I hate the phrase "the children are our most valuable resource." They are not "resources", they are human beings to be protected and nurtured, whether or not they have anything to offer us.
God loves the little ones, unlike our secular culture. OH, they think they love, but their love is not love at all.
We base our love for the children on what they can offer us, when they are no longer good for our status we throw them away, through abortion and day care centers.
The public schools we send them to, teach them to hate God and live for themselves, this is not love but loathing. The powers that be have convinced the people that the hate of the devil is actually love.
Matthew 18:10
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
Psalm 127:3
"3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."
Mark 9:42
"42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea."
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
We are not Born Again by Not Sinning
It is vitally important that we understand what it means to
be born again.
Too many people place particular sins as the bench mark for
salvation.
Not committing a particular sin does not save us, any more
than committing any particular sin sends us to hell.
We must understand that we are sinful through and through.
James 2:10
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all."
All sin is rebellion against God and all sin sends us to
hell! We are not capable of keeping all
or any the commandments, God knew this, which is why He made salvation very
easy for us . Only one thing is required to become born again, and that is
faith in the finished Work of Christ on the cross. He paid for our sin, nothing
more is required from us to receive His forgiveness.
1 John 1:9
King James Version (KJV)
"9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
When we understand that Christ paid the price for sin on the
cross through the shedding of His blood, then and only then can we become born
again. It is Christ who is the perfect
sacrifice!
Hebrews 9:22
"22 And almost all things are by the law purged with
blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
There are those who are saying that divorce and remarriage
is a matter of salvation. This is clearly wrong, it is the preaching of a
gospel by works. No man is born again by
not committing a particular sin and no man is lost by committing a particular
sin. We must all come to Christ the same way, through faith in what He did on
that cross.
When we have trusted Christ, He then cleanses continually all
through the rest of our lives. We are
dirty, filthy and vile, only Christ is clean and only He can cleanse.
It doesn't matter what your sin is, He will discipline His
children. The following passage is clear that God's children do sin, it doesn't
matter which sin it is, no sin is greater than another in the vast scheme of
things, all sin is disobedience.
When we become born again we immediately enter "boot
camp" so to speak. God begins His training and cleansing of us. We do not automatically become sinless, God
has His ordained process for our training. Training teaches us, we do not learn
good lessons without experiencing life through God's training.
God uses life experiences to show us principles, without
understanding there is no learning. Knowing
something in our head is very different from experiencing it, which brings true
depth of understanding.
Hebrews 12:1-11
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily
ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners
against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You
have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you
as to sons: “My son, do not despise the
chastening of the Lord, Nor be
discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons;
for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have
become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us,
and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to
the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed
best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but
painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it."
Those that preach that particular sins are " a matter
of salvation" are preaching salvation by works or our own efforts. They preach a false gospel.
We are incapable of being or doing good, only Christ in us is
good! We are handicapped...we are missing what is need to be righteous. We have nothing in us that can do what is
needed to be what we should be. Christ is the One Who works in us to do good.
Ephesians 2:8-9
"8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Those who think you can lose your salvation because they
commit a particular sin, are teaching that Christ's work on the cross was not
enough, we have to also add our own works to what He did.
When we are born again, we feel the weight of the Holy
Spirit conviction on us when we sin, our hearts become heavy and our minds
become guilty, that is His work, to show us we have something more to confess
so that He will cleanse us.
If we refuse to admit our sin, and refuse to confess it,
then we will live with continual consequences until we do. Some of those
consequences will be life long, other we will be delivered from when we finally
do confess.
If we refuse to confess and forsake our sin as God reveals
them, then we will lose rewards in heaven and find ourselves ashamed in the
presence of a Holy God.
1 Corinthians 3:15 "If any man's work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
Those who defend their sin, claiming that they can sin all
they want because of God's grace, have never been born again. They still love
their sin. When we become born again we
hate our sin, we struggle with it, hopefully confessing it to avoid discipline,
but we are never ever comfortable with it.
Those who are comfortable with their sin and aggressively
fight to justify it have never been changed into a new creation, they are
imposters, pretenders who will get before the Lord on judgment day and He will
say this to them;
Matthew 7:21-23
"21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which
is in heaven."
"22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works?"
