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Topic: The False Gospel of Carnal Christianity
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Caretaker
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Jesus said to love the Lord with ALL of your heart, your soul, your mind.(paraphrase)
ALL means total surrender. How many truly open their hearts to Him, and how many participate in churchianity and pay lip-service, without having surrendered to the True Lamb of God?
God knows the hearts of man. He says in that distant day,"depart from me I never knew you".
The field of the heart must be plowed deep, truly opened to the call of God, not just set apart as some stoney wayside.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.(Romans 10:10)
One IS NOT saved by his mouth's confession, but rather the mouth testifies readily of the Grace of God in Christ which the heart has received by faith.
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
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BORN AGAIN
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But I do not understand how the one talent servant being thrown out of the kingdom can jive with 1 Corinthians 3 where no matter what silliness we build on top of the foundation, s/he always remains saved if they hold on to Jesus.
But I may note that all these people of 1 Corinthians 3 and the 2 talents and 5 talents persons were all busy building something on top of the foundation; they may have been incorrect in the end, but that does not matter; at least they tried, Kenneth Copeland and Joyce Myer and Benny Hinn.
(you know, BORN AGAIN was doing pretty good until he said that...}
So I think our attention does need to be directed to exhorting people TO DO SOMETHING with the FREE GIFT which we received; if we do nothing with the FREE GIFT we received (namely, being born from above), then the Lord will count it as hypocrisy.
Reading or hearing on tape the Word of God seems to be a requirement. If someone does not read the Word and does not bother to listen to the Holy Spirit (and God knows who they are), are they in danger of losing their salvation? I think so. Right there I had visions of the failure of OSAS too.
God bless us, BORN AGAIN in the USA by the ![[Cross]](graemlins/cross.gif)
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sister helpforhomeschoolers writes quote:
Can God be in you and you have NO love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance? I think not.
I think, sister, that this would depend on how long one has had a chance to be a Christian.
Mark 4
28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
In a Topic some months ago I wondered whether if we live long, does God then hold us to a different standard and it's the expectation even on God's part that we bring forth some fruit.
Fruit however comes forth over time, so young Christians cannot necessarily bring forth fruit in time if they die as a teenager while believing in Jesus.
I am concerned about the unfaithful servant, who was given one talent, and another servant was given 2 talents and another servant was given 5 talents (or something like that).
It seems that the LORD does expect us to produce some fruit of the Spirit over time by reading His Word and hearing His Word and making an effort to listen to the Holy Spirit and tell others about salvation, like we are doing on this CBBS.
It may be that if a Christian lives long, that the LORD God of Israel expects them to produce some fruit with at least one talent that the LORD had given them. Just do one thing for me if you say you love Me, sort of thing, son.
Because when the Lord came back in the parable to make accounting, the 2 talent holder and the 5 talent holders had doublted their talents to 4 and 10 (or something like that).
But the one to whom the Lord had given a talent to do something with, that person did nothing with the talent which the Lord had given him, namely at least access to the counsel of the Holy Spirit (let him who has an ear, let him hear), but the person did nothing.
The Bible seems to indicate that the LORD will count the one talent holder who did nothing, even though he or she had full access to the Holy Spirit but were not interested in listening to the Holy Spirit, they did NOTHING for the kingdom, that the Lord will appoint him a place with the hypocrites and be thrown out of the kingdom, even though s/he was a believer. Becoming a believer was FREE, but after they became a believer and did nothing, God will take that as NON-BELIEF:
Matthew 25
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reaped where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers {helped ministries}, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For to every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 But cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I think that the unprofitable servant is a Christian, in that s/he is allowed access to the Holy Spirit if s/he wants to listen.
But if in the end, even after long years, they do nothing, and have produced no fruit, either by speaking out for the kingdom of Jesus, or some fruits of joy, peace and love should appear if one is really listening to the Holy Spirit to which the Christian has now access.
So I think there are Christians who are not listenign to the Holy Spirit and to the Word of God and who could get thrown out as hypocrites:
Matthew 24:51
And shall cut him asunder, and oint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
therefore faith without works is dead, because by the words God can see that there was also listening to the Spirit and hearing the Word of God.
God bless, BORN AGAIN
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by_grace writes to Pleasemaranatha quote:
You are right, these folks that repent sincerely on their deathbed do go to heaven.
by_grace, have you ever heard of the oxymoron phrase "not repenting sincerely"? What, is there such a thing as "repenting insincerely"? What kind of non-idea is that? Either someone repents, or they do not repent; there AREN'T any half-repentances as the others seem to imply.
You further write quote:
But what they are speaking of above is those who claim they are saved, and never produce any fruit...even in a long life.
And? If they claim they are saved, then they believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that the LORD God of Israel raised Jesus from the dead on the third way. And I'll add that Jesus died on behalf of our sins so that we may be given the free gift of eternal life like Jesus had.
Anyone who believes the above 3 things is a bornagain Christian and has acquired salvation and is in the kingdom NOW, is that not so?
I think we need to realize what a great gift salvation, being saved, having access to the Holy Spirit, being reconciled with God, will live eternally in a body like Jesus has, how great that already is.
The rewards are nice, but the main thing is salvation. Rewards are apparently how many cities a faithful servant gets set over when the Lord comes back to earth and rules the nations from Jerusalem.
But salvation is much more important than rewards:
1 Corinthians s3
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abides which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a REWARD.
15 If any man's workshall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Now note that all this has only to do with what we build on top of the foundation, which is Jesus Christ:
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
When a person believes in the foundation, they are saved.
But whatever all the Christians build thereon have only to do with rewards:
14 If any man's work abides which he has built thereupon {on the foundation which is Jesus Christ}, he shall receive a REWARD.
But if any Christian has built something on top of the foundation which is Jesus Christ which eventually does not withstand the purifying fire of God who sets all things right on that day; what man got right, He will keep, but what man did not get right will be replaced by the right part from God.
The ones that build some parts that were good on top of the foundation, they get a REWARD.
But whatever does not pass the test simply gets removed. But the person stays saved even if everything he or she has built on top of the foundation was replaced:
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 And if any man's work abides which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 And if any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
What worries me about the above persons, by_grace is that they write as if the persons are not even going to be saved, and that is not Biblical to believe that, as I showed above.
