Talking about how God by pouring Christ’s spirit into us is the perfect salvation plan in a fulfillment of His holiness and love. As we die to self we are able to “marry” another, Christ, so that He governs our soul and not our self-will. God is pouring out His spirit to prepare this earth for His Kingdom of righteousness. Now is the time to be trained up by God in righteousness and love.
God’s plan of salvation is far bigger and more loving that what is commonly taught. Here I share what God has been showing me in His Word about the perfection of His plan for mankind to do what they can’t for themselves, bring them into eternal life. It is a fulfillment of His holiness, righteousness and perfect love that drives out all fear.
If you are worshipping a God who torments souls forever, you are worshipping a false image of God crafted by Satan. This is a WAKE UP call to not be deceived into believing a false image of God and to seek to know God in truth and spirit. Christ is at the door, and no one wants to be as one in the verse below who thought he/she was worshipping Him, but wasn’t, but instead was serving a false image of the lawless one…
“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!’ Matthew 7:22-23
Seek God face to face outside the church system ways and doctrine, which proliferates this false images, and you will find a different God; a God of true, powerful, and righteous love. Not one who says, worship me or torment forever. But One who gave His life that you might be purified, sanctified and abide with Him in holy, righteous love forever.
False Images of Religions
Throughout religions there are an abundance of false images of God. And yes, the religion of Christianity has them too. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 One of the main ones is this concept of God torturing souls for eternity. It’s monstrous. It’s a doctrine/belief grounded in fear, torment, pain, and suffering. It’s used to scare people into “accepting Christ”. It’s the goodness of God that leads to repentance, not fear. Romans 2:4 Perfect love, which is God, drives out all fear. 1 John 4:18 Satan is of fear. God is of love. They are on opposite sides.
This image along with others is why believers are leaving the church system. The churches are worshipping false images of God. Why would you worship at a pagan temple? You wouldn’t. That’s why they leave. Lamentations 2:7, Matthew 24:5, 2 Corinthians 6:14
Satan’s Image of God
Satan makes himself to be as God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 He creates images which people worship, thus they are worshipping him. Revelation 13 As for the image of a false God in Christianity, we see it illustrated in Daniel 3 in the story of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, where all people were commanded, for it was law, to worship the image of him, he set up. If they didn’t they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Daniel 3:6-7 Sound familiar? Mainstream Christianity teaches a strikingly similar thing; if you don’t worship their God, then you thrown in the fiery furnace of eternal torment. This has been a prevailing “gospel” in much of Christianity; worship Christ or be eternally tormented. Is this the Christ, or an anti-Christ, standing where he shouldn’t and showing himself to be God?
Satan is far more shrewd than mere humans. He knows the scriptures and twists them so those who are who untaught by the Holy Spirit aren’t able to discern but believe his lies. 2 Peter 3:16 He is a roaring lion of fear.
Satan is the Father of lies and a murder from the beginning and many have fallen for his lies; as testified by this world of depravity.
John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
The description of a God of eternal torment ISN’T who the true living God of love is. This isn’t who Christ Jesus showed God to be at all! But the opposite. He came and demonstrated His love, mercy and compassion on a deceived, lost, broken and fallen humanity. Christ came to show us the love of the Father; His forgiveness of us while we were dead in our trespasses. Colossians 2:13 The message of His salvation for mankind and the message of eternal torment are in opposition to each other. Christ came to redeem souls; souls that can’t save themselves. He conquered death. His salvation plan entails restoration, regeneration and abundant love and mercy. If you deny what He did, you don’t know Him, and you deny Him.
1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
God’s Judgment
Yes there will be a judgment of flaming fire as our God is a consuming fire. 2 Thess 1:7-8 People are judged for their works, their beliefs. But it’s of love because it destroys the wickedness that destroys us, and brings in His kingdom’s reign of righteousness and love. His judgment brings correction which leads the world learning righteousness. Isaiah 26:9 God’s plan of salvation is to save this lost world where no one sought Him. Isisah 53:6 It’s to train and establish their hearts in righteousness so they can walk in His ways and abide with Him in love for eternity. Hebrews 8:9-11 God loves us. In that love, He destroys wickedness that torments our souls; He doesn’t proliferate it for eternity. Wickedness will perish and all will know Him and praise Him for His abundant mercy on mankind.
