Filed under: General | Tags: Emotions, Evil, Forgiving, Memories, Sexual Abuse, Unforgiveness
Though forgiving may be a very difficult thing to do, we must forgive just the same. If we do not forgive, God will not forgive us as recorded in the Scriptures. I hope as you read my testimony that you would know God can do the same for you. If you are having a problem forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply, just know that God looks for the willing heart and He’ll take care of the rest. To God be the glory.
Someone stated, “No murder, rapes and abortions do not occur against God’s will.”
I am going to share a little about myself, and what I share, I hope it encourages those who may have gone through similar circumstances.
As a young child, going into my teen years, I was betrayed and humiliated over a period of time by a Catholic priest and a relative. Yes, I’m talking about sexual abuse. It affects a person emotionally, physically, relationally and spiritually.
Those who have been abused know what it means to suffer silently, and how shame and guilt become your constant companion. It was years before I opened up to someone and told of my past. It was two years before that that I tried to commit suicide on two different occasions because the pain was so unbearable. Then I had become a Christian. It was a time of great joy for a couple of years, that is, until it was drilled in my head that God is in control of everything and what happened to me was no mistake. I was finding this hard to reconcile and started dwelling on my past again. And once again it brought me through great depression. I used to have a saying and that was, “I have to climb up just to reach bottom.” The thing was, I could never reach the bottom. I could not get out of this depression. The past haunted me once again, because I found out that God was ultimately responsible for what happened to me!!
Again suicide went through my mind because the pain was once again unbearable, but I knew in my heart this was wrong. It was not an option. I continued to be depressed and my anger towards God grew. It wasn’t until one day a friend suggested I see this certain Christian sister who happened to be a counselor. She encouraged me to talk with her. It took everything for me to visit this sister, because if there is one thing I didn’t want to do, it was to discuss what happened to me, but I knew this is why I was here. My feet seemed to drag and I felt as if I were outside my body. I was just numb at this point.
She got me to open up and I explained to her my past, but my question is what I REALLY wanted answered. After I finished I looked at her, sobbing like an idiot, and asked, “WHY DID GOD ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME?” I do believe this was my biggest problem at that point. She looked at me for a moment and said, “Sandy, God did not allow this to happen to you, what I mean is,” and I will never forget what she said next, “God gave every person a free will. Man chose to do that to you. Don’t you think God was grieving everytime He saw you being abused? Don’t you think He was crying when you were crying – that He was hurting because you were hurting?” If I were sobbing before, I was uncontrollable now. My heart sank to the floor because I had accused God unfairly. I was begging His forgiveness.
I don’t remember anything after that, but I will tell you this much – it was a great relief. I realized at that moment that God wishes no harm on His children, and it grieves and angers Him to see innocent children suffer at the hands of evil men. It was a relief to know that God gave man a free will and He was not responsible for their evil acts, and knowing that God loved me all this time.
Now that I had that dealt with, then came the problem of forgiving my abusers. They were guilty of criminal acts, and forgiving them seemed that it would only reduce the significance of their crime, because in my mind they should be punished. So now I was harboring unforgiveness towards my abusers and God was not going to let me get away with this.
It so happened that one night, in my living room alone, I was reading my Bible. I came to the part where Jesus talked about how we must forgive others from our heart or we won’t be forgiven. I didn’t want that to happen – not be forgiven by God our Father. I struggled very hard that night with those verses. I tossed and turned and finally went to sleep. The next morning I got ready for work, but the thoughts and pain about my past did not go away, neither did the verses I read the night before. I knew what I had to do, but just wasn’t sure how to do it. As I was walking to work I said this short prayer, “Lord, I know what I read last night and you know I don’t feel like forgiving these people, but you said I must and I know that’s what I have to do. So I forgive them by faith, please supply the emotions.” Within a few minutes I can’t begin to tell you about the weight that came off my shoulders. It was the difference between night and day! God eliminated the pain from my past. Oh yes, there were times when the enemy would try to bring it back, but this time no pain with the memory, and I would say, “Yes, but they are forgiven.” It only took a couple of times and have never been bothered since!