The above persons can ONLY be talking about rewards, and while rewards will be nice, like being set over 2 cities or over 5 cities or over 10 cities among the nations on behalf of the Lord.
Yes, rewards are nice, but salvation is a superkaledocious delicious beautiful thing by itself. Salvation means a body and mind like Jesus had, FOR FREE and has NOTHING TO DO WITH REWARDS!
God bless, I will now go look to see if you are a sister or a brother in Christ.
Bless the LORD God of Israel. I am BORN AGAIN by the of Lord God Yeshua-Jesus, raised in Nazareth, but born in Bethlehem of Judah, as Micah 5:2 predicted.
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One fruit of the Spirit is faith.
Faith is TRUIE heart belief in Christ Jesus our Lord and in proper soil will be rooted immediately.
Other soil is so rocky that the seed of the Gospel can never take root although they occupy a pew for 30 years.
It is the understanding which is the determinate. An adult who does not possess the ability to understand is childlike.
Understanding the w-o-r-d-s of the law was necessary in the giving
and teaching of the law. Neh 8:2 And Ezra the priest brought the law
before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could
hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
God does not require children to understand doctrine and doctrine is
necessary for redemption. Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge?
and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned
from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be
upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a
little, and there a little:
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Jesus said,"suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven".
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
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Pleasemaranatha
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Thanks Helpforhomeschoolers, Linda,
I have witnessed in work long ago children without handicaps full of a demonic spirit
that hissed at me and hated God in their spirit. ![[Frown]](frown.gif) Also, there have been babies that had none of that evil spirit, that died young.
I have seen some mentally ill adults with demonic spirits; some also without that spirit of evil, but a Christlike spirit. ![[Smile]](smile.gif) The Christlike spirit did remarkable things in them. One lady couldn't talk, couldn't even eat without me feeding her, or function normally as us. But in the wee hours in the morning she walked through the halls of the residence singing hymns to God never missing a correct word. It was remarkable!
So, I see that you understand what I asked. Thankyou for giving me that understanding.
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My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Psalms 130 verse 6
Joyce
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helpforhomeschoolers
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I Think our sister Joyce has asked some very important questions.
It seems to me that the word in Galations 5 is Fruit (singular)- These are not our fruit. They are HIS fruit; if the Spirit of God be in us, HE his not absent some of HIS fruit ever!
The degree to which we manifest HIS fruit is to the degree that we decrease. But all the fruit are present because the Spirit of God is present.
Can God be in you and you have NO love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance ? I think not.
Some of have more showing to the world than others. My brother BA shows more patience than I; My sister Joyce more Gentleness than I... some may have more faith, more joy, more peace, showing... but if The Spirit of Almighty God is there HIS fruit is there. These are not Fruits they are fruit. Compare them to fruits:
Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
The Spirit of God is not ever absent of , joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance.
If the Spirit of God is in you; HIS fruit is with HIM.
I do not believe that there are any babies in Hell; this has been a topic where there has been much discussion on this board. Some believe that the babies of parents who are not born again, are not saved. I do not believe this. I believe that The blood of Jesus ha paid for the sin of Adam in the infant, and if a child dies before the age that he is able to be concious and do sins himself, God grants to them mercy and grace by the blood of Jesus and that infant is saved.
This is one of the reasons that I think that programs like Feed the Children that go into third world countries and feed children without taking the Gospel actually do more harm than good because where death in infancy may seem cruel to us, I believe that it is merciful of God. If a child born to heathen parents in a land under the oppression of the devil and all manner of demonic influence and little to no chance of hearing the Gospel dies an infant, innocent of any knowledge of what sin is and unable to do sin, I believe that is merciful because Jesus has paid for the sin of Adam in that child and God can show mercy and grace and save that child. If our efforts to do things our way allows that Child to live to the age of accountibility where he can know and do his own sin, then we better pray that someone preaches to him the Gospel, or I fear, that Child's blood will be on our hands. I know this is not popular to say, but I believe that it is true. It is my opinion. There is nothing... not one instance in the scripture where feeding the heathen poor is commanded; in every case the poor are either the poor in the Kingdom or they are sojourners in the land of God's people. Paul does not take collection for the children in pagan Rome or Ephesus, he takes collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem. When Jesus talks of feeding the poor it is the poor among them.. not over in Samaria. In the OT the people of God left part of their fields for the poor who sojourned among them, but there is no command to go and feed the Canaanites. God does not command us to throw HIS resources at the devourer. Jesus commanded that the Gospel be taken to the poor among the nations. When the poor among the nations believe, then God provides for them as saints.
Again, forgive me it you think this is wrong, this is just my opinion; it is how I see things.
There are no babies in hell. IMHO
I also do not believe that there are any downs children or children that are physically mentally unable to know and do sin; If a child is mentally able to know and do sin, then he is able to know Christ and believe and just because we many not see them demonstrate HIS fruit, does not mean it is not there. God communicates with our spirit!
When a child is born God knows the spirit of that child. Just because that physical body is incapable of mature human understanding and communication does not mean that that child is incapable of spiritual communication and understanding with God. God knows and judges hearts; God deals with spirits. God does not need your physical person to be functioning fully, maturely, or what we might call normally to do these things!
I believe that God allows those who will not be saved to fully manifest their evil and thus they live to the age that they can of their own will manifest their rejection of God and Christ.
Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
There is no soul that is going to stand before God at the Great white Throne and say I did not know, if I had only lived long enough to know I would have chosen otherwise! No one will say, If I only had been born with out Downs, or if I had only been born to Christian Parents.
God is a Just God and you cannot Justly hold someone accountible for sin that they do not receive as sin. This is exactly why God has allowed the devil so much liberty! EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD.
Even Satan is going to stnd before God and know that he was given opportunity to show that he could be god and he failed, and he failed not because of God, but because satan is not God and can never be God. Even Satan will be justly condemned, knowing that he is not God, and that God ALONE IS GOD.
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Pleasemaranatha
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That I understand. thanks. ![[thumbsup2]](graemlins/thumbsup2.gif)
I am just concerned about the others too.
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My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Psalms 130 verse 6
Joyce
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by_grace
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quote:
What about babies who die? Are they going to hell? They never had time to grown and accept Him and show any fruit.
Adults with mental problems (like down syndrom)that don't have all those fruits......are they lost going to hell?
What about someone who was repentful for his sins and prayed to Jesus, but then got killed in a car accident. He didn't have time to get those fruits and grow completely in Jesus? Is he going to hell?
