When Christ Changes Someone into a New Creation they cannot Change Themselves Back nor would they Want to!

There are far too many posts now lying against the eternal security doctrine that God gave us in His Word. these false posts are denying a whole lot of scripture that prove when Christ saves us it is eternally.

It is not a license to sin, just the opposite, it is grace to be saved and power of the Holy Spirit to help us live without sinning but if we do we are disciplined by our Father to return to obedience.

1 John 2:1 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;"

All born-again believers remain in Christ. Christ is the One Who changes people into a new creation, they do not do it by their own means. Whatever God does no one can undo.

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

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."

If someone walks away after claiming to be a Christian they were never born again by the Spirit of Christ.

Christ comes to live in those who have trusted in Him. He doesn't hop in and out of people over sin. He rather disciplines those who belong to Him.

Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"

Ephesians 1:13-14

"13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also [c]believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."

No one who has trusted Christ, He moves into them, and are sealed with His Holy Spirit will ever lose what He made us into. He does not undo what He did.

Hebrews 13:5 "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,”

No one is saved by their own good deeds or right lifestyle and they do not keep salvation by their own good deeds or lifestyle.

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."

If someone loves their sin and claims to be a Christian they are only pretenders. If they are disciplined by the church and refuse to repent they have never been born again.

They May Deny Hell but they are Lying, they Know it is a Real Place

This morning a dear sister and I were chatting and the subject came up of those who think hell is just another fun place to be, sort of a party hearty den without any rules. I related to her something that happened at a fair my husband and I were working with our ice cream business. Here is the story:

A wicked old man at a fair we were working with our Ice Cream business told my husband all about his wicked exploits over the years. All the women he used and the drunken parties he attended were fodder for boasting. He counted himself as having lived a good life because he did what he wanted without restraint.

My husband agonized over hearing all this foolishness then he asked the man where he thought he would go when he died, the man said; "Heaven or hell doesn't matter I have friends in both places" was his answer.

Then he asked my husband where my husband thought the man would go when he died. My husband said, "Clearly you are going to hell." The man walked off fast and angry. My husband was about to give him the gospel message when he got a customer and had to turn away for a moment. When he returned to resume the conversation with the man he saw him hobbling off with his cane as fast as a limping man could go with gusto and anger.

That man was at the fair all week working somewhere else, each day he would come by mumbling something in anger at my husband as he passed.

So if this man who was angry, didn't believe in hell or thought he had friends in both places, why would he be angry that my husband told him he was going to hell? The truth is the man knew hell was a bad place and believed in it or he wouldn't have any reason to be angry and he lied because he said that he didn't care where he went.

People lie all the time, they defy God in their refusal to believe in Christ and deliberately pretend to embrace what God said was evil or death to anyone who followed that path.

In other words, they don't really believe what they say, they are only in defiance of God and know it. This is why God said there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell.

Luke 13:27-28 "27 And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out.

There will be weeping because of the darkness and pain but the gnashing of teeth will be because of the anger against God that He put them there.

Even in hell, the wicked do not repent, they continue to hate God.

How utterly irrational is it to hate the One Who can throw someone into hell with no escape!!!!! This is just how wicked and stubborn people are, they will not let go of their sin and anger even in a place like hell.

Psalm 112:10

"The wicked man will see and be grieved; he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked will perish."

Matthew 25:30

And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

Hell is real and those who fake indifference to it know it is real but are so stubborn they reject the truth on purpose to aggravate God further, as though they can aggravate God. Just like the narcissist deliberately rejects the believers and the truth for no other reason than to cause them distress.

But believers are not distressed by the rejection of an evil person, the evil person is deeply distressed and wants to project their own mess onto others.

The devil has twisted the minds of those who rebel against God, Who provided a way of escape from hell. That way being so easy and joyful is seen as a burden to them. Think about it, it is a burden to the wicked to be kind and loving, because it means they would have to submit to God and others. This is complete insanity to reject paradise, love, comfort and amazing companionship of our Lord and His children merely to follow what will destroy them.