Today people would call me a “survivor.” I wouldn’t call myself that, but rather an “overcomer!”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom. 12:21
It is good to forgive!
More later….
Filed under: Eternal Security | Tags: Carnal, Carnal Christian, Composition, flesh, Orientation, Original Sin, Sinful
The idea of there being a “Carnal Christian” is a myth. This is nothing but a popular theology that allows sinners to feel comfortable in their pews and in their sins.
The classic verse in defense for the “Carnal Christian” position is found in 1 Cor. 3:1-4.
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
Here Paul could not speak spiritual things because they were not behaving as if the Holy Spirit were guiding them. He had to speak unto them as carnal. They were acting no different from non-Christians.
QUESTION: If you attend a local assembly, is everyone in that assembly a Christian?
Of course not.
Referring to a church collectively as Christians does not mean that ALL in that assembly are Christians. The apostle John warned us about those who are not really of us. (2 John 2:19) Paul was addressing these people at Corinth who were involved in uncleanness, fornication, quarreling, jealousy, fractions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. (2 Cor. 12:20-13:5). What most people miss who are under the delusion of the Carnal Christian myth is that Christians (faithful ones) should not have fellowship with these “Carnal” people. (1 Cor. 5:11-13).
Because of their quarreling and jealousies Paul said they ARE carnal.
“ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
The Meaning of the Word Carnal
The Bible’s usage of the word carnal ranges from things that are natural to the sensual. There are only four instances in the New Testament where it is not necessarily sinful or depraved.
- In Hebrews 9:10 we have “carnal ordinances.” These ordinances govern the everyday life of Israel.
- In Hebrews 7:16 we have “carnal commandments.” This has to do with one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry.
- In 1 Cor. 9:11 we have “carnal things” that relate to food, clothing, housing – all these are carnal things.
- In Romans 15:27 we have “minister unto them in carnal things.” This has to do with the duty of the body of Christ to make sure preachers have carnal things to assist them in their ministry.
In 2 Cor. 10:3 we have, “though I walk in the flesh.” This has nothing to do with being sinful but what is natural. God is the author of our flesh (Exodus 4:11, Isaiah 44:2, Jer. 1:5), which is made out of dirt (Gen. 2:7, Gen. 3:19). On the other hand, it is sinful to walk according to the flesh (2 Cor. 10:2), but it is not sinful to walk in the flesh (2 Cor. 10:3).
Adam was created carnal and all his descendants are carnal. All mammals are carnal. Jesus was carnal. Jesus had a carnal body, ate carnal food, lived in a carnal house, and provided the carnal needs of others (fed them food and healed them).
The word “carnal” is used to describe two things.
- It describes the composition of a person (natural with natural needs)
- It describes one’s orientation.
The carnal composition is not sinful; it is just natural – fleshly, with natural needs. The one whose orientation is carnal has to do with a person whose mind is geared over the temporal rather than over the spiritual and eternal. His mind is set on fleshly things to gratify the flesh. We can use Adam as an example. Adam, like the rest of us, had two planes of reality; one which was carnal and the other spiritual. We can express ourselves without conflict, but one of these is going to be in the driver’s seat. God gave us the ability (free will) to take control and discipline ourselves over our natural carnal drives. In the case of Adam, he chose to exercise his carnal drive in the act of eating from the tree, which was not sinful in itself, but what made it sinful is that he went against the authority of God’s commandment and ate from the forbidden tree. Though flesh in itself is not sinful, it becomes sinful when we prefer something over the will and commandment of God.
The other usage of the word carnal does have to do with sin.
Now, not too many people care about the commandments of God. They would rather indulge in sexual immorality, lusting, or causing others to lust, drunkenness, quarrelling, outbursts of anger, jealousy, dirty jokes, dirty movies, hatred, slandering others, etc.. (See Gal. 5:19-21 for a list)
Our flesh is the occasion of our sin, or the source of temptation (James 1:14), but sin itself is a choice (John 5:14, John 8:11, Rom. 6:12; Rom. 6:19 Eph. 4:26). Flesh is nothing but an inanimate conglomerate of biological tissue that has no moral quality. However, if the SOUL living in the body of flesh gives itself over to exist for bodily satisfaction by becoming filled with inordinate lusts, then it is flesh full of sin - in the Bible called “sinful flesh.” The flesh is not sinful by nature, it is sinful by application. WE are the APPLICATORS.
