Has there been a time recently when you were called legalistic for declaring God's commands?
Legalism is following man's rules that God never made, obedience to God is obeying what HE wrote in His word.
Far too many people are assigning the word "legalism" to obedience to Christ, as though they think the Bible is just full of subjective suggestions. The Bible is full of commands that God expects believers to love and follow.
It is quite easy to discern the difference between legalism and obedience. Too many people call it legalism when we preach the principles of God to be followed. It is not legalism to obey God and to expect other believers to do the same.
John 14:15-16 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
God did not command us to keep His commandments, He said we will be cause we have been changed into a new creation. Those that refuse to listen to Biblical principles most often have never been born again.
Those who are legalists make all kinds of rules and ideas God never gave and fight to intimidate others into compliance.
Adding to the word of God is very serious and so is detracting from it.
1 Corinthians 4:6 "6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another."
Deuteronomy 4:2
"2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.:"
Revelation 22:18-19
"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book."
Proverbs 30:5-6
"Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him."
Deuteronomy 12:32
"Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it."
Mark 7:13
"thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that."
One of the modern traditions is the idea that one can sin all they want and still be saved. Those who love the Lord don't want to sin, when they fall they are ashamed and return to obedience after confessing their sin. They do not defend sin, they may deny it temporarily but they will not fight bitterly to defend that which they know grieves God.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 3:8-10 "…8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother."
A believer in Christ does not lose their salvation but if they sin God will take them to the woodshed for a spanking, sometimes a harsh spanking.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Interpreting Life
It is not wise to interpret life according to what others are doing or what others like. "Others" are often wrong.
It is not wise to interpret doctrine according to the prevailing ideas of others no matter what their credentials.
Often an educated man's credentials are based on the biases of the institution he attended. In nearly all cases the student's marks in school are based on whether or not he could repeat back to the teacher the things the teacher imparted to him in the classroom.
The religious institutions are not exempt from this sort of thinking, that being that the student has adhered to the teachers particular understanding or bent, affording the student a passing grade.
Our culture has placed more importance on a formal degree than the working of the Holy Spirit in one's life. Sadly many have equated education with wisdom. We can see what happens in a culture when the Holy Spirit has been neglected in favor of man's education, a disintegration of God's principles and standards has occurred while arrogance has flourished.
We have many people coming out of Bible colleges today who are bending to the popular thinking of the day in order to be appreciated while keeping their income flowing from the pews.
Our culture as a whole thinks it is wiser than those of the past. Their wisdom is not coming from God but from the perverted Christianity of the world all around them.
NEVER place your trust in an education, a person or an idea! Place your trust in Jesus Christ alone!!!!!!
It is not wise to interpret doctrine according to the prevailing ideas of others no matter what their credentials.
Often an educated man's credentials are based on the biases of the institution he attended. In nearly all cases the student's marks in school are based on whether or not he could repeat back to the teacher the things the teacher imparted to him in the classroom.
The religious institutions are not exempt from this sort of thinking, that being that the student has adhered to the teachers particular understanding or bent, affording the student a passing grade.
Our culture has placed more importance on a formal degree than the working of the Holy Spirit in one's life. Sadly many have equated education with wisdom. We can see what happens in a culture when the Holy Spirit has been neglected in favor of man's education, a disintegration of God's principles and standards has occurred while arrogance has flourished.
We have many people coming out of Bible colleges today who are bending to the popular thinking of the day in order to be appreciated while keeping their income flowing from the pews.
Our culture as a whole thinks it is wiser than those of the past. Their wisdom is not coming from God but from the perverted Christianity of the world all around them.
NEVER place your trust in an education, a person or an idea! Place your trust in Jesus Christ alone!!!!!!
Jealousy is a Relationship Killer
Those who possess jealousy desire to believe evil about the one of whom they are jealous.
The desire to believe evil of the target by the jealous one, creates lies in their minds that reflect their own attitude while attributing these evils to the target.
Jealous ones assign negative attributes to the one they hate. If a target gets a new car the jealous one will spread gossip that the car was stolen or purchased on credit. Even without knowing anything about the car, the finances or anything else the gossiper will assign evil to the actions of the target.
The jealous one might tell others that we are prideful for buying a new car, even if the car was used. They will develop ideas in their own minds that accuse the target of evil in all that the target says and does, even if what they have done was a good thing.
When a jealous person hates their target they will interpret everything the target says and does as bad, mean or ignorant.
