Monday, February 28, 2022

Living According to the Principles of the Bible after Salvation

Those who talk too much are self-absorbed, they think every thought is important to others. Often those who talk too much think they know more than everyone else and do not listen to others. They do not learn because they have no capacity to respect those who might be able to add wisdom to their lives.
Proverbs 10:19
"19 When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable, But one who restrains his lips is wise."
Hebrews 4:12
"12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to [a]judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
It is better to use far more of God's words than our own.
When we use our words more than God's words we quench the Holy Spirit and are more likely to enter into sin with our own ideas that displease God.
Psalm 119:11
"11 I have treasured Your word in my heart,
So that I may not sin against You."
We speak the most about what we treasure. If we treasure God everything we speak will be peppered with His Word. When we speak our own minds we will disrespect God to preserve our own opinions.
So many "Christians" are using mantras that are not Biblical but think they are Biblical because other Christians use them. Since most do not study their Bibles they are prone to use cultural Christianity based on psychology far more than anything God teaches. Even those who claim to know their Bibles do not learn from it because the Holy Spirit will not engage with the pride they harbor. They choose a few verses they like, often out of context to sound right, but do not obey what they read nor do they reverence His Word above all else.
We have been living in cultural Christianity for decades now in our country. There is a phrase to describe what happens when cultural Christianity rules in families or church gatherings; we call the angst against those who want to use the Bible as the standard "family mobbings", in which the whole group is convinced of an unbiblical way and will come against anyone who wants to use the Bible to explain the truth.
If we are dedicated to the Bible and the Holy Spirit as our teacher and guide we will experience this family mobbing.
The mob will shun us, harshly speak to us to intimidate and gossip against us with others. If they cannot prove we are wrong, and most of the time they don't use the Bible for their evidence, then they will begin to gossip against our character to others in an attempt to influence what others believe about us.
Notice that the gossipers, the whisperers and the stubborn will never come to us to discuss their angst against us.
Those who love the Lord and desire His will in their lives will want to know why we think as we do in a Biblical manner. Kind, loving people never attack others for their views but desire to know why we believe things. They will love the word of God so much that they want to know what God has to say. They want to cleanse from their lives any wrong thinking.
Those who love their cultural Christianity that makes them acceptable to others are not concerned whether or not they are acceptable to God. Why? Because cultural Christianity is always about the mob, not Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:16
"“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
There are those who would instruct Christ if He were standing right in front of them. They are more invested in their own opinions based on cultural standards than they are in the heart of Christ. They love their cultural knowledge more than they love Christ.
2 Timothy 3:16
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,"
Galatians 4:9
"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?"
2 Timothy 3:16
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,"
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Born-again believers have the mind of Christ, they want what He wants, think the way He thinks and desires to obey, even if they fail they want to confess to be cleansed and continue on to Spiritual growth and holiness. Those who are deeply invested in the culture will not care about what God thinks but will want to be accepted by the world.
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
God cannot be in the presence of sin or ugliness, the reason He cannot be with us if we are without the Holy Spirit, He can only be with those who are indwelt by Christ, God's seal on born-again believers.
Philippians 2:5-11
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,"
Romans 8:9
"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."
Anyone can have this amazing special relationship with Jesus Christ merely by confessing their sinfulness and trusting what He did on the cross for mankind. No one will have this relationship without confession and a contrite (crushed) heart over the sin.
It's so easy but to the carnal mind, it can't be good because of how easy it is. To the carnal mind, the idea of admitting sin and submitting to anyone is unthinkable. It is only when the carnal mind comes to the end of their pride and self-will that they can confess to be cleansed and indwelt by Christ.
Even with the promise of love, joy, peace, kindness, self-control if we submit, they cannot submit, because they love their sin, pride and angst more.
This is the very reason I am convinced God is going to destroy this nation or as has been happening, allow it to destroy itself through its own willfulness and pride.
God does not always bring direct punishment, sometimes He allows those who sin to experience the natural consequences of their sin to rebuke them. So many worldly people today have bankrupt and hopeless lives but don't know it.
Revelation 3:16-18 "…16 So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.…"
Does it make any sense at all that someone who has been thrown into the sewer would choose to remain there just because the person who comes to the rescue is telling them what they should do to be saved from the filth and the stink? Those who are stubborn will always choose stink over sweet-smelling truth.
Proverbs 13:6-7 "…6 Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness undermines the sinner. 7 One pretends to be rich, but has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. 8Riches may ransom a man’s life, but a poor man hears no threat.…"
Spiritual poverty is far more devastating than physical poverty. Worldly riches is nothing, it will all burn up someday and anyone who places their trust in it will burn up too.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight."

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