There are no carnal Christians; there can’t be. Remember what was said above about the composition of person which is not sinful, but one’s orientation can be. Here is what the Bible says about being carnally minded,
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Rom. 8:6-8
The orientation of one’s mind will set his affections for the flesh by opposing the spiritual. One cannot be carnally minded and spiritually minded at the same time. Jesus says,
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21)
“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matt. 12:35)
We will be either guided by the Holy Spirit or follow our own desires that are in direct opposition to God’s commandments.
One cannot please God that are in the flesh.
“So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom. 8:8)
We must also clear up the meaning of “flesh.” The word “flesh” in the Greek is “sarx.” It simply means flesh, like our body of flesh – skin. When we talk about “flesh,” we are not talking about fighting some mysterious “other self” that co-exists within that is striving for supremacy. This is pure philosophy and comes from the false doctrine of Original Sin, or Total Depravity. This has to do with the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21).
Our body has carnal needs. It drags us to the table, to the toilet, to the doctor, the dentist; it needs to be warm when it is cold, the stomach needs food when it is hungry. There is nothing evil with normal appetites. However, circumstances or motive can turn a normal appetite into a sinful act. It is knowingly putting appetite before or above consciousness of duty. In other words, if I decide to take a meal to the park and get ready to sit and have a delicious lunch and just a few feet away from me I see a starving individual just staring at me and I pay no attention to his need, it would be sinful not to share that meal. Now before we go off into limitless possibilities and the ifs, I know we can’t feed all the starving people around the world, much less those in our own county, but sometimes circumstances arise where we can do something that is set before us where we are capable and have the means to help.
We make our flesh sinful by the deeds we do. And flesh (body) is sinful because the applicators who have corrupt passions in the heart manifests itself in the body. It is then called “works of the flesh.” Note in the following verse how “flesh” has to do with the “deeds” of the body.
“For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.” (Rom. 8:13)
So you see, what manifests in the body is what comes out of the heart of a person. (Matt. 12:35). Like I said, this has nothing to do with the fictitious doctrine of Original Sin and born with a “Sin Nature.” It has nothing to do with a dual personality disorder or fighting some mysterious “other self” that co-exists within a person. It is the HEART that must be dealt with and our own desires. (James 1:14)
Carnal Christians? No such thing exists. If a person is carnal he lives according to the flesh (deeds – works – because of the desires of his heart). Carnal has to do with sinning, (outside the four that exclude the meaning) and describes a person who is not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ but rather a person who is depraved by his practice (deeds) of sins. He is a person who is still in his sins and will die in his sins.
Preachers like Chuck Swindoll will tell us it’s difficult to distinguish a believer from an unbeliever! Preachers like Charles Stanley will say about so-called carnal Christians, “No matter what you do as a child of God, you are forgiven. You say, ‘Murder?’ Forgiven. ‘Stealing?’ Forgiven. ‘Adultery?’ Forgiven. ‘Worshiping idols?’ Forgiven.” They say a Christian behaves just like an unbeliever! That’s what they call a ‘carnal Christian’!
Paul tells us,
“Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9,10).
If a person is carnal, then he is carnally minded and to be carnally minded is death.
We are taught the lie that there are “carnal Christians” and there are “Spirit-filled Christians.” The poor “carnal Christian” is still in bondage to his sins like the unsaved, but he’s still a Christian, just a carnal one. This is total fabrication. Nowhere in the Scriptures, or in reason, traditions or experience are there any expressions for a ‘carnal Christian’. Christians are called “saints,” “temple of God,” “beloved of God,” “disciples,” “priests,” “elect,” “servants,” etc. etc., but NEVER a carnal Christian.
