works

Blog for Podcast #194 (Are there Works in the Book of Acts)

bible, Bible study, Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need to do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Recently I encountered someone who insisted that within the book the “Acts of the Apostles” there were no teachings about “works” within it. Well, let’s look at what has been sectioned into the second chapter of this book:

Acts 2:42-47 NKJV – And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Let’s look at this from another translation to expand upon what is stated here:

Acts 2:42-47 AMP – And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord’s Supper] and prayers. And a sense of awe (reverential fear) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles (the special messengers). And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common; And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need. And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts, Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily those who were being saved [from spiritual death].

“And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need. And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts, Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people.”

  1. Sold their possessions.
  2. Distributed the money amongst all according to their need.
  3. They assembled in the temple with a united purpose.
  4. They performed the Lord’s Supper.
  5. Partook of their food with gladness, simplicity and a generous heart.
  6. Constantly praising God.
  7. Being in favor and goodwill with all people.

These seven items listed were and are “works.” This is also how all that profess to being “Christian” should still seek after. Most don’t. Which is why Jesus Christ said this:

Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV – “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

And a bit later also said this:

Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Those seven actions are behavior that are considered “works” – “laws” – “commandments.” Things which most deny and thus must be done and followed or they are taking the wide path and not the narrow.

Yes. I did say the word “must.” Additionally, we see that Luke did mention “works” in the book of Acts. Therefore, any who say that it is by “faith alone” teach opposite what is shown in these verses. For these people lived by works in faith in the book of Acts.

Now why did I say that last sentence once again. What does the word “acts” define as?

Act – something that someone does.

Which also means “works.” Therefore, this book could legitimately be called the “Works of the Apostles.” Meaning this entire book shows and teaches “works.” Indicating those that decided upon naming this letter by the name given were in fact emphasizing that Jesus Christ taught those that followed Him must live their lives in both faith and works. Therefore, those that teach the people pleasing messages like faith alone, teach death.

James 2:26 NKJV – For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

It just amazes me how people wish to overlook the simplicity of the Truth taught and in plain sight in the Word of God. They complicate and convolute the Truth of the Word of God just so they can live within their sins. That is why “faith alone” is so important to them, because it allows them to live in sin, which as you read through the book of Acts, we see time and again those that repent and end living in their sins. For that is what is required by all.

Five times the word “repent” and six time the word “repentance” appears in the book of Acts. What does it mean to repent?

Repent – G3340 – metanoeó – change my mind, change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God.) To think differently or afterwards, reconsider morally.

What follows is what the TDNT says about the this:

In the teaching of Jesus according to the Synoptists “repent” is again the imperative which is indissolubly bound up with the indicative of the message of the “kingdom” (Mk. 1:15; Mt. 4:17). But Jesus does not merely repeat the call of John the Baptist. He modifies and transcends it by making conversion a fundamental requirement which necessarily follows from the present reality of the eschatological “kingdom” in His own person (→ I, 588 f.). To call to conversion is the purpose of His sending (Lk. 5:32). His preaching of conversion far surpasses even the most powerful of such preaching before (Mt. 12:39 ff. par.: Jonah).

So, within the TDNT we see the word “conversion” used multiple times. Therefore, let us define this word.

Conversion – the process of converting something from one thing to another.

  1. Converting – convert – to (cause something or someone to) change in form or character.

What this boils down to is a new being. A new creation. However, we must remember this important fact taught in 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 15:53 NKJV – For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Even though we are a new beings once we are born-again, we are not perfect, nor will we be until we stand before Jesus Christ.

With all this in mind we come to the understanding that “repentance” is the creation of a new being that occupies the same physical body. However, their soul and spirit are a new creation, that must strive to follow the teachings found within the Word of God. Yet, we must strive and learn to avoid sin, for we will always be plagued by it.

The act of repentance can also be called a “work.” For to repent to be converted is an action word. So, let me restate this once again. The entire book called the “Acts of the Apostles” is showing continual and ongoing actions of works for the glory of God. Any who says the Bible does not teach works through faith are not teaching the Word of God, but a people pleasing message. They are then cursing themselves:

Galatians 1:6-12 AMP – I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel. Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling and disturbing and bewildering you [with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel] and want to pervert and distort the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) [into something which it absolutely is not]. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)! As we said before, so I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from or contrary to that which you received [from us], let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)! Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah). For I want you to know, brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed and made known by me is not man’s gospel [a human invention, according to or patterned after any human standard]. For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but [it came to me] through a [direct] revelation [given] by Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

We too can receive a revelation from Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit. I know this, for this is how these podcasts are written and presented to the world at large.

However, time is quickly running out. The adversary has increased his attacks against all that strive to overcome. For he is growing desperate and wishes to take as many with him as possible. Even those that have done their best to be the good and loyal servants of their Creator through His Son our Savior Jesus Christ.

We must do as we are commanded within the Word of God to sperate ourselves for those that would lead us away from our Savior.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 NKJV – If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV – But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

For they are of the world and the world is dead.

Turn from them now. Place God at the center of your life… forget the world about you, for if God is not within it……. It is dead as are those that stay within it.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #193 (By Their Works)

bible, Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need to do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

One of the biggest problems with faith alone beliefs, other than the fact that they call Jesus Christ a liar, is they say that works are in no way required to allow them into heaven. Now why did I say they made Jesus Himself a liar. Well let’s hear from the only way into heaven:

Matthew 16:27 NKJV – For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

“Then He will reward each according to his works.”

There is somewhere else this is stated:

Revelation 20:11-13 NKJV – Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

“And they were judged, each one according to his works.”

Therefore, let us look to James now:

James 2:14-26 NKJV – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

“So faith without works is dead also.”

