Sunday, December 22, 2024
Knowing Truth does not save anyone from hell.
"Knowing" the truth does not save anyone from hell. Satan knows the truth and that is where he is going.
Matthew 7:21-23 "Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
The people described in Matthew 7 knew the truth but tried to get to heaven in their own strength their own way, without ever trusting in Christ. They thought their "goodness" would get them there, but instead, it condemned them to hell because it could not change their character and all they did was for themselves. Their character remained self-willed defined as self pleasing.
May many who think they are good and working their way to heaven on their own merit repent and trust in Christ to be changed by Him.
Matthew 7:21-23 "Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
The people described in Matthew 7 knew the truth but tried to get to heaven in their own strength their own way, without ever trusting in Christ. They thought their "goodness" would get them there, but instead, it condemned them to hell because it could not change their character and all they did was for themselves. Their character remained self-willed defined as self pleasing.
May many who think they are good and working their way to heaven on their own merit repent and trust in Christ to be changed by Him.
Trusting in Christ not an Institution Devised by Man
Many believers are realizing the truth about the institutional church. God is placing in the hearts of many believers who were raised to believe they must attend a large gathering and sit like a lump under a one-man-paid-pastor system that God never commanded, the truth of what the gatherings were intended to be and it is nothing like what happens in our day.
We were called to edify one another with God's Word. We were never called to sacrifice for Christ, He is the only one whose Sacrifice was worthy to cover the sin of those who trust in Him. He offered this to every man but only those who trust in Him will be saved.
We must believe in Christ desiring to be changed by HIm into a new creation. God will not live in or change anyone who believes in Him but wants to change themselves.
Ephesians 2:10
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Anyone depending on themselves has not submitted to Christ. They have merely added His name to their own works and are not born-again.
2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new"
Christ changes us into a new creation, He continues the process of cleansing us throughout our lives until He takes us to our eternal home. It is all His work after we have trusted in Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Modern Sacrifices for Christ are a Stench
Modern "worship services" are focused on sacrificing for Christ instead of what He sacrificed for us. Mankind loves to pridefully control their own destiny by their own actions.
There are no sacrifices we would make that would count for anything. We praise God because He sacrificed for us.
Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service".
Psalm 51:16-17
"For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise".
Isaiah 1:11-14
"The LORD says, “I do not want all these sacrifices. I have had enough of your burnt sacrifices of male sheep and fat from fine animals. I am not pleased by the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats".
Hosea 6:6
"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings"
Sacrifice has to do with burnt offerings brought to God but there is no longer a need for this because Christ sacrificed Himself on our behalf on the cross.
When we love Christ we do not do things to impress Him, we do things to please Him without regard to whether or not it brings anything to us.
I get this idea of not wanting sacrifices because of what many have experienced from family. Some will bring a birthday gift or send a card but whenever they are in company together they find a way to demean, ignore or mock those they wish to hurt. God understands this better than anyone could.
He died for the world and the response of many is to do something for Him that He never wanted and ignore His commands that He loves.
Receiving a gift or sacrifice from someone who demeans you the rest of the year is more like a stench than a blessing.
Believe and Desire Go Hand in Hand
God said that all we have to do is believe but I think it is more than that, it includes the desire to be changed into a new creation by Christ. He will not dwell in anyone who doesn't want to be changed by Him.
Luke 9:23
"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me".
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it".
If there is a desire to have Christ to save ourselves but no desire to be changed by Him into a new creation then the expectation that God will protect us without us wanting Him does not bring salvation.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Nowhere do we see that just believing in one's head saves anyone; faith is deeply rooted in admitting sinfulness and wanting to be changed by Christ.
As we see in Matthew 7, these were lost people who believed in Christ, they just wanted Him to serve them instead of them serving Him.
When we want someone or something badly enough we will follow them or it.
James 1:22
"Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves."
Luke 6:46
"Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?"
John 14:21
"Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
1 John 2:4
"If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
Christian Narcissists Resist God and Believe they are Obeying
https://youtube.com/shorts/Bgmv4wxmrmw?si=rvnVicgP7mK-nSD-
This is why a full-blown narcissist cannot be born-again. In order to be born-again one has to feel ashamed of their sinful nature and desiring God to change them. God has to bring them to the end of themselves before they will confess their sin. And, even then most will not do it, our churches are full of these types of false Christians.
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