Imagine living for an eternity knowing that your neighbor is being tortured for eternity. This is contrary to God, His character, and His plan of salvation that is the fulfillment of His righteousness, holiness, and love.
Be clear about the huge distinction between a god of fear, Satan, and a God of love, the One True God. The veil is being lifted on the images that Satan has set up; the anti-Christ who shows himself to be Christ, yet the opposite. Don’t give into the delusion. If you deny that Christ came to deliver this world from death .. then you are denying the true Christ, for this is who He is. 1 Corin 15:55 He is the victor. He is life. He will be all and in all.
This post is in response to the videos I posted last week on hell which challenged the wide-spread belief that hell is eternal torment. I scripturally demonstrated the righteous love and mercy of God, which knows no bounds. Romans 8:38-39 God’s love will prevail, nothing less till He fills all, for He is love.
Over the years of seeking to know God in truth and spirit, God has revealed Himself to me to be far more merciful and loving than I ever imagined; a different God from what I learned in the church system. I realized what I previously held was an image of God taught to me by others as I never truly sought with all my heart, soul and mind to know the true living God. God is beyond all religions and mankind’s imaginations. He is life. He is love. He is. Religions, though each holds an aspect of truth thus their appeal, craft false images of God. This is why Christ didn’t establish a religion, but gave us two commandments. Mark 12:30-31 He removed any “system” and gave us Himself.
As I’ve sought to know God as He is, His righteous love and grace have astounded me, and it continues to. We dwell in the shadow of death, when you get glimpses of life, it’s far more beautiful, pure and of righteous love than anything on this earth. The god of eternal torment isn’t God, but the God who gave His very life so that all torment in a deceived mankind would come to an end. 1 Corinthians 15:55
In the videos, I presented some aspects of what God has taught me thus far about His amazing plan of salvation, far bigger and more perfect than mainstream philosophies. What I found exciting in the perfect righteous love it contained, other professing Christians strongly rejected because it didn’t include their understanding of hell as eternal torment. They weren’t willing to consider the scriptural reasons opposing the concept of eternal torment. They held tight to their doctrine rejecting anything contrary, even a message of eternal mercy and love. Some cut me off so that they would no longer “buy and sell” with me, because I didn’t bear the mark (belief) of a god who torments souls forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 It was an eye opening experience, and thus this post.
God has shown us throughout history how easily deceived and misled mankind can be, even His people. He has shown how people are trapped in death and lies and can’t see true life, even when He is standing right in front of them. Luke 23:34 They can’t save themselves. They are blind. They can’t believe in the truth to walk and follow the voice of God that leads them into true eternal life. They’re bound by deception for the world is under the sway of the wicked one. 1 John 5:19
Therefore, in Christ, He will give them a new spirit and a new heart to be able to know and walk in His ways. Joel 2:28, Ezekiel 36:26, Hebrews 8:9-11, John 3:8 Without this new spirit, no one can truly know God. We are all dead in our trespasses. This giving of His spirit is the salvation and grace of God. One day all will believe in Christ, because He will be reigning. (True belief is walking in His ways of truth/righteous love not just acknowledging Him, even the demons believe and tremble James 2:19). Every knee will bow to the One whose love delivered them from the pits of hell; from death. God is love. His righteous love will reign. He will fill all and be in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 All will be holy, all will be righteous, all will be love. That means there will be no more death; nothing left of death or of sin, except the remembrance that it’s no more. This is an AMAZING plan of love and grace that’s been diminished by the eternal torment doctrine.