This is why faith alone is dead. Why it is dead is because it is a people pleasing message. This is discussed in Galatians:

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV – I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Notice the wording in these verses. Many in Galita turned away from their grace, their salvation, to listen to a people pleasing message. This is their work, which they will be judged. Those that teach these false messages. Their works causes them to be cursed.

Jesus tells us that we are to follow His commandments.

John 14:15 NKJV – [15] “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

That is an action and so is considered “works.”

The struggle to overcome our sinful natures even after we are born again is “works.” For we are to ever seek to be a True reflection of our Savior Jesus Christ.

There are times when this is not easy. This is what is taught within the book of Job.

However, we are getting off track a bit.

In the first verses I showed that when Christ first returns, He will then reward those that are loyal to Him. The second verses I show that once His thousand years is finished the Great White Throne Judgement. Here Christ will judge those that did not make the raptures and they will be judged by how they lived their lives, which is their works.

We have Words spoken by our Savior about what to expect. He clearly states a person’s “works” will be the only thing He will use as a gauge to receive rewards. Then we have verses talking about His judgement over humanity that failed to align themselves with God. They are judged per their works, again the only requirement “works.”

Most that profess to being “Christian” do not want to hear this word. For that would mean they have been living a lie. Well, they have been. This is proven by their earthly rewards which they receive with joy and glee.

Luke 4:6 NKJV – And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

1 John 2:15-16 NKJV – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Luke 16:13-15 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

By this time many will be going nuts about how this podcast has been pointing to “works.” They will be screaming it is not “works” alone.

Well, you know what I totally agree, and so does the Bible. Therefore, I will say those verses that are in agreement once again:

James 2:14-26 NKJV – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

“Faith without works is dead.” This means that it requires both faith with works, which is taught by Jesus Christ over and over again. Having faith and going hand in hand with following Christ’s teachings and following the laws not removed by the cross. These are works. This behavior leads to rewards.

Those that ignore “works” are stating that they have a special place with God. They have favoritism.

Romans 2:5-11 NLT – But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

Note the key verse in this teaching written by Paul to the Romans:

“He will judge everyone according to what they have done.”

He will judge everyone according to their “works.”

I recently had an encounter with someone that tried to throw the weight of the Truth off themselves by saying “Does Paul teach works?” I said:” yes.” As you just read or heard Paul did teach the need for “works.” Any who say otherwise call the Bible itself a lie. Any who call the Bible a lie work for the father of all lies. No matter what they believe in themselves. This is because they have closed their eyes and ears to the Truth because they wish to hear the pleasing message they have embraced.

Yes, you heard that correctly, pleasing message. What is taught about people pleasing messages? Once again I will repeat this as well:

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV – I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Paul marveled that they turned away so soon from Him who called them in the grace of Christ. They abandoned their grace, they turned away from their salvation. Turning away from grace is an act, an action. “Works.”

Time is running out. Repent, do works in faith.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #182 (Context, Context, Context)

bible, Bible study, Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

One of the biggest issues I encounter within those that profess to being “Christian” is their misuse of the Word of God. They have what could be called: selective hearing. Case in point:

The other day on social media I ran into a posting of Titus 3:5 by itself. So, let’s look at it:

Titus 3:5 NKJV – not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Many take this to mean they are not required to perform “works of righteousness.” This is a faith alone mentality. This is an OSAS way of thinking.

This is also taken totally out of context, which in turn, turns the Word of God into a lie. Let us look at it in the FULL context:

Titus 3:1-11 NKJV – Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

This is the full context. This shows works of righteousness performed by those that profess to being followers of Jesus Christ. However, let’s look at the full perspective given by the sentence that verse five is a part of.

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

This sentence is referring to the coming of Jesus Christ to save all humanity. This does not tell us not to live a righteous life. It actually tells us in full context to live a righteous life through our works.

Once again rituals and works are two different things. Rituals are repetitive actions that do not require true faith. Works are how you live and act every single day. You show where you stand with God through your faith by how you live, which are works. Thus, the admonitions shown in these verses.

Admonitions most refuse to even attempt to do. Like for example following the speed limit. Yes, following the speed limit. As shown in the first verses:

Titus 3:1 NKJV – Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,

Titus 3:1 NLT – Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.

Any man-made law that does not go against the Word of God is to be obeyed. Why is this?

Daniel 4:17 NLT – For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses—even to the lowliest of people.”

Because God placed them into power. Even Hitler, and Stalin as well as Napoleon. All of whom broke the laws of God. Here those that followed God should have stepped forward and stop them. In fact, many did just that. However, they were few when compared to those that went along with those rules and laws that went against the Word of God. They set in silents and allowed millions to die. All because they were living in earthly comforts and to speak out would remove these earthly riches from them.

Why this world is in the end times is because most that profess to being “Christian” refuse to live righteous lives. Mostly because they have fallen for the lies that many that standing in pulpits teach that they, those sitting in the pews, are not required to do more for God. They teach that they can have their riches and only need to give 10% of their earthly wealth. This is totally opposite what the Word of God teaches.

This is what comes when people take the Word of God out of context. This was addressed to the church in Galita, and how those of the church behaved.

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV – I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

A key statement is made in these verses. “To a different gospel, which is not another.” What this is referring to is those that take bits and pieces of the Word of God to create a new gospel which turns it into a people pleasing message that leads people to damnation instead of salvation. This is why those that piecemeal the True Gospel are cursed.

I must note that I have encountered an occurrence where someone took verse ten out of context saying that we as Christians are not to seek to please people. Which, as I have just shown by presenting these verses in context. These verses refer to changing the Word of God.

