Tag Archives: 1 John 1:9

Christian

The Gift

What is the gift of eternal salvation? Romans 6:23 KJV, tells us, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV calls it the … unspeakable gift.

Is it free? Romans 5:18 KJV says, Therefore as by the offence 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.

So what is the free gift? Jesus left his Heavenly throne in Heaven to come down to the Earth to live as a man. He showed us how to walk in the light and to live sinless before the Lord. He went to death on the cross showing us how to live our own lives. He became the sinless sacrifice for our sins when he died, the Lamb of God slain for our salvation. His resurrection further demonstrated who he truly was. It became the example to us of regeneration to a new man after water baptism and being born again.

It was indeed a free gift. Jesus completed his offering to the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah, and to us. He died to show us the way.

How do I accept the gift? You accept the gift by believing Jesus was the only begotten Son of God who died as our sacrificial atonement before the LORD. John 3:16 The Gift is complete when you believe  and are baptized. Mark 16:16.

You have accepted the gift. Upon acceptance, the gift is complete. What now? Like any other gift you can cherish the gift, you can despise the gift, you can even throw it away. The purpose of God’s great gift is to cause us to conform our life to mirror Jesus’ life. Honor Jesus’s sacrifice by not sinning. God will help you walk in the light. Where there is temptation God will provide a way of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV says, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

After water baptism God gave us a way to receive forgiveness for our sins. 1 John 1:9 KJV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13 KJV tells us, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Standard
Christian, Inspirational

Clean

According to a DJ on WayFM, Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, he came to make dead people alive.

I think both of these are correct. He came to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive. But above all he came to make dirty people clean.

Water baptism is for the forgiveness of past sins. 1 John 1:9 is for the forgiveness of sins after baptism. His mercy is for those who both confess and forsake their sins. Proverbs 28:13.

To go to Heaven you must be found clean. Washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Do you believe Jesus can strengthen you so that you don’t sin. Do you believe Jesus can help you walk perfectly before the LORD?

Do you really believe in Jesus?

Standard
Christian, Inspirational

Mercy Me

Why are some people deaf to the truth? Romans 10:17 KJV says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. This is a clear answer, but it raises additional questions. In fact, it makes me think about predestination and the mercy of God.

Because of the mercy of God I was raised in a Church that understood baptism. Baptism is a matter of salvation, it’s not just for show. It cleanses our past sins and brings us into the family of God.

The Lord was merciful to me. I was baptized at age 12. But nearly that very same week I fell back into sin. I continued being addicted to porn for over thirty years. Around 18, I acquired an additional addiction in the form of smoking cigarettes. During much of this period I still attended Church on a regular to sporadic basis. In a long process that began with a healthy fear of the Lord, I started reading the Holy Bible. With Jesus help I broke free of my addictions. I have finally became a born again Christian.

Am I saying I’m predestined for Heaven. I hope so. What I can say is that the Lord has been merciful and long suffering for me. He watched over me all those years of living in sin and not even attending Church at all. He led me to him through opening my understanding while reading his Holy Bible KJV. He gave me the strength to confess my sins. I confessed to the Church, to the police, and even to family and friends. He has been true to his word in 1 John 1:9, which offers forgiveness after water baptism. There is hope if we trust in the Lord. He will help us overcome our sin. As Jesus said in John 8:32 KJV, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Is there anything we can do to open the ears of the deaf? I don’t know. I think it is up to the Lord. Is predestination the answer then? Maybe. Some are predestined for eternal salvation in Heaven while others are predestined for eternal damnation in Hell.

However, I wouldn’t us this as an excuse to give up, an excuse to continue in your sin. He has given us freewill and until the day I die I will follow the Lord striving against sin and attempting to walk in the light.

Besides, predestination is largely a POV, point of view. God already knows where we are going and what we will do. He is omniscient or all knowing, but we live in time. Redeem the time. Pray to the Lord to open your ears and your understanding. And that he will grant you the mercy and strength to walk in the light.

Standard
Christian, Inspirational

Heard

There are two words in the Bible in two key verses that encompass the heart of the entire Christian faith.

The word believe in John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And the word call in Romans 10:13 KJV For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Both of these words incorporate the sum of all scripture in their definitions. If you call upon the Lord you want to be heard. In order to be heard your call should be in accord with God’s word, the Holy Bible.

You must know Jehovah. You must know Jesus. Jeremiah 29:12-13 KJV says, Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. [13] And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

After discovering Jesus as Lord, we seek to please him by keeping his word. One of the first things we must do is be baptized by immersion in water. Mark 16:16 KJV He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

To keep his word we must know it. The Ten Commandments can be found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. They are still in effect under the New Testament Covenant. 2 John 1:6 KJV says,  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Walk in the light, remembering after baptism 1 John 1:9 (confession) exists for the remission of sins and Hebrews 10:26-27 exists to warn us against further wilful sin.