My encouragement and warning to you is to seek to know God as He is. I say this over and over for I long to you to know the Living God. Learn from Our Teacher. Matthew 23:8 He will teach you all things, if you TRUST HIM. Don’t put your trust in images of God crafted by mankind. Every truth you hold of God bring into question and seek to be taught by God Himself. He will for this is the new covenant and His desire for you.
For those who trust in the image of God as a God of eternal torment, the shame and condemnation will be so great, for they will realize it was an image crafted and powered by Satan, the ultimate lying spirit. Satan crafts many images to deceive and put us in bondage. But God has given us everything we need to know the truth, His Spirit. Learn to listen and be taught by Him.
God is pouring out His spirit to prepare this earth for His return. This spirit teaches us all things which leads us in the paths of righteousness and life. It’s the still small voice saying walk this way. Isaiah 30:21, Hebrews 12:25 Don’t listen to the roaring lions of the enemy seeking to destroy, seek to hear His voice and pray for courage to follow it for it isn’t of the world because it’s the voice of life.
A Few Concepts to Consider:
Seek God’s understanding in this topic. I know some will question my words. Bring your questions to God; don’t shut your ears or harden your hearts to His voice and the amazing love that He has to give you.
Here I share some things I believe God to be showing me, and it’s a bit different than what mainstream Christianity and other religions teach. As we are all learning, I don’t have all the pieces but now is the time to start putting some of these thoughts out there. Please prayfully consider, seek to be taught by God, consider the source of your truth, and watch all the videos before jumping to assumptions. The entire Word has to fit together, thus one doctrine affects others.
For years, I thought sins (anything contrary to God’s truth and ways), the little ones, were not that big of a deal. I assumed they were a part of life. On some level, I accepted them. On some level I enjoyed them – though it was a false joy proliferating pain. How often do you hear among professing believers, “well, we ARE sinners”, as if it’s an excuse for the little sins we knowingly sow? Whether true or not, after hearing something often enough you begin to believe it.
I “faithfully” trusted God’s grace to cover me and believed it would somehow negate the ramifications of those little sins that didn’t seem that big of a deal. (Though my life proved differently, which I refused to acknowledge.) Subconsciously, I assumed “I’m forgiven, this hardship can’t be happening because of those little insignificant sins” so I never learned. More than any other, we are best at deceiving ourselves. Further, for conscious sake, we often don’t call those little sins what they are, but they are covered in excuses, justifications, rationalizations … basically self-deception.
How many of us trust God’s grace to cover the sins of:
Not seeking God as He instructs us? Amos 5:4
Not pursuing His wisdom and understanding? Proverbs 4:7
Relying on our own strength and wisdom of the world to get us what we need? Psalm 147:10, Isaiah 31:1
Not loving God with all our heart, soul and mind as we neglect to spend time with Him and deeply get to know Him one-on-one? Mark 12:30
“Loving” others in a way that is really for our acceptance by them, rather than for true love? Mark 12:31
We overlook certain transgressions in the name of grace. This thinking shows we don’t understand God’s forgiveness in Christ and our new life in Him. (Now no one is perfect, obviously. But do we willing accept sins? Do we tolerate them? Or do we fight to live in God’s truth?)
In rebellion to legalism, many warp the doctrine of grace. True, the Old Testament law was fulfilled in Christ. However, there are instructions of God, like those above, that we are to follow, thus still His “law”. Grace doesn’t mean we don’t have to listen and obey our heavenly Father. It means God forgives us, by no action of ourselves, so we are reconciled back to the Him and able to receive His truth, to walk in it, and gain a spirit that is eternally united to Him.
If we truly understand God’s forgiveness and how that allows us to dwell in His presence, that knowledge changes us. We will act on this new understanding by seeking God and learning truth. This truth refashions our minds; preparing us to dwell in oneness with God.
If we really believe something, what do we do? We act on it. Once we truly understand God’s gift of forgiveness, we embark upon a journey of drawing near to God in truth and spirit. We want to know the One who showed us an incomparable love. This is the natural response to truly believing. What would our response be to someone who shows us true love? We would cultivate a relationship with him/her; same with God.