I encountered yet another example from 2 Corinthians. The person presented just verse 9 for our consideration and even then, they did not give the entire verse.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV – “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

The complete verse:

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV – And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

In full context:

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 NKJV – It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

This shows that we should be humble and not seek self-glorification. This is not a teaching about only living under God’s Grace through Christ. Those that try to teach such a message as shown earlier are to be cursed.

One of the greatest examples of misinformation comes from the gospel of John.

John 3:16 NKJV – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

None will question this that seek to truly follow Christ. In full context:

John 3:16-21 NKJV – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

This is a challenge to seek the light, not just to acknowledge Christ.  To acknowledge Jesus Christ as the light that has come into the world to expose evil. Also, to live again a righteous life, which is why it states: “that his deeds may be clearly seen.”

Deeds – G2041 – ergon – work, task, employment; a deed, action aka works.

James 2:26 NKJV – For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

This is how we expose evil unto the light. By how we live. Being a reflection of Christ by fulfilling His commands.

James 1:22-25 NKJV – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Be doers of the Word of God not just hears. Most refuse to accept this. Most would rather be hearers. Most are. Which means most are looking into an imperfect image of themselves. Believing they are destine for heaven when they are really destine for damnation.

Time is running out to repent and become doers of the law. Downsize and then give most your wealth unto those in need and into spreading the True Word of God.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #173 ( Rituals vs Works)

bible, Bible study, Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need to do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

One of the biggest problems with those that follow the OSAS teaching is their most powerful argument falls apart the moment they throw it out. The premise they insist upon saying is that works are not needed or required. I will return to this. However, I wish to mention another blaring problem with their belief in this false teaching. That is, they even try to throw out that parts of the Bible are not to be followed. Like all of the letters written by Paul under the pretext that he is saying it is “his gospel.” There are other elements, which I may cover in this podcast. However, to me this last one I just mentioned is the greatest betrayal against God by them making this excuse. Why I say this is these verses:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Now all accept the fact that since the Torah was first written down on parchment that there were 35 to 40 different people that wrote parts of the entire Bible. That is the human aspect of these testaments. However, when you take these verses that were just read, we come to one conclusion. There has only been one true author of the Bible: God via the Holy Spirit.

Now think upon that for a moment.

Every single book that is a part of the official cannon that is called the Bible, and even some of the apocrypha. How do we know this? Because there are over 5800 Greek copies of the gospels and letters that form the NT that date all the way back to the first century and there is only 2% difference. That two percent for the most part is changing of names. Therefore, it is 98% unchanged for just under two thousand years. This is verification that it is not just inspired by the Holy Spirt but governed by the Holy Ghost as well to make sure it doesn’t change.

With that concept in mind. When someone rejects a part of the Bible, they are in fact denying not just Jesus Christ, but God Himself. This makes these words spoken by Jesus Christ very telling and extremely important.

Matthew 10:33 NKJV – But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

This brings to reality these Words spoken by Christ:

Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV – Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Thus, making the belief in OSAS a lie since they have denied Jesus Christ Himself by denying parts of the Bible. So, to Him, He never knew them and so their names are no longer in the Book of Life.  What is the fate of those that are not found in the Book of Life?

Revelation 20:15 NKJV – And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Therefore, any that ardently cling to the OSAS man-made philosophy are clinging to damnation. This is the first nail in their coffin that must be realized. For out of all of them this one is the biggest and worst, because of their denial of Jesus Christ Himself. The person they claim they follow yet openly and continually deny Him and His commands. Commands which equate to works.

A lesson in “works.”

John 15:1-6 NKJV – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

“Abide” and “bear” are both considered “action words.”

To perform an action is also called “work.”

To abide is to follow the commandments and the laws not removed by Christ going to the cross.

To bear fruit is to end sin in your life; bring others to salvation and also follow the commandments and laws not removed by Christ going to the cross.

This is works that go hand in hand with faith.

Works without faith are rituals.

Any who teach otherwise is teaching a false gospel and so are cursed Per Galatians 1:6-9. Since they are cursed their name is not written in the Book of Life and so their fate is what?

Revelation 20:15 NKJV – And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Which is why you find these words in the book of James:

James 2:26 NKJV – For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

The core of OSAS is that all that is required is faith. As I have shown in past studies that the core of this believe came from Martin Luther and was pushed further by John Calvin. Why these two believed this was due to what they had grown up on within the Catholic Church. Which were rituals called “works.” The buying of “indulgences.” The worship of “relics.” Pilgrimages to Rome. Ritual, ritual, ritual.

So, they went from one extreme that being rituals to the other extreme of faith alone, which calls what is said in the second chapter of James a lie. Since James was inspired by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirt is Jesus Christ and the Son of God. They just denied Jesus Christ. Accordingly, their name is not written in the Book of Life. Again, what is their fate?

Revelation 20:15 NKJV – And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

We can’t help that Luther and Calvin went too far to the other side of the pendulum. That is just how humanity works. That is why accepting traditions and man-made doctrines are bad. This was witnessed by how the Pharisees responded to and treated their Messiah: Jesus of Nazareth. This is why those that embrace the OSAS thesis are so adamant and aggressive with those that try to show them the Truth. Is this not the same way Christ was treated? Is this not the same way the prophets were treated? Does this not again show that those that follow OSAS are following the tradition and not God because of their violent reaction? What did Christ say about the Pharisees mentality?

 Luke 16:13-15 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

As I have shown time and again the Greek word meaning “abomination” is used only 6 times in the NT. Four of those times it is in reference to the antichrist and those that follow that person. Most that embrace the OSAS philosophy keep their wealth unto themselves. They embrace being an abomination in the sight of God. If they are an abomination then they are not welcome into heaven, which means their names are not written in the Book of Life. Therefore, what is their fate?