How about a death-bed conversion (one who accepted God and repented of his sins, sincerely), then took his last breath? Is he or she going to hell?
Isn't there room for God's mercy, grace, and Love with all of this? [Confused]
Thanks,
You are right, these folks that repent sincerly on their deathbed do go to heaven. But what they are speaking of above is those who claim they are saved, and never produce any fruit...even in a long life.
There are many false converts sitting in pews for years....and even in Christian leadership positions.
The real test is outside of the walls of the church.
I know many who are true born again christians who don't attend your conventional "church building" and then thoere are those that do, who are not saved at all.
This BBS is a church of sorts, and there are some real Christians on here- who do not go to a "church building" each Sunday...
just as there are many that attend each and every service at their local house of worship that are tares among the wheat
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To "love thy neighbor as thyself" is not expressed by forfeiting, twisting or reinterpreting the Word of God for the cause of unity. It is expressed by hearing, obeying and proclaiming the whole council of God regardless of whom it might offend.
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Pleasemaranatha
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What about babies who die? Are they going to hell? They never had time to grown and accept Him and show any fruit.
Adults with mental problems (like down syndrom)that don't have all those fruits......are they lost going to hell?
What about someone who was repentful for his sins and prayed to Jesus, but then got killed in a car accident. He didn't have time to get those fruits and grow completely in Jesus? Is he going to hell?
How about a death-bed conversion (one who accepted God and repented of his sins, sincerely), then took his last breath? Is he or she going to hell?
Isn't there room for God's mercy, grace, and Love with all of this? ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Thanks,
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My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Psalms 130 verse 6
Joyce
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Gal. 5:
22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23: Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24: And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
One might want to consider the parable of the ten virgins.
All ten were awaiting the Bridegroom. All ten had lamps.
The oil represents the Holy Spirit.
In the Believer the Holy Spirit indwells.
When the Bridegroom came 5 did not have the oil in their lamps, and they had gone out.
One should not be so cavalier with the faith as to declare that ALL who use the name of Jesus are Believers.
The Word declares that many who say, "Lord Lord", will not be known by Jesus when they stand before Him.
A seed planted on stony ground will NOT grow.
Consider long and hard a cavalier attitude towards the faith and its eternal consequences. Many who occupy our nations pews may be saying, "Lord Lord", without ever having the Lord Jesus within their hearts.
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
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sister Pleasemaranatha posted what I think was a quote from David quote:
A friend of mine, he once came to me, he said, “Ray, there’s something wrong with my Christian life.” He says, “I’m kind of lacking in the zeal you guys have got.” And I say, “Hey, Richard, have you got love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance?” He said, “Well, no, I haven’t got eight of those fruits.” There’s only one that he had. And I said, “Well, Richard, by your own confession, I don’t see any grounds for you to call yourself a Christian.”
sister Pleasemaranatha, I find the answer that Ray gave to Richard a shocking answer too. The fruits of the Spirit grow on each Christian to the extent that each Christian desires more or less after the LORD; hopefully more, but we all know that the majority of bornagain Christians are carnal Christians, whom Paul still called brethren and babes in Christ in 1 Corinthians 3:
1 Corinthians 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
People like Richard are not bornagain Christians because they were or were not able to grow fruits of the Spirit in them, but because they believed that Jesus died for their sins so that they are freed from the penalty of death and have been reconciled onto God through the death of Jesus.
Nor did Richard say to Ray, "Ray, I admire your love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance."
No, Richard said to Ray, "Ray, I’m kind of lacking in the zeal you guys have got.” The zeal that Ray had interested Richard.
Why then did Ray ask Richard, "Hey, Richard, have you got love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance?”
Did Ray have them? Or, was Ray speaking about what an ideal spiritual Christian would have?
Does anyone here have them all? In summary, sister Pleasemaranatha, I find the answer that Ray gave to Richard a shocking answer too.
Bless the LORD God of Israel, I am BORN AGAIN in the USA by the of Lord God Yeshua-Jesus of Nazareth, but born in Bethlehem of Judah.
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helpforhomeschoolers
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quote:
By David: But I don’t think the parable of the sower is given as a consolation to disappointing evangelical results. There are keys given to us to give us understanding. And if you study the good soil hearer, you’ll see that he hears and understands, and that he brings forth fruit because he receives the seed into his good and
honest heart. So he has a good and honest heart, he has understanding.
Nor do I, but I have to tell you that I have always believed that the soil was prepared by the father ahead of time in the form of an extention of what I see as the first grace... the grace that calls and draws and allows one to actually see their sin and repent... that first thought of repentence has to come from without as you have said. It is very interesting though because you are absoluetly right the LAW was designed for that very purpose! Amen and this is why it is still valuable today and not abolished by Christ as some falsely preach but brought to completion... fulfilled. This is really great David because if you think about this, and this is something that really sticks in my mind when talking about the Great commission. What did Jesus say?
This is from Matthew 28:9 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Notice there are two "teach" commands there... the first one... Teach all nations... teach them what? Teach them the oracles of God which is what the Nation of Israel had that was advantage. This is further established as correct exegesis of this firt "teach" by Paul in the book of acts where he states that to the Gentiles he taught the "word of God" he taught the "things that concern Christ" he taught the "Kingdom of God" and he taught them to "repent, turn to God and Do the works meet with repentence."
So we see that Jesus gives clear order of how the evangelism of the nations should be carried out:
1. Teach them the oracles of God that they know He exisits and HE is a HOLY God. Teach them of Christ which all the OT scriptures prophesied
2. Baptize them
3. Teach them to observe all things which Jesus commanded.
This is a far cry from walk down the aisle and ask Jesus into your heart!!!
And it perfectly illustrates just what you have said here regarding the Law!
quote:
By David:
Oh, so that’s what’s going on. Out in secular society there are those who have good and honest hearts and understanding, and they are the ones that will receive the gospel seed. That is not Biblical. Romans 3 says, “there is none that understand.” How many understand? None. It says “there is none good, not one,” the heart of man is “desperately wicked, deceitful above all things.”