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I am most concerned about those who think they are born
again, but love their sin, those who will not confess that they are wicked and
vile and in need of cleansing by Christ.
Our churches are full of many people who are in a lost
state, never having been born again, but think they are going to heaven by
saying particular words that others have told them to say.
It is not what we say or what we do that saves us, it is the
person of Jesus Christ Who saves, and He will only save one way, through faith
in Him, to cleanse us and change us.
If anyone wants to become born again, the way to do that is
to admit to God that you are sinful and helpless to be anything good. Then to
desire to be changed by Christ into a new creation.
He will do all the work in us!
Ephesians 2:10
King James Version (KJV)
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them."
Do not try to be good, trust that Christ will make us good,
a life time of continual cleansing will occur.
If you have trusted Christ and He has made you into a new creation, then
your life will change, you will not see things the same way any more.
The sin you used to love you will now hate, it will be
repulsive to you. The righteousness in others that you hated, you will now love
and desire.
God does not change our outer actions, He changes our hearts
and the actions flow out of that changed heart.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
We don't Need Balance We Just Need Truth
We don't need "balance", we just need "truth."
Whenever I hear the word balance I am reminded of the Muslim man who said that in order to get into heaven they must weigh their good deeds on a scale with their bad deeds and if the scale tips in the right direction, then they are admitted into heaven.
When we are believers we do not balance things, a little of this and a little of that so that everything is equal.
We are unbalanced, our scale tips only in one direction and that is the direction of truth which is in Christ alone.
Whenever I hear the word balance I am reminded of the Muslim man who said that in order to get into heaven they must weigh their good deeds on a scale with their bad deeds and if the scale tips in the right direction, then they are admitted into heaven.
When we are believers we do not balance things, a little of this and a little of that so that everything is equal.
We are unbalanced, our scale tips only in one direction and that is the direction of truth which is in Christ alone.
Compelled by the Holy Spirit
I am convinced that we attempt to understand the Word of God in terms of our cultural mindset., rather than seeking the Lord for His meaning through instruction of the Holy Spirit.
There were no marketing gimmicks used in the time of the apostles, to lure the people to Christ. They spoke the straight truth with no parties or thrills to make Christ attractive.
What they did do, was to open their homes and through hospitality and straight talk, to convince and reason with those who entered there, they presented the gospel.
Acts 28:23-27
King James Version (KJV)
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
It is no wonder we have little opportunity to share with others, we have full schedules, doing pleasurable and worthless things that entertain us, to be available at home for others.
We have call waiting, if we choose to ignore a phone call because our favorite show is on, we can do that. If we do not want to be disturbed during a ball game, we can require our friends and family to call before they come, so we will not miss all our pleasures.
The devil has cleverly filled up our time with every sort of entertainment and pleasure we choose, leaving no time to develop relationship or spend long hours reading His Word and praying.
These distractions have left us seeking a "fast food" doctrine, based on our own desires, heavily colored and peppered with our cultural leanings.
How can we hear the Holy Spirit through all that noise? We muddle along attempting to use our own human minds to figure things out, when God speaks we either don't hear Him or we interpret His Words in terms of our desires, our culture and our pleasure.
There is only one cure for this, to turn off all the distractions and spend time with the Lord. Say no, more often, to those who would take up our time on useless things or even things that are good, but that God never asked us to do.
Not everything we are asked to do by people, are what God has called us to do, no matter how good the cause may be.
If God calls us to do something, we will be so compelled that doing it will not be anything we have to pray about, our soul will flood with desire for it, we will not be able to turn it down. No effort to try to obey will be necessary.
Do we have to ask to breathe? Do we have to ask to feed our bodies? When we are called to a matter, it will be as natural as these things.
Acts 20:22 "And now, behold, I go compelled in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:"
Mark 1:12-13 "12 And immediately the spirit driveth (compelled) Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him."
Compelled: Driven, get by force!
If we are not sure and agonize over whether or not to do something, then it is not the Holy Spirit. It may be our own desire or others placing pressure on us. Wait on the Lord for your instructions, He will compel us when He is giving us a command, there will be no question that it is He Who commands us.
There were no marketing gimmicks used in the time of the apostles, to lure the people to Christ. They spoke the straight truth with no parties or thrills to make Christ attractive.