Revelation 20:15 NKJV – And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

What is required to fix this problem?

To start with. Accept that salvation can be lost as taught by Jesus Christ Himself. If you say otherwise, you call Christ a liar and thus deny Him who then denies you to His Father. Need I once again read Revelation 20:15? I hope not.

Next start to abide in Christ. How is that accomplished?

John 15:10 NKJV – If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

To “abide” means: to stay, remain, continue, dwell, endure. These last two words have deeper meanings. To dwell is to live in a particular way, which means to following the commandments. Then we have “endure” which means to suffer through something that is difficult, unpleasant and painful.

Christ says this:

John 15:20 NKJV – Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV – Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Have you ever felt this type of persecution? I have. Mostly from those that follow the OSAS teaching. If you haven’t, then you are not against the world but are friends of the world.

James 4:4 NKJV – Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

If you are an enemy of God, then you will need to read Revelation 20:15 once again.

Those that seek to fix their relationship with God must truly repent. They must start to follow Christ’s commands. The biggest of which is to downsize and free up their assets to the point that they can give most of their money to those in need.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 NKJV – Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Since they profess to being His followers, they should have no problem downsizing and giving their wealth to those in need. They should relish the desire to spread the gospel. They should accept the fact that they have made choices in their lives that they need to fix. That their names might have been removed from the Book of Life.

God wants you to be the prodigal child. Returning to Him and allowing Him to place your name back into the Book of Life.

Time is running short. The last strike of midnight is almost here. Leaving billions behind who thought they were right with God, perfect with God. Yet they will still be here while millions just disappeared.

Do you wish to be in the billions or millions at the beginning of the tribulation?

Repent.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #150 (The Wolves tear at their leg that is in the Trap)

bible, Bible study, Christian, Christian Life, Dreams, General, Guide, Relationship, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

One of my greatest sorrows is having someone reject the Truth just because another human shows them the Truth and they decide to reject the Word of God even the Word’s of Jesus Christ Himself.

One of the greatest false teachings that is going around is that all that is needed is God’s grace, and that is all that is required. They say this is the new covenant. The core of the new covenant is found in Luke chapter sixteen.

Luke 16:16 NKJV – “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

Here there is a problem. Because those that use this verse and then accuse those that show the error of their ways of not using the Bible in context. So, let us look at this in context.

Christ had just given a parable about caring for the money and property which belongs to someone else. As we actually study this parable the master is God and the money and property are His as well. The core of this message is we are not to keep our wealth unto ourselves but use it for God since it is truly His money and property that we are given stewardship over.

This leads to this being said by Jesus:

Luke 16:13 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Which leads to this action by the Pharisees and Christ response.

Luke 16:14-17 NKJV – Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

Let’s look deeper into parts of this.

“Everyone is pressing into it.”

Passeth – G971 – biazó – to force, to crowd oneself into, come forward violently.

What this is saying is that all have now been forced into the law that was originally only for the Jewish people. This is made very clear in the next verse:

“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.”

This is saying that the laws are given to all humanity, and they must follow them as well. This new covenant is for ALL and ALL are required to follow those laws which were not taken away by the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. These laws are governed by these verses:

Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV – Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Yet millions misquote Luke 16:16, take it out of context. Because they don’t understand all the words within it. Or more accurately denying the truth so it would allow them to sin freely. Believing they were one with God through their faith in grace.

All the while denying what we are taught in the book of James.

James 2:14-26 NKJV – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

What this means is that once we receive God’s grace by accepting Christ as our Savior. We are required to take an active role in our part of our salvation. This is shown in John 15.

John 15:1-10 NKJV – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

However, many would rather attack and belittle those speaking the Truth rather than accept what the Bible teaches. They get angry and cause conflict because what is being said means they have been wrong. They don’t want to accept the trap they have made for themselves. A trap much like a bear trap, but instead of entrapping their leg it has ensnared their very soul. Their anger against those speaking the Truth is like they are biting and tearing at their own limb that is stuck in the trap. Tearing at it to free themselves from the steel jaws trapping them.

What is worse is their emotional response is verification that what they have accepted is a lie that is truly leading them to damnation instead of toward the salvation they imaged they were headed toward. Here are the verses giving this validation.

 Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV – Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

They show hatred for those that tells them the Truth. They respond in an outburst of wrath. They cause contention between others that are seeking the Truth making it nearly impossible for people to communicate as equals. Each of these actions is a bite and a tear into their leg that is caught in the trap of damnation instead of on the journey to salvation they thought they were upon.

They must study the Bible. Not read it study it. They must accept the Truth.

First, salvation can be lost.

Second, they are not the center of the universe. God is.

They must surrender to God and make Him the center of their life. They must follow the teachings of Jesus Christ when it comes to discipleship. They must truly count the cost and pay the price required.

Luke 14:26-33 NKJV – “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

What is all they have?

Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

They must surrender what the world offers.

1 John 2:15-17 NLT – Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

James 3:13-17 NKJV – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

I pray they will awaken. I pray they will come to hear the real and complete Truth. Sooner rather than later. For time is running out. Christ is soon to return. So many will be left behind. I know this already, but I don’t want to accept this. I must try to help. I must try to awaken them to the True Word of God. Accepting that salvation can be lost. I don’t wish any to have their names removed from the Book of Life. I know the first rapture will be small. I know the next will be in the billions. It is still sad that they must suffer in the tribulation, but that is their choice. As it should be. All due to free-will.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #122 (Faith without Works is Dead)

bible, Bible study, Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

I was recently drawn back to one of my blog post I made in 2017. Within it I discuss the breakdown and meaning of the words within verse James 2:20. Today I will read this post into today’s podcast and then expound upon it further.