More later…
Filed under: Tid-Bits | Tags: Cross, Debt, Forgiveness, Free, Penal Substitution, Repentance, Suffered
If Jesus had to PAY the debt for sin, then there was no true forgiveness. Many will say that Jesus paid for our sins. This is so wrong. If a debt was paid then it was not cancelled as the Bible says. Nowhere in the Bible does it say Jesus “Paid” or was “Punished” for our sins. In fact, quite the opposite is said. In Matthew chapter 18 we see where a debt was cancelled without anyone having to make payment or punished. If someone has to pay for sin, then sin is not freely forgiven. All this teaching about Jesus paying for our sin or that He was our substitute is nothing more than Post-Reformation theology and not true Biblical teaching. It is called the “Penal Substitution” theory.
Some people may say that the Penal Substitution does speak of forgiveness, in that God can forgive sins because He punished Jesus. Just the thought of this should concern us. God punished Jesus? Let’s use the analogy of a mortgage to put things into perspective, and will show that such an act does not represent true forgiveness. Imagine a letter from your bank saying, “Your mortgage does not need to be repaid and is forgiven, so long as it is repaid in full by one of your relatives.” Obviously the bank has not cancelled the debt graciously at all! The bank is allowing someone else to pay it. Likewise, penal substitution suggests that God will ‘forgive’ so long as there is punishment in full. This is not true forgiveness. All that has happened is that punishment was transferred to an innocent person. This is not a picture of a loving God graciously forgiving repentant sinners. All through the Bible God freely forgives all those who sincerely repent of their sins. The Penal Substitution says that forgiveness is not free and is in fact impossible and that God must punished sin.
If Jesus had to pay for all sin, then salvation cannot be of grace. The cause of salvation is by the merit of payment. If Jesus paid for all sins, then logic dictates that there must be universal salvation and that we must teach Unconditional Eternal Security. And if Jesus had to pay for all sin, there is no such thing as pardon or forgiveness!
Such words as propitiation, reconciliation, justification, redemption, being brought near, putting away sin, suffering, dying for sin, ransom, and offering oneself up, is not payment.
What happened on the cross is that Jesus suffered; He was not making a payment or being punished. (Mark 8:31; Luke 22:15; 24:46; 17:25; Acts 3:18; 26:23; Heb. 13:12; 1 Peter 1:11; 2:21; 2:23; 3:18; 4:1; 5:1; 2 Cor. 1:5)
For further reading (before quoting other verses out of context) see:
“The Vicarious Death of Christ?”
And
More later….
Our God is compassionate, merciful, loving, caring and patient. God wants us to be like Him.
I read a story the other day and it went like this. A lady asked,
“Why is God so miserable? Why has he got such a downer on everything we do? Don’t do this and don’t do that. Don’t desire what other people have got. Don’t lie. Don’t commit adultery. It’s pathetic.”
The gentleman interrupted her with a question. “Does it really say those things, I mean, does God really say, ‘Don’t commit adultery”’? “Yes he does,” came her rapier reply. “Well, I’ve never read that bit,” I said. “You know very well it’s in the Bible,” she retorted. “It’s one of the Ten Commandments.” “Oh, now I know what you’re talking about,” I exclaimed. “It’s just that I didn’t recognize it at first because of the tone of your voice you were using.” “What do you mean,” she asked. “You’re absolutely right,” I continued. “God does say that we shouldn’t commit adultery, but not in the way you’ve read it. You see, before he gives any of the Ten Commandments he introduces himself as the God who loves Israel. He lets them know that he is for them, not against them. He wants the best for them. God didn’t sit in heaven making a list of all the things he knows human beings like to do and then outlaw them all to spoil their fun. God didn’t start his relationship with human beings by drawing up a list of moral rules that they had to keep. They are God saying, ‘I love you. I’m on your side. I got you out of slavery. I’m the best deal you’ve got going for you. Trust me. Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t abandon me. Don’t commit adultery, because if you do it will unleash destructive powers that will slowly overshadow you, destroying you, your families and your society.’”
The woman looked at him in astonishment. “No one has ever explained it to me in that way,’ she said quietly. That makes a lot of sense.”
