Q&A: The Truth About…

Is Reading Just Jesus’ Own Words And Ignoring Paul’s Teaching, The Gospel?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Grace Of God, Q&A: The Truth About...
Is Reading Just Jesus’ Own Words And Ignoring Paul’s Teaching, The Gospel?

The Real Danger Of Only Following The Bible ‘Red Text’ (Jesus’ Words), And Ignoring Apostle Paul.

There are some teaching to ignore Paul’s Gospel of Grace Through Christ Crucified, over Jesus’ teachings to the Jews in the Gospel books of the New Testament. Yet, doing so is not the Word of God we were given!

Jesus and Paul agree 100% because it is the risen Christ that sent Paul to the Gentiles and us living in our current dispensation after the cross.

We must realize that passages in the Gospels showing Jesus’ words, that are before the cross, are addressed directly to the Israelites; the Jewish people and Pharisees of that time who were believing that Law keeping is the way to be favored by God. That righteousness comes by the Law. This is in complete opposition to Paul’ and Jesus’ teachings when read in proper context.

In the Gospels, we see Jesus burying the Jewish people and Pharisees in the extremes of the Law to prepare them for the soon coming New Covenant of God’s Grace through Christ crucified. Law of Moses keeping does not ever justify a person and so Jesus uses extremes of the Law to have them Change Their Mind (Repent) about how to be justified with God. Jesus wants them crying to God for mercy because the New Covenant and dispensation of God’s Grace was about to begin, at the cross.

In Matthew 5 and Matthew 18 is a good example where Jesus tells the Jews to cut off their hand, pluck out their eyes… I certainly hope no believer today is doing such things. Jesus tells the Jews if they even just look at a person in lust – they have committed adultery in their heart and have broken the commandment. Jesus is just trying to bring them to their knees to cry out to God for mercy knowing they cannot keep all the Law of Moses!

The rich man asking what must he DO to be saved was being very boastful about his Law keeping. When Jesus asked him about his Law following, he said he kept all the Law of Moses; a blatant untruth. Law keeping does not justify a person ever and then Jesus tells him to sell everything and give to the poor and follow Him.

Even the disciples were SHOCKED asking.. ‘Who then can be saved?’. Jesus reply was that with man it is impossible BUT with God all things are possible.

Apostle Paul…

“The law curses all who practice it and fail to do it perfectly.” (Galatians 3:10 KJV)

And remember, Paul was an EXPERT of the Law of Moses who persecuted Christians before his appointed meeting with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.

And NO ONE except Jesus, The Christ, God in the flesh, has kept all the Law of Moses. In fact, not even the Ten Commandments alone.

We must use proper context. And when reading the Gospels and passages before the cross, we need to see them through the lens of the Gospel of God’s Grace Through Christ Crucified as Apostle Paul was sent to teach us living in our current dispensation.

Why Did Jesus Insist To Be Baptized By Water?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About..., Water Baptism
The Holy Spirit

John the Baptist said to the people,

” I indeed baptize you WITH WATER UNTO REPENTANCE but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV)

In Matthew, it is it making plain that the purpose of John’s baptism was to provide an occasion for Jewish people to confess their sins and repent (defined in Greek it was penned as ‘changing their mind‘) and get right with God. The Jewish people were relying on Law keeping and their lineage from Abraham (Matthew 3:9) to save them and John the Baptist was ‘preparing the way’ for the message of Salvation by what Christ would do as the coming Messiah; pay for the sins of the whole world to save all who would believe. A drastic repentance which is a drastic change of belief for the Jewish people. It was a cleansing sprinkling under the Law of Moses (Numbers 19:11-22).

In Matthew 3, then we see Jesus coming on the scene as John the Baptist said He one day would:

“13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John FORBAD HIM, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”

We see here that John is saying to Jesus that Jesus has no need to be baptized unto repentance. Jesus has no sins to change His mind about!

“15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. Then he suffered him.”

Jesus fulfilled ‘all righteousness’. He never sinned as He was God in the flesh. Yet, He came to pay for our sins on the cross as the once for all payment (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

Jesus as Messiah (The Word) became human and joined fallen humanity, though without having sin, and he was providing righteousness for us in sharing their water baptism of REPENTANCE, not relying on Law keeping or being of the lineage of Abraham. Jesus humbled Himself in perfect righteousness so we, in belief on Him (John 3:14-18, 1 Cor. 15:1-4) could receive the righteous which comes by faith, not works (Eph. 2:8-9, Philippians 3:8–9). Water baptism is part of the Law of Moses (Numbers 19:11-22) and Jesus had to fulfill ‘all righteousness’. Jesus had to be without sin to become the once for all final blood atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

By being baptized unto repentance He fulfilled all righteous. Did Jesus deserve to die shedding His blood on the cross when He had NO SIN? NO!

Why did He then? To fulfill all righteousness and be the ONE FINAL SACRIFICE (Hebrews 10) to pay the sin debt we all have, MAKING US through His sacrifice, the righteous of God, in Christ ( Cor. 5:21).

John water baptized UNTO REPENTANCE. It was an outward expression of the people’s change of mind about how to be saved. The water baptizing itself is not what saved them once Christ came. It is changing their minds (which is the literal Greek definition of the English word ‘repent’) from a false salvation by their self righteous efforts of Law keeping and relying on Abraham’s lineage, to belief on Christ.

Jesus was water Baptized to show them it was true and in doing so fulfilled all righteousness. A blessing to those changing their mind.

What Is Meant Saying That We DIED When We Believed On Christ?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About..., Q&A: Uncategorized List
What Is Meant Saying That We DIED When We Believed On Christ?