I have seen this in my life, those who hang desperately to their own will that takes them to hell when salvation in Christ would be so easy and bring such amazing love. It is "ragingly insane" and "completely irrational." Just as it was for the angel Lucifer to rebel against God after seeing Him, knowing Him and being the most accomplished and beautiful angel in heaven to think he could go against God when it was God Who created him.

Sin is desirable to the wicked heart but it is irrational and senseless.

Brothers and Sisters, never feel bad when a wicked person hates you, in fact, rejoice that a wicked person hates you.

I am reminded of an Andy Griffith episode when Opey said to his father; "why would I want a criminal to like me?"

Something to think about and thank the Lord that He saved us out of our own foolishness and brought us into His kingdom. Hallelujah!!!!

Fearful Raging People Fear Truth Tellers

Angry intimidation does not make our assertions more valid, in fact, it is usually a demonstration of the heart of someone who is not sure about their stance and needs to control the emotions of others to be able to "win" in their own minds.

The most insecure and fearful people I have met have been those who easily rage at any disagreement. They fear not being superior or in charge of others.

The biggest concern of the narcissist is to appear superior and special. This is evidence of a heart that walks in panic that someone else will not follow them.

Those who are emotionally stable and mature have no need for others to agree with them. They state the truth without regard to who will follow or not follow.

Truth is truth to the truth-teller, it does not need to be defended or have followers.

2 Timothy 2:15

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

Those who must win over others don't care about the truth they only want to be seen as high-ranking and in control of everyone in the room.

John 8:44

"You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

John 8:31-32

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Those who love Jesus Christ and His Word have no need for anyone else to agree with them. They love the truth of the Bible so much that they can walk alone without love from others because they have the love of Jesus Christ living in them.

Since these people are fully confident in Christ Who lives in them, they have no need to be accepted by the world.

John 15:18-19 "18 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19 If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well."

The world measures a person's goodness by how many people like them. God is not concerned about people liking us but He wants our full attention on Him and then He can work in us.

James 4:4

"You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God."

Never mourn that family despises you, but rejoice that Christ has given you everything you need in Him to walk in all the fruit of His Spirit. Hallelujah!!!!

Galatians 5:22 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.…"

Fear of the Truth Indicates a Character Flaw

Prejudice Comes in Different Forms

Matthew 24:6-8
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places."

It it interesting to note that when God told us that a nation would be against a nation He was not referring to just organized governments against one another, while that is true, He was speaking also of "ethnos" against "ethnos" meaning "people group against people group" even within nations.

We thought we were beating this problem of prejudice and racism in recent years but no matter our efforts to teach people how to love one another things remain in turmoil as people groups continue to be against one another. It is only Jesus Christ in those who are born again Who can give us the love for one another that is not possible without Him.

 
When there is pride and arrogance people begin to believe or want to believe they are superior to one another. It is astounding how one people group can think they are better than another merely for their "ethnos" alone. God is the One Who created the people groups to hate any one of them is to defy God.

Governments are against one another and people groups within nations are against one another. It is only authentically born-again believers who are race blind. They see differences in the races as gifts from God and the people to be loved, appreciated, and above all in need of the Savior Jesus Christ.

 
We would be idiotic to pretend races do not exist because God made us all and our diversity, which does not come against God, can be something to be appreciated.
God told us to go into all the world preaching the gospel. Our world is the one we live in all around us every day. Not everyone can travel the world as missionaries do but everyone can live their Christianity in authenticity within the sphere of our little communities, sharing Christ and being an example of His love to those who do not yet know Him.

 
We must start by loving one another, this is a powerful example as the unsaved world watches us they glean from us the Christlike attitude of selfless love that is not present in most families.

 
"Love" is not something we say, it is something we are on the inside no matter what is happening around us. Living God's love is far different from "doing or saying" it, it is an inner peace that transcends external circumstances. It never changes based on what happens around us or to us.