If only people would realize that the commandments shape a moral vision that gives us a picture of the character of God and God’s people rather than seeing them as a list of rules to live by whether we like it or not.
When Jesus gave us the Sermon on the Mount, it was not just another set of rules to to make us miserable. He was giving us core principles that compromise God’s character. God established the framework for moral development, to be like Him. God wants our hearts that will produce profound obedience, to display His character; a heart that radically trusts in God where obedience to Him will transform our lives.
You see, anyone can modify their outside behavior and God still not have their hearts. For example, a person may not commit violence, but yet his heart is full of hatred and rage. A person may not commit physical adultery, but commit adultery within the heart. A person may give to charity, but is missing the generosity of spirit. We can even do those things we are supposed to do, like chores or our jobs, but not have the heart of a servant.
People can follow a list of rules and clean up the outside and God still not have their heart. Jesus said to the Pharisees, the hypocrites:
“You give God a tenth of the spices from your garden, such as mint, dill, and cumin. Yet you neglect the more important matters of the Law, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness….You wash the outside of your cups and dishes, while inside there is nothing but greed and selfishness…First clean the inside of a cup, and then the outside will also be clean…You’re like tombs that have been whitewashed. On the outside they are beautiful, but inside they are full of bones and filth. That’s what you are like. Outside you look good, but inside you are evil and only pretend to be good. (Matt. 23:23-28)
We should examine ourselves to make sure we are not Pharisees and hypocrites. Does God truly have our hearts? Do we have a faith that expresses itself by working through love? (Gal. 5:6)
More later…
Filed under: General | Tags: Conduct, Damnation, Forgiveness, Good deeds, Motives, Repentance, Resurrection, Righteousness, Wicked deeds, Woks
Before Jesus came to earth to preach the Kingdom of God, we see that God always forgave sin if the person repented. This is seen throughout the Old Testament (ex. Jonah 3). If a wicked person repented, God remembered their former sins no more (Ezk. 18:21). God always gave room for mercy, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. God did not hold a legalistic account of good deeds vs. bad deeds. God looked at the entirety of a person’s character and conduct. He looks at the intent of the heart which has visible expression in one’s life. In other words, not only will our deeds be judged, but the motive behind the deeds. Some people may think that just because they did some good deed that it will score points with God. They will use deeds as fire insurance rather than a heart that is sold out for God. These ‘good deeds’ without the right motive is like a stench in God’s nostrils, just at the sacrifice rituals in the Old Testament were a stench to God when there was no true repentance in the person’s heart.
However, conduct with the right motive does matter with God. The following verses show that Jesus made it clear that conduct matters. I will quote the first verse, and you may look up the other passages.
“The hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” (John 5:28-29)
The other verses are:
Matt. 25:31-46 (What we do to others);
Matt. 7:21-23; cf. Luke 13:27; Matt. 12:33-37; (Words and deeds reflect our inner goodness or evilness, and that God will judge us based on them.)
Matt. 19:17-19 (In talking with the rich man, Jesus shows that the man should live in a certain way in order to receive a positive final judgment.)
Matt. 16:27 (It is clear that moral conduct forms the criterion for eternal life. People will be repaid according to how they have lived and behaved.)
Luke 6:37-38 (see also Matt. 7:2. People will receive the consequences of their behavior.)
Matt. 6:12-15, 18:21-35; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37, 11:4 (God forgives our sins on the condition we forgive others.)
Rom. 2:6-8 (Paul also shows that God will judge according to our character and lives.)
Rom. 2:15-16 (People’s own consciences will also bear witness to the righteousness of their deeds. God will judge the secret thoughts of all.)
1 Cor. 6:9-10; Col. 3:25; 2 Cor. 11:14-15 (God will punish all the wicked and immoral.)
Col. 3:5-6 (Paul says to cease doing the things God hates so that we will not be condemned. “Put to death”)
Rom. 8:13 (How we can live in order to pass judgment)
Rom. 6:23 (Paul warned to cease sinning for the wages of sin is death.)