That is what I have been led to address. It is said twice in James the same wording is used both times in the Greek. So here it goes:

James 2:20 NKJV – But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

Faith – pistis – faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

In the pure Greek meaning of the word “pistis” it has the actual and passive sense of “trusting” and “worthy of trust.”

Paul placed “pistis” or “faith” at the core of theology. We must remember that Paul was originally a Pharisee and had persecuted early Christians before his encounter with the risen Jesus. To quote from the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) –

“Primarily, it is acceptance of the kerygma, i.e. subjection to the way of salvation ordained by God and opened up in Christ.”

Trust me “kerygma” threw me for a loop also, so we need to understand that as well:

Kerygma (from the Greek word κήρυγμα kérugma) which is a Greek word used in the New Testament for “preaching” (see Luke 4:18-19, Romans 10:14, Matthew 3:1). It is related to the Greek verb κηρύσσω kērússō meaning, literally, “to cry or proclaim as a herald” and used in the sense of “to proclaim, announce, preach”.

So, to Paul this was the key element of his teachings. Pure faith and belief in God and that His Son is Jesus Christ.

Works – labor, action, deed

a) Labor – Noun – work, especially hard physical work. Verb – work hard; make great effort

b) Action – the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim; a thing done; an act

c) Deed – an action that is performed intentionally or consciously

I wish to look more deeply in the word “action” especially the “process of doing something” and “an act.”

When you hear the wording “process of doing something” you think of an endeavor. Something that takes a great deal of time to accomplish.

Now “an act” that is where I really which to delve:

One of the meanings of act is defined as “behave in the way specified.”

But where is a type of behavior specified for Christians? The answer is the Bible. So, our labor, our actions, and our deeds must work within the specified nature of the Bible.

Therefore, faith in God through His Son Jesus leads us to follow the teachings of Christ and His disciples, which is the Bible. Meaning we must follow and adhere to what is written within these letters and that we are to repent of our sins and strife to become a true reflection of Jesus Christ.

If we do not follow the Bible than it is “dead.”

Dead – nekros – (a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. Per the TDNT in this particular case it could infer “lifeless” or “lifelessness.”

Lifelessness – 1. Having no life; inanimate; 2. Having lost life; dead; 3. Not inhabited by living beings or capable of sustaining life.

So, even though you are walking about and have faith, but do not follow the teaching of the Bible and call that which is a sin a sin and refrain from it you are incapable of eternal life and so are dead in the eyes of God.

That is where the original blog post ended. From here on I will expand upon what was originally inspired by the Holy Spirit five year ago.

Many that profess to being “Christian” go about their daily lives doing the things that most within this temporal exist do. They go to work. Make a paycheck and spend it upon a home, car and clothes. As well as the necessities. They seek after what all seek after. Keeping a majority of their income unto their own wants and desires just like all others do. Then once a week by chance they go to a building called a “church.” Sing a few hymns say a few prayers and then with all their heart believe and think they are fine and dandy with the Lord Almighty.

They do this week in and week out. Totally unaware that their actions, their works are dead and carry no value unto the Lord that their faith tells them they are loyal to. That they are dead in the sight of God for they have not sought after Him but the world.

1 John 2:15-17 NKJV – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

These verses make it extremely clear. That those that live their lives as was previously described they are truly dead in the sight of God. No matter what they wish to profess with their faith and belief in God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

As I have shown and taught in multiple past podcasts. The actions required known as “works” in James chapter two. Is to live a simple lifestyle. To keep a majority of our earthly wealth at the ready to help those in need. The poor, the hungry, those caught in natural disasters. Living our lives solely for the glory of God through the teachings found within the Bible. This equates to life in the sight of the Lord.

Not rituals like those performed by the Catholic church for example. Rituals and works are two completely different things.

Works done through faith in the belief of Jesus Christ means to seek to emulate our Savior and to live as we are taught to live within the Bible.

Matthew 6:19-24 NLT – “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

If you desire to serve God. Sell the big useless space house for a small house or condo. And not an expensive condo in an exclusive community either. Like the Villages in Florida for example. Sell off and just get rid of those useless items cluttering up your house for they are nothing but idols to your own vanity. Get rid of the Golf clubs and box seats at football or basketball. For sports are the modern gladiators and are those things that appeal to gentiles not servants of God. So, if the church you attend celebrates the super bowl it is not a place of God but of heathen worship. Get rid of the BMW or the Raptor and get a used car or truck by Nissan or Ford. Don’t be saying I can’t retire until I get a million dollars in your 401k, and don’t be seeking to make a 401k that large in the first place. For the majority of what we have is not for our use but God’s.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 NKJV – Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

The most evident witness to a lukewarm I personally witnessed was a person driving a Lexus with “I Love Jesus” stickers plastered upon the back of it. And what has Christ promised to do to the lukewarm?

Revelation 3:15-16 NKJV – “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

John 15:6 NKJV – If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

When Christ speaks of fire and burning, He is making reference to one thing:

Isaiah 66:24 NKJV – “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.

Do not presume that you are exempt that you cannot loss your salvation. These are the words given to those that professed to being “Christian” in Rome:

Romans 2:6-11 NLT – He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

As I have established in passed podcast any who believe they cannot lose their salvation believe they are favored by God. But as was just shown within the Bible God has no favorites.

