Those who say it doesn't matter that they sin because they are saved by grace, are lying. Here's why....to say their sin doesn't matter is to deny the very words of Christ:
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
If you sin and enjoy it, unashamed of yourself for it, then you do not love Christ, you cannot be born again.
John 14:23-24 "23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words. The word that you hear is not My own, but it is from the Father who sent Me.…"
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
John 1:1-18
John 1
"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."
"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."
Born Again or Pretending
Those who are unconcerned about their sin because they have been "covered in the blood", very likely were never born again and are not covered in the blood.
Philippians 2:5-18 "5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
If you do not care that you are sinning, then you do not have the mind of Christ nor do you desire it, you are not born again.
What does it look like when we have been born again according to these scriptures?
1. Humility
2. Emptying of Self
3. Obedient to Death
4. Bowing Before God in Obedience
5. Confessing Christ and His Truth, loving to speak of Him.
6. God is working in you. God is not working in someone who refuses to obey Him, someone who takes His word lightly, even ignoring it completely.
If you lack these qualities are described in God's Word, then it would be good to ask God if you ever became born again. One cannot be in Christ and love their sin, so much so that they are willing to parade it, promote it and brag about it.
Philippians 2:5-18 "5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
If you do not care that you are sinning, then you do not have the mind of Christ nor do you desire it, you are not born again.
What does it look like when we have been born again according to these scriptures?
1. Humility
2. Emptying of Self
3. Obedient to Death
4. Bowing Before God in Obedience
5. Confessing Christ and His Truth, loving to speak of Him.
6. God is working in you. God is not working in someone who refuses to obey Him, someone who takes His word lightly, even ignoring it completely.
If you lack these qualities are described in God's Word, then it would be good to ask God if you ever became born again. One cannot be in Christ and love their sin, so much so that they are willing to parade it, promote it and brag about it.
Self Elevation is Evidence of Lack of Salvation
When we meet someone who elevates themselves by devaluing others, we can be sure this person has not known the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we become born again, we come through the realization that we are sinful in our very nature and worthy of nothing good.
Romans 6:1-11
Sin’s Power Is Broken
"1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives."
This realization causes us to run to Christ to be changed into a new creation, that He might change us, to be made new, the opposite of the nature we were born with.
Those who have been born again have an enduring empathy for those around them, they hate it when they have harmed someone, most of the time unknowingly, while quickly apologizing to restore a broken relationship.
Those who love their sin, who have not been changed into a new creation, often excuse themselves, even glory in their power over others.
The question begs an answer: "how can someone who came in brokenness to Christ over their own sin, ever enjoy devaluing others because they do not measure up their own idea of righteousness?"
Often those who elevate self are highly judgmental about others, not over sin, but over silly things, personality traits or ways of doing things that are not sin. These people make up stories about the things they see their target doing, guessing what the others might be thinking and passing it on as fact to their cohorts.
The most important thing to remember in dealing with these self elevated selves, is to resist responding and remove ourselves from them permanently. If we are to grow in Christ and remain faithful to Him, then we will have to surround ourselves with those who love Him too.
Proverbs 13:19-20 "…19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil. 20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. "
When we become born again, we come through the realization that we are sinful in our very nature and worthy of nothing good.
Romans 6:1-11
Sin’s Power Is Broken
"1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives."
This realization causes us to run to Christ to be changed into a new creation, that He might change us, to be made new, the opposite of the nature we were born with.
Those who have been born again have an enduring empathy for those around them, they hate it when they have harmed someone, most of the time unknowingly, while quickly apologizing to restore a broken relationship.
Those who love their sin, who have not been changed into a new creation, often excuse themselves, even glory in their power over others.
The question begs an answer: "how can someone who came in brokenness to Christ over their own sin, ever enjoy devaluing others because they do not measure up their own idea of righteousness?"
Often those who elevate self are highly judgmental about others, not over sin, but over silly things, personality traits or ways of doing things that are not sin. These people make up stories about the things they see their target doing, guessing what the others might be thinking and passing it on as fact to their cohorts.
The most important thing to remember in dealing with these self elevated selves, is to resist responding and remove ourselves from them permanently. If we are to grow in Christ and remain faithful to Him, then we will have to surround ourselves with those who love Him too.
Proverbs 13:19-20 "…19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil. 20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. "
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