Thursday, September 10, 2009

Reaching out to those who "err" from the truth

Saints remember...

As witnesses for Christ...we should never give up on the souls of anyone, regardless of their sinful condition. Our love for humanity should never cease to reach out to the salvation of others. May God's love and mercy prevail in a cold dark world... through all members of His Glorius body.

James 5:19-20...Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Doubt vs. Faith (concerning the will of man)

In relation to Original Sin and it’s affects on humanity a comparison between doubt and faith reveals many facts concerning the will of man. The will of man is a part of man that chooses and decides. Doubt is a negative part of the will that can hinder continuity with a life in Christ. Faith is a positive part of the will that enables continuity with a life in Christ. Doubt unlike faith is one the least spoken subjects in the Bible yet one of the greatest hindrances to receiving Christ. Why? Both doubt and faith are acts of the human will.

· Doubt is an uncertain contempt of the human will and can reject the truth concerning Christ
· Faith is a consent of the human will and will accept the truth concerning Christ


The entire Bible points to the fact that man is a fallen being. His inclination willfully rejects truth as men even rejected Christ as the Messiah. Christ Himself stated, “That men loved darkness and hated light”. As God in the flesh He knew the condition of mans heart. Peter stated, “That in the last days men would be scoffers and willingly ignorant”. Scoffers are willfully in contempt to the law of God. They naturally reject truth and are uncertain about promises concerning Christ.

· 2 Peter 3:3-5…Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant

Other inclinations that stem from the will of a natural man are self interest, personal position, and rebellion. All these come from the negative side of what man is.

The Holy Spirit came to deal with this negative side of life. The Spirit convinces the world of sin and unrighteousness. The truth of the word of God and the Holy Spirit both affect the will of man enough to help him change his mind. Truth reveals who Christ is, and what Christ does within the heart. The Spirits witness places a desire to do right in the soul of man. When truth is recognized it helps man to get away from what he is. This type of enlightenment sways the human will. Acceptance of Christ is mans consent when he believes.

After man believes, his communion with God produces a life of obedience. Faith enables man to make right choices and godly decisions. Faith willfully accepts the truth of the Word of God concerning Christ. Unlike doubts uncertainty, faiths consent of will becomes a conscious and obedient life in the presence of God. Faith based and built upon the Word of God gets beyond believing and grows with knowledge. A shallow knowledge of the Word of God can also mean a shallow faith. Faith becomes full assurance when experienced throughout the course of life. Doubt has no place in a man who has a full assurance of faith. Abraham was fully persuaded and staggered not at the promises of God. The will of Abraham strong in faith was in total subjection to God.

· Rom 4:20-24…He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

What happens after you "trust" Christ's death alone for the forgiveness of sins?

Trust in Christ's redemptive work at the Cross of Calvary allows God to do a work in the heart and soul of any man. I place emphasis on this initial work of God's Holiness. 

 The Holy Spirit gives the believer (a new convert) "a God given desire" to stop practicing sin. This new desire is the "power of Salvation" that any man has by trusting Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins. After man "trust's Christ" the Holy Spirit's initial work gives the believer a clean heart and a clean slate for holy living. This simply means a pardon from God is granted in exchange for man's faith and trust alone in Christ's redemptive work on the Cross. God's pardon (Justification) grants man a righteousness that helps this believer to live right and do right for the first time in his life. The God given attitude toward sin and sinful conduct (in the life of a believer) is to forsake sin! 

 To stop sinning and to forsake sin needs to be taught more this day and hour. This style of living and true Christian conduct is far better than living a "wavering life" in and out of God's saving Grace. I admit that "if we sin" we do have an advocate with the Father and that advocate is Christ. I also admit that any Christian can fall into sin...but the Bible teaches greater is He that is in me than he that it is in the world. Yes, the power of Christ is greater than the power of sin! The power of Christ teaches man "not" to sin. The power of the Holy Spirit takes people away from being a bunch of "religious sinners" or "part time" Christian's. The power of the Holy Spirit leads man to "victory" over sin. There is no victory in sinning religion. There is no peace in wavering faith. 

There is no contentment in sinful conduct. The only way any soul can be satisfied completely in this life...is by trusting Christ's redemptive work at the cross at Calvary alone for the forgiveness of sins. The holy heart and the holy life will find contentment. That contentment cannot be found through any other source in life...outside of the Christ I write about! Glory to Christ I serve! Glory to the God of my Salvation! Glory to the source of my holiness and righteousness in the eyes of God!

Eph 1:13... In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,