1 Cor. 11:32 (We are disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.)
Gal. 6:8-9 (Receiving eternal life depends on whether we continue to do what is right.)
2 Cor. 5:10 (We will be judged based on our conduct.)
Peter also has the same attitude.
1 Pet. 1:17 (Judged according to deeds.)
Acts 10:34-35 (Peter moves away from the belief that God only loves and rewards the Jews. God shows no partiality.)
1 Pet. 3:9-12; Psa. 34:12-16 (Peter believed as well that final judgment is based on one’s conduct and advises and warns others to be careful how they live.)
2 Pet. 3:1-14 (Turn from evil and do good. We are to live lives in holiness and godliness.)
2 Pet. 2:6-13 (God will punish the wicked and aid those who do good, both now and ultimately at the Day of Judgment.)
Rev. 20:12; Rev. 22:12; Rev. 2:23; Rev. 21:8 (Final judgment according to works.)
The New Testament clearly shows that God will judge ALL people according to their deeds at the final judgment. God will reward the good and condemn the evil. Matt. 12:33-37; Rom. 2:14-16; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:8-9; Col. 3:24-25; 1 Tim. 5:24-25; 1 Pet. 3:10-12; 2 Pet. 2:9)
God will judge according to character and behavior. (1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 20:12)
God will favorably judge those who do good deeds (Matt. 19:17; Luke 6:37-38; 1 John 4:17), but condemn the wicked. (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 12:47-48; 13:27; Acts 10:34-35; Rom. 1:18; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 2 Cor. 11:14-15; Eph. 5:3-5; Col. 3:5-6; 2 Pet. 2:12-13; 2 Pet. 3:7; Jude 1:14-15; Rev. 3:15-16, 21:8)
Judgment will apply equally to all nations and Jews will be judged no differently from the Gentiles.(Matt. 25:31-46; Rom. 2:6-11, 2:14-16, 14:10-12; Acts 10:34-35; Col. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 1:17)
The Scriptures are clear that one will be judged according to their deeds (works). This truth is spoken of as heresy today in mainline Christianity.
The early Christians continued to affirm this truth about one’s conduct. Here is a sample where it agrees with Scripture:
The Epistle of Barnabas (written around 100 AD)
“The Lord will judge the world, playing no favorites. Each will receive according to what he has done. If he is good, his righteousness will precede him; if evil, the reward for his wickedness will be before him.” (Barnabas 4)
First Clement (written around 100 AD)
“Take heed beloved [for there will be] condemnation of us all unless we walk worthy of Him, and with one mind do those things which are good and well-pleasing in His sight.” (1 Clement 21)
“Since then all things are seen and heard [by God], let us fear Him, and forsake those wicked works which proceed from evil desires; so that…we may be protected from the judgments to come.” (1 Clement 28)
Ignatius (written around 110 AD)
“All things have an end, there is set before us life upon our observance of God’s precepts, but death as the result of disobedience, and every one, according to the choice he makes, shall go to his own place.” (Magnesians 5)
“Whoever follows [self-restraint] will be fortunate in his life, because he will abandon all his evil deeds, believing that if he abandons every evil desire, he will inherit eternal life.” (The Shepherd of Hermas 16:4)
“Do no evil in your life, but serve as the Lord’s slave with a pure heart, keeping his commandments and proceeding in his injunctions; and let no evil desire rise up in your heart…if you do those things and fear [God] and are self-restrained from every evil deed, you will live to God.” (The Shepherd of Hermas 54:5; Similitude 5.1.5)
Second Clement (written around 150 AD)
“[God will] redeem each of us, according to our deeds.” (2 Clement 17)
“Therefore, brethren, by doing the will of the Father, and keeping the flesh holy, and observing the commandments of the Lord, will we obtain eternal life.” (2 Clement 13)
Justin Martyr
“[Christians] hold this view, that it is alike impossible for the wicked, the covetous, the conspirator, and for the virtous, to escape the notice of God, and that each man goes to everlasting punishment or salvation according to the value of his actions.” (Justin Martyr, First Apology XII. This is a recurring theme throughout both of Justin’s Apologies)
Irenaeus (written around 165 AD)
“Knowing, my beloved Marcianus, your desire to walk in godliness, which alone leads man to life eternal, I rejoice with you…” (Irenaeus, Proof of Apostolic Preaching 1)
Theiphius of Antioch (Apology to Autolycus, written around 170 AD)
“Obeying the will of God, he who desires is able to procure for himself life everlasting. For God has given us a law and holy commandments; and everyone who keeps these can be saved, and, obtaining the resurrection, can inherit incorruption.” (Theophilus Autolychus 2.27)
“He who acts righteously shall escape the eternal punishments, and be thought worthy of the eternal life from God.” (Theophilus Autolychus, XIV)
As we can see, these early Christians agree with Scripture were our conduct does matter when we face the final judgment. Jesus made this very clear as well as the apostles after the death of Christ on the cross. The message did not change. At the final judgment God will reward the righteous and punish the wicked.
