SABBATH KEEPING IS DONE AWAY WITH IN JESUS CHRIST

The Old Testament SABBATH was a CEREMONIAL LAW, which was a figure of Jesus Christ to come, in whom we now rest for the salvation of our souls. The Bible specifically says that Sabbath keeping is a shadow of Jesus Christ which was to come and since he is come the Bible also tells us that HE IS OUR REST.

This means that we cease from all works for righteousness -all law keeping for righteousness and we now trust completely in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the cross!

Colossians 2: 11-29

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 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; [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Hebrews shows that the Sabbath Day was only symbolic of a person’s faith (resting in God)) in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Today, Jesus is our Sabbath. He is the fulfillment of what the Sabbath Day symbolized. There is NO Sabbath Day today. It was nailed to the cross. Jesus has become our Sabbath, and in Him alone we rest for our salvation.

Jesus said in John 5:39 SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1 John 5:11-13

And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God

If you want to worship on Saturday go ahead as the Bible does not forbid this BUT SABBATH KEEPING TO ATTAIN SALVATION IS A WORK OF THE LAW AND BY THE LAW SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED IN THE SIGHT OF GOD ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURES!

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Hebrews 4:10

Jesus said “Come unto me …..and I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” Matthew 11:28

SAVED TO THE UTTERMOST!

 SAVING FAITH IS THE ABILITY GIVEN BY GOD TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL. CAN MAN HAVE FAITH APART FROM GOD? Man can have faith or trust in something other than God but man cannot have faith in God without the born again experience. It is the new birth that brings the kind of faith that saves to the uttermost. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:39 The Holy Spirit convicts (convinces) of sin, righteousness and judgment. When the sinner recognizes that he is doomed to hell with no hope in the world and cries out to God, “What can I do to be saved?” Then God comes on the scene and saves to the uttermost. Where he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25. An unrepentant person may have faith in Jesus but not to the saving of the soul. He may believe in the gospel message BUT has no desire to be delivered from his sin. This person is a hearer of the gospel but not a doer. In other words he heard the gospel message and believed it to be true but was not convinced of his need to be free from his sin. Many times this is what happens when the “easy believism” gospel is preached. The sinner wants all the blessings and eternal life but he still loves his sin! This is not a true Christian. Nor is this a so called “carnal Christian.” What it is, is a false conversion and churches are full of these people. These false converts could even be preachers! They preach the perverted gospel that they were converted to. That if we are saved we can still live in sin and be saved. Now that does not mean that Christians are perfected but what it does mean is that faith in Jesus Christ spurs us on to perfection by the Holy Spirit who lives in us! SAVING FAITH COMES THROUGH THE INCORUPTABLE WORD OF GOD BEING RECEIVED BY GRACE IN THE SPIRIT OF MAN WHICH COMES ALIVE BY THE HOLY GHOST CREATING THE NEW CREATURE. ONE WHO IS NO LONGER DEAD IN SIN BUT ALIVE THROUGH GOD! Those who are in Christ are forgiven from sin and have been given power over sin by the Holy Spirit who dwells in them! The true Christian hates his sin and yields (surrenders) to God so that he is changed from one degree of God’s glory into another day by day! Do you really think that God is a God of miracles? Can he heal the sick? Make the blind see? Why then can you not believe that God can do a miracle in the new birth experience and make new creatures in Jesus Christ? Jesus said that the same power that rose Christ from the dead lives in his people! That same power can transform you and make you what God wants you to be! He has promised in his word to save you to the uttermost! Believe him! Not only can the Lord save you from your sin before you were a Christian but he can save you from your sin while you are a Christian! Sin is an enemy and Jesus can defeat all his enemies! Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. 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. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.Colossians 2:12-16

Binding and Loosing

Concerning the topic of binding and loosing, I would first like to address that this spiritual concept is done through prayer and may or may not take a period of time through intercession. While I know that many walk around binding and loosing anything in sight I really must bring to your attention that we are never to participate in spiritual warfare with a high minded attitude.

Scriptures tell us that even Michael the archangel did not get huffy with Satan when he was disputing with him over the resurrection of Moses’ body, (another topic) but said, “the Lord rebuke you.”