Apostle Paul wrote:

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized INTO HIS DEATH? Therefore we are BURIED WITH HIM by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  Knowing this, that our old man IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not SERVE sin. For he that is DEAD IS FREED from sin. Now if we BE DEAD WITH CHRIST, we believe that we shall also LIVE WITH HIM:  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, HE DIED UNTO SIN ONCE: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be DEAD INDEED TO SIN, but alive unto God THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 6: 3-11 KJV)

Wow. The more I read this, the more grateful and hope filled I become. Yet, is this the message we are hearing from church religion pulpits today? What I hear mostly are sayings like, “we need to die to self.” and “we need to die daily.”  Did you know these phrases are not even found in the Bible? It is the truth! They are found no where in the Bible. Search it out for yourself; it simply does not exist in the Bible. In fact, the passage above in Romans 6 is likely the closest thing to the phrase and yet it does not teach us that at all. In fact, it is telling us something very opposite.

Do you really know and understand who you are, IN CHRIST?

The majority of people who say they are Christian do not even realize that we need to separate our physical existence and our Spiritual existence when coming to understanding about our Salvation and what happened (past tense!) at the very moment of belief on Christ’s finished work of atoning for our sins on the cross. So powerful and sufficient was Christ’s once for all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), yet do we grasp the depth of what Christ did for us? When you study passages like Romans 6 and Colossians 2 and 3 and Galatians we see Apostle Paul making this clearer and clearer.

‘When Jesus died on the cross, He nailed our sins to the cross.’ Now there is a phrase we hear all the time right? And, yes, that is certainly true but it goes well beyond that!

First, what is the wages of our sin? What is the penalty of our sin? Is the penalty that we need to be a better person? Do we need to be more penitent? Do we need to do more good than bad? In God’s economy regarding our sins, none of these are the wages of sin. The wages of our sin, IS DEATH! We cannot earn our way to paying off our sin debt against God because the only thing that can pay for our sins is death by the shedding of blood.

Now, look at verse 3 above in Romans 6. This is telling us that when Jesus died on the cross, He took our old self WITH HIM. It says we WERE baptized into His death. What does Baptized mean in this verse? Looking at the Greek in which this was penned for the translated into English word “baptized” here is the Greek word ‘baptizō‘ and the meaning is ‘to immerse’. Paul is not talking about water Baptism here though. He is talking about Spiritual baptism; the Baptism of the Spirit, being Born Again. As believers, our spirit nature was taken with Christ onto that cross and we DIED WITH CHRIST. Physically we are here on Earth. But spiritually, this is what took place. Notice that this is all written in the PAST TENSE! Our old spiritual self was DEAD with Christ, buried with Christ and rose again WITH CHRIST at the cross! In Colossians 2, Paul expands further and states that believers are “COMPLETE IN CHRIST” and “SEATED WITH CHRIST”, again all written in the present tense!

Just as Jesus said, IT IS FINISHED! God foreknew who will accept the GIFT of Salvation and who would reject such a great gift. And the will of the Father is that He will not lose any of His own.

“And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” (John 6:39 KJV)

In foreknowledge, God placed a believer’s old self on that cross WITH CHRIST. This is something we do not see taught very often from pulpits. Instead, we get more surface understanding that ‘our sins were paid for on the cross’ without the deeper understanding of this truth. We hear catchy phrases like ‘we need to die to self’, although this is as close as Scripture gets to that phrase; WE DIED WITH CHRIST! This is what being BORN AGAIN is all about folks! Our old self, (what Paul refers to as the Old Man)  and our sins were crucified on that cross. Died on the cross. Buried with Christ and have been resurrected (born again). Jesus cried out, on that cross just before physically dying, IT IS FINISHED which in the Greek it was penned is an accounting term meaning, DEBT PAID IN FULL. Our sin debt was paid. Our wages of sin (death penalty) was paid for, IN FULL, on Christ. And when Jesus rose again, so did we rise again in the Spirit; Eternal, Holy, Righteous and redeemed forever. That just makes me want to shout THANK YOU JESUS. How about you? Grateful is the word.

From the very moment of our belief on Christ’s finished work on the cross, we were SEALED by the Holy Spirit forever. (Ephesians 1:13-14) How close are we to Christ as believers? We hear in church sermons that we ‘need to die to self’ and that  we ‘need to get closer to Christ’ by doing this, that and the other thing. More church building attendance. More good works. More Bible study. These may all be good things to do, yes! Yet, Apostle Paul tells us that our old self ALREADY DIED  with Christ on that cross and we are now ALREADY a NEW self called The Spirit. We have become (past tense) BORN AGAIN in the Spirit and are a new creation in the Spirit which is the righteousness of God, in Christ (John 3:5-6, 14-18, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

What About Our Sins After Salvation?

Apostle Paul addresses this too of course. He tells us that because we DIED TO SIN with Christ on that cross (Romans 6, Colossians 2 and 3), and that we are now a NEW CREATION IN CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5:17), and that we are now SEATED with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6-7), why should we continue in sin? He is not saying that sinning after Salvation will result in loss of Salvation. Remember ALL our life long list of sins (even future ones because all our sins are future from the cross) were paid in full on that cross 2000 years ago! He is just saying, look…this is the new you in union with Christ. Now when a temptation to sin comes around we should walk in the Spirit to avoid the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Walk in the truth and knowledge that as believers we are in union with Christ spiritually which is the new us and deny that sin knowing we are already DEAD to sin, in Christ.

Unbelievers just go ahead and sin and have no remorse about it really. But believers when they sin, well, we feel kinda icky! We become remorseful. We confess the sin and tell God we are sorry that we blew it after all He did for us. That is because we are born again. The Holy Spirit is right here dwelling within us. We are IN CHRIST! And sometimes if we are stubborn about a sin, God will chastise us just as a human parent chastises their children for their own good. It is all out of love for us and there is no greater love that God’s love for us.

I rather boast in God’s love for me , then my love for Him – that is for sure. I still blow it sometimes and fall into temptation as anyone at times. But do I ever feel bad about it later! Apostle Paul was telling us that he too had this ongoing struggle with our old mind not acknowledging or maybe knowing the truth about a sin. Even knowing something is a sin, we still step into it, even when our spirit really does not want to. Our new Spirit is Holy Righteous and redeemed but we need to renew our mind by the Word of God (Romans 12:2). We need to BELIEVE that what the Bible says we now are as believers is the truth and then accepting that in belief, our actions move outwardly into our lives. Let’s face it, how we believe, is how we will act!

