Perversion of the Gospel
"6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
After obeying the gospel comes the commandment to obey God's commands. If you have no desire to obey the commands of God then you have never been born again. If you twist the words of the Bible to justify sin then you have not been born again.
John 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. "
This statement from God is not a command to keep His commandments, it is a statement that if you are born again you WILL keep them. When we have been changed into a new creation we are compelled by Christ in us to obey Him, we love Him, we love His commandments. They are not burdensome to us.
If someone is trying real hard to obey but doesn't like it then they are not born again.
1 John 5:2-4 "…2 By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, 4 because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.…"
If it is not evident that someone has the fruit of the Spirit then they may not be saved.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The fruit is the very essence of Christ, when He changes us into a new creation we have this fruit, it belongs to Him and is imparted to us. It can be seen by other born again believers.
Romans 8:15-17 "…15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.…"
No comments:
Post a Comment