Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Excusing Sin is the Same as Rebellion Against God
Amen, it is the devil who talks people into sinning as an excuse. We saw this in the garden when he told Eve she didn't have to obey God.
God Does not exhibit Wrath against Those who Belong to Him
I wonder if the rapture deniers of our day would have called Noah, Lot, Moses, Rahab and Joseph "escapists"?
The Fruit of God's Spirit Dominates those who are Born of Christ
Galatians 5:22-24 "…22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
Why does God say there is no law needed when we have the fruit of the Spirit?
The reason is really quite simple: we do not have to try to be something that comes naturally to us. We have no need of a law that tells us to be loving because it is the very nature of who we are. Our first response without thinking will be according to the fruit of the Spirit of Christ, the same as the other fruit of God's Spirit.
It comes naturally to a person who is angry on the inside to snark and snort at others when they feel a sense of loss of control over others. The initial response to being told "no" or a "refusal to be manipulated" is to intimidate or frustrate the target.
As a born-again believer, our first response without thinking is to do what is kind while having self-control over our emotions when someone else has been rude. It is no longer our fleshly nature that dominates us!
Since born-again believers have no need to control others, they do not say and do things that will frustrate and anger others. They don't have a sense of needing to be superior, so they are unconcerned that someone doesn't agree with them.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth."
Love dominates the heart of one who has been changed into a new creation by Christ. If we find we are having a weak moment and allow our flesh to take over we quickly feel bad and confess it to be cleansed.
Ephesians 4:2
"with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,"
Colossians 3:12-13
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
The heart of the born-again believer is humble, desiring to be like Christ, not just say things that sound Christlike, but to be like Him in all our words and actions.
James 3:17
"But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere."
2 Timothy 2:24-25
"And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth."
Philippians 4:5
"Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near."
Authentically born-again believers are the same to everyone; they do not treat one person with respect while treating another disrespectfully. Respect is a character quality permeating the soul for those who love Christ. As believers, we view all people as valued; we know what we were saved from, and everyone else needs saving, too.
We tell the truth that some people will not like, but we do it honestly and respectfully. In our hearts, no one is superior to anyone else because we know that "all have fallen short of the glory of God" and that no one deserves respect more than anyone else. In fact, no one deserves respect; we extend it because of Christ.
Everyone who is born of Christ has the fruit; those who walk according to it will rarely do unkind things to others because they hate being something God hates.
Why does God say there is no law needed when we have the fruit of the Spirit?
The reason is really quite simple: we do not have to try to be something that comes naturally to us. We have no need of a law that tells us to be loving because it is the very nature of who we are. Our first response without thinking will be according to the fruit of the Spirit of Christ, the same as the other fruit of God's Spirit.
It comes naturally to a person who is angry on the inside to snark and snort at others when they feel a sense of loss of control over others. The initial response to being told "no" or a "refusal to be manipulated" is to intimidate or frustrate the target.
As a born-again believer, our first response without thinking is to do what is kind while having self-control over our emotions when someone else has been rude. It is no longer our fleshly nature that dominates us!
Since born-again believers have no need to control others, they do not say and do things that will frustrate and anger others. They don't have a sense of needing to be superior, so they are unconcerned that someone doesn't agree with them.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth."
Love dominates the heart of one who has been changed into a new creation by Christ. If we find we are having a weak moment and allow our flesh to take over we quickly feel bad and confess it to be cleansed.
Ephesians 4:2
"with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,"
Colossians 3:12-13
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
The heart of the born-again believer is humble, desiring to be like Christ, not just say things that sound Christlike, but to be like Him in all our words and actions.
James 3:17
"But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere."
2 Timothy 2:24-25
"And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth."
Philippians 4:5
"Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near."
Authentically born-again believers are the same to everyone; they do not treat one person with respect while treating another disrespectfully. Respect is a character quality permeating the soul for those who love Christ. As believers, we view all people as valued; we know what we were saved from, and everyone else needs saving, too.
We tell the truth that some people will not like, but we do it honestly and respectfully. In our hearts, no one is superior to anyone else because we know that "all have fallen short of the glory of God" and that no one deserves respect more than anyone else. In fact, no one deserves respect; we extend it because of Christ.
Everyone who is born of Christ has the fruit; those who walk according to it will rarely do unkind things to others because they hate being something God hates.
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