Ever take notice that if someone tempts you to murder them, you just would never do that? You would walk away. But why then with other sins do you lose the battle with temptation? It is because right believing results in right living and right actions. If there is anything I pray for you and I as believers, it is that God grant us His WISDOM. His knowledge! The truth! And the more we study the Word of God the more knowledge we have for living in victory from our old self, wrongful thinking.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS MIGHT.” (Ephesians 6:10 KJV)

The devil and his fallen angels are working to instill FEAR in believers. They will throw arrows at you such as, ‘you are not good enough..see you sinned again’, or ‘you have trampled on Jesus and your salvation is lost’ or ‘you better do more good and follow the Ten Commandments or you will lose salvation’. There are many arrows and schemes (called the wiles of the devil in Ephesians 6:11) they are using against believers because it is through us, others will come to the truth. And if they can distract us with lies and fear they believe they can stop people from being saved through Christ. And the truth is the only thing believers have to fear is not entering God’s REST.

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1 KJV)

Know who you truly are in Christ. It is the truth that sets us free as believers.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
(John 8:32 KJV)

When The Book of Romans Uses The Word SIN, is it an action verb?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About...
When The Book of Romans Uses The Word SIN, is it an action verb?

There are many teaching that if we do not confess every sin that we commit that we forfeit our Salvation, unless we repent. But is this Biblical truth or is it a misunderstanding partly because of the Bible translation to English of the word SIN in the Book of Romans?

Romans is one such case where understanding the translation from Greek makes all the difference in the meaning. Apostle Paul wrote Romans. And when the proper meaning is seen then we can see how other Scriptures from Apostle Paul agree. Context matters. The translation of certain key words in passages and what the same writer states elsewhere in the Bible matter. They should not contradict. They MUST AGREE.

This is what makes this so important to understand about Romans, written by Apostle Paul. It is a BIG part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, amen! We are to look at the Gospel passages from before the cross in the light and through the lens of what Apostle Paul taught. Peter and all the Apostles agreed to this in Acts 15. And so, we need to get this right!

The New Testament was written in Greek and what we read today is translated into English. And so there are times we need to look at the Greek to see the true meaning of words. One is the word SIN in Romans. The other is the word REPENT throughout the New Testament. I have already addressed the word REPENT in my other article. This article is regarding the word SIN in Romans but it is also related to the words repent and confess and right believing in what repentance and confession actually is defined as by the Bible.

In the Book of Romans we see the word SIN is used 48 times by Apostle Paul. The Romans Road to Salvation is something many use to bring people to Christ and so let us get this right!  If you read Romans believing all instances of the word SIN have the same meaning; that is where confusion starts. The fact is that not all instances of the word SIN has the same meaning. Most believe all instances are used as VERBS describing individual sins that we all commit. We sin because of a sin nature. We do not have a sin nature because we sin. This is important to realize. And because of this we see many pulpits teaching falsely that if we do not REPENT and CONFESS every single sin we commit, that we forfeit our Salvation. If SIN is used as a verb throughout Romans, it is easy to see why people believe that. Other passages by Apostle Paul refute that idea but not everyone sees those passages in their studying and others blindly just listen to pulpits thinking they must be correct based on Romans use of the word SIN.

Yet here is the shocker folks. There are TWO  Greek words for SIN in Romans and they are hamartanō  – a verb and hamartia – a noun).  What is the ratio of use between these two words of either SIN as a noun or SIN as a verb? Hamartia (a noun) is used 46 out of the 48 times! Apostle Paul is talking about SIN as a noun…as a WHOLE. As in SIN, in it’s entirety, not each and every sin we commit. Now, of course every SIN (verb) we commit is included in the noun SIN. Why is it important then? Because it thwarts the idea that if we do not confess every single sin that it somehow means we will not make it to Heaven and will cause loss of Salvation.

You see, Jesus did not only die for the confessed sins of believers!  No. He paid for ALL SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD and that includes believer’s sins and unbeliever’s sins.

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.” (1 John 2:2 KJV)

And Jesus told Nicodemus that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM hath everlasting life. And that “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 KJV) Salvation is BELIEF ALONE my friends! It is ALL the Grace of God.

John the Baptist was baptizing them and they were confessing their sins, yet it was before Jesus even started His ministry, let alone died on that cross. This was confessing UNTO repentance. A change of mind about their sin and instead of doing good deeds and Law following to gain the favor of God – they were crying out o God for MERCY. They were acknowledging their sins to God. However, confessing sins to God in itself will not save anyone because if you miss just one sin you did, say 20 years earlier, where would you be? Still unsaved! It only takes one sin to disqualify us from Heaven because it is a perfect place without sin.

But John was showing them their sins against God in preparation for the one coming who would bring in the New Covenant; the prophesied Messiah and the one that WOULD SAVE THEM.  After Christ died on the cross, we repent (change our mind) believing that the work of Christ on that cross was a sufficient and the ONCE FOR ALL payment (Hebrews 10:10, Colossians 2) for the sins of the world. And by BELIEF on Christ alone to save us from our sins (Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:18) what Christ accomplished is placed on our account and all our sins were PAID IN FULL. This is in fact what Jesus cried out on the cross just before He expired physically. PAID IN FULL! is the Greek for IT IS FINISHED!  An accounting term of debt erasure!

From the moment we BELIEVED ON CHRIST we were SEALED by the Holy Spirit forever (Ephesians 1:13-14). Colossians tells us that we were Baptized WITH CHRIST and we DIED WITH CHRIST and we rose again WITH CHRIST because Jesus nailed all our  transgressions to that cross. This is an amazing truth believers! One to shout for joy about!

Be grace conscious!  It is by the Grace of God that people come to repentance and belief unto Salvation through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

IT IS FINISHED!

Is Being A Disciple A Requirement Of Salvation?

