Matthew 5:41- And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him two.
During the time of the Roman Empire, Roman soldiers could force those subjugated to them to carry their armor, gear, and belongings for a mile. If you were a Jew during that time, you could be required by a Roman to carry his baggage. Jesus tells His listeners to not only carry the baggage for one mile, but with a pure and loving heart, be willing to go two miles.
As Christians, we are called to be a people of excellence and not of mediocrity. I once heard a great preacher say, "Grace does more than the law." How true that is! To be obedient merely out of obligation, causes us to complain, do the minimum, and not give our best. Jesus instructs us to follow His example, and do all things in love, with a pure heart before God and man.
When love is our motivator, we will find ourselves joyfully putting forth the extra effort to help others, forgive our enemies, and be excellent.
Grace does not give us a license to disobey God's commands.
Matthew 5:19-Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men to do so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
As we grow in our love for God, obedience follows. Jesus said that those who love him are to keep his commandments. (John 14:15)
Notice that obedience flows from a heart condition- love for the Lord. This does not mean that we will not ever make a mistake. However, a pure heart will not purpose to sin against God, nor try to manipulate Him.
Most Pharisees tried their best to follow the laws, but they did not have a heart of love toward God. The result was self-righteousness. They looked righteous, talked righteous, and seemed righteous to the public, but their hearts were hard and wicked.
Matthew 5:20-For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
In this scripture, Jesus shows the necessity of going the extra mile. He lets us know that it is not enough to merely act righteous, talk righteous, and appear righteous to others. Our inner attitude of the heart must be dealt with first.
We cannot "make" ourselves righteous by works or obedience. Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer by the power of His blood. Jesus' sacrifice allows us to be seen as righteous before the Father. After a heart has been surrendered to the Lord, righteous conduct, pure speech, and modesty will follow. As our love and hunger for God grows, we will begin to change. Because we love the Lord, we will despise sin and grow in faith and obedience.
Here are some examples of how grace requires the inner purity of our hearts and exceeds the demands of the law:
Matthew 5:21-22-Ye have heard that it was said...THOU SHALT NOT KILL... But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment.
Matthew 5:27-28- Ye have heard that it was said...THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart.
With hearts of love, we want to bless God and be a blessing to others. Here is a practical example: Rather than merely tithing ten percent like the Pharisees, love tithes and then gives, and gives, and gives. We can become cheerful in all that we do for the Lord. We can expect God to do great things through us.
God sees our hearts. (1 Sam. 16:7) It is His plan to make us vessels of honor. He wants to beautify and restore us for His use. If our hearts are pure and willing before God, He will make us excellent by His power and might.
2 Timothy 2:21-22- If a man therefore cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, set apart, and useful for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Sin and Salvation
Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
What is sin? In a word, sin is disobedience to God. Sin is our failure to live up to God's perfect will and to acknowledge God in the way He deserves to be acknowledged. Sin is the result of not living up to God's perfect standard; either by actively rebelling against the will of God or by passively ignoring him. WE ALL NEED THE GRACE THAT COMES THROUGH JESUS BECAUSE NONE ARE PERFECT.
Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Sin is more than breaking the 10 commandments. Many Pharisees tried to live their entire lives in obedience to the law, but the hidden man of the heart was not pure and perfect before God. The only way God sees us as perfect and pure is through the shed blood of Jesus. To put it simply... Good people are not saved because they are good...Blood-washed people are saved.
Why were we born sinners? Sin has been inherited and imputed upon all mankind. Since Adam was the first man, the seed of all mankind was in the body of Adam at the time of the fall of man. Since Adam is our forefather, we have inherited a sinful nature.
Romans 5:12, 18 (AMP)- Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as a result of sin, so death spread to all men, (no one being able to stop it or escape it's power) because all men sinned. 18) Well then, as one man's trespass (one man's false step and falling away led) to condemnation to all men, so one man's act of righteousness (leads) to aquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.
Why are many souls destined for an eternity in hell? Sin separated us from God. God is holy and perfect. Sin cannot stand in the presence of a holy God. Unless a soul is cleansed from sin, he cannot enter into heaven. Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior with a repentant heart is the only way to be cleansed from sin.
2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
What is repentance? Repentance is "turning away" from sin, or "to change one's mind". Repentance is leaving our ways behind to live in the ways of the Lord. Repentance begins with having a Godly sorrow over our sins.
2 Corinthians 7:10- For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be regretted of: but sorrow of the world worketh death.
Acts 2:38- Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Repentance is necessary to prepare our hearts for our Lord. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. He preached repentance to the multitudes to prepare their hearts for the ministry of Christ. Repentance is required of all of us. It takes more than just believing Jesus is the Son of God to receive salvation. Even the devil believes the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, and we all know he is not saved.