Agreed but I also see and this is what I refered to above when I said preach before they have hearts full of stone... I see that the longer one lives in sin, the more hardened the soil of the heart becomes. In addition to that I see that as we get older, rocks which in the parable of the sower are the cares of this world, also find their way into our field. I read that 85% of those who come to Christ, come before the age of 18. I can see this. It is far more difficult for an adult to believe than for a child. Children know they are not the end all. Children know they need something more than themselves; children dont have all the worldly cares that adults have. Also we see that God does give those whose hearts become fully hardened by sin over to reprobate minds. So while I agree with you completely about the Law. I also feel that we ought to be very concerned with reaching youth with the true and full Gospel.
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Pleasemaranatha
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A friend of mine, he once came to me, he said, “Ray, there’s something wrong with my Christian life.” He says, “I’m kind of lacking in the zeal you guys have got.” And I say, “Hey, Richard, have you got love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance?” He said, “Well, no, I haven’t got eight of those fruits.” There’s only one that he had. And I said, “Well, Richard, by your own confession, I don’t see any grounds for you to call yourself a Christian.”
Wow, David that kind of shocks me. ![[Eek!]](eek.gif) I respectfully disagree. What about babies or adults with mental problems that don't have all those fruits......are they lost going to hell? What about someone who was repentful for his sins and prayed to Jesus, but then got killed in a car accident. He didn't have time to get those fruits and grow completely in Jesus?
2 Timothy 2:24-25 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
1 Corinthians 9:25
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
meek: soft, gentle mild of temper; forbearing; humble, submissive.
strive:to make efforts,to struggle
patience:not hasty,enduring without murmuring
These fruits and the rest don't come immediately, I understand your point;
but God is Love.
I am not saying their is any excuse for sin, but God sees us as we really are. He hears every word, he sees every unkind or boastful thing we write.
But, to get back to the point...please answer those questions above.
Thanks and God Bless
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My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Psalms 130 verse 6
Joyce
Posts: 308 | From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2005
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HisGrace
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Originally posted by David:
You see, many great evangelists, men I respect, men like Greg Lorry, men like Billy Graham who I greatly admire and respect, don’t really get alarmed about an 80% fall-away rate among their converts. Billy Graham was interviewed on television by David Frost. David Frost says, “What are you thinking about when all those people are coming forward.” Billy Graham says, “Well I’m thinking only one in four is genuine.” And then he cited the parable of the sower.
I am so thankful to see Billy Graham given the great accolades he deserves - even he has been given a bad rap on this Board.
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KnowHim
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For years I put my energies into professing Christians, people who’d given their heart to Jesus. Those who proved to be stony ground hearers, I’d say, “Are you reading the Word” and they’d say, “I haven’t really got time. I’ve got TV Guide, and I’ve got all these other things I have to do.” “So are you going to be at church,” “Man, I’ve got a golf tournament Sunday, I can’t be here. I’ve got swimming next
Sunday.” Man, no, nowadays, I just leave them. If they don’t listen after the first and second admonition, I just say, “Okay, leave it,” and then put my energies into the unsaved.
The Bible says, “Desire the sincere milk of the Word, if you’ve tasted that the Lord is racious.” A healthy lamb will have a healthy appetite. You don’t have to force-feed a healthy lamb. Someone who’s soundly saved will desire the sincere milk of the Word. They’ll discipline themselves. The first thing I knew I had to do when I became a Christian was get myself a Bible and read it and see what God wanted me to do.
And I loved the brethren. And I knew that I’d passed from death to life because I loved the brethren. When I saw in Scripture, “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some,” I thought, “okay, I go to church.” Surfing can take a second seat.
If a new convert even looks back, Jesus says he’s not fit for the Kingdom. Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom.” That word “fit” in the Greek is “eusetto.” It means “ready for use.”
You see, if you take good seed, quality seed, and cast it on stony ground, is it going to bring forth fruit? Umm umm. It can’t. Now if you know what you’re doing as a farmer, or if you’ve got substance between your ears, you’ll say, “Hey, I’ve got to turn the soil, cast out the stones, and then when I toss some good seed in good soil it’ll bring forth good fruit.” Simple farming.
God says the soil of the heart of man is like stone. It says in Ezekiel 8, “I’ll take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” You can take the pure gospel seed and cast it on the unregenerate heart and it will not bring forth fruit. It can’t. What we must do is turn the soil of man’s heart using the spade of God’s Law. Expose the stones of sin that are removed by way of repentance. Then he can receive the engrafted Word, which is able to save his soul.
You see, many great evangelists, men I respect, men like Greg Lorry, men like Billy Graham who I greatly admire and respect, don’t really get alarmed about an 80% fall-away rate among their converts. Billy Graham was interviewed on television by David Frost. David Frost says, “What are you thinking about when all those people are coming forward.” Billy Graham says, “Well I’m thinking only one in four is genuine.” And then he cited the parable of the sower.
But I don’t think the parable of the sower is given as a consolation to disappointing evangelical results. There are keys given to us to give us understanding. And if you study the good soil hearer, you’ll see that he hears and understands, and that he brings forth fruit because he receives the seed into his good and
honest heart. So he has a good and honest heart, he has understanding.
Oh, so that’s what’s going on. Out in secular society there are those who have good and honest hearts and understanding, and they are the ones that will receive the gospel seed. That is not Biblical. Romans 3 says, “there is none that understand.” How many understand? None. It says “there is none good, not one,” the heart of man is “desperately wicked, deceitful above all things.”
So the virtues of understanding and goodness must have come from without the heart, not from within, because it is not in the heart of man to have understanding and goodness. What is it that produces understanding? It’s the schoolmaster. The Law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. That’s the function of a schoolmaster, to bring knowledge. “By the Law is the knowledge of sin.” God said, “My people are destroyed through lack of knowledge of my Law.” (Hosea 4:6)
What the Law does, is it brings the light of understanding. The Commandment is a lamp, the Law is light. And when a man comes under the sound of God’s Law, he sees that he’s sinned against God, that God requires truth in the inward parts and considers lust to be the same as adultery, hatred to be the same as murder, that if you just take one thing that belongs to somebody else, irrespective of its value, you’re a thief, and you’ll not inherit God’s Kingdom. If you tell one fib or white lie you’re bearing false witness, and all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire. Transgressors of God’s Law, workers of iniquity.
Jesus said, “Many on that day will say ‘Lord, Lord.’” He’ll say, “Depart from me you worker of
lawlessness, I never knew you.” When he understands he’s sinned against God, when the soil of his heart has been turned by the Law, the stones of sin exposed, he then removes the stones of sin through repentance, and is able to receive the seed that can save his soul, which is the good soil hearer.