Don Gerrity Q&A: Salvation, Q&A: The Truth About...
Is Being A Disciple A Requirement Of Salvation?

Is every believer a disciple? Is being a disciple the same as being a saved believer? Is being a disciple of Christ a requirement of Salvation?

There is a mass confusion in the Christian community over these very questions. Believing that discipleship is a requirement of Salvation is called Discipleship Salvation or Lordship Salvation. It is such an important issue to settle in your belief as it is rampant false teaching and is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am addressing this head on by the Word of God to help you understand this deceptive teaching, as a believer, and for you to see the truth by proper context which matters greatly when seeking to understand Scriptures.

In John 8, we read this verse, which if read without the context, seems to show that a ‘true believer’ must be a disciple.

“…If ye continue in my word, THEN are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8:31-32 KJV)

The problem with isolating this one verse out of John 8 and making it a foundational doctrine and requirement of Salvation is simple. It is not what Jesus is teaching in John 8 if you read and see the context.

Jesus just saved a woman caught in adultery and thwarted an effort by the Pharisee religious leaders to discredit Jesus in His teachings (John 8:6). Teaching which these Pharisee leaders worried would diminish their power.

A discussion began that became very heated between these Pharisees and Jesus. We see this attempt to discredit Jesus as the Messiah start when Jesus makes a statement of rebuke to the Pharisees.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I AM the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record IS NOT TRUE.” (John 8: 12-13 KJV)

Then Jesus responds with great authority basically telling them if they do not believe He is the Messiah that they will die in their sins (verse 24). Jesus told them He is the Messiah that Abraham looked forward to in faith for Salvation. He is the Messiah sent by the Father in verse 58. And they set their minds to stone Him to death.

In the midst of all this back and forth arguing, many watching Jesus’ responses to the Pharisees verbal attacks had believed on Jesus.

“As he spake these words, many BELIEVED ON HIM. Then said Jesus to those Jews WHICH BELIEVED ON HIM, If ye CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YE MY DISCIPLES indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and THE TRUTH shall MAKE YOU FREE.”

Do you hear echoes of Jesus earlier telling Nicodemus how to be saved in John 3?

“He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVIETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 KJV)

Yes. These are believers Jesus is speaking to now. While being confronted with the claims of the Pharisees, Jesus tells the believers listening to all this confrontation to continue in His word because the knowledge of the truth of the Gospel is the only thing that can set them free. Free from what? Free from their sin debt. The Pharisees then begin refuting Jesus claim to the believers in the crowd,

“They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be MADE FREE? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the SERVANT OF SIN.”

All are servants of sin unless they believe on Christ. He would soon be ushering in the New Covenant by becoming the ONCE FOR ALL sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) as the Messiah that He claimed to be. He is encouraging the believers to be disciples in light of His claim of being the Messiah, God in the flesh.

Jesus continues addressing the crowd listening to this confrontational argument with the Pharisees stating,

“And THE SERVANT AABIDETH NOT in the house for ever: BUT THE SON ABIDETH EVER. If the Son therefore shall MAKE YOU FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED. “

We are free from our sin debt only through the narrow gate; Belief on Jesus the Christ, shedding His blood (John 3:14-18) and paying for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), died and rising from the dead which had not yet happened to Jesus but soon would.

We see here that Salvation hinges on BELIEF ON CHRIST as the prophesied Messiah that was to come; the only begotten Son of God who is God in the flesh by definition as Messiah.

The other point we learn in this passage is that being a believer does not mean being a disciple. They are not the same. A believer can and should be a disciple, but it is not a requirement of Salvation. Jesus was addressing the BELIEVERS. They are SAVED, DEEMED HOLY, RIGHTEOUS and REDEEMED and are NOT CONDEMNED by their belief on Christ. They are not saved by being disciples.

The word ‘disciple’ is the Greek word ‘mathētēs‘ and is defined in Greek
as ‘a learner, a pupil‘. A person is saved by faith and belief alone in Christ and what He accomplished for us on the cross. Apostle Paul wrote,

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV)

This belief on Christ is what saves a person. From this very moment of belief on Christ alone to save a person from their sin debt against God, a person is SEALED and the Holy Spirit indwells the believer (Ephesians 1:13-14). Salvation is not by works but belief on Christ alone.(Ephesians 2:8-9)

Discipleship on the other hand, includes working for the Lord and putting Him first in everything. Studying the Word of God to learn more and more about the knowledge of the truth in Christ. And then helping others understand. It is continuing on in the faith to becoming mature in the faith. Some believers get saved, and are saved by belief on Christ, yet stay babies on milk when they could be maturing to more knowledge in Christ.

If discipleship is a person surrending and working for the Lord, it can not be that being a disciple is required for Salvation because salvation is not of ourselves nor our works. Instead, Salvation is a GIFT to be received.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: NOT of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we SHOULD walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)

So a disciple and a believer in salvation are not defined as the same thing. A believer can and SHOULD BE a disciple. But the word ‘disciple’ and ‘believer in salvation’ are not defined as the same and being a disciple is not a REQUIREMENT of Salvation.

Lordship Salvation is the same as Discipleship Salvation. It is basically saying all believers MUST BE disciples and that we need to work to keep our salvation, or we were never saved in the first place. It is basically a disquised ‘works for salvation’ false gospel. That is not what is found in Scripture in proper context from what I see. And verses that believers in Lordship Salvation use are usually about our walk AS SAVED BELIEVERS and not about how to remain saved.

We read in Colossians 2 that when Christ died on the cross, we were made a ew creation called THE SPIRIT. When Christ was buried, so were we. When Christ rose, so did we IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. How is that possible? Because we are IN CHRIST. To God, Jesus sacrifice was completely and utterly sufficient. And so He took us as servants of sin, where He went in saving us. He nailed ALL our life of sins to that cross and said, IT IS FINISHED. And in the Greek that was penned it is an accounting term meaning, DEBT PAID IN FULL. Christ BECAME OUR SIN and paid for it all and now we are COMPLETE IN HIM.