James 2:19- Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Unfortunately, the idea of repentance frustrates many. Many like the idea of a joining a nice church and making good friends. Some try to follow steps in a religious formula to please God. Others want the blessings of God but continue to make sinful decisions in their daily lives. The bottom line is that Jesus requires surrender... Turning away from our will... Turning away from our plan... and a SURRENDER of our lives...to His will and His plan.
We should often examine ourselves by asking ourselves this simple question... Who is the Lord of my life? Is it Jesus, or is it me? Who am I serving? Who am I benefiting with my actions- My cause or the cause of Christ?
Upon confession of our sinful nature and having a repentant heart, we can freely receive forgiveness of all of our sins. We receive salvation as a free gift which comes by GRACE received through FAITH alone. Faith is more than the mere mental aknowledgement that Jesus is the Son of God. Saving faith is trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus. With salvation, Jesus covers us with his blood and cleanses us of all unrighteousness. Our old sinful self is dead. We are born again and alive with Christ. Our sins are gone forever and God remembers them no more! The burden of guilt and shame that we once carried like a heavy load is removed. We are set free, made whole, and redeemed. We are set apart, a chosen people, to live eternally with our Lord.
1John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
John 3:16 (AMP)- For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world the he gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on,) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) be have eternal (everlasting) life.
Ephesians 2:8- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Galatians 2:20- I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Psalm 103:12- As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
1 Peter 2:9- But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
What is sin? In a word, sin is disobedience to God. Sin is our failure to live up to God's perfect will and to acknowledge God in the way He deserves to be acknowledged. Sin is the result of not living up to God's perfect standard; either by actively rebelling against the will of God or by passively ignoring him. WE ALL NEED THE GRACE THAT COMES THROUGH JESUS BECAUSE NONE ARE PERFECT.
Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Sin is more than breaking the 10 commandments. Many Pharisees tried to live their entire lives in obedience to the law, but the hidden man of the heart was not pure and perfect before God. The only way God sees us as perfect and pure is through the shed blood of Jesus. To put it simply... Good people are not saved because they are good...Blood-washed people are saved.
Why were we born sinners? Sin has been inherited and imputed upon all mankind. Since Adam was the first man, the seed of all mankind was in the body of Adam at the time of the fall of man. Since Adam is our forefather, we have inherited a sinful nature.
Romans 5:12, 18 (AMP)- Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as a result of sin, so death spread to all men, (no one being able to stop it or escape it's power) because all men sinned. 18) Well then, as one man's trespass (one man's false step and falling away led) to condemnation to all men, so one man's act of righteousness (leads) to aquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.
Why are many souls destined for an eternity in hell? Sin separated us from God. God is holy and perfect. Sin cannot stand in the presence of a holy God. Unless a soul is cleansed from sin, he cannot enter into heaven. Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior with a repentant heart is the only way to be cleansed from sin.
2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
What is repentance? Repentance is "turning away" from sin, or "to change one's mind". Repentance is leaving our ways behind to live in the ways of the Lord. Repentance begins with having a Godly sorrow over our sins.
2 Corinthians 7:10- For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be regretted of: but sorrow of the world worketh death.
Acts 2:38- Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Repentance is necessary to prepare our hearts for our Lord. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. He preached repentance to the multitudes to prepare their hearts for the ministry of Christ. Repentance is required of all of us. It takes more than just believing Jesus is the Son of God to receive salvation. Even the devil believes the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, and we all know he is not saved.
James 2:19- Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Unfortunately, the idea of repentance frustrates many. Many like the idea of a joining a nice church and making good friends. Some try to follow steps in a religious formula to please God. Others want the blessings of God but continue to make sinful decisions in their daily lives. The bottom line is that Jesus requires surrender... Turning away from our will... Turning away from our plan... and a SURRENDER of our lives...to His will and His plan.
We should often examine ourselves by asking ourselves this simple question... Who is the Lord of my life? Is it Jesus, or is it me? Who am I serving? Who am I benefiting with my actions- My cause or the cause of Christ?
Upon confession of our sinful nature and having a repentant heart, we can freely receive forgiveness of all of our sins. We receive salvation as a free gift which comes by GRACE received through FAITH alone. Faith is more than the mere mental aknowledgement that Jesus is the Son of God. Saving faith is trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus. With salvation, Jesus covers us with his blood and cleanses us of all unrighteousness. Our old sinful self is dead. We are born again and alive with Christ. Our sins are gone forever and God remembers them no more! The burden of guilt and shame that we once carried like a heavy load is removed. We are set free, made whole, and redeemed. We are set apart, a chosen people, to live eternally with our Lord.
1John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
John 3:16 (AMP)- For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world the he gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on,) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) be have eternal (everlasting) life.
Ephesians 2:8- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Galatians 2:20- I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Psalm 103:12- As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
1 Peter 2:9- But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
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