It is true that our mindset motivates our words and actions. if someone is rebellious and the target exposes that rebellion then the jealous one will act according to their chosen idea about their target.
Those who refuse to seek truth will always be angry at a prophet for their straightforward answers based on God's Word.
Proverbs 6:34
"For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge."
It has been my experience that the most rebellious people are those who will accuse the target of being mean or hateful while the jealous one is acting in mean and hateful ways. The jealous one gives themselves away by the accusations they level against others.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;"
1 Corinthians 3:3
"For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?"
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
There is only one way for the jealous one to be delivered from this relationship killer, that is to confess it and ask God to drive it from them.
Job 5:2
"Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple."
All jealousy will lead to self destruction if it is not destroyed by God through His power. He will only do that if the jealous one wants it removed.
Romans 12:1-2
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
The desire to believe evil of the target by the jealous one, creates lies in their minds that reflect their own attitude while attributing these evils to the target.
Jealous ones assign negative attributes to the one they hate. If a target gets a new car the jealous one will spread gossip that the car was stolen or purchased on credit. Even without knowing anything about the car, the finances or anything else the gossiper will assign evil to the actions of the target.
The jealous one might tell others that we are prideful for buying a new car, even if the car was used. They will develop ideas in their own minds that accuse the target of evil in all that the target says and does, even if what they have done was a good thing.
When a jealous person hates their target they will interpret everything the target says and does as bad, mean or ignorant.
It is true that our mindset motivates our words and actions. if someone is rebellious and the target exposes that rebellion then the jealous one will act according to their chosen idea about their target.
Those who refuse to seek truth will always be angry at a prophet for their straightforward answers based on God's Word.
Proverbs 6:34
"For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge."
It has been my experience that the most rebellious people are those who will accuse the target of being mean or hateful while the jealous one is acting in mean and hateful ways. The jealous one gives themselves away by the accusations they level against others.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;"
1 Corinthians 3:3
"For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?"
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
There is only one way for the jealous one to be delivered from this relationship killer, that is to confess it and ask God to drive it from them.
Job 5:2
"Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple."
All jealousy will lead to self destruction if it is not destroyed by God through His power. He will only do that if the jealous one wants it removed.
Romans 12:1-2
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
God's Great Mercy
Forgiveness does not lead to repentance as some have believed. It is conviction of sin that leads to repentance. When we prematurely forgive when there is no repentance there is a hardening of the heart. If someone is forgiven without repentance and they rage it is because there already was hardness of heart.
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. '
Grace and mercy is shown to the repentant. Those who do not love Christ will not have His grace and mercy.
Mercy and grace is offered to all mankind but it is conditional to trusting in Christ. There will be no mercy or grace for those who reject Christ, they will be thrown into the lake of fire without ever receiving these gifts from God.
The reason we see so many Christians walking on egg shells around unbelievers is because they have believed the false premise that showing grace and mercy leads people to repent.
Romans 2:4 " 4 Or do you despise c the riches of His goodness, d forbearance, and e longsuffering, f not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"
It is the goodness of God that offers forgiveness upon repentance. It is because of His goodness and justice that will not forgive those who are unrepentant. His goodness requires holiness, justice and compliance to His principles.
Those who resist His principles, His justice and holiness are also resisting His mercy. God is many things and most of all He is love and justice.
Without justice there can be no love. Without justice the unrepentant gets mercy and the righteous are persecuted. Most Christians today do not understand this principle. The devil has done a very effective job in fooling people into believing the opposite of what God teaches in His Word.
How we think determines how we act. When a culture elevates psychology above God's Word them the culture will be brain washed to follow that which they have heard most of their lives.
A good example of this is an old saying that we used to hear as children. That saying goes like this; "if you can't say anything good then don't say anything at all." This was not a biblical saying, it was based on "going along to get along."
A society that lives under this premise of never saying anything hard will never rebuke for sin, they will never speak truth that makes someone feel badly. When this happens the whole culture has been intimidated to refrain from truth in favor of good feelings. This produces a culture that ultimately ends up defending the evil and chastising the righteous.
It is vitally important that we are continually evaluating what we have been taught according to the Bible. Those who love the easy life of "going along to get along" will ultimately end up facilitating sin while negating truth and righteousness.