More later….
Filed under: Tid-Bits
Many centuries ago God came to this earth as an infant. His name was Emmanuel, meaning God with us. The Cosmic Being became human flesh. He stripped himself of all divinity power when he took on the flesh of human nature; He was in ALL things like us. The blood of Jesus was human blood that ran through his human veins pumped by his human heart. Like us, as an infant, he needed his ‘diaper’ changed. He cried when he was hungry; he needed the breast of his mother to nourish and satisfy his hunger. As he grew up, like us, he suffered all the cuts and scrapes and bruises of any growing child. Like all humans, he needed his earthly parents, the comfort of his mother’s arms and guidance from his foster father. Joseph cared for the family; He was reliable, obedient, and faithful, a godly role model. But most of all, Jesus as a human being like us, needed to depend upon his heavenly Father. He could do nothing without His Father.
The eternal Son of God who came to this earth was completely human, able to identify with us. The Scriptures tell us he was tempted in every way, just as we are. We all know what that means. What kinds of temptation do men and women face in this life? He was tempted to lie, he was tempted to get even, to covet, to lust if he saw a provocatively dressed woman, to violence, etc.. The only difference is, he did not give into those temptations. In fact, this qualified him to represent us.
“Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17)
No one can ever say to Jesus, “But you don’t understand.” My friend, He does understand. He knew what it was like to face temptation, to be rejected and deserted, and even tasted death. He had a human will, heart, mind and emotions. So he does understand. He came into a world with much spiritual decay, filled with physical illnesses. He came to set people free from their sins. He showed us a better way and that it can be done, to walk in righteousness! He is our example to follow (1 Peter 2:21-25).
We have a God who came down to our level with our weaknesses and experienced all the sufferings and temptations of man, thus he can say,
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”
To encounter the Word of God in Jesus is to encounter God Himself. If we want to know what God is like, look to Jesus.
Remember the reason for His coming.
And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us” (Matthew 1:21-23).
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Filed under: Tid-Bits | Tags: Corrupted, flesh, Moral character, Moral depravity, Moral perfection, Phycial depravity
The command to “cease to do evil” (Isa. 1:16), and to “sin no more” (Jn. 8:11), implies that all sin is volitional. It implies that sin is not some involuntary substance dwelling inside of you which you cannot get rid of. Therefore, you don’t need a new body or a new substance to be free from sin.
You can have a pure and perfect heart or be morally perfect in this life, even while you have a fallen and corrupted body or are physically imperfect. This is evident since the Bible described certain men as being perfect in heart in this life, even while existing in their corrupted, depraved, or fallen flesh (1 Kin. 6:61; 11:4; 15:3; 15:14; 20:3; 1 Chron. 12:38; 28:9; 29:9; 29:19; 15:17; 16:9; 19:9; 25:2; Job 1:1, 8; Ps. 102:1; Isa. 38:3). “And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? (Job 1:8). “And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight” (Isa. 38:3).
Clearly, you can be morally perfect, or completely obedient to God, even while you’re physically depraved. Your heart can be right with God, in obeying all the moral knowledge that you have, even while your body does not sustain perfect health. Though your flesh is corruptible (just as Jesus’ was, but without sin), your moral character does not have to be. Your will can obey all the moral knowledge of your mind, thus creating a perfect moral character, even while your body or flesh is fallen and depraved, or even while you are physically imperfect.