What they did do, was to open their homes and through hospitality and straight talk, to convince and reason with those who entered there, they presented the gospel.
Acts 28:23-27
King James Version (KJV)
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
It is no wonder we have little opportunity to share with others, we have full schedules, doing pleasurable and worthless things that entertain us, to be available at home for others.
We have call waiting, if we choose to ignore a phone call because our favorite show is on, we can do that. If we do not want to be disturbed during a ball game, we can require our friends and family to call before they come, so we will not miss all our pleasures.
The devil has cleverly filled up our time with every sort of entertainment and pleasure we choose, leaving no time to develop relationship or spend long hours reading His Word and praying.
These distractions have left us seeking a "fast food" doctrine, based on our own desires, heavily colored and peppered with our cultural leanings.
How can we hear the Holy Spirit through all that noise? We muddle along attempting to use our own human minds to figure things out, when God speaks we either don't hear Him or we interpret His Words in terms of our desires, our culture and our pleasure.
There is only one cure for this, to turn off all the distractions and spend time with the Lord. Say no, more often, to those who would take up our time on useless things or even things that are good, but that God never asked us to do.
Not everything we are asked to do by people, are what God has called us to do, no matter how good the cause may be.
If God calls us to do something, we will be so compelled that doing it will not be anything we have to pray about, our soul will flood with desire for it, we will not be able to turn it down. No effort to try to obey will be necessary.
Do we have to ask to breathe? Do we have to ask to feed our bodies? When we are called to a matter, it will be as natural as these things.
Acts 20:22 "And now, behold, I go compelled in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:"
Mark 1:12-13 "12 And immediately the spirit driveth (compelled) Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him."
Compelled: Driven, get by force!
If we are not sure and agonize over whether or not to do something, then it is not the Holy Spirit. It may be our own desire or others placing pressure on us. Wait on the Lord for your instructions, He will compel us when He is giving us a command, there will be no question that it is He Who commands us.
Monday, February 17, 2014
The Holy Spirit and Women
I notice that some men are fine with me speaking as long as I say what they want to hear. When I challenge them on their beliefs, then the "woman shall not speak" card is drawn and leveled against me as though I have been wrong to speak at all. I am so sorry that some of these men use this manipulation to control those who confront wrong thinking.
I have even been told that I was to never speak doctrine to another woman or even children for that matter. In other words, the Holy Spirit cannot work through a woman in wisdom and knowledge.
God only disallows a woman to speak in the gathering if she is chattering and visiting with other women or interrupting or usurping the authority of the men in the meeting.
God did not forbid women to speak at all or He would not have said this;
1 Corinthians 11
King James Version (KJV)
11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels."
This passage is in the context of the formal fellowship gathering. Women are allowed by God to pray and prophesy... meaning expounding on the Word of God.
This has been perverted by modern teachers who are frightened that if they obey the Word and allow women to pray and prophesy, they will begin to usurp the leadership of the men. This is lack of faith, we can obey the Word and still maintain the standard that the men will be the leaders.
It is not a position of leadership to pray or prophesy, but it is entering into the workings of the gathering as a full fledged Holy Spirit member of God's family.
When we forbid what God has allowed and even encouraged, then we are in disobedience.
I am quite sure I am going to get hammered for this, since most men have been taught that women are to be disregarded in the scheme of things based on one passage taken out of context and misunderstood.
God commanded the men to be uncovered in the gathering while praying and prophesying and He commanded the women to be covered in the gathering while praying and prophesying.
Let me be clear, I have no desire to lead over men, only a strong desire to speak when being led by the Holy Spirit.
As a woman should I exclude myself from this message from God or was He speaking to me too? Would I have been included in the greeting along with the men, or am I a non-entity being completely ignored because of my gender......I think not. When I read the words of Paul here, I believe he would have included all the dear sisters who loved the Lord Jesus Christ.
How long will be pick and choose out of fear, those things we like or those things will help us keep things in line humanly speaking?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-28
King James Version (KJV)
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
I have even been told that I was to never speak doctrine to another woman or even children for that matter. In other words, the Holy Spirit cannot work through a woman in wisdom and knowledge.
God only disallows a woman to speak in the gathering if she is chattering and visiting with other women or interrupting or usurping the authority of the men in the meeting.