Just because someone professes to being “Christian” does not make them favored or special. In fact they are the lukewarm if they live their lives like the rest of the world does and so are seen as worse than those that are cold and out right deny God. This is how Christ saw the Pharisees as is witnessed in these verses:

Luke 16:14-17 NKJV – Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

As shown in podcast #114 those that are called an “abomination” equate to being on the same level as the antichrist and those that follow that person.

Is this how you wish to be known for all eternity within the Pit of Fire? Or do you wish to be a true disciple of Christ Jesus?

Time is running. Action is required on your part. For you have a say in your salvation. Where you wish to abide is in your hands, but you must act quickly for Christ is soon to return.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #66 (Jesus the heretic?)

bible, Bible study, Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Why call a study of the Bible “Jesus the heretic?”

This goes back to a discussion I had in a group that states it is dedicated to following Jesus Christ and calls itself “Christian.”

Well, I was actually having two discussions at one time on different threads. On the one hand I had someone accusing me of having too much faith in God and Jesus. While on the other hand I had one saying I had no faith at all.

It is the latter of these two which leads us to the title of this podcast.

I know where I am with Christ. I know my calling. I know I must strive to get the True Gospel out there, and cause people to think where they are in their faith walk. For as I say time and again. Do not take the word of others, or me. Study the Bible for yourself to get the True Gospel. And when I say “study.” I do not mean just read the Bible. I mean get into the core of the meaning of the words within the Bible by seeking after their original meaning when they were written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.

That can only be done with the use of a concordance at the least. I also use the multiple volume Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. However, there is also one for the Old Testament.

This is the way to truly study the Bible.

Now back on topic.

In one of the afore mentioned discussions the person was insistent that it is through faith alone that salvation is kept and that is all that is required.

There comes a time when a line is crossed in these situations. Consequently, the Lord just says to me. “Allow My Word to speak.” So, I just stick to the Scriptures, and add as little as possible if at all when I reply.

This is how I did this with this person that was so insistent that it is by faith alone. I will let you know which verses I was led to post and let them speak for themselves.

The first was:

James 2:14-26 – What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

This is all I posted, and this set this person off to debating me.

I did some replies trying to break down these verses to simplify the issue. The person was still relentless.

So, I was led to go to the greatest example. The words of Jesus Christ Himself.

 John 15:1-10 – “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

A simple directive by Christ. Keep Him within us by obeying and following the commandments. Now for the benefit of those that have not listened or read my past lessons. The “commandments” is not limited to the Ten Commandments. It is all the commands given to us in the books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus that were not made invalid by Jesus dying upon the cross. Which is 90% of the commandments are still in effect to this day. Like for example not to get tattoos.

Matthew 5:17-20 – “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

This statement made in verse twenty is specifically aimed at those that insist in faith alone by the way. Another important point in these verses:

“But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

“Anyone who obeys.” This is an action.

An action is defined as this from Dictionary.com: An act that one consciously wills and that may be characterized by physical or mental activity.

This is deeds, works, fruit.

This is a more elaborate response than the one I had given to the person that was resolute in their stance that it is by faith alone.

Therefore, I was led back to James again, but not all the verses, but the core element verses:

James 2:17-20 – So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

I did not add to this reply. I let the Word of God speak. This was the reply I got:

“That is heresy!”

I was dumbfounded.

I said I use the words of Jesus Christ and of James. You just called our Savior a heretic. And I suggested the person ponder that in silence and not to make any more replies.

They did reply. I never responded.

What is a heretic?

Answer per Cambridge Dictionary: Someone who has beliefs that are against the principles of a particular religion.

Yet I quoted from the Bible. Word for word, which makes them the principles of a particular religion. And yet this is called “heresy?”

This sounds familiar.

In Matthew 23:1-36 Jesus had his great confrontation with the Pharisees and Sadducees. He showed them how they had taken the teachings of the laws given to the tribe of Israel in the books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus. How they had added these visual rituals and procedures that went beyond the sacrifices and the laws of the afore mentioned books of the Bible. He stated that no one should call another human a “rabbi,” a “teacher,” or “Father.” Yet at this time millions do just that.

What was the core of Christ’s issue with these men? They were not living their lives with works called for within the Bible, but things which would make them look great and better than those they were called to help to find the Lord God. Their behavior actually caused Israel to turn against the Son of God when He finally appeared and came to fulfill the laws and the prophets. Because their faith alone was not the faith God calls upon us to have in Him through His Son Jesus Christ. All that was required is that they do the sacrifices called for. Not to govern and command, but their lack of faith in God led to works of hypocrisy. Which ultimately led to the destruction of the second Temple.

Which happened thirty-seven years later in 70 A.D.

In the very next chapter of the book of Matthew begins the Olivet Discourse. Jesus Christ gives a list, which if you wish to hear or read see podcasts #25-30, of the things to look for of His soon return. In verse 34 of that chapter, He says this:

Matthew 24:34 – I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.

So, understand this. When those that profess, they are “Christian,” and call our Savior Himself a heretic. Know that we are in the end times.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #54 (The mistake of “Faith alone.”)

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Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use Listen Notes, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music or Audible, Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts. As well as Pandora, Spotify, Podbean and PlayerFM to listen to this message. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

In 1953 a Biopic was released about Martin Luther. When it comes to movies about this man. It is the best out there, in my opinion.

Why?

Because it also addressed the mentality of not only those in power, but the reaction of the common people as well as those in scholarly pursuit of the truth.

At a crucial point in the movie. What they portray as the culmination of his studies and determination. They announce this one statement.

“It is through faith ALONE!”

Now it is here that I have issue. The worst of all is that this is stated four hundred years after Martin Luther is implied to have stated this.