In other words when we are participating in spiritual warfare we must make sure we have the mind of Christ, which is God’s will, in every situation. Now let’s take a look at what scriptures say concerning binding and loosing.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matt. 16:9

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matt. 6:10

To bind up in the Greek means to forbid, prohibit, declare to be illicit. Perideo to bind around one, enwrap, bind about. For example, when one refuses to forgive someone they remain bound up. This was not given as a rebuke but as a fact. Now Jesus told us to forgive or we would not be forgiven so this has a twofold operation. However, we must remember that we need to read scripture according to context and not isolate to make a doctrine.

There are times when justice needs to be put forth and there are times when we need to operate in mercy, so it is best to get God’s will in each situation. For example, Jesus said not to curse but rather bless and yet he cursed the fig tree. In doing so he was doing a prophetic act. The fig tree means Israel, and the Jews rejected him so he cursed them for this so that as Paul said to this day the Jews are blinded to the gospel.

If you have a problem with this take it up with God for it is in the bible. The bible says that a remnant according to election will be saved in these last days, not the whole nation of Israel. The nation will be brought into the kingdom only at the return of Jesus Christ.

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” John 20:23

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven .Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matt.18:15-20

As you can see from this scripture, we are to try reconciliation but if the person refuses to listen then they are bound up. Read the next verse. Refusing to reconcile with your brother when he is willing can cause one to be bound. In other words, he is not forgiven by God and will be left to the devil’s devices. In the Bible Paul turned some men over to Satan so that they could be chastised for their good because they were disobedient and rebellious to scriptures.

According to the Greek scholar, A. T. Robertson, who wrote about binding and loosing from the Hebrew perspective : “To ‘bind’ (dêsêis) in rabbinical language is to forbid; to ‘loose’ (lusêis) is to permit” He says the Rabbis used this function and it was commonly known among the Jews. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1930), p. 134; comment on Matthew 16:19

When a rabbi bound something he forbade it to be done according to the law and when he loosed something it was then lawful under the law. For example as Paul says in scripture; to bind (in bind, to put under obligation, used of the law, duty; to be bound to one, a wife, a husband” – this speaks of Marriage and Covenant, of that which has been Bound together by the Lord.

This binding has a legal application. Now in a covenant one must remember that if one party breaks that covenant then the other party is loosed from the Covenant which is a legal contract. God said to the Jews that if they served him he would bless them but if not he would divorce them.

Jeremiah compares Israel’s spiritual disloyalty to an adulterous woman who has been put away by the husband whom she betrayed. Jeremiah asks this question, “After she leaves him and “If a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, may he return to her again?” Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; “Yet return to Me,” says the Lord. “Jeremiah 3:1

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 says that the original husband may never come back to his twice-divorced wife.

“because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.”
Hebrews 8:9

Under the law Israel is divorced for her adultery so Israel can only be saved by coming under the new covenant of grace through faith by Jesus Christ. This applies to the divorced as well. Under grace a person can be forgiven for divorce just as God can forgive the Jew and reinstate under grace into the kingdom. Divorce is not the unpardonable sin, and yes a divorced person can remarry if they desire so but should only marry another Christian. (another topic)

Today , binding and loosing also has another aspect in the spiritual realm. The church can forbid something and make it non allowable and can also loose something and make it free from darkness and bound rather to the Lord. Nowhere in scriptures does it say a Christian is free outside of servitude to Jesus Christ. We are free in him. That is free to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading but not free to do our own thing.

“Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.” Matt.12:29

In order to loose a person free from demonic strongholds the strong man needs to be bound. Satan has many bound up in darkness and unbelief. In order for them to understand the gospel the strong man needs to be bound or forbidden to operate. In praying for others we can ask in prayer that the strongman, the devil, be bound up so that we can see the person come to salvation or freedom.

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. “ 2 Cor.4:4

“Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. Ps.107:10, 11

Jesus loosed a person bound by Satan. “ And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”

The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.” Luke 13:10-17

Loose – lyō -to loose any person (or thing) tied or fastened, to loose one bound, i.e. to unbind, release from bonds, set free, laws, as having a binding force, are likened to bonds, to annul, subvert, to do away with, to deprive of authority, whether by precept or act, to declare unlawful, to overthrow, to do away with

According to Acts 21:11 Paul was bound from operating in person but while he was in prison the word of God was loosed by the epistles he wrote. Sometimes it is not necessary to be in person, to minister God’s word. For those of us who have blogs teaching the word, it has even greater impact than if we ran around to every church.

