Born Again Believers a Small Remnant

It is helpful to remember that the family of born-again believers all the way down through time has been a small remnant compared to the population of the world.

Those of us who have trusted Christ and want to live for Him are very small in number in our communities. We are also those who have few friends but deep friendships.

We have the joy and peace of the Lord while loving all the people we meet we do not retain friendships with all because we have obeyed God and "came out from among them", that is the world.

1 John 2:15-17

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

Born-again believers have no desire for the things of the world or the ways of the world. Since this is true those who are not wanting to follow Christ have no connection to us in a relationship.

Colossians 3:2

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Ephesians 5:10-12 "…10 Test and prove what pleases the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.…"

2 Corinthians 6:14 "

"Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness?"

Our close friends cannot be those who do not love our God.

Our close friends must be those who desire to walk with Christ as we desire to do. If someone cannot tolerate our relationship with Christ they will not tolerate us either.

Matthew 10:22-23 " 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"

It is clear that we are to walk away when someone rejects our God.

Confussion Ends with Scripture

Many people are confused about the difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, these scriptures will clear things up.

Fruit of the Spirit:

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."

Gifts of the Spirit:

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware.

2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.

6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills."

We don't need to Figure it out for Ourselves, Let the Holy Spirit Speak!

There is a teaching that says we must be careful how we say things so that people will receive it. There is no such verse in the Bible describing this method.

Jesus Christ spoke everything perfectly and they killed Him. It's not about figuring out how to say something in our flesh, it's about being led by the Holy Spirit. We are not called to have results we are called only to obey.

2 Samuel 23:2

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,

And His word was on my tongue."

Mark 13:11

Verse Concepts

When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.

Acts 6:10

"But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking."

Just because we speak something with the desire that someone will trust in Christ is no guarantee that the person will receive it.

God said in the last days people will not listen, for the most part, in fact, it is only a remnant who will listen and receive.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"

Obedience is far more important than results. The results belong to God alone.

1 Corinthians 3:6-9

New American Standard Bible

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own [a]reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s [b]field, God’s building.

Those who worry about how to say something often never speak out of fear they will not do it right. They are depending on their fleshly divides instead of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 10:19-20 "19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20 For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.…"