I understand where Luther is coming from if he did state this. For at the time he makes this proclamation. The duty of Christians to perform works had been perverted beyond that required within the Bible. This was done by those in power of the Catholic Church, which was the only allowed church. Who were more interested in money than the true teachings within the Bible. The selling of “indulgences” and the worshipping of “relics,” were the “works” forced upon those that were kept in ignorance of the true teachings of the Bible. Those in power desiring to control and manipulate the masses to their whims and wishes. Therefore, Martin Luther, making the declaration that is it “through faith alone,” makes total and complete sense.

However here is the problem with this.

There are many out there that say things like: “I believe in God,” “I have accepted Jesus as my Savior” or “I know I am going to heaven.”

These are all statements of faith. A belief in the one and only God, the Creator of the Universe.

We are in a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. We have a responsibility in this relationship. That is why we are call “stewards.”

What is the definition of a “steward?”

The best definition of this is found at dictionary.com: a person who has charge of the household of another, buying or obtaining food, directing the servants.

Stewardship is accomplished by doing works.

But didn’t I just say that works were a problem during the time of Martin Luther? Yes, I did. But I also said faith alone is an issue.

James 2:14-26 – What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

“Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”

Works are not that which is forced upon you by those within power of a denomination. They are the action you feel led to do by your faith in God.

“How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

Our good deeds are not something that is for the world to see or even know about.

Matthew 6:1-4 – “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Many do this in many ways and think all is well with them. Note though how Jesus described those that do this and especially where:

“Don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity!”

Think upon this description hard and long.

Hebrews 10:24 – Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

How is this accomplished? That answer is given in the second chapter of Titus:

Titus 2:1-15 – As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. 2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. 3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. 6 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. 7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. 8 Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us. 9 Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back 10 or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. 11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. 15 You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.

Truly being “Christian” is a lifestyle choice. To live in virtue and to do the will and teachings of God takes all of what is shown within these verses. Not just part, but all. That is why I said it is a “lifestyle.”

A lifestyle is defined as – “someone’s way of living; the things that a person or particular group of people usually do.”

“People usually do,” is action, is works. So, we are told to do works. We are told to live with both faith and works.

Works that show honor to God. That reflect the teachings of the Bible. Especially those given unto us by our Savior Jesus Christ. We are told to have “self-control.” To live wisely and worthy of respect. To treat our boss with loyalty. A key statement is made in verse twelve:

“We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,” by not living godlessly or seeking after worldly pleasures. However, millions that profess to being “Christian” live godlessly and seek after worldly pleasures. Believing that they are right with God all because of faith alone.

Many are taught that it is through faith alone. As I have shown in the verses in this study this is a lie. A false teaching. Cleaver words meant to deceive and blind those that are not willing to have the self-control required to seek after God through Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible.

When living with both faith and works we end sin within our lives with self-control and the grace of God through our Savior Jesus Christ. Who gives us righteousness. (Matthew 6:33, 1 Corinthians 1:30) Especially those sins that the Bible clearly states are transgressions which will not allow entry into the presence of the Creator of the Universe.

Only those that are the true followers of Jesus Christ and the teachings within the Bible will stand before the throne of God. Yet many will think they are followers, nevertheless Jesus Christ will look upon them and in Jewish legalism state that He never knew them.

Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Why?

Mainly because they did not pursue both faith and works but relied upon faith alone. Continuing to live their lives according to their true gods: Themselves and their sins.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #45 (The Christian walk Part 1)

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Intro

Welcome again to another podcast. Today we begin a two part series on how to see if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work within our lives. This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. Also, you do not need to download podbean if you wish to listen. You can use Listen Notes, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music or Audible, Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts. As well as Pandora, Spotify and PlayerFM. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

As I have made mention before. I have been called to teach those that fall into the group known within the Bible as the “lukewarm.” The thing is, many that fall into this category are unaware that they qualify. This is my greatest sorrow.

I saw a meme the other day that summed it up beautifully. It said that the Jewish people understood the laws of God but rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Then it said. Christians accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah but reject the laws of God. They choose to live in sin. Now I may be wasting my time, for the book of Hebrews says this:

6:4-6 – For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. 

However, God also said that He was here to give everyone a chance.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 – I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 

But I fear that many will reject God and His Son Jesus Christ when the tribulation begins. Having found themselves lacking in His sight to be left behind.

These people feel and believe that they need do nothing but accept Jesus as their Savior and they will be granted admission into heaven. This is only part of what is required. So, I have decided to dig out another of my earlier teachings to address this.

If you love me, keep my commandments.

These are the words of Jesus Christ in the fourteenth chapter of John the fifteenth verse. They are direct and to the point. However, when you really look into how those that call themselves “Christian.” How many of them truly do not love Jesus? For the majority do not follow this direct and simple directive from Jesus Christ the Son of God.

One of the main reasons for this is due to not even understanding their own faith and beliefs that forms this faith. This is something that need to be addressed. Many perceive this as legalism.

The main reason for this is due to how the true Word of God has been diluted or not even taught fully or completely. They live under a belief that if all they do is believe then they will make it into heaven.

James 2:14-17 – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Faith alone without following the commandments is dead. It is a simple statement. It comes straight to the point. If you do not follow and live the teachings of Jesus Christ, you are dead unto Him. If you are dead unto Him, you are not of Him, and so hate Him. They are living what is called a lukewarm live.

How does Jesus Himself few the lukewarm?

Revelation 3:15-16 – “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

They are so distasteful to Him that He spits them from His Body.

So how can we change this? How can we make it where we are not spit out by Jesus?

We come full circle back to where we began. We follow the commandments.

It is here that someone will start to argue that Jesus dying upon the cross and then rising upon the third day removed the need to follow the commandments. However, that is not the correct interpretation of what the Bible teaches.