2 Titus 2:9 says that God’s word is not bound and Ps.107:10 “He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.” And again Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

When we are bound to Jesus Christ we are able to loose the captive free through intercession.

“Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” Acts 19: 13-16;

These verses demonstrate that demonic powers recognize who Christians are and because Paul was bound to Christ this identified him as having authority over them. “Paul, the bound of Christ Jesus [the bound of Jesus Christ], and Timothy, brother, to Philemon, beloved, and our helper [and our even-worker],” Philemon 1:1

Scriptures teach us that binding can be done by the kingdom, the law, a person, and the devil. Loosing can be in the same way. Satan was loosed from the pit and demons are loosed to torment the lost, one can also be bound by curses (Acts 23:12)

We are to be bound to Christ through grace under God’s will, loosed from the law which brings death and loosed from the devil’s captivity.

Acts 9:21- Jesus let himself be bound for God’s purpose.
Acts 24:27- Paul bound by God’s will.
Hebrews 13:3 – Christians can be bound as God wills.
Acts 23:12- bound by curses
John 8:33-bound by the law
Romans 8:12 and 1 Cor. 9:1 loosed from the law
Rev.9:15 loosed to do evil –bind up in fetters.

Gal.4 says that woman were bound under the law to certain regulations but they are now free under grace.

Gal.4 says Do not use your liberty to fulfill the flesh- now that you are freed from the laws binding but rather be filled with the Spirit-walk in newness of life in the Spirit under God’s control his endowment of supernatural power.

Jesus came to set the captives free and this freedom comes through salvation. “And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1

Blessings Brethren!

FAITH IS COUNTED AS RIGHTEOUSNESS

According to Galatians chapter 3 Abraham’s faith was counted to him for righteousness. In other words faith in God: which means to trust in and rely upon as in a personal relationship (not just to acknowledge as true), made Abraham right with God. Then by this right relationship he offered up his son Isaac as a sacrifice because he knew God and trusted him that he was able to raise Isaac from the dead if need be.

It was Abraham’s faith which justified him and his work was the result of that faith. If one tries to earn favor with God by his deeds he is in sin for all our works are as filthy rags in God’s sight but if we have faith through relationship with God because of Jesus blood covenant we then have the Holy Spirit who is able to empower us to do work for God.

Works in the flesh, even good works are an abomination to God because as scriptures tell us “whatever is not of faith is sin” which means whatever does not proceed through a right relationship with Jesus is an unacceptable work. Just like Cain’s work, it was rejected by God because it proceeded not from faith but from self initiative.

Abel’s work was accepted because it was based on right relationship with God, one that relied on grace through faith in the sacrifice of the lamb. Paul tells us in this same chapter that those who try to be perfect by fleshly or man initiated works are adhering to another gospel. They are bewitched by evil spirits to go back to the Law of Moses for salvation and in doing so they put themselves under the curse of the law. Which means in the end if they do not repent they will be spiritually lost, accursed from God.

Have you received the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Did you do any good work to receive him? Then why are you trying to be justified or made right with God by keeping the law? By observing days, and weeks, taste not, touch not, etc.

Paul also asks, did you receive a miracle because of any good thing you did? Did the Holy Spirit heal you or did you get blessed with his gifts because you were such a nice person? NO! The gifts of God are gifts and so is the gift of salvation. A gift! Why then are you working to keep your salvation? Nothing you do can earn God’s favor in your life except FAITH in him.

Faith that comes from a relationship of trust and reliance in God and through this faith will come obedience to the Holy Spirit who is the one who will change your heart and cause you to walk in his ways. The Holy Spirit is your teacher and comforter who will guide you into God’s truth, his will and his ways. All you have to do is yield to him!

Yield means to surrender. Let go of doing things your way and through your understanding and ask the Father in Jesus name to release his Holy Spirit to do HIS work in you. Then you will be walking in the Spirit rather than obeying rules and regulations from a lawkeeper (Pharisee) mindset.

For we are children of God through faith in Jesus Christ and have the Holy Spirit living in us. If any have not the Holy Spirit he does not belong to God but is only what the Bible calls a “false believer.” One who is trying to please God by the works of the flesh, or carnal unregenerate nature which has not been born again. For as many as you who have been baptized into Christ (and received the Holy Spirit)have put on Christ. Have his nature in us!

