Category Archives: Christian

Christian

Perfect Love

It is true perfect love casteth out fear, but perfect love is a two way street. God’s love is already perfected. He has met any requirements by giving us his Son as the last and only sacrifice for sin and to show us the way.

What about your love towards God?

Love towards God has some conditions and requirements. Conditions include belief, repentance, and baptism. Requirements include obedience. Jesus said in John 14:15 KJV If ye love me, keep my commandments.

So until you both accept and act in love, fear God.

Matthew 10:28 KJV And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Love is the more excellent way.

The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to just love and be loved in return.- Moulin Rouge 2001

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Christian

Believe and Behave

I recently came across this post on X:

“If the person who offers you Salvation is the same person who threatens you with punishment and “eternal damnation” that is not Salvation.

That’s extortion!”

I thought about it. I couldn’t come up with a strong argument against it. However, the response that did come to mind was – is it wrong for one person or entity to wield both the carrot and the stick. I think the answer to that is, it depends. It depends on the purpose?

So what is God purpose? What does God expect from men? 

To believe and behave.

That’s a simple and straightforward purpose. Believe in love and act in love. It will make both you and the world a better place.

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Christian

Graduation

Today many preach legalism as something negative and shy away from teaching the law.

The Bible in Galatians 3 tells us the law was our schoolmaster. You aren’t finished with school until you graduate. Likewise we are not done with the law until we let God write it in our minds and on our hearts.

In Matthew 5:17 KJV Jesus, my Lord, Savior, and teacher, said, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Lessons we learn from our teachers (schoolmasters) guide us throughout our lives.

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Christian

Meritorious

Can we have righteousness of our own?

With faith in Christ can we merit salvation?

The answer to both is YES.

I recently responded to a post on X. The author said Jesus was not our friend and God was our enemy. My response was Jesus is our friend. John 15:14-15. Also, if we stay away from sin, God will be our father not our enemy. 2 Cor. 6:17-18

Did you notice both of these conditional promises are merit based? If you do whatsoever I command, you are my friend. If you touch not the unclean thing, you will be my son or daughter.

Jesus said in Luke 21:36 KJV Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

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Christian

Be Mindful

Have you heard Jesus died on the cross for all your sins past, present, and future?

I tell you:

Past sins are forgiven in water baptism. Acts 2:38. Present sins are forgiven by confession. 1 John 1:9. Future sins may not be forgiven. Hebrews 10:26-27.

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Christian

By Works

The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This has been interpreted to mean various things: There is nothing you can do for your salvation other than believe in Jesus the Messiah, his crucifixion, and resurrection. Jesus did it all, there is nothing we have to do. There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more or any less. We are saved by grace alone or we have no righteousness of our own.

The fact is we will be judged on how we lived our lives. Romans 2:6-10, Revelation 20:12-13

We often hear the phrase salvation does not come by works alone. Too many forget to add the alone qualifier. Salvation is a result of the combination of belief in Christ and following his law. Ecclesiastes 12:13. We can also look at it from an opposing view – not salvation by works, but damnation by works.

If we continue in sin, Hebrews 10:26-27 KJV tells us, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, [27] But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

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Christian

Dark

As a child living in the city my parents would always ask that I come home before dark. I remember there were several times I got in trouble and argued with them about whether it was actually dark yet.

God’s word tells us in Leviticus 23:32 KJV – . . . from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

Today I found myself arguing when is even? I take it to mean evening, but is that sunset? Is it after dark?

I suppose if God wanted to say dark he would have said dark. I can Google sunset for my location and time exactly every day. Today I ended my Sabbath observation at sunset according to Google, but it was still light outside.

In good faith I think and hope that there is some leeway about keeping an exact time. Maybe I should just pick a time to define my evening and try to stick with it, dark or sunset from Friday eve to Saturday eve.

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Christian

Being Born Again

In past posts I have attempted to boil being born again down to the moment of water baptism. I think being born again is more complex than just baptism, but as we see in Mark 16:16 it plays a crucial part.

Mark 16:16 tells us, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

What must we believe?

We must believe Jesus is the Messiah. We must believe he laid down his life for us. We must learn and follow his word.

Why must we be baptized?

See Acts 2:37-39 KJV – . . . Men and brethren, what shall we do? 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. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call

Jesus sets the core of being born again as repentance. In Luke 13:3 KJV he said, I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

In Luke 15:7 KJV he added, I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

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Christian, Inspirational

Sons and Daughters

In 2 Kings 19:3 KJV … Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

I am convinced that many people do not know how to be born again. Jesus said in John 3:3 KJV … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

What must I do?

Believe in Jesus, that he is the Son of God who died on the cross for our sins, that he is the promised Christ and our Messiah. John 3:16-18.

Acknowledge and repent of your sins. Matthew 3:2,6.

Be baptized by immersion in water by another in the name of Jesus or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for the forgivess of your sins. Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16.

Knowledge, belief, and strength are all required for salvation. A prayer of salvation is insufficient to save you if you don’t continue in faith to be born again. Persevere, believe, and be baptized.

Baptism is not only a public declaration of faith it is the birthing process. Arise from the water a new man or woman in Christ, Born Again!

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 KJV says, Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you, [18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

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Christian

The Least Preached Verse of The New Testament

The least preached verse of the New Testament is:

Hebrews 10:26 KJV

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

This means no more Jesus, no more of his blood erasing or covering your sin, only a fearful looking to of the judgment to come.

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