God did not forbid women to speak at all or He would not have said this;
1 Corinthians 11
King James Version (KJV)
11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels."
This passage is in the context of the formal fellowship gathering. Women are allowed by God to pray and prophesy... meaning expounding on the Word of God.
This has been perverted by modern teachers who are frightened that if they obey the Word and allow women to pray and prophesy, they will begin to usurp the leadership of the men. This is lack of faith, we can obey the Word and still maintain the standard that the men will be the leaders.
It is not a position of leadership to pray or prophesy, but it is entering into the workings of the gathering as a full fledged Holy Spirit member of God's family.
When we forbid what God has allowed and even encouraged, then we are in disobedience.
I am quite sure I am going to get hammered for this, since most men have been taught that women are to be disregarded in the scheme of things based on one passage taken out of context and misunderstood.
God commanded the men to be uncovered in the gathering while praying and prophesying and He commanded the women to be covered in the gathering while praying and prophesying.
Let me be clear, I have no desire to lead over men, only a strong desire to speak when being led by the Holy Spirit.
As a woman should I exclude myself from this message from God or was He speaking to me too? Would I have been included in the greeting along with the men, or am I a non-entity being completely ignored because of my gender......I think not. When I read the words of Paul here, I believe he would have included all the dear sisters who loved the Lord Jesus Christ.
How long will be pick and choose out of fear, those things we like or those things will help us keep things in line humanly speaking?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-28
King James Version (KJV)
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Conviction without Repentance
Notice that a man can seek the Lord with tears, having been caught in their sin, and still not be repentant. Often our outward reactions are a response to being caught and embarrassed, but not broken over having offended the Holy God! Notice Hebrews 12 verse 17.
Psalm 51:17
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Hebrews 12:11-17
"11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
"12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,"
"13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."
"14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:"
"15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;"
"16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright."
"17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears."
Psalm 51:17
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Hebrews 12:11-17
"11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
"12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,"
"13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."
"14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:"
"15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;"
"16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright."
"17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears."
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty!
No one is any better than anyone else!! Christ is good but man is not!
Have you ever been guilty, as I have, of judging a person of being less spiritual or perhaps not even born again because of a flaw we see in them, a chink in their armor? As though we have no chinks in our armor?
If we expect perfection in our brothers and sisters in Christ then we must think we are perfect ourselves. This is really shameful, no one is perfect, nor does any one....and I mean anyone.....have a perfect attitude, a perfect recollection of circumstances or a perfect lifestyle.
The following verse was not written to the unsaved, but to the saved.
God said this to believers;
1 John 1:8 King James Version (KJV)
"8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
We have no righteousness of our own. Christ dwells in us to be our righteousness for us. We still have the choice to sin, but hate that we do and often are blinded to our own sin while there is a heightened awareness of the sins of others.
It is our responsibility to help our brothers and sisters by being honest about them and about ourselves. When we see sin, we need to just tell the truth with the hope and desire that there be growth.
God says this:
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments." 1 John 5:2
"14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death." 1 John 3:14
If we love our brethren's approval more than God, then we do not love our brethren.
"25 The fear of man [a]brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted." Proverbs 29:25
No one is any better than anyone else!! Christ is good but man is not!
Have you ever been guilty, as I have, of judging a person of being less spiritual or perhaps not even born again because of a flaw we see in them, a chink in their armor? As though we have no chinks in our armor?
If we expect perfection in our brothers and sisters in Christ then we must think we are perfect ourselves. This is really shameful, no one is perfect, nor does any one....and I mean anyone.....have a perfect attitude, a perfect recollection of circumstances or a perfect lifestyle.
The following verse was not written to the unsaved, but to the saved.
God said this to believers;
1 John 1:8 King James Version (KJV)
"8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
We have no righteousness of our own. Christ dwells in us to be our righteousness for us. We still have the choice to sin, but hate that we do and often are blinded to our own sin while there is a heightened awareness of the sins of others.
It is our responsibility to help our brothers and sisters by being honest about them and about ourselves. When we see sin, we need to just tell the truth with the hope and desire that there be growth.
God says this:
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments." 1 John 5:2
"14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death." 1 John 3:14
If we love our brethren's approval more than God, then we do not love our brethren.
"25 The fear of man [a]brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted." Proverbs 29:25
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