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?
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing OF FAITH?

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

So then they which BE OF FAITH ARE BLESSED with faithful Abraham.FOR AS MANY AS ARE OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER THE CURSE: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

But that NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW in the sight of God, it is evident: for, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.

AND THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit THROUGH FAITH

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of PROMISE: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

WHEREFORE THEN SERVETH THE LAW ? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come(JESUS CHRIST) to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded ALL UNDER SIN, that the promise BY FAITH of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED BY FAITH.

BUT AFTER THAT FAITH HAS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOL MASTER (THE LAW)

For ye are all the children of God BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Notice that we are heirs ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE and not according to keeping the law of Moses !

Blessings in Jesus brethren!

THE BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB

The Bible talks about record book(s) in heaven. There is a book which records the deeds which everyone who has ever been born have committed and there is a book called the BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB in which only those born of God have their names written in for eternity.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books (plural) were opened: and another book was opened, which is THE BOOK OF LIFE: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

Those who do not receive salvation will be blotted out of the book of life after the judgment but the book of life of the lamb where the over comers names are written will not be blotted out. Why? Because they OVERCOME BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY.

The Bible tells us in many scriptures(refer to my other blogs on the topic) that those who has been saved and born of God are kept by the power of the Holy Spirit until the end.

“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” Romans 14:4

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 1:24

“But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:4,5

Who is it that overcomes? “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:5

During the tribulation all those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will worship the Antichrist: “And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.” Revelation 13:8

“The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”Revelation 17:8

Add iniquity unto their iniquity; And let them not come into thy righteousness, Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous.” Psalm 69:28

“And all who dwell on the earth will worship [the beast], everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” Revelation 13:8.

This verse tells us that those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life “from the foundation of the world” will not worship the beast.

“The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will marvel, when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.” Revelation 17:8,

In conclusion, whether there is one book or many books,is unclear BUT what is very clear is that your name must be in the lamb’s book of life to be saved. Those blotted out are those who never receive salvation because scriptures confirm that those born of God will overcome because God is able to keep them from falling !

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should REMAIN: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16

EXCEEDINLY SINFUL

In order to truly understand just exactly what Jesus Christ has wrought for us in salvation we need to understand the state of the soul without Jesus Christ.

Let me show you what the Bible says:

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions desert.” Jeremiah 17 :9-10

“Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that SIN BY THE COMMANDMENT MIGHT BECOME EXCEEDINGLY SINFUL.” Romans 7:13,

According to the Bible, those without Jesus Christ are DEAD in trespasses and sin. This means that they are dead people who are alive in this world BUT DEAD UNTO GOD. They cannot know him, believe in him, or hear him in any way. They may have a “form of knowledge” but they have no intimate experiential knowledge of God.

This is why the Lord likens our relationship with him as a husband and wife. Until the relationship is joined as one in the marriage bed it is only a formal relationship but not an intimate one .

According to the Bible, the state of man without Jesus Christ is totally depraved, that means totally corrupt. Having NO GOOD THING. There are some who will argue with this by saying that mankind can make good choices because they are made in God’s image and have his law written in their hearts BUT this is not so according to scriptures because the soul without the born again experience is corrupt in every way, shape and form.

In fact, the carnal heart is corrupt to all which is good. Even what looks like a good choice will always have a selfish motivation behind it. Always! Even man’s so called “good behavior” is evil.

Just because one has knowledge of good does not mean that they can preform what is good. God put the tree of the knowledge of GOOD and evil in the garden and Adam and Eve partook of it. Mankind knows what is good but they Cannot perform good without being given the new nature: the nature of God.

In fact the mystery of the gospel is thus: CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY. Without the Spirit of God dwelling in a person they do not belong to God. Many “accept” (which by the way means, “approve of”) a false Jesus made up in the minds of men in order to get blessed and rich and prosperous BUT these are apostates not true Christians. They do not have God’s Spirit living in them or they would be able to perform good, which is surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ even if that means persecution, affliction or poverty.

The doctrine of original sin in the Bible reveals that the sinful state of man is by nature in ENMITY WITH CHRIST.