“10 And YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power:

11 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:

12 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.

13 And you, BEING DEAD in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together WITH HIM, having FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESPASSES;

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;” (Colossians 2: 8-14 KJV)

In Hebrews 7 we read this,

“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this HE DID ONCE, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:26-27 KJV)

Yes, Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Yes we strive to please Him in great gratitude and respect with our lives. We allow Him to work through us. We are to do good works after Salvation. Christ lives IN every believer. Yet, the fact is that our new Spirit resides in this corrupt Flesh until our bodily resurrection and we cannot FULLY surrender and not sin as if we are perfect and whole yet, though we strive to do so. Apostle Paul struggled as well as seen in Romans 7. So do all believers.

And when you think about it, Jesus is Lord regardless if we surrender to Him fully (or not) right? Salvation is not kept by our works and I cannot find any Scripture that Salvation hinges on being a disciple. What I do find in the Bible is that Salvation hinges on BELIEF ON CHRIST ALONE. (John 3:18, 1 Cor. 15:1-4. )

Is Praying to Dead Catholic Saints Wrong?

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Is Praying to Dead Catholic Saints Wrong?

A family member of the Catholic faith once posted on social media that by “praying to St. Anthony for help, he will be right on it; and you will always be grateful to know him.”

By stating this, whether knowing or not, she was stating that St. Anthony was the reason why prayer will be answered. The problem with this is that this is putting faith in St. Anthony and not God as if God is refusing to hear her prayers.

The Bible truth is that GOD HEARS ALL OUR PRAYERS and ONLY GOD can answer prayers.

I know this is a prayer to St Anthony to pray for a person, as to say Anthony is dead and is present with the Lord. So He is closer to God to pray on her behalf. Raised from birth in the Roman Catholic religion, I was brought up believing this too. However, since actually reading the Bible, I never understood doing this because I cannot find doing this instructed anywhere in the Bible.

First, as a believer in Christ and the atonement for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) that He provided on the cross for us, Apostle Paul tells us that at our very moment of belief on Christ alone for Salvation, a person is SEALED by the Holy Spirit who indwells the person forever from that moment on (Ephesians 1:13-14) until our bodily resurrection. With God now residing WITHIN US, how much closer can we get to God? Why is there any need of praying to a person that is dead when God is right here WITHIN US NOW as we are experiencing troubles? (Galatians 2:16-21)

Apostle Paul wrote,

“For there is ONE God,and ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself A RANSOM for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2: 5-6 KJV).

The Bible also says that Jesus intercedes on believer’s behalf to the Father,

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34 KJV)

If Jesus Christ HIMSELF is interceding for us, why the need to pray to a dead person? What we need is to have faith IN JESUS who is interceding for us already. He should be our only object of faith, shouldn’t he?

Jesus Himself prayed to the Father for us before His death and resurrection,

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE:” (John 17:20-22 KJV)

Do you think that prayer was answered? Absolutely! So, if a believer is one with Christ and Christ in us and we are now one with the Father. THAT IS REALLY INTIMATE AND CLOSE!!

Second is that we, as believers, have been completely forgiven for all the sins of our life (past/present/future) because Christ paid for all the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) on the cross. By belief on Christ’s finished ‘once for all sacrifice’ (Hebrews 10:10) for the payment of all sins we have been made into a NEW CREATURE (2 Corinthians 5:1) called The Spirit and are from the very moment of belief SEALED by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 4:30, 2 Corinthians 1:22) and MADE the very righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Now, Stop and read that last paragraph again. Look up the Scripture references. This is not my opinion. It is what the Word of God clearly teaches. Let that soak into your mind! It should make us want to shout out loud! Hallelujah!

That is why it states in Hebrews,

“Let us therefore COME BOLDLY unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and FIND GRACE to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV)

I am not trying to step on the toes of Catholic believers here. It is not my opinion that even matters. I was brought up believing this way too. I was taught this in Catholic High school. Priests have taught this to me.

The things is, I just cannot find it in Scripture anywhere. And NO ONE has been able to show me it is taught in the Bible anywhere either (unless context is ignored on a verse). And so, I gotta stick to what the Word of God says, the Bible. Church pulpits are not always right. I am not picking on just the RCC leadership in saying this. Most denominational Church religions each have some traditions they created without Scriptural backing. So does the Roman Catholic Church and I believe that praying to dead Saints or even Mary is one of the teachings without Scriptural backing.

Some people I know say that this prayer to St. Anthony works and has worked for them more then once. Their testimony makes me believe that it actually worked. I am not refuting that. If you experienced it… you did!

But my point is that maybe it works because they use their FAITH that GOD HEARS THE PRAYER. Maybe because God sees what is going on and wants to heal the issue anyway because He loves us and sees our heart. Maybe because Jesus is already interceding to the Father. Yet I wonder that maybe, going directly to the source of our faith (JESUS) is a better way we should pray in faith that God does hear our prayers and does answer them? In fact, the Bible definition of a SAINT is any person that accepts Christ as savior and Lord.

Another dark side could also be the reason for some such prayers to be answered. We see in Matthew 7 that Jesus is talking about false prophets (verse 15) who believe the are saved because of their works. They even cast out demons in the name of Jesus, yet Jesus will say to them at judgement day to ” I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:32 KJV).

Jesus will tell them the worst news of their lives; He never KNEW them and so they were not believers on Christ for Salvation but rather had faith in their works to save them. They thought they were ‘good enough’ by their own merit in self righteous deeds to be saved but they were wrong – seriously wrong! Jesus is warning them and us about something here.

First, Salvation is not by works but by faith and belief alone in Jesus finished work (John 3:14-18, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4..etc).

Second, we see that these unbelievers did cast out demons in Jesus name! The question is, without the indwelling Holy Spirit of a believer, HOW COULD THEY? It could be that the devil’s angels were casting fellow demons out to deceive these people to stay in their unbelief on Christ alone knowing it would in the end blind them to the true Gospel through Christ crucified.