The distinction between the moral and the physical must be kept in our minds. We must differentiate between moral depravity (Rom. 3:23), and physical depravity (1 Cor. 15:22-23). And we must distinguish between moral perfection (1 Kin. 8:61; Php. 3:15), and physical perfection (1 Cor. 15:42; Php. 3:11-12).
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Filed under: Tid-Bits | Tags: flesh, Free, Moral, Moral perfection, Perfection, Physical, Resurrection, sin
Some suppose Romans chapter seven to be a description of the Christian life, as opposed to a description of an unconverted state. But we know Paul is not referring to his own converted state because he already said that Christians have been made “free from sin” (Rom. 6:18, 22). The man in Romans seven was not “free from sin” and, therefore, he was not a Christian.
Paul also said that, “There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1). Yet the man in Romans chapter seven was under condemnation and therefore needed to be saved by Jesus (Rom. 7:24-25).
And Paul said that, “to be carnally minded is death” (Rom. 8:6). But the man in Romans chapter seven said, “I am carnal, sold under sin” (Rom. 7:14). Therefore, the man in Romans chapter seven did not have eternal life.
And finally, Paul said that as a converted man he lived with a good and pure conscience that was void of offense (Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16; 2 Tim. 1:3). The man described in Romans chapter seven is deeply disturbed by his conscience (Rom. 7:16). Therefore, the description given in Romans chapter seven was not of the converted life of the Apostle Paul. It is a narration describing what happens when an unconverted sinner’s mind encounters the law of God and is convicted by it.
Paul did say, “…not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect” (Php. 3:12). When Paul said he had not yet attained perfection, he was talking about being free from physical corruption and attaining physical perfection. This is obvious since He said in the verse right before, “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Php. 3:11). The context of verse eleven gives clarity to the meaning of verse twelve. Paul was saying that he had not yet attained physical perfection because he had not yet attained a glorified body.
Paul was not saying that he was sinful and had not yet been made free from sin, since Paul already said that Christians have been made “free from sin” (Rom. 6:18, 22), and that he had a “conscience void of offense” (Acts 24:16; see also Acts 23:1; 2 Tim. 1:3). Paul was certainly not saying that moral perfection is unattainable in this life, as many misunderstand him to be saying, since only two verses down he said, “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded” (Php. 3:15).
Clearly, Paul was writing about two different types of perfection. One type of perfection Paul said he had attained and one type of perfection which he said he had not yet attained. Paul was making a clear distinction between physical perfection and moral perfection and stated that the former is only attainable in the next life while the latter is attainable in this life. Moral perfection is attainable in this life while we are still in our flesh, since our flesh is not sinful in and of itself, and our flesh does not necessitate our choices, but we are free to live after it or to choose not to (Matt. 16:24; Rom. 8:13; 1 Cor. 9:27).
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Filed under: Tid-Bits
The god of Calvinism says that, “God is seen as the great and mighty King who has appointed the course of nature and who directs the course of history even down to its minutest details.”
The god of Calvinism says, “He also perfectly controls all the depraved and impious affections of the wicked, and turns them as He pleases.”
The god of Calvinism says, “When we get the larger view we see that even the sinful acts of men have their place in the divine plan.”
So the god of Calvinism is actually an EVIL god! The next time you read about the most cruel and vilest crimes committed such as the rape of children, putting a baby in a microwave, doctors botching up abortions and tossing the babies to die in a trash can, murderers chopping people and eating them, when a woman is forced at gunpoint to remove her clothes, then repeatedly and brutally raped and then shot in the back of the head, when a drunk runs over and kills a child; no matter what you read, THE CRIMINALS HAD NO CHOICE! Why? Because the god of Calvinism had control of every thought, impulse, and feeling, for the evil god of Calvinism is one who “perfectly controls all the depraved and impious affections of the wicked, and turns them as He pleases.”
The god of Calvinism is Satanic!
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