So the essence of what I’m saying is that God has placed within the hands of the church weapons that are not carnal, but mighty through God of the pulling down of strongholds and under God with the help of the Holy Spirit, you and I can determine the soil the seed is going to fall upon, by using God’s Law as a spade to turn the soil of an unregenerate heart.
Remember what George Whitfield said. “That is the reason we have so many mushroom converts.”
Because their stony ground is now plowed up. They have not got a conviction of the Law, they are stony ground hearers.
A friend of mine, he once came to me, he said, “Ray, there’s something wrong with my Christian life.” He says, “I’m kind of lacking in the zeal you guys have got.” And I say, “Hey, Richard, have you got love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, and temperance?” He said, “Well, no, I haven’t got eight of those fruits.” There’s only one that he had. And I said, “Well, Richard, by your own confession, I don’t see any grounds for you to call yourself a Christian.”
Now he did actually have another fruit of the Spirit at that particular time. He exercised the fruit of self-control, because afterwards he said he wanted to re-arrange my face. But he didn’t. He went home, he examined himself to see if he was in the faith, concluded he wasn’t, repented before Almighty God, and within three months he was such a fruit-bearer our church put him in charge of our coffee bar outreach
ministry.
That’s why the Bible says examine yourself and see if you’re in the faith. Colossians 4:5 says, “Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time.” Now I used to think “them that are without, that’s the ungodly. That’s the secular society.” No, a stony ground hearer, a false convert can be within your church, within your youth group, and without the body of Christ.
The Bible says, “Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time.” If anyone will steal your time, it’s a false convert. He wants counsel, he wants counsel, he wants counsel. He’s always coming because he’s got problems, problems, problems. I’ve spent many hours counseling people who didn’t need counseled, they needed repentance.
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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helpforhomeschoolers
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See I really agree with you on this David. Excellent points!
I have seen in my own church people come forward who have been in the church, preached Sunday School, and Bible Study, done many works of love and service in the body for 20 years and come forward and confess that they did not know it before this time, but they were not born again, and now they are. Our church is in a small community of about 5k or so people, but an hour from a larger area of about 100K now, and a few years ago we put on the production Heaven's gates Hell's flames. We had people come from all over the Hills area and these were people coming from churches. Yes many of us brought unsaved people that we knew; but this was a powerful production and many came to Christ, at that time there were several older folks in our church that came forth and confessed that up to this time they had never been born again.
I was a carnal Christian for far too many years. But I was fortunate because the lady that preached the Gospel to me as a child was very thurough and when I believed as a child I truly was convicted of my sins and she had me confess them to God right there, and prompted me to think about them; I was thuroughly convinced that I needed saving and Jesus was the Son of God sent to save me. I am so thankful for her willingness to not water down the Gospel even though she spoke to me a child! I did not live in a Christian home and I had no real Christian training learning or discipleship; but never did not know HIS presence in my life and never did I doubt, but I was deceived and ignorant of sin; also as life went on I really traveled the wrong road, sin, drugs, rebellion of all sorts and my heart was full of arrogance, pride, self reliance,, and more. I had put God in a box labeled salvation. Then eventually I married a man who was Lutheran, and this was my first real learning and it was sorely lacking. God was love and sweet and kind and there was much tradition, but there was almost nothing of sin. By this time I was not wallowing in sin, that people could see, I had children and I was respectible looking and I did love God. I was ever aware that he had carried me, and protected me through, the muck and the mier and the filth and the occult experinces of my teens and into early adulthood, and I had left that behind, but my sin was now the kind that you cant see but is much more dangerous. I was telling a sister here earlier, he was much more concerned in those years of cleaning up my heart than anything and it took a lot of cleaning, but as he cleaned the outside obvious sins became non issues... the desire to sin was not there. He had taken it. But if you had known me, well enough to know the things I was doing behind the scenes where no one could see and going to church on Sunday looking very respectable and proper, you would have said I was not born again. I was, but God was working in my heart, stripping away layer upon layer of self pride and self will and self love and self reliance, and self sufficiency and teaching me that HE was all there is and all that is needed.
Today, I know that if the woman who gave me the Gospel had given me the junk that I see and hear preached today; I would be in a very different place. Thank God for his providence!
The Parable of the Sower shows very clearly what can happen to people and we really need to see it. And we need to reach people before their field gets full of stones too!
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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True and False Conversion
I was reading in the American Horizons magazine, which is the official magazine of a very large, or a major, denomination of the United States which has 11,500 churches throughout the US - in 1991, their first year of what they called “the decade of harvest,” they got 294,000 decisions for Christ. They found that only 14,000 remained in fellowship. That is, they couldn’t account for 279,000 of their decisions for Jesus. And this is normal modern evangelical statistics when it comes to crusades and local churches.
Many converts don’t fall away. They get followed up and squeezed into a local church where they’re surrounded by a good social life, and they stay within the church given assurance they’re saved when there is no grounds for their
salvation, because they do not have the things that accompany salvation.
Now this has happened, this great tragedy has happened, simply because we haven’t followed the Biblical example and preach law to the proud and grace to the humble. Always, when you see Jesus approach a proud arrogant self-righteous person with the gospel, He gave law before grace. Always. With the law He broke the hard heart,
with the gospel He healed the broken heart.
Why did He do that? Because He always did those things that were pleasing in the Father’s sight. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
We see this so often in Scripture, where Jesus resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. The rich young ruler, the arrogant self-righteous lawyer that stood up and tempted Jesus. Both times, Jesus gave the Law. He gave the Ten Commandments. When ones came with humility with a knowledge of sin by the Law, that is Godly Jews, he gave grace.
Paul says in Romans 7:7, “I had not known sin but by the Law.” Charles Finney said, “Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the gospel.” Now Finney had an 80% retention rate. He said, “Evermore the Law must prepare the way for the gospel. To overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope, the introduction of a false standard of christian experience, and to fill the church with false converts.” And then he said, “Time will make this plain.”
John Wesley said of those who failed to use God’s Law in evangelism, “All this proceeds from the deepest ignorance of the nature of the properties and of the use of the Law, and proves that those who act thus either know not Christ, or are the strangers to living faith, or at least they’re but babes in Christ, and as such unskilled in the Word of righteousness.”