Let this be a warning to everyone! If an unbeliever prays to the devil himself and it comes to pass, is it from God or was it fallen angels working behind the scenes making something happen in a person’s life? SCARY THOUGHT! Ephesians 6 tells us that is exactly what fallen angels are doing! It is called the ‘wiles of the devil’ and there is an importance to putting on the full armor of God to stand firm in faith in God alone and HIS MIGHT (Ephesians 6:10).

By the Word of God, I know the truth and the truth is that my prayers directly to God in faith ARE HEARD BY GOD. Answers are sometimes a YES and sometimes it is a YES with a delayed answer (as God knows the best timing) and sometimes the answer is simply a NO! We need to acknowledge that although we are struggling with something, God has a plan and purpose for everything we face in life. He has it all planned out from the very foundation of the world! Long before you and I were born. And in the end His purposes and plans are always the best.

Jesus said to encourage us,

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world YE SHALL HAVE tribulation: but BE OF GOOD CHEER; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 KJV)

Place your trust in Him alone. Give Him all the glory in all things (the good, the bad and the down right ugly). And TRUST GOD in all things, even when we do not understand.

Does A Believer Fall Out Of Fellowship When We Sin And Back In Fellowship When We Repent?

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Does A Believer Fall Out Of Fellowship When We Sin And Back In Fellowship When We Repent?

This is a rampant false teaching in the Christian community these days but it is not found in the Scriptures. First we need to understand that the English word repent is Biblically defined as ‘change your mind’. It is true that 90% of the time when the word REPENT is used in the New Testament, it is regarding changing your mind about how to be saved. For unbelievers it means to change from self righteous works and religious rituals and Law keeping for Salvation to believing on the finished work of Christ on the cross, paying the punishment we deserved for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2, John 3:14-18). Yet, as believers on the other side of Salvation we too need to repent, that is change our mind, about many things. We are saved and forgiven our sins but we need to renew our minds and change how we think about our sins and how we live for God.

There is no yo-yo fellowship with God. God does not turn away from you when you sin and turn back towards you when you do not! I hear believers and pulpits saying this a lot and it is just not found in Scripture. The Holy Spirit does not walk away from you when you are dealing with sin; the Holy Spirit works to help you overcome the sin. The Holy Spirit will discipline you when you sin in His great love for you.

There are only two kinds of people:

  • Those IN THE SPIRIT and
  • Those WITHOUT the Spirit.

Apostle Paul puts it this way,

“But ye are not in THE FLESH, but in THE SPIRIT, if so be that the SPIRIT OF GOD dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:9-10 KJV)

This RIGHTEOUSNESS is not of ourselves and is not attained by our works. This righteousness is what we BECAME from the moment of our conversion to being a believer in Christ’s finished work on the cross to save us.

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Philippians 3:9 KJV)

From the very moment of belief on Christ, and the atonement He provided for us on the cross, a person is SEALED by the Holy Spirit forever.

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)

From the very moment of belief on Christ in Salvation God MAKES US a NEW CREATURE which both Jesus and Apostle Paul calls ‘THE SPIRIT’.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

This is not about us externally making ourselves a new person in self righteous efforts. Salvation is not of ourselves in self righteousness (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is all about how from the moment of belief on Christ to forgive us our sins and how God MAKES US a new creation called THE SPIRIT and SEALS us for all eternity as being IN CHRIST. We do not do this – only God can do this and that is exactly what the Bible teaches us that He did.

Jesus says to believers,

“…I am with you always, even unto the end of the world…” (Mathhew 28:20 KJV)

“…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5 KJV)

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall NEVER perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29 KJV)

We are always IN THE SPIRIT as believers because the Spirit is dwelling within us! We do not lose our fellowship with Christ because we are in Christ and He is in us…forever. And nothing will change that!

Does that mean we just go and sin all we want? Do we use the Grace of God as a license to sin?

Apostle Paul tells us, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2 KJV)

We have are a new creation with a NEW nature called ‘The Spirit’ now and so why walk by our old Flesh nature?

Walking by the Flesh will leave a believer unhappy. Why? Because our new Spirit, which is the new us God made us to be at our moment of conversion, will war with The Flesh and we will feel miserable and guilty.

Was that sin already paid for on the cross? Yes. Did God turn away from you in surprise of that sin? No. Nothing surprises God! God foreknew every sin we will make in our life from the very foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) , both before and after our Salvation. Yet He still sent Jesus to die and pay for all our sins. God is right there with you. He is not in judgment against you because Jesus already paid for that sin on the cross. Jesus paid for ALL THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2) and it was a sufficient payment to God.

However, we do reap what we sow still. The consequence of what happens in your Earthly life for that sin are still real. I mean, if you steal and are caught you will still go to jail if you are Christian right? If you commit adultery you will still have the consequences of that action. Your wife may leave you, your kids despise you. God will discipline you. Not a pleasant situation to be in.

But to say you will lose fellowship with God is not true. God made a CHANGE in you and it was a heart change of our very nature. He translated you from The Flesh as your nature to be The Spirit which is the very seed of God. Temptations fly our way every day in this fallen world. Even with Christ dwelling inside us we still have that old bad thinking of the Flesh nature that we had before we got saved by belief on Christ, even if that is no longer our NATURE. Our Salvation happens in a moment of time but our sanctification by the renewing of our minds by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit takes a lifetime as we are in process to become more like Christ. We cannot be perfect and without sin until we receive our new glorified resurrected body which will not have The Flesh nature. That is why Paul writes,

“…flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:50 KJV)

Yet Paul tells us that at our physical death our Spirit goes to be with the Lord. Why? Because our Spirit is Holy Righteous and Redeemed but our body needs to be resurrected still.

That is why Apostle Paul tells us to “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16 KJV)

The more we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and not our OLD Flesh nature. The more we renew our mind by reading and studying the Word of God, the less we will fall prey to the lust of the old Flesh nature. And some temptations are strong indeed. They may not disappear from your life with immediacy. It may take time, sometimes a lot of time, to overcome their temptations.