 
John 13:35
"35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

James 4:1-2 "1 What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? 2You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.…"

God's instructions to born-again believers are to be different from the world, so different that those who are looking for hope will see it in us.

 
2 Timothy 2:23
"But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling."

Titus 3:9
"But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless."

Romans 7:5-25
"5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were brought to light by the Law, were at work in the parts of our body to bear fruit for death.
6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 

8 But sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.
9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died;
10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;
11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it, killed me.
12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."

There is another kind of prejudice that is prevalent in our culture which is the preconceived notions we have against the genders. Men war against women and women war against men as each have their own sinful idea of what each gender should be. The war is because of the worldly misunderstanding of the purpose of each gender by God's plan.

 
Genesis 3:16 "16To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

This passage is telling us what sin did to the human heart. What this passage is not saying is that man should rule over his wife, but rather that because of sin he will want to do so but she will fight back and want to rule him. No one should be ruling over anyone else. The woman is to submit and serve her husband and so is the man to submit and serve his wife.

 
Some people take this passage about the fallen state and make it say that man should rule over his wife, if this were so then according to the rest of that passage a woman should fight back to rule over him. The passage is showing how it will be without Christ. It is the fallen state not something we should aspire to in a Christian marriage.

 
Men and women do not understand the roles as God presented them in the Bible so they pervert them, demeaning one another as they attempt to dominate one another.

 
God gave the gender roles for a reason, for the good of the family and the glory of God. Each person is to love one another and carry out their roles as God gave them without hindering the work of each through domination and intimidation. If force, intimidation, mocking or demeaning is present in either gender this is sin.

 
Neither gender coerces the other to do what God gave them to do. Obeying God in their roles is a choice each one should make. No one forces or punishes others to obey God.

 
Denying respect to one people group or one gender over another is to deny the purposes and principles of God, it is devilish, destroying those who give into their fleshly fallen nature and anyone else in their wake. The devil loves that people are fighting with one another. He loves that all communication is shut down because of demeaning rancor and bitterness toward one another.

 
Men are to lead by example, teaching and support not by controlling or demanding. When each one appreciates the role of the other and supports that role there will be a relationship that blossoms and God is glorified.

 
Each one of us is responsible to obey God, we are not responsible for making someone else do our bidding or idea of God's will for them.

 
God said this:
Galatians 5:13-14
"13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love is the first fruit of the Holy Spirit of God, those who love Him will walk in this love.

Next Time Someone Says, "You DON'T Need To Repent of Sin"... Say THIS!!

Unbiblical Tongues is a Distraction from Christ

One of the lies being perpetrated in the Pentecostal churches is that tongues are the most important aspect of the Christian life and evidence of salvation This could not be farther from the truth.

Who is the evidence for? God already knows who belongs to Him.

Those talk about tongues frequently as evidence of salvation cannot produce any Biblical proof that it is stated as the evidence in Scripture. Just because someone else did it on Pentecost does not mean that everyone should do it as proof of salvation.

The thief on the cross never spoke in tongues and he was never baptized in water, making it claer to me that these things are not evidence of salvation. I know people who have been baptized in water who have no more zeal for the Lord than a gnat but feel safe because of this work.

I chose baptism to witness my new life to other believers as commanded by God, but it is not evidence that I became born again.

Evidence of the Holy Spirit in someone is the fruit of the Spirit. Man needs no work that is evidence for salvation the Lord already knows who is saved and who is not. However, the Fruit of God is for the living out of His principles that is our witness of His dwelling in us.

Matthew 7:15-20

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."

Galatians 5:22-23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

Tongues is a witness for the unbeliever, not the believer.

1 Corinthians 14:21-22 "…21 It is written in the Law: “By strange tongues and foreign lips I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord.” 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers."

Tongues in other languages were earthly and spread the gospel quickly when someone was speaking to those who didn't know their language. If it was done in church gatherings there must be an interpreter so that others could understand. It was forbidden without interpreters and it was never just babbling incoherent gibberish.