Ultimately it’s up to God to respond to your call. It is my personal opinion that you should continue to call upon the Lord even if you are currently stuck in sin. The Lord delivered me from cigarettes and porn. For me it wasn’t instantaneous. It took years of desiring to quit, reading the Holy Bible, and asking the Lord for help, but I can now say I’m finally living righteously and trying daily to walk in the light.

Don’t give up! Call upon the Lord. Call upon him out of need or fear. Call upon him out of love! Your salvation depends upon it!

Standard
Christian

Do You Know Him?

You may know who Jesus is. He is the only begotten Son of Jehovah, our Heavenly Father. He is God himself who died on the cross for our sins. He is our Savior, the promised Messiah.

But do you know him? Are you his follower?

Jesus is our example. Jesus died showing us how to live. He kept the law. He never sinned. He always did the Father’s will. Knowing this and that the wages of sin is Death, we should strive to not sin. Be perfect even as he was perfect. Matthew 5:48, Hebrews 4:15.

Believing in Jesus we must repent and be baptized. Acts 2:38. While it is true that love can cover a multitude of sin, the only sure forgiveness after baptism is confession. 1 John 1:9. Followers of Jesus do not continue in sin. Hebrews 10:26-27. Rather we strive to be as our Master, Jesus, who lived perfectly before the LORD.

Standard
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.

Standard
Christian

Sure

Perhaps you’ve heard Jesus died on the cross for every sin you would ever commit.

Taken by itself this is an incomplete picture of salvation. The Bible tells us love covers a multitude of sins. It also tells us we are all sinners. Wouldn’t you like to be sure you are forgiven?

You are forgiven of sins past in water baptism. Baptism is immersion in water by another, a baptizer, who says I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost or I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ after you have accepted Jesus as Messiah and expressed repentance.

After water baptism the only sure way to be forgiven is 1 John 1:9.

Proverbs 28:13 KJV says He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Standard
Christian, Inspirational

A Race To Be Won

Have you heard Jesus did it all, it is finished, you don’t need to do anything for your salvation?

Jesus completed his race. He lived an Holy life teaching us to follow him and the Heavenly Father. He was scourged and died on the cross as the final sacrifice for our sins.

What about our race? Do we have to do anything to be cleansed in Jesus’ blood? Do we have to do anything to make it to Heaven?

If you accept Jesus as Messiah, you need to repent and be baptized (submerged in water) in the name of Jesus for the remission or forgiveness of sins in your life till that point. Acts 2:38 After baptism forgiveness of sin can be covered in love and by confession. James 5:20, 1 Peter 4:8, 1 John 1:9.

This is at the heart of the race assigned to us all: Preach the truth to others – Mark 16:15-16, Keep the Commandments – Romans 2:13, John 14:15, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Love one another – John 13:34.

As Paul hoped to finish his race well, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, so do we. Jesus completed his life and work proclaiming, “It is finished”, while on the cross, but our race as we follow him is yet to be won!

Standard
Christian, Inspirational

Least

So yesterday I woke up thinking about the Sabbath. I was specifically thinking about a conversation I had via email with a person at Chick-fil-A. I wanted to inform the owner he had the wrong day to be closed. I believe the Sabbath is to be observed from Friday eve to Saturday eve. Leviticus 23:32.

The conversation ended with the employee asking, can we both agree Sunday is the day most people observe as to the Lord. We left the conversation there, but it’s been gnawing at me. I want to go back and ask him and the owner is the day off for the people or for God? I believe God would want the Sabbath observance on the correct day.

So that being said, how did I proceed to live my Sabbath? I bought lotto tickets, I went to McDonald’s twice for coffee, Taco Bell once for lunch, and then finally I did some shopping at Family Dollar.

Why do I tell you this? I found excuses to do each of the above things I mentioned. While I didn’t work myself other than perhaps driving I did cause the stranger in my gates to work. Exodus 20:10.

There is 1 John 1:9 and I hope I do better. I want to share in the heritage of Jacob. Isaiah 58:13-14.

Standard
Christian

Twice Isn’t Nice

I was watching the Jim Bakker show and the guest Perry Stone was talking about how God instructed him to be baptized a second time in order to clear away things that were weighing upon him.

Bah humbug. B.S. Nonsense. People who are baptized multiple times don’t understand baptism. You can only be cleansed of your sins and baptized into the family of God once. Confess that Jesus is Christ, ask forgiveness of your sins, and be baptized by immersion in water by another in the name of Jesus or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38, Acts 19:5, Matthew 28:19.

The only mechanism to be cleansed of your sin after baptism is 1 John 1:9! It doesn’t matter if your afraid to confess. Your sins can’t be washed away in a second or third baptism.

If you’re seeking a verse that says you can only be baptized once I can’t provide one. I can say there is no example of a second water baptism of anyone in the Holy Bible. If you truly believed the first time, subsequent baptisms are futile.

Standard