Romans 8:7-8: “For the mind that is set on the flesh is HOSTILE [echthra-enmity, hatred] to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Genesis 6:5: “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Romans 3:10-11: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.”

1 Corinthians 2:14: “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

Ephesians 2:1-3: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were BY NATURE [physis-birth, physical origin, the force, laws, order of nature]
children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

John 8:34: “Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.’”

John 6:44: “[Jesus said,] ‘No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.’”

Mark 7:21-23: “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

John 3:19: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.”

Psalms 51:5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

Psalms 58:3: “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.”

Job 15:14: What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?

Jeremiah 13:23:”Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil “

John 6:64-65: “[Jesus said,] ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.’”

The Bible clearly says that the soul without Jesus Christ is DEAD IN SIN, BLIND TO THE GOSPEL, BY NATURE SINFUL, HAVING NO GOOD THING AND BY NATURE HATES GOD.

The Bible also says that UNLESS the Father draws, chooses, allows, permits, a person to see the truth he cannot and will not get saved.

Man is a three part being BODY, SOUL[EMOTIONS, MIND, WILL] AND SPIRIT. ALL THREE OF THESE AREAS ARE TOTALLY DEPRAVED, CORRUPT, IN BONDAGE TO SIN AND CANNOT WITHOUT GOD’S HELP BE FREE.

Ask your self this question,”If the carnal man is exceedingly sinful, having no good thing in the body, soul or spirit, and by nature hates God, by nature is the child of the devil, by nature is dead spiritually, by nature is blind to spiritual things, how then can he choose the good? How then IF sinful man is corrupt totally in every way can he make a decision to “accept” Jesus Christ of his own reconnaissance ?

Quite simply, HE CANNOT!

John 6:64-65: “[Jesus said,] ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.’

Maranatha Brethren!

ORIGINAL SIN

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Christian Watchman

Scripture says that we are born sinners and that we are by nature sinners

Psalm 51:5 states that we all come into the world as sinners: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

Ephesians 2:2 says that all people who are not in Christ are “sons of disobedience.”

Ephesians 2:3 says that we are all “by nature children of wrath.” If we are all “by nature children of wrath,”

God did not create mankind sinful, but due to Adam’s disobedience sin came upon all men in that all have sinned.

Scriptures say that mankind is born into sin and must e born again and given a new nature in order to be saved. “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.” Genesis 8:21 says “…the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”

According to Ephesians 2:1-3, all mankind…

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JUSTIFICATION : An Act of God’s Grace

JUSTIFICATION is an act of God’s free grace. God pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight. Only by the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed (accredited to our account) to us, and received by faith alone (The faith imparted by the Holy Spirit) without the deeds of the law are we saved.

What then must a sinner do to be saved? He must believe in and rest upon Jesus Christ the Savior who was, by imputation, made sin for us, that we by a similar exchange, might be made the righteousness of God in Him. This saving faith will produce a life of submission to the Holy Spirit bringing forth fruit unto God.

The Pharisee, (law keeper) however, goes about to establish his own righteousness, rather than embrace the biblical way of salvation by submitting to the righteousness of God the Son. The Pharisee adds his work to the cross. He thinks he has to work to be saved and work to keep his salvation too! This is a false teaching.

We can do nothing to earn salvation and we can do nothing to keep it. Those in Christ HAVE BEEN MADE FREE from the law of sin and death for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sent his Son who was made in the likeness of flesh to die on the cross and condemn sin in his body of flesh so that we might be MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST JESUS. (paraphrase)

Those in Christ are new creatures. Born from above and created to perform good works for God according to his will for each of us.

“‘It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?’ Rom 8:33-34.

‘And it is Jesus that justifieth all His redeemed, by His blood and righteousness; for He was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification; Rom 4:25.

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputed not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Psalm 32:1-2

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

“But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:24-28

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Romans 4:6-8

“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:22-25

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Romans 5:1

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness of everyone that believeth.” Romans 10:3-4

“Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5:9

“Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5:18-19

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 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. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2
Corinthians 5:18-21

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10

In conclusion, Justification (to be made right with God) is by faith alone without the deeds of the law. Without any good works at all! To add works or behavior to the cross is to fall from grace. In other words those who are relying on their own righteousness are not in grace and have no salvation. You cannot work to keep your salvation either! IT IS FINNISHED!
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