If you have found yourself defending the sinner in the middle of their sin while chastising the one who points out sin, then you are part of the problem. Sin is growing in the churches because most people have bought into the premise that we should make sure everyone "feels" good about themselves. It isn't until we feel bad about ourselves that we can repent and seek Christ.
Romans 6:1-11 "1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become [a]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [b]in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old [c]self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [d]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is [e]freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, [f]is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Those who refuse to obey God are those who cause division. It is not the one who is pointing out the disobedience who is divisive, it is the one who is in rebellion against God who causes division. We must avoid those that bring false teaching that only enables those who will not turn from their sin.
Titus 3:10-11
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
1 Timothy 5:20
"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
We are to expose sin for the sake of those looking on as well as for those in the sin that they might be ashamed and correct their attitude and behavior.
James 5:19-20
"My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. '
Grace and mercy is shown to the repentant. Those who do not love Christ will not have His grace and mercy.
Mercy and grace is offered to all mankind but it is conditional to trusting in Christ. There will be no mercy or grace for those who reject Christ, they will be thrown into the lake of fire without ever receiving these gifts from God.
The reason we see so many Christians walking on egg shells around unbelievers is because they have believed the false premise that showing grace and mercy leads people to repent.
Romans 2:4 " 4 Or do you despise c the riches of His goodness, d forbearance, and e longsuffering, f not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"
It is the goodness of God that offers forgiveness upon repentance. It is because of His goodness and justice that will not forgive those who are unrepentant. His goodness requires holiness, justice and compliance to His principles.
Those who resist His principles, His justice and holiness are also resisting His mercy. God is many things and most of all He is love and justice.
Without justice there can be no love. Without justice the unrepentant gets mercy and the righteous are persecuted. Most Christians today do not understand this principle. The devil has done a very effective job in fooling people into believing the opposite of what God teaches in His Word.
How we think determines how we act. When a culture elevates psychology above God's Word them the culture will be brain washed to follow that which they have heard most of their lives.
A good example of this is an old saying that we used to hear as children. That saying goes like this; "if you can't say anything good then don't say anything at all." This was not a biblical saying, it was based on "going along to get along."
A society that lives under this premise of never saying anything hard will never rebuke for sin, they will never speak truth that makes someone feel badly. When this happens the whole culture has been intimidated to refrain from truth in favor of good feelings. This produces a culture that ultimately ends up defending the evil and chastising the righteous.
It is vitally important that we are continually evaluating what we have been taught according to the Bible. Those who love the easy life of "going along to get along" will ultimately end up facilitating sin while negating truth and righteousness.
If you have found yourself defending the sinner in the middle of their sin while chastising the one who points out sin, then you are part of the problem. Sin is growing in the churches because most people have bought into the premise that we should make sure everyone "feels" good about themselves. It isn't until we feel bad about ourselves that we can repent and seek Christ.
Romans 6:1-11 "1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become [a]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [b]in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old [c]self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [d]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is [e]freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, [f]is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Those who refuse to obey God are those who cause division. It is not the one who is pointing out the disobedience who is divisive, it is the one who is in rebellion against God who causes division. We must avoid those that bring false teaching that only enables those who will not turn from their sin.
Titus 3:10-11
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
1 Timothy 5:20
"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
We are to expose sin for the sake of those looking on as well as for those in the sin that they might be ashamed and correct their attitude and behavior.
James 5:19-20
"My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Forgiveness Does Not Lead to Repentance
Forgiveness does not lead to repentance as some have believed. It is conviction of sin that leads to repentance. When we prematurely forgive when there is no repentance there is a hardening of the heart. If someone is forgiven without repentance and they rage it is because there already was hardness of heart.
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. '
Grace and mercy is shown to the repentant. Those who do not love Christ will not have His grace and mercy.
Mercy and grace is offered to all mankind but it is conditional to trusting in Christ. There will be no mercy or grace for those who reject Christ, they will be thrown into the lake of fire without ever receiving these gifts from God.
The reason we see so many Christians walking on egg shells around unbelievers is because they have believed the false premise that showing grace and mercy leads people to repent.
Romans 2:4 " 4 Or do you despise c the riches of His goodness, d forbearance, and e longsuffering, f not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"
It is the goodness of God that offers forgiveness upon repentance. It is because of His goodness and justice that will not forgive those who are unrepentant. His goodness requires holiness, justice and compliance to His principles.
Those who resist His principles, His justice and holiness are also resisting His mercy. God is many things and most of all He is love and justice.