Martin Luther, in his commentary on Galatians, which is the book which speaks of freedom from God’s law, spoke of a sect that rose up in his day with a Satanic doctrine. Listen to what that doctrine was. He said, “Satan, the god of all dissention, stirs up daily new sects. And last of all, which I should never have foreseen or once suspected, he has raised up a sect such as teach that the Ten Commandments ought to be taken out of the church, and that men should not be terrified by the Law, but gently exhorted by preaching the grace of Christ.”
He said that’s a sect, a new sect that’s risen up, a satanic subtlety and one I thought would never ever come. He was aghast at the thought that men would not use the Law but instead they would gently exhort one to come to Christ, preaching grace alone, which is the perfect summation of the methods of modern evangelism.
Charles Spurgeon said, “They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy Law.” George Whitfield said, “That is the reason we have so many mushroom converts.” That is, ones that spring up overnight and disappear because their stony ground is not plowed up. They’ve not got the conviction of the Law. They are “stony ground hearers” or “false conversions.”
Now with those thoughts, by way of reduction, let’s look at Romans 7:4. “Wherefore my brethren you are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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BORN AGAIN
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HFHS writes quote:
At the same time, even those who have preached to them and believe the full gospel can be carnal due to lack of discipleship, renewing the mind with the word etc.
In that situation the Lord who is author and finisher of our faith does bring us to repentance and maturity.
Many Christians die as carnal Christians, in which the Lord did NOT bring them to further repentance and maturity. Is that not so?
But they are saved nonetheless, though will be a bit short on the rewards.
1 Corinthians 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
3 For you are yet carnal:
But the main thing is to make it into the kingdom, and carnal Christians clearly seem to be IN the kingdom and eventhough they will be "least in the kingdom {yet they} will be greater than {John the Baptist}".
Luke 7:28
For I say to you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
God bless, BORN AGAIN
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I also believe that there are carnal Christians BA. I was one. I was hopiing that could become part of the discussion if people wanted to look at this study together. I had a purpose for chosing to still use this study.
I believe that preaching a false doctrine does create Carnal Christians who are not saved, but are christians in name only.
At the same time, even those who have preached to them and believe the full gospel can be carnal due to lack of discipleship, renewing the mind witht he word etc. In that situaion The Lord who is author and finisher of our faith does bring us to repentance and maturity.
The real issue then becomes do we preach the full Gospel? If we dont we create the lost in church.
I thought this might be an excercise in trying all things keeping the good and leaving the bad, so I chose it purposely for the fact that I did not agree with it all.
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BORN AGAIN
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False gospel? Are carnal Christians not bornagain Christians anymore?
1 Corinthians 3:15
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
BORN AGAIN
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This is the first of 6 part Bible Study by Shelton, that I thought some might enjoy. You can use it on your own, or I thought If anyone is interested we could discuss the questions and post the next lesson each week? Either way, I will post the following 5 lessons each week.
There may be something in here that you do not agree with, as some of us feel we have been carnal Christians. I can tell you that this may be the case for me, but I thought that it would make for even more interesting discussion and study.
Lesson 1 The False Gospel of Carnal Christianity
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” - Galatians 6:7
A False Gospel
There is rampant in this age a false gospel of carnal Christianity which has deceived many souls. The vast majority of Christendom today have not bowed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. These are on sinking sand and are an easy prey to such a teaching which has permeated our land and our pulpits. So our purpose is to bring out the true gospel and the false, showing clearly the warnings from God’s Word that we should not sow to the flesh, but rather to the Spirit. May you have an open heart and an open Bible, as we pray that God will deal with us all by His Spirit.
We are warned concerning this false gospel of carnal Christianity in Galatians 6:7,8: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” This to me is a most solemn warning to all of our hearts, and especially in this day of free-believism and carnal Christianity which is preached on such a large scale.
You see, the vast majority of Christendom today is deceived as to the state of their never-dying souls before God.
What is happening is justification in Christ is preached alone, at the expense of holy living; and the hearers of this one-sided gospel are left in the dark as to God’s requirement of the necessity of a holy life.
God’s grace has been turned into lasciviousness; the attitude of most has been: “A little sin won’t hurt-I’m just a ‘carnal Christian’ you know, and besides, doesn’t grace cover it all?”
Holiness Required by God
But my prayer is that God would so work by His Spirit as to make blind eyes to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that there would be a mourning over it, for this is our only hope. Oh, how our hearts should cry to the Lord for the truth of His Word that appeals not to our fleshly desires or to our fleshly emotions, but to that which cuts off our flesh and lays us bare before God in confession and repentance! We should cry to Him to so work in our hearts by His Spirit, that holiness of thought, word and action would characterize our hearts and lives.
This false teaching of carnal Christianity has so permeated our churches that no one ever questions his interest in Christ, no matter how he lives. People are told that if they have believed, that is all that is necessary, and therefore all is well with their souls. But the Holy Word of God declares no such teaching, but in fact declares just the opposite! For we read in Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Yes, holiness must characterize our lives, “for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thess 4:7). “He hath chosen us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph 1:4). Again, He “hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling” (II Tim 1:9).
This is the same One Who says to be “obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy” (I Peter 1:14-16).
Our warning text from Galatians 6 declares the same thing. God would have us to understand and not to be deceived about this false teaching, that no matter what false preachers and teachers say about it: “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” My friend, if you sow to your flesh, you shall of your flesh reap corruption. I don’t care how many professions you have made or whose church you may belong to; you cannot mock God! He is no respecter of persons. Each and every one who sows to his flesh shall of his flesh reap corruption.
Repentance Is Given
A man who sows to his flesh continually has never been saved; he’s never been born again. Why? Because under Holy Spirit conviction we are given the grace to repent, and in repentance we learn to hate sin, to abhor it, to loathe ourselves, and to flee by faith to Christ for deliverance from sin. We know that sin has not been eradicated, for it is still the plague of our hearts; but sin is no longer the practice and rule of our lives. It cannot be, for the soul whom God saves has had a new nature and a new heart put within; and he now desires holy things and walks in the way of righteousness. He knows in himself that this is true, because the Holy Spirit has worked in him the things found in God’s Word. He reads in Ezekiel 36:26 about the new heart that God has given him; and in II Peter 1:4 about the new nature he has been given. He finds in I John 3:9 that he has been born of God, and that he who is born of God does not make sin the practice and rule of his life.