Matthew 5:17-20 – “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

Again, we are told by Jesus Christ Himself that we are to follow the commandments. So how can you even attempt to question? It is not me that you are challenging but Jesus Christ Himself and His own words. So, following the commandments, especially those taught by Jesus Christ Himself are not legalism, it is the required works of a living faith in Jesus and His Father, God. It is the act of love He asks of us to do.

The first steps (part one)


The first steps are the hardest, aren’t they? It takes months for a baby to finally get to the point of walking. It is a series of trials and errors. Sometimes they are a shock, a surprise. Other times it hurts, and the child ends up crying at the least, bleeding at the most. This too is the Christian faith as we strive ever daily to be more Christ-like.
However, we need a starting point. To follow the commandments, we must come to understand that the true “commandments” is not just the ten commandments. In fact, the commandments are found in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. This is verified in an exchange Jesus has with one of the religious leaders that confronted Him. It is found in Mark twelve, Luke ten and Matthew twenty-two. However, it is also first shown in Deuteronomy six:


4-6 – “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.


This confirms that all the laws within these three books to a degree are still in force. Does this mean we are to go and stone someone? For heaven’s sake no. It does mean we need to put those things into practice that can be maintained by our own actions and behavior. Nor are we to perform sacrifices for Jesus was the pure Lamb sacrificed for our salvation unto to His Father God.
However, what is our first steps other than coming to know the Bible and the commandments there in? How do we put into practice that which we know we must do to avoid death of our spirit? For we have determined not to live by faith alone, but by both faith and works.
Well we must find something that is common for most of humanity, be they Christian or not.


Romans 13:1-7 – Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. 6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.


Titus 3:1 – Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.


Now I know many both Christian and non-Christian that daily disobey this one teaching. So, it is here that I feel we should begin. For from here once it becomes a habit can lead unto other teachings and commandments within the Bible. What is this one thing that is daily disobeyed? Following the speed limits and other traffic laws.
This is something that is shared by all of humanity and can in reality show your commitment to following God with all your heart, mind and soul. But how is that accomplished? How do you put it into practice? Why put it into practice? I will answer all three of these questions in reverse order as we continue this series.

The first steps (part two)


Why put obeying the road laws into practice?
The main reason for this is made perfectly clear in Romans 13, but we shall do a deep dive into these verses to get a better understanding and thus answer the question that was just asked.


Romans 13:1-5 – Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2- Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3- For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4- For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5- Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.


For all authority comes from God.


To address this we must turn to the fourth book of Daniel:


4:17 – “For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.”


Simply obeying the laws given by a state or nation that do not go against the Bible and its teachings is something that we must follow as an open expression of our faith and love in God and His Son Jesus Christ.
So following the speed limit says you love Jesus.
When an ending lane merges to the lane that does not. If you are in the lane ending you allow those in the other lane to go before you, yielding them the right of way. This in turn goes into the next verse in Titus three:
2 – They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
The laws created for the road are practices taught within the Bible, just applied to how you get about in your everyday life. Yet, most that profess to be “Christian” find the need to follow these laws a burden, an inconvenience, something to be tolerated. Why? Because they the “Christian” are more important.
They are more important than God or their very salvation.
To be humble is one of the true vestments of Christianity. So what is the word “humility” in Titus?
Humility (NLT) – meekness (KJV) –  G4236 – praiotes – properly, temperate, displaying the right blend of force and reserve (gentleness). praótēs (“strength in gentleness”) avoids unnecessary harshness, yet without compromising or being too slow to use necessary force.
I will let you ponder upon this definition, and allow you to make your own conclusion as how to behave upon the road.
I have heard all the excuses by those that profess “Christianity.”
“Well during the time I am driving, if I go the speed limit I am a safety hazard to those upon the road.”
“If I go the speed limit I have to go to bed earlier and miss my favorite TV show.”
“I have so far to travel I will be on the road longer.”
These are things I hope, if I have not already shown to be addressed, as they should be by now, they will be addressed as we answer the next two questions as this series continues.

God bless

One of the steps toward being a reflection of Christ

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For one thing there are several, but this is just about one. Now first, I wish to remind folks that in being a reflection of Jesus Christ we are to not only have faith in Him and His promises, but also in our actions and behavior known as works when taken in context to the Bible. Some will say that “works” is legalism. However, “legalism” is when people go through the motions of actions and rituals, especially when they have no faith. It is both FAITH and WORKS, but on with the topic at hand, which is this step of faith through works:
Romans 13:1 – Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. 6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
Titus 3:1 – Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.
Now what does it mean to submit to the government? It is shown very clearly in Romans. All governments are in existence by the grace of God. So we are to follow the laws that are set forth by said governments, as long as they are not counter to the teachings of the Bible. Like for instance, abortion.
So once again I go back to my fall back example of this. The speed limit on roads. This is a state law. If you break this law you can be punished by getting a speeding ticket. Yet millions break this law every single day because this law is inconvenient to them.
Now I want those reading this to look at that last sentence and ponder upon it a second.

Now read this:
Matthew 22:37 – Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.”
Luke 10:26 – Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” 27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”
Mark 12:29 – Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’
It is made clear that per Romans and Titus we are to honor God by following the laws set forth by those in government. However many speed “because this law is inconvenient to them.
TO THEM.
To the self.
So God and His laws are “inconvenient to them!”
If we are to place God at the center of our lives. How can HE be an inconvenience? How is this possible?
Because GOD is not at the center of their lives.
THEY are at the center of THEIR LIVES.
2 Timothy 3:1 – You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
Matthew 16:24 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”
I cannot out do the very words of Jesus Christ. I end this here.