspect of our salvation.

Legalism does kill the spirit, and relationship is more important than religion. However, I also believe that when we actually see the living Jesus, we shrink from living with a license to sin (1 John 2:15).

We forsake alcoholism, pornography, gay pride, abortion, adultery and all the other sins, which humanity explains away in our current Laodicean society.

The teachings of today's so-called pastors mirror the gospel taught by the Nicolaitans, whom God hated (Revelations 2:6). These modern men are purporting old age deception cloaked in New Age Lies.

Add this to the gnostic element creeping back into the church through Satanic influence and deception, and the post-modern church has a stench that makes God want to vomit (2 Corinthians 11:4; Revelation 3:16).

Whatever happened to the holiness that Jesus exemplified for us in His life, calling us to emulate Him in our every thought, word and deed? His Spirit transforms us with the mind of Christ and fills us with His fruit to replace our carnality (Romans 12:2; Galatians 5:15-25).

Prayer:

Father God, You make it very clear in the Old and New Testament that You are a Holy God. You call Your Saints to walk in holiness and not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:15-25). You are the righteous judge, and sin grieves Your Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). We do not abound in sin, so that Your grace may abound in us (Romans 6:1).

Sin, in any form, is destructive and You protect us from its destruction by Your commandments and directives. If we compromise Your Word, we compromise our own success and blessings. We realize that our sin is already paid for by Christ's crucifixion, but this fact drives us to a dedication to Your Word, rather than to participate in crucifying Jesus afresh by our lackadaisical dabbling in sin without honest remorse (Hebrews 6:4- 6).

Thought for the Day:

Modern "reformed" preachers reject solid Biblical principles and replace them with lifeless, liberal mysticism; they ignore the draw of God's Spirit to walk in holiness just as our Father God is holy. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

- Hebrews 4:12, 13:8; 1 Peter 1:16. 

 

Two-Stepping

Our Christian walk is a two-step process. We start by repenting of our former way of life, which was degraded by Satan's lies and earthly desires (Ephesians 4:22). Each of us is distracted by various sinful elements.

Some of us lie, but God calls us to speak truth; or we steal and take what does not belong to us, yet God calls us to work and earn money to buy what we need, as well as to share with others (Ephesians 4:25, 28).

Some have trouble with anger; and though it is a God given emotion, we often harbor grudges, while God encourages us to forgive before the sun sets each day, so that we do not give Satan entry into our soul (Ephesians 4:26-27).

Other people use foul language, when God wants us to use our words to edify and minister grace to those who hear us. Some even take God's name in vain and use degrading words, which grieve God's Spirit (Ephesians 4:29-30).

All of us give in at one time or another to bitterness, quarreling, gossip, antagonism and forms of cruelty, when God calls us to live with humility, compassion, patience, gentleness and kindness, as we forgive slights and wrongs just as God forgives us (Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:10).

The second step is to renew our mind with the righteousness mind of Christ and to walk in true holiness all the days of our life (Luke 1:75; Ephesians 4:24). This may sound daunting, but Christ already did it for us.

We are buried with Christ through our baptism into His death, in order to be raised with Him from death in the glory of God, our Father. This allows us to live a fulfilled, blessed new life in Christ, as we exchange our corrupted character with the nature of Christ, promised to us by God Himself (2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:4; Colossians 3:3-4).

Prayer:

Father God, by separating our self from the sin, which once bound us as its slave, we are freed from the law and allowed to serve You through Your Spirit, rather than by decrees and legalism (Romans 7:6). You enable us to submit to You as You transform our mind, rather than to be conformed to the design of this evil world.

We have no more desire to gratify the sinful desires of our flesh, and we walk as a new creation, Your handiwork, created in Christ to live in Your will, which You prepared for us prior to our birth (Ephesians 2:10; Romans 12:2, 13:14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10).

Thought for the Day:

My soul silently waits for God alone; my salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my stronghold; I will never be shaken. - Psalm 62:1-2

The Fruit of Holiness

 

Our current civilization accepts sin as normal. For instance, we live together in sin because it is accepted in our society, but it is not accepted in God's society. We white wash our sinful behavior and are not fit for the presence of God in our life (Matthew 23:27). Only holiness and trust in God unite to make us effective ministers in God's Kingdom.

Our spirit vitally needs holiness for fulfillment. We cannot walk in godliness without living in holiness (Matthew 5:6). Our spirit shrinks from carnal behavior, which our soul - our mind, will and emotions - often pursues. Through Sanctification, God's Spirit conforms us - body, soul and spirit - to the purity of Christ Jesus, our Lord (Matthew 5:8).

There is no need for legalism, criticism or judgmentalism in holiness. This is a private walk, not relying on human self-effort, but simply the leading of God's Spirit with each individual. God may deal with you to stop smoking as His first priority in your sanctification process; but in our sister, He will deal with it last, because there are other issues in her life, which He wants to deal with first.

God uses His Body as the hands, feet and heart of Jesus on the earth (Matthew 5:16). Through an attitude of purity, we minister in love to those whom God brings our way. The fruit, gifts and ministry of God's Spirit flow through us to affect the world around us for Christ (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Ephesians 4:7-13). With a heart fully dedicated to Jesus, we are used by God to change our world.

Prayer:

Father God, Your family represents Your reputation on this earth. Too many people claim membership in Your family and live for the devil. This tarnishes Your name and Your effectiveness. Lead us to live in holiness for Your name's sake (Psalm 23:3). Your justice is righteous, and we embrace Your discipline, which causes us to hear Your loving kindness with each new morning (Psalm 143:8).

Thought for the Day:

Righteous living is possible to achieve in our life, because it is birthed by God's Spirit in an ever increasing measure of holiness within us.