Why? Because His seed (the seed of God) remaineth in him, and he cannot make sin the practice and rule of his life anymore. He hears the Word say, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15). Having been taught by the work of the Holy Spirit that he is a lost, hell-deserving sinner, having laid at the feet of God in repentance, having looked by faith to Christ as his Lord and Savior, having seen that his sin put Christ to death, then he wants no part of the world. The love of God has been shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit’s work in him.
He learns well that “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh [the desire to indulge]...is not of the Father,” so he hates it and cries out against it because it put Christ to death. Again, he learns, “all that is in the world, the lust of the eyes [the desire to possess]...is not of the Father,” so he hates it and cries out against it because it put Christ to death. He learns that “the pride of life [the desire to attract to oneself]...is not of the Father, but is of the world”-the Satanic world system of sin -so he hates it and cries out against it because it put Christ to death on the cross. He also learns that “the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (vv. 16,17), so he desires by grace to do the will of God, which is to walk in “righteousness and true holiness” (Eph 4:24).
A New Nature
Therefore, since God gives every sinner whom He saves a new heart and a new nature, and puts His Holy Spirit within him to guide him into all truth, that saved sinner now searches the Word of God, not to find things that will justify him in his sins, but to find that Word which warns him against sin and tells him how to flee to Christ from sin. He reads Romans 8:6: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace”; so he begins to cry to the indwelling Holy Spirit to deliver him daily from a fleshly, carnal mind, and to give him that spiritual mind of life and peace in Christ. No, he is not seeing how close he can walk to the world and sin, but how he can walk close to God in Christ by His Spirit. He is not searching the Word of God to find out the sins of others recorded there so he might use them as a means of justifying his walking in sin, but he reads these things as warnings to him not to walk where others have walked and failed.
You see, the man or woman, boy or girl, whom God saves, and unto whom He gives eternal life in Christ, hears these words from Colossians 3:2-5: “Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify [put to death, reckon as dead] therefore your members which are upon the earth.” How then could any soul justify living a life to the flesh? No, for because of what Christ has done for him and because Christ’s life is now his life, this saved soul now desires to put to death the things of the flesh, that he might sow to the Spirit and walk after the Spirit. Beloved, this is the way God deals with our souls-I know first hand: I know what the difference is between carnal Christianity and the life which is lived by faith in and upon the living God by the Holy Spirit, for I have lived them both. The only difference between me and the carnal Christian is the grace of God, and I praise Him for it!
Therefore, when the saved soul hears God’s Word: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry”; and “put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another”-now he desires to mortify them, and why? Because he has “put off the old man with his deeds” and “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col 3:5,8-10). So his desire is for Christ and His life, to walk in a way pleasing to God and not after sin, because he has been born of the Spirit of God and has a new heart.
Also in Colossians 3:6 the Holy Spirit gives us another reason for walking in the Spirit and not after the flesh. He says we are not to walk in these sins, “for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” Yes, those who walk in such a way of disobedience to God’s revealed will, shall find themselves under His curse and wrath.
A Holy Life Follows Salvation
My friend, I would not have you deceived! A holy life, a sowing to the Spirit, must follow the salvation that God gives in Christ, or it is not God’s salvation; for Christ came to save His people from their sins, and not in their sins (Matt 1:21). A holy life, a sowing to the Spirit, must follow the salvation that God gives us in Christ or God’s purpose in saving us would be defeated, and this cannot be. Did we not read that God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph 1:4). We cannot thwart the purpose of God toward His people. Listen again to this definite and positive statement-”For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thess 4:7). Yes, a holy life must follow the salvation that God gives in Christ, or God’s will would be turned aside, and this cannot be-”For this is the will of God, even your sanctification” (4:3). Sanctification is your being set apart from sin by the progressive work of God’s Spirit in your heart and life.
Again, a holy life, a sowing to the Spirit, must follow the salvation that God gives in Christ, or the grace of God would not reign in the believer’s life; and this cannot be, for we read in Titus 2:11,12: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” I want you to pay particular attention to these verses and pray that the Holy Spirit will write them upon your heart.
When the grace of God that brings salvation appears to all, it teaches them the same thing. And what does God’s grace teach us?-that we will be self-denying ones. In what way?-saying no to the world and denying ourselves ungodliness and worldly lusts, because we hate sin, self, Satan and the world of ungodliness. “All” learn this lesson, not just some of God’s children. “All” of them are taught by the Holy Spirit to hate sin and deny self. If this self denial and hatred of sin is absent from the life, then God’s salvation is absent (John 16:13,15; Isa 54:13).
But this Scripture does not end only in giving us the negative; the Holy Spirit shows the grace of God that brings salvation will teach us something positive as well-how to live soberly, righteously and godly. Where? in heaven? No, in this present evil world, right at home, on the job, or wherever we walk! For by His grace and blood He has delivered us from “this present evil world” (Gal 1:4).
Remember this: the same Holy Spirit teaches all of God’s children the same lessons. What are they? He trains us to reject and renounce all ungodliness, and worldly, passionate desires; and He also trains us to live sober, temperate, self-controlled lives in an upright, devout manner (Titus 2:12). In other words, He teaches us to live spiritually-whole lives controlled by Him, here in this present evil world.
The False Gospel - no power over sin
What a far cry this is from the present-day gospel that is preached-a gospel that gives no new heart or new nature, a gospel that does not break the power of sin, but allows one to live on in it, a gospel that gives only an insurance policy against hell and knows nothing about holiness of thought and action, a gospel that will let you indulge the flesh, and puts no restraint upon your passion, pride and evil heart! Oh, this is not a gospel, but a false thing!
I say false because it says that all one has to do is say “yes” to the four spiritual laws and believe in a historical Jesus; and after he “believes” he is saved and saved for ever, no matter what he does.
Did you know that the average individual tells you that he made a profession when he was 6, 8, 12, or 15 years of age; but he drifted off into sin, and after 10 years or so he came back and rededicated his life and now gives himself to religious service? It is from this group that the majority of our missionaries, teachers and preachers come, and they know nothing of heart-felt repentance or standing before God as a guilty, lost sinner!