Just know and understand this; God loves you. God forgave you all the sins of your life (future ones too – they are all future from the cross right?). You are completely and utterly SECURE in Christ. Christ is in you and you are in Christ and Christ in in the Father and so we are one with God. As Christ is seated in heaven, so are we seated with Christ. Focus on Christ and He will change you from the inner man and that will work outward into your life.

Your fellowship with God will last and grow forever.

Jesus promises you,

“… I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20 KJV)

Is There A Problem With Reading Just the ‘Red Text’ In A Bible (Jesus Words Alone) To Understand The Gospel?

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Is There A Problem With Reading Just the ‘Red Text’ In A Bible (Jesus Words Alone) To Understand The Gospel?

I strongly disagree with Bible teachers telling people to just read the RED words of Jesus in the Bible to understand the truth of the Gospel. That would actually be disastrous! Except for John 3, not many unsaved people would find the truth here in the Age of Grace if they do that alone. In fact, they may even believe a false gospel message!

Throughout Jesus’ ministry on Earth He was addressing the Nation Israel – the Jewish people, the Pharisee leaders and Scribes who believed that they are justified with God by keeping the Ten Commandments and all the Law of Moses.

Jesus says some harsh things to the Jews during His Earthly ministry to Israel as we see in Matthew 18 where He tells the Jews the extreme of The Law. We see Jesus taking the Law to an all new high level of required Holiness.

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness SHALL EXCEED the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20 KJV)

Jesus is seen time and time again in the Gospels showing the Jewish people that it is hopeless to keep all the Law of Moses.

“8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, CUT THEM OFF, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9 And if thine eye offend thee, PLUCK IT OUT, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.” (Matthew 18:8-9 KJV)


Cut off your hand/foot? Pluck out your eye? I certainly hope no one today reads these “red words” of Jesus and goes and cuts off a limb!

Look at Matthew 5 where Jesus says this,

“Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:21-22 KJV)

“ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-29 KJV)


Jesus tells the Jews that if they even look at someone with lust but do not commit the physical act that they have broken the commandment in their heart and are guilty of adultery! Hate someone and you have committed murder in their heart.

In Matthew 19 we see the rich young ruler who when Jesus asked if he kept all the commandments boasted that he DID ‘keep it from his youth’ (No one has but Jesus – the begotten Son of God, God in the flesh!). This rich young ruler was so boastful in SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS  just as the Pharisees were. To him Jesus says to sell all his possessions (he was rich!) and follow Jesus. He walked away. Jesus said to the disciples ““Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”” (Matthew 19:23-24 KJV) EVEN the Disciples were shocked by this and asked Jesus, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus answer is not… well get on with it! Keep all the commandments! NO. Jesus answer is “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” IT IS GOD that will accomplish it and not man.

All through the Gospels Jesus is burying the Jews and Pharisees in their Law keeping to bring them to their knees and cry out to God for MERCY. To understand that it is impossible to keep the Law in SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jesus was preparing the Jewish people for the soon coming NEW COVENANT of the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.

!!! CONTEXT MATTERS GREATLY !!!

All the Bible is for our learning but not all the Bible is addressed directly to us here in the age of God’s Grace under the New Covenant. For us today, we need to understand that the book of ROMANS to PHILEMON is addressed to us today, living under the New Covenant of God’s Grace through Jesus Christ.

When we, today, read the Gospels we need to understand that the New Covenant did not start in Matthew (the first book of New Testament) .  The New Covenant actually started at the cross! In the Gospels,  Jesus is addressing Jews living under the Old Covenant and believing Law keeping justifies them. Today, we need to read the Gospels and words of Jesus through the lens of the New Covenant of God’s Grace through Jesus Christ that Jesus gave Apostle Paul to teach us. Jesus says to Paul,

“But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.” (Acts 26:16 KJV)

The Gospel is known fully to us NOW from Romans to Philemon in the New Testament. Before these books and after is addressed mainly to the Nation of Israel – the Jewish peoples. Romans to Philemon is written about us (and to us) living in this current Age of God’s Grace under the New Covenant.

Luke 9:26: ‘whosoever shall be ashamed of me’

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Luke 9:26: ‘whosoever shall be ashamed of me’

“For whosoever shall be ASHAMED of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26 KJV)

The word “ashamed” here in the Greek is ‘epaischynomai‘ and Strongs concordance shows the meaning as ‘with the accusative of a person and the infinitive of a thing’. Jesus is talking about those who are accusing Him that He is not the Messiah but a false prophet. That is a serious offence indeed.

An interesting note about this passage using the King James Bible is that when you compare Mark’s account we see something more specific.

“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words IN THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38 KJV)

Mark is stating Jesus said, “IN THIS…GENERATION”. Jesus is speaking DIRECTLY to the Jewish people during the time of His ministry. The context becomes clearer when we go back verses to see the context.

“31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man MUST SUFFER many things, and BE REJECTED of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and BE KILLED, and after three days rise again.

 

32 And he spake that SAYING OPENLY. And Peter took him, and began TO REBUKE HIM.

 

33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

 

34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

 

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

 

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

 

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words IN THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

The Jewish people of THAT generation expected the Messiah to come in power and glory to be king. For some reason they ignored the prophecies about the suffering that the coming Messiah would have to go through. They did not expect Him to come in meekness, being humble as He did. To them Jesus words did not line up to what they envisioned the Messiah would be like when He came.

Peter was, just beforehand in Mark 8, the only disciple to answer Jesus’ question “Who do you say that I am?” with the correct answer “The Messiah”. Yet here we see Peter rebuked Jesus when He stated He would suffer and die. And then we see a chilling verse when Jesus replies to Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan”. Peter believed Christ was the Messiah but not that He would have to suffer and die. This was not what the Jewish people envisioned of the Messiah. Peter likely thought that as the Messiah, Jesus was about to take over and vanquish the Romans ruler-ship over them. This was the belief in that day and we know it to be wrong today as Jesus did die on the cross for our sins and rose again. Jesus knew just how horrible the suffering was going to be and Satan was trying to tempt him to not go through with it. Peter was seeing as the Jewish people were seeing and not as God sees and planned for Jesus and Christ’s reply to Peter is “for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.”

