I want to be faithful to God even when that means I will be unpopular...
I believe that...
- A true disciple abides in the Word of Christ (The Bible) : �If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed." (John 8:31)
- The true disciple dares not adding anything to the Word : "Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."(Proverbs 30:6)
- The believer is careful about getting the intended meaning., because changing the meaning is very dangerous:
"in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures." (2 Peter 3:16)
- There are no several meanings, and there is only one way, there is: "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5)
- Human philosophies are to be banished from our biblical faith : "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
- Being faithful will not mean peace with the world:
�Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to �set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law�" (Matthew 10:33-35)
- the disciple will check everything with the Word: "...they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11)
- Because only the Word is sure and helpful: �All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness� (2 Timothy 3:16)
- The Bible tells us about our real condition (unable to discern the things of God): "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."(1 Corinthians 2:14)
- Everyone, me included, is a sinner. No one loves God and his neighbor has he should : "They have all turned aside,They have together become corrupt;There is none who does good,No, not one." (Psalm 14:3)
- we deserve eternal death: "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23)
- But in His love God sent Christ to die in our place and win for us salvation: "[Jesus] was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:25)
- It's a real gift: " For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Even faith to believe it is a gift from God : "no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3)
- We were dead in our sins, and enemies of God so we didn't make a decision for Christ. Not even the act of believing comes from us. "we were dead in trespasses" (Eph 2:5) ; "when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son" (Romans 5:10) ; "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." (Romans 9:16) ; so we look to "Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2)
- Everything comes from God : THAT is GRACE, a FAVOR from the Lord, and therefore we are certain of our salvation, because it comes from a perfect Lord. Therefore we can say with full confidence: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16) and we know those who truly believe will be with Him in Haeven. There is enough space! "In My Father�s house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2)
- But the Lord does not want anyone to change His sweet Gospel: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed."
Hope this can encourage anyone reading! And, yes, that is lutheran... yeah, because if it is not biblical, then it is not lutheran. No wonder I am close to the Reformation Lutheran Conference and I like watching sermons from pastor Robert Dommer on Youtube.
There is one way to abide in the word of God, firstly it is meditating wholly in His word, and more importantly, He is the word, God is love, to abide in His love we keep His commandments, to keep ourselves in the love of God.
1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Even though we have tribulation in the world, and our enemies are those of our household, it is correct that Jesus is the way. So we see He had the same experience for us, His brothers did not believe in Him, and He had to declare to His mother, women what have I to do with you, John 2:4, but Christ is peace, and shows us He still made peace as we must do too, to all in this world..
John 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
Acts 1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon 14
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
The things of God are spiritually discerned, because the spirit which is of God, lets us know the things which are freely given to us of God, which is, those who seek the Lord understand all things, and knowledge is easy to them that find understanding..
1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Proverbs 8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
Proverbs 14:6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
Everyone was a sinner, nobody loved his neighour as he should, Christ shows us how to love our neighbour, Luke 10:36,37, none were good, not one, this proves that Jews and Gentiles are all under sin, and all the world became guilty before God....
Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Psalms 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
The Lord's word testifies, all were filthy. Hebrews informs us, to have our bodies washed with pure water. To not sin freely after receiving the knowledge of truth that we can discern, but to know, (in a good conscience) every time we sin, we are treading under our feet the Son of God, and counting His blood unholy, by our unholy practices, which we think we are delivered to do, but we are worthy of punishment and damnation, not worthy of Christ. But reading on to Peter, we see what escaping that filthiness means, the pollutions of the world, and being entangled in them again, means we are turning to our vomit again, being washed, returning to your filth again, and it is better you never knew the way of righteousness than turning from Holiness....
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
So now we can love our neighbor and God as we should, loving another is lovingly fulfilling the law of God, love works no ill to your neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law, which is knowing God, if we know God is love. We also need to be born again of God to worship the Lord in Spirit and truth, John 3:3, and the way to love God and our neighbour as we should, is by being the children of God, and no longer the children of the devil, who do not do righteousness, who does not love his brother..
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1 John 3:3-10 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
It is true, we deserve eternal death. First we see Christ died unto sin once, and we have to consider we are one time dead unto sin, and alive through God and righteousness through Jesus Christ our Lord. For when we were the servants of sin, we did no righteousness, only shame. The end of those shameful sins is death. But now dead and free from sin, we serve God, with fruit of righteousness and holiness, otherwise the wages of our sin will be death, if we do not see the difference of the new way and gift of Gods eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ who is without sin to salvation..
Romans 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Hebrews 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Faith is the gift of God, yet so many say Jesus is Lord but insincerely, Ephesians 6:24, they prophecy in His name, they say Lord, and though they say Lord, they swear falsely, because only the Lord knows them that are His, but very one that names the name of Christ sincerely departs from iniquity, otherwise He says, depart from me, all you workers of iniquity..
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jeremiah 5:2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
It is of God that shows mercy, we were dead in trespasses, we remain dead if in the same trespasses, we are not reconciled to God when we crucify Christ afresh in open shame, God has no mercy for us if we show no mercy, to observe vanity means we forsake our own mercy, as mercy rejoices over Gods judgment..
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
James 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Jonah 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved. He that loves not Christ, does not keep His sayings. It is His commandment, to believe on the name of the Son of God Jesus Christ, and to also do His other commandment to love one another without hating working ill to another, then we can be sure of our election and calling, but for sure, if we lack those things, we are blind, and still in our old sins that never went away....
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
This is from no earthly church, as they are all corrupt and false. God be with all who hear..