If you are in this group, I tell you in love, you have mistaken the call to salvation -to come to Christ as a guilty, needy, lost sinner-as the call to service; and therefore you have become two-fold more the child of hell than you were before, unless the Holy Spirit by His Word and grace gives you a heart to see your desperate need of Christ. You see, you have mistaken the call to a broken heart and a contrite spirit, to repentance and faith-the call to break with sin and to walk in holiness of life in conversion-as a call to the ministry! I know this does happen, for I have heard so many testimonies given along this line. It even happened to me! I mistook the call to salvation as the call to the ministry, and only by the grace of God was I awakened to see that I had missed true repentance and faith, and was still in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.
Therefore, let me proclaim today that I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for that Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth (Rom 1:16). This salvation is the deliverance from the power of sin, which I have experienced by the grace of God in Christ; and beloved, I praise the Lord that Romans 6:18 is true: “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness,” servants of Him Who has delivered us from the law of sin and death! (Rom 8:2).
C. H. Spurgeon has said it so well:
Each creature brings forth after its own kind: the old nature being radically evil continues to produce and to send forth swarms of sins; it is not reconciled to God, neither indeed can be, and therefore its thoughts and acts are those of rebellion and hatred toward God.
On the other hand, the new nature “cannot sin because it is born of God”; it must have its fruit unto holiness, for it is holiness itself. Out of a dove’s nest we expect only doves to fly. The heavenly life breeds birds of paradise, such as holy thoughts, desires, and acts; and it cannot bring forth such unclean birds as lust, and envy, and malice.
The life of God infused in regeneration is as pure as the Lord by whom it was begotten, and can never be otherwise. Blessed is the man who has this heavenly principle within, for it must appear in his life and cause him to abound in holiness, to the glory of God. Reader, have you this divine seed within you, or do you remain under the dominion of a corrupt nature? This question deserves a present and thoughtful reply.
Study Questions: Lesson 1
First please read chapter 1 in the text.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” - Galatians 6:7
A False Gospel; page 3
1. Several phrases are used to describe “carnal Christianity.” List as many of these descriptions of this false Christianity that you can find.
2. What is the key point of the Scripture verse¬s on page 3 as they pertain to warning us about “carnal Christianity.”
[Note: by key point we refer to the essential meaning of the verse. Do not merely quote the verses, but tell their meaning in your own words.]
Holiness Required by God; page 4
3. a. What are people told about “if they have believed?”
b. What must characterize our lives after salvation?
Repentance Is Given
4 What are the five passages of Scripture which show that “carnal Christianity” is unscriptural? Write the reference and key point of each verse.
5. “A man who sows to his flesh continually, has never been saved; he’s never been born again.” According to the book, why is this true?
Note: It is important in this stage of our study to define “sin,” and the “general practice of sin.”
For some people, they think that sin is only a direct outward violation of a biblical command (Matthew 23:25-26). But our Lord Jesus went much further than this. He refocused our attention to the condition of our heart: our attitudes, our desires, our interests, and our will (Matthew 5:20-22, 27-28). In all areas, He taught that we must individually and personally “deny ourselves,” and “forsake all that we have in order to follow Him.” He gives us the grace, after salvation, to follow after Him with a whole heart in total commitment, where our satisfaction in life comes from love-relationship with Him and Him alone. (Luke 14:33, Mark 8:34)
We cannot mix the world into this love-relationship. We cannot profess to be Christian, and still derive our enjoyment from the world: from its pleasures, its position (achievement), or its possessions. If we do, it is a matter of sin which has shown itself in a selfish lifestyle. If we follow such a lifestyle, and if the Lord has not convicted us of it as being sinful, then it is very probable that we do not truly know Christ as Lord and Savior. We do not have a new heart. He has not “made all things new” within us. (2 Cor. 5:17; John 5:44; Galatians 2:20, 6:14; Colossians 2:20; Philippians 3:7-8; 1 John 2: 15-17)
The solution to our need to be saved from sin (both its penalty and its power over us) is to come to Christ in the free offer of the Gospel: turn to Christ as Savior “without money and without price.” [Repentance from sin is required of the believer and will be evidenced in the life after salvation, not necessarily before salvation.] (Isaiah 55:1, Matthew 11:28,30; John 7:37)
If we do know Him, and we have backslidden into some sin for a period, then Scripture is plain that the Holy Spirit will convict us of it as sin and bring us to repentance. The sin will not become a matter of on-going lifestyle if we are truly saved-the Holy Spirit will not allow it. We will not love or practice a selfish lifestyle, but come to hate it instead, as sin against our beloved Savior and Lord.
6. The true believer still commits sin. However, the Christian’s attitude and behavior towards sin differs greatly from the false Christian’s in that
1) he learns to hate sin, and
2) sin no longer is the practice and rule of his life.
Making It Personal: Do these two characteristics exist in your own life? Explain.
A New Nature; pages 4 - 6
7. Write out the key points of the four verses given in the book which underscore that a genuine believer must have a new nature (he cannot make sin the practice and rule of his life). Meditate carefully on each verse before your write your answer.
8. The “saved sinner now searches the Word of God, not to find things that will justify him in his sins, but to find that Word which warns him against sin and tells him how to flee to Christ from sin.”
Making It Personal: Have you ever experienced what this is talking about? Have you ever justified sin in your life (i.e., to make excuses for sin)? If so, what were some of the means God used to convict you of sin and bring you to repentance?
9. The Scriptures indicate that a true Christian cannot continue to justify sin because the Holy Spirit, being grieved, won’t allow it to continue.
He will provoke the Christian to repent of sin. Write the key points of these Scriptures as used in the text to support this.
a. Rom. 8:6
b. Col. 3:2-5
10. Why does the “saved soul now desire to put to death the things of the flesh?”
A Holy Life Follows Salvation; page 7
11. What are the four reasons given, why “a holy life and a sowing to the Spirit must follow the salvation that God gives in Christ.” Write out the Scripture verse used for each.
12. Define “sanctification.”
The False Gospel - no power over sin; pages 8-9
13. In the paragraph beginning “What a far cry…,” several characteristics of the present-day false gospel are mentioned. List as many of these as you can identify.
14. a. What is the problem that the majority of missionaries, teachers, and preachers have fallen into?
b. Have you known someone who has experienced this?
c. Making It Personal: To what degree is this your experience? Explain.
15. Please write in your own words the overall key point that Spurgeon makes in the quotation. [Charles Spurgeon was a gifted 19th-century preacher in England.]
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