Jesus then calls other people to come and hear Him speak and tells them not to reject Him but to pick up their cross daily and follow Him despite what the common view of the day and the teachings of the Pharisees and Scribes was. Jesus says to DENY THEMSELVES. The Pharisees and Jewish people believed that it was their self righteous Law keeping that would save them. Yet, within they all still had a debt of sins to be paid for. Jesus then warns them to not reject Him as the result will not be a good one as they thought and instead tells them,

“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words IN THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

This passage in Mark 8 is directed solely at THAT GENERATION in specific. That said, the warning of rejecting Christ applies to all people in our generation as well. If a person relies on their own goodness or self righteous works or religious rituals (all of which is SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS), thinking it will save them because they are less sinners than others; the result is the same. If in unbelief a person rejects the free gift of Salvation through Christ, without works required (Ephesians 2:8-9), the end result for them will be Christ rejecting them when He comes back in glory at the Second Coming of Christ in our future.

Jesus gave a grave warning about this because their very Salvation is at risk if they continue believing that Law keeping will save them. Jesus gave another strong warning about the belief that Self Righteousness will save a person in Matthew 7 where we see a person is not saved by what they DO but by belief on Christ and His atonement for our sin (John 3:14-18, 36).

To those in that generation, and to those in our generation, who reject Christ because they think they are good enough on their own merit they will one day, at the White Throne Judgement, hear the most horrifying words of Jesus,

“…I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23 KJV)

This need not be you hearing these words. Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world and that includes your life long list of sins. God became flesh in the person of Jesus, The Christ, who lived a perfectly sinless life and willingly died on the cross to take the punishment for the sins of the whole world. And Jesus says to Nicodemus and to you,

“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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned ALREADY, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)

Trust in the finished work of Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and not in your own ‘goodness’, nor your good works, nor any religious ritual. BELIEVE on what Christ already accomplished for you  on the cross and God will forgive all your sins (past/present/future) and SEAL you from the very moment of your belief (Ephesians 1:13-14) and MAKE YOU the very righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). If you believe on Christ alone to save you from the penalty of your sins this is true of you now, whether you feel it or not:

God says, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12 KJV)

 

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ” (Romans 8:1 KJV)

 

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This NEW CREATURE is the new you now in the Spirit within. You still reside in this sinful flesh body but now the new you, the Spirit, will war with the evil flesh desires. When you sin, you are going to feel guilty. When you are about to sin, you will have that small voice telling you to resist. Yes, you will fall and fail and still sin. But the Holy Spirit will chastise you and teach you over time. Renew your mind by reading the Word of God to see the truth and it will set you free.

 

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Mark 10: Did Jesus Teach That Rich People Cannot Be Saved?

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Mark 10: Did Jesus Teach That Rich People Cannot Be Saved?

The story of the rich man, in Mark 10, should be read in proper context. It is not just about rich and poor people. There is a truth that we should give to others less fortunate in love. Yet, God does not expect anyone to sell everything they have and give it to the poor to be forgiven and enter Heaven. In fact, the whole situation described in Mark 10 is about those who believe in SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS that they are justified with God; yet are wretched and condemned. This rich guy was wealthy and was not in need of much. His father left him an enormous inheritance.

He asks Jesus,

“17 Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” (Mark 10:17-18 KJV)

Jesus knowing his heart replies with following the Law of Moses:

“19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.” (Mark 10:19 KJV)

》 The thing is, no one can keep all the Law of Moses!!

Jesus came to fulfill the Law and is the only one who was sinless in all of human history. Jesus freed us from the Law and gave us Salvation. We know, that from this side of the cross, we are not saved by works but by the grace of God. (Eph. 2:8-9). So what is Jesus really doing and talking about here to this rich guy?

The reply of the rich man is unbelievably naive and self righteous:

“20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” (Mark 10:20 KJV)

WOW! REALLY? This guy is telling Jesus he has kept all of the Law of Moses which no one has? Really?!?!?

Now we see Jesus’ words react as He does so many times in His earthly ministry to the Jewish people who thought they are saved and justified with God by their Law following and good works. Jesus is going to bury this guy in his self righteousness and replies with:

“21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21-22 KJV)

Jesus tells the guy,  ‘look here…you are very self righteous and relying on your riches. Give up your riches. Come follow me.’

If he had done so, he would have asked for mercy and acknowledged that he is a wretched sinner like everyone else and would have looked to God for mercy and Salvation. But as many do, he instead would not give up his self righteousness and reliance on riches instead of God.

We see Jesus burying the Jewish people and Pharisees many times in His earthly ministry. Those who were very SELF RIGHTEOUS, relying on their goodness and good works and Law keeping to justify themselves with God. We see Jesus saying things like, ‘pluck out your eyes’ and ‘cut off your hand’ etc. Jesus takes such people to the extreme of self righteousness. Why? Because He was preparing them for the New Covenant of GRACE through Christ crucified. Bringing them to the end of themselves in hopes they would recognize their sinfulness and instead cry out to God for mercy, understanding they can never match up to God’s Holiness and see their need for their Savior and Messiah, Jesus The Christ.

Jesus continues,

“25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10: 25-27 KJV)

Jesus knew that the New Covenant of the grace of God was coming so that Whosoever believeth on Him shall have eternal life. (John 3)

From the very start to the end of  Jesus’ earthly ministry He proclaimed to be The Christ and Messiah. Believing so means to give up our self righteousness and good works to be forgiven our sins and gain eternal life and instead rely fully on Christ’s FINISHED WORK on the cross; the only atonement for the sins of the whole world. (John 3:14-18, 1 John 2:2, Eph. 2:8-9)

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