The mindset today is to achieve Christ by "works". These works I speak of are "religious works". These religious works are the activity of man in effort to obtain a better standing with God by his own religious actions, works, or practices. These religious activities of man are very dangerous and even cause some to miss the activity and truth about God's Divine Grace in the Church the body of Christ. God's Divine Grace is not a process "worked out" by men that call themselves Christians. A believer in Christ has a new and better life of clean living in an ungodly world because he's been changed by Divine Grace that is given through faith alone in the person of Christ. A believer in Christ is a sinful man that has been "cleansed" from a heart of disobedience and sinful conduct...through trust alone in what Christ did for him personally at Calvary.
Forgiveness of sins is granted to the penitent not because of human sorrow only. Forgiveness of sins is granted because of the fact that Christ is a Savior. When man believes and trusts in Christ, trusts in Christ at Calvary, and trusts in Christ's power from the Throneroom forgiveness is granted to the heart of man and offers Salvation to the human soul. Forgiveness is granted to the human soul because man "trusts and believes" in Christ crucified... for personal forgiveness. Christ's shed blood and the suffering of a Saviour are man's only grounds for personal forgiveness.
Acts 13:38-39... Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him (Christ) all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
There is no process for man to do any religious act... to receive forgiveness for all the past sins that were committed. There is no process to become more spiritual with God by religious works, actions, or practices. The Christian life is not a process to get more spiritual or to be gradually be delivered from sin. Studying God's Word does not make you more spiritual. Spirituality does not even come through praise and worship. People should praise and worship Christ "because" they're delivered from sin "not to be delivered from sin. Sin is not essential in the heart of a believer in Christ.
Recognizing Christ is the key to everyday Christian living. Realizing Christ as a personal Saviour is essential to the better life of holiness. Realizing who Christ is and what He did for you personally allows the conscience to be cleared from all sins of the past. Realizing who Christ is allows Christ to govern your heart and life every day of your existence on planet earth. Recognizing Christ is not a process, it comes through your personal belief and trust in Him. Realizing where you stand daily in Christ shows your subjection to a Saviour that lives. Behaving yourself as a child of God "proves" that a Saviour lives and actually changes the heart of a sinful man. Becoming a child of God is not a process of religious works but the activity of God's Divine Grace in the heart and life of a believer in Christ.
Human works and man's religious activities are stinch to the nostrils of God! Why? Human works cause men to miss the work of Christ from Calvary and from the Throneroom...now in the present tense. Religion is man's attempt to reach Christ. Christianity is where Christ is found through belief and trust. Religion is a human process. Christianity is a human experience found through faith and belief in the person of Christ. Christ is the head of the body...not you! Christ governs your heart and life because He's God. Christ purchased the Church with his own Blood. It's what Christ did at Calvary that gives you and I personal forgiveness not our own sorrow or our own works.
Titus 3:5-7...Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
When we get into the mode of part time belief...sinning religion...asking for forgiveness... and committing sin over and over again...the Bible calls this "worldly sorrow" that only brings death.
2 Cor 7:10... For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Godly sorrow bringeth Salvation to the human soul. Why? Salvation is the work of God's Divine that gets man in the Spirit...that gives man the new birth, and that gives man a desire to quit practicing sin. What I'm saying is, "Sin is not essential in the heart and life of a child of God". Divine Grace forgives man of all past sins and rids man of sinful conduct in the present tense. A child of God's desire therefore is to "forsake" sin and sinful conduct. Divine Grace keeps the Holy Spirit present in the life of a believer in Christ. A believer in Christ is just as subject and conscious to Christ's Holy presence in the workplace as he is in the local Church. No process to get into Christ and no process to get into the Spirit. This mindset of the gradual process to reach or achieve Christ through religious works is a very dangerous deception that's rampant today in the mainstream.
I like Peter's word when the people that crucified the Lord of Glory were stirred so much by the Holy Ghost they asked, " What shall we do?" Peter responded, Repent and be baptized everyone of you for the remission of sins.
Acts 2:37-38...Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins
Sins are remitted when sinful men get into Christ! Glory to Christ! The Gospel message leads sinful men to repentance! The Gospel leads sinful men to Christ and forgiveness that only comes from a Saviour's love. The Gospel message causes men to turn from sin and disobedience. they repent, believe, and trust in Christ! The Gospel is why Rick Roehm writes these words. God Bless you all! May the Grace of God become "real" to your hearts...because God's Grace....
Titus 2:11-12...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;
No comments:
Post a Comment