Tongues have not been done away with but are rare because everyone speaks the same language, it is rare that someone comes in a gathering who does not speak our language. And, if there were a "private tongues" between God and His believers then it would be done in private.

Matthew 6:6 "But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

A question I have always asked has been; "why would God have us speaking in a language we cannot understand and no one else can understand while alone with Him? God gave us a degree of good sense to discern things, speaking wildly in baby talk style gibberish doesn't make good sense. Also, God made all the languages, why would He have us speaking things we can't even understand to Him when He already knows our thoughts and desires.

I would like to understand better the passages that say tongues edify self but prophecy edifies the whole body. I question this because perhaps the passages about tongues have been misinterpreted that tongues we don't understand are not real tongues but glorify the self in a sense of pretense to feel spiritual. Even the pagans speak in strange tongues. Perhaps the "edifies self" actually means "glorifies self"?

1 Corinthians 14:1-4

Prophecy a Superior Gift

14 Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

2 For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no one understands, but [b]in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and consolation.

4 The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

Pentecostals have placed tongues as the most important gift when God said it was the least of the gifts.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 "14 1a Follow, then, the way of love, while you set your heart on the gifts of the Spirit.

1b-4 The highest gift you can wish for is to be able to speak the messages of God. The man who speaks in a “tongue” addresses not men (for no one understands a word he says) but God: and only in his spirit is he speaking spiritual secrets. But he who preaches the word of God is using his speech for the building up of the faith of one man, the encouragement of another or the consolation of another. The speaker in a “tongue” builds up his own soul, but the preacher builds up the Church of God.

5 I should indeed like you all to speak with “tongues”, but I would much rather that you all preached the word of God. For the preacher of the word does a greater work than the speaker with “tongues”, unless of course the latter interprets his word for the benefit of the Church."

Is it possible the tongues Paul speaks of here is Hebrew but we have no way of knowing if the tongues people speak without interpretation is not the tongues of devils.

I knew of missionaries in Trinidad where witchcraft is common. They told me that sometimes the people coming from paganism into church gatherings were speaking in tongues, but when someone who was spiritual interpreted the tongues the people speaking them were actually speaking blasphemies against God.

I am appalled at how many people are "pressured" to speak in tongues as though the power is within themselves. When tongues are real no one "tries" to do it and no one is "instructed" how to do it, it would be a work of the Holy Spirit for the edification of those in the body who do not speak the same language.

And, it makes no sense to speak a tongue in a group of people who all speak the same language and the words spoken were straight from the bible.

I have the strong sense that tongues have not necessarily ceased but they are uncommon because there is no need for them. Also, Paul admonished the people to speak the language of those in the gathering that they would build up the faith of the church because they would understand.

Tongues are not needed in a gathering where we have the Bible. Everything we need is in the bible already, just speak what God gave in the Bible.

I once someone told me they had a word from the Lord for me. they said; "God loves you", I said; "God didn't need you to come and tell me that it is already written in His Word." This person was indignant as though I did something wrong in not accepting his false love. The indignance was evidence that he did this to glorify himself and when he didn't get the result he desired he was angry.

I love it when people speak to me from the Word of God in sharing something precious to me. I do not like it when people grandstand to elevate themselves. I have lived long enough to see the difference.

Let's not use the word of God and His principles to glorify ourselves, may we always glorify God when we speak of His Word.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 "Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

I admit that I do not understand what people call "private closet tongues", I personally sense no need to speak to my Lord in anything but the language He gave me. I could understand meeting someone who does not speak my language and needs to hear the gospel while the Holy Spirit gives me the ability to speak to him in his language, that makes very good sense.

I have never encountered anyone who could explain to my satisfaction the "private closet tongues", they call it a mystery because they don't know what is happening or even what they have said.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 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; "

Let's concentrate on speaking the gospel to those who are lost, uplifting other believers with God's Word and living the principle of Christ, these are the important matters in the life of the born-again believer.