Without justice there can be no love. Without justice the unrepentant gets mercy and the righteous are persecuted. Most Christians today do not understand this principle. The devil has done a very effective job in fooling people into believing the opposite of what God teaches in His Word.
How we think determines how we act. When a culture elevates psychology above God's Word them the culture will be brain washed to follow that which they have heard most of their lives.
A good example of this is an old saying that we used to hear as children. That saying goes like this; "if you can't say anything good then don't say anything at all." This was not a biblical saying, it was based on "going along to get along."
A society that lives under this premise of never saying anything hard will never rebuke for sin, they will never speak truth that makes someone feel badly. When this happens the whole culture has been intimidated to refrain from truth in favor of good feelings. This produces a culture that ultimately ends up defending the evil and chastising the righteous.
It is vitally important that we are continually evaluating what we have been taught according to the Bible. Those who love the easy life of "going along to get along" will ultimately end up facilitating sin while negating truth and righteousness.
If you have found yourself defending the sinner in the middle of their sin while chastising the one who points out sin, then you are part of the problem. Sin is growing in the churches because most people have bought into the premise that we should make sure everyone "feels" good about themselves. It isn't until we feel bad about ourselves that we can repent and seek Christ.
Romans 6:1-11 "1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become [a]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [b]in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old [c]self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [d]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is [e]freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, [f]is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Those who refuse to obey God are those who cause division. It is not the one who is pointing out the disobedience who is divisive, it is the one who is in rebellion against God who causes division. We must avoid those that bring false teaching that only enables those who will not turn from their sin.
Titus 3:10-11
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
1 Timothy 5:20
"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
We are to expose sin for the sake of those looking on as well as for those in the sin that they might be ashamed and correct their attitude and behavior.
James 5:19-20
"My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. '
Grace and mercy is shown to the repentant. Those who do not love Christ will not have His grace and mercy.
Mercy and grace is offered to all mankind but it is conditional to trusting in Christ. There will be no mercy or grace for those who reject Christ, they will be thrown into the lake of fire without ever receiving these gifts from God.
The reason we see so many Christians walking on egg shells around unbelievers is because they have believed the false premise that showing grace and mercy leads people to repent.
Romans 2:4 " 4 Or do you despise c the riches of His goodness, d forbearance, and e longsuffering, f not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"
It is the goodness of God that offers forgiveness upon repentance. It is because of His goodness and justice that will not forgive those who are unrepentant. His goodness requires holiness, justice and compliance to His principles.
Those who resist His principles, His justice and holiness are also resisting His mercy. God is many things and most of all He is love and justice.
Without justice there can be no love. Without justice the unrepentant gets mercy and the righteous are persecuted. Most Christians today do not understand this principle. The devil has done a very effective job in fooling people into believing the opposite of what God teaches in His Word.
How we think determines how we act. When a culture elevates psychology above God's Word them the culture will be brain washed to follow that which they have heard most of their lives.
A good example of this is an old saying that we used to hear as children. That saying goes like this; "if you can't say anything good then don't say anything at all." This was not a biblical saying, it was based on "going along to get along."
A society that lives under this premise of never saying anything hard will never rebuke for sin, they will never speak truth that makes someone feel badly. When this happens the whole culture has been intimidated to refrain from truth in favor of good feelings. This produces a culture that ultimately ends up defending the evil and chastising the righteous.
It is vitally important that we are continually evaluating what we have been taught according to the Bible. Those who love the easy life of "going along to get along" will ultimately end up facilitating sin while negating truth and righteousness.
If you have found yourself defending the sinner in the middle of their sin while chastising the one who points out sin, then you are part of the problem. Sin is growing in the churches because most people have bought into the premise that we should make sure everyone "feels" good about themselves. It isn't until we feel bad about ourselves that we can repent and seek Christ.
Romans 6:1-11 "1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become [a]united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [b]in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old [c]self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be [d]done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is [e]freed from sin.
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, [f]is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Those who refuse to obey God are those who cause division. It is not the one who is pointing out the disobedience who is divisive, it is the one who is in rebellion against God who causes division. We must avoid those that bring false teaching that only enables those who will not turn from their sin.
Titus 3:10-11
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
1 Timothy 5:20
"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
We are to expose sin for the sake of those looking on as well as for those in the sin that they might be ashamed and correct their attitude and behavior.
James 5:19-20
"My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)