As we grow in truth, our lives are altered by that truth. John 17:17 We are the sum of our beliefs. In time, our lives are purified by the truth of God, and then God establishes His home in our souls. With Him a part of us, we desire to walk fully in His will. We see the little sins for what they are – the top of the stairs leading to the pit. No matter how small or big, anything contrary to God is following a self-will that creates destruction, pain and hardship. But in Him, our will no longer wants to have anything to do with any sin. This is why John said that those of God are without sin – our will doesn’t desire it. 1 John 3:9
If we have the truth abiding in us, will we willingly continue to sin? No. Will we desire complete obedience to God? Yes; an obedience that comes out of knowing and loving Him. John 14:23
It isn’t legalism; it’s love. What we do doesn’t “save” us. God forgave us, so He “saved” us. Seeking and walking in truth is the outcome of our understanding of God’s forgiveness. As God’s truth begins to dwell in us, our desires change because our truth is changing. We want to obey His truths as they are life and love. They aren’t burdensome because they are love and we abound in love with God. 1 John 5:3 It’s a burden when there is no love.
To willingly sin not only shows we aren’t rightly related to God, but also we readily invite a life of destruction, pain and hardship. There are many professing believers who hae been misled about grace and excusing sin and suffering for it, but have been blinded to the cause of their hardships because of the ill-communicated doctrine of grace.
To continue to knowingly sin shows we are foolish and unwise. We reap what we sow. If we sow truth, by following God’s will, we will reap deliverance, joy and love. If we sow lies, by following our self-will, we will reap pain, hardship, and suffering. There is a way to live that prospers our soul and a way that doesn’t. There are spiritual laws and physical laws. God designed us and this world to function in a certain way. When we honor His design, we live in peace; this is the essence of true wisdom. (verses honoring the world’s wisdom that destroys.) As a child of God, these laws still apply. God will not be mocked. Thinking God’s forgiveness is an excuse to go our own way is to mock God. Not a good idea.
Embrace God’s forgiveness given in grace, which enables you to live in unity with Him, by sowing truth and His love in your life. In time, as your beliefs are purged and renewed, you will reap a prospering soul. As you diligently cultivate a relationship with God, you will experience His love; a treasure that far exceeds anything you’ve known.
Now, unlike any time before, is the time for God’s elect, those who are united to God in truth and spirit, to pray for the deliverance of the souls of others.
In Job 42, God had “accepted” Job because he saw his true self, and in that awareness he repented and turned to God. After coming through the refining trials and continuing to cling to God and the truth, Job finally saw God. He knew Him. Job 42:5-6 Because of the new spirit within Job, God told Job’s friends to go to Job and have him pray for them because He had “accepted” Job. Job 42:7-9 God would hear Job’s prayers.
Why have the elect pray on others’ behalves? They have traversed a journey like Job’s. Like Job, they have passed through the refining trials. As they’ve clung to the truth through them (very important element), they’ve come to a point of “seeing” themselves and God. This awareness has led to a deep repentance at their core, which has affected every area of their lives. As a result, their will is submitted to God’s, and they hold the Spirit of God, the spirit of truth, in them as a new creation. Their lives are a testimony to them of God’s spirit in them. 2 Corinthians 5:5
In being united to God, they abide in God’s truth and are constantly going deeper into it. They put it above all else. Psalm 138:2 They abide in it daily. They desire to obey the truth and be completely consumed by God. That truth in them has sanctified them and prepared them to be powerfully used by God. And because they hold God’s truth, they pray in unison with it.
Connection Between God’s Word and Prayer
Often people dismiss the connection between abiding in the Word of God (truth) and prayer. But the two go hand in hand. If you turn from God’s truth then your prayers lack power. In Proverbs 28:9 it says they not only lack power, but they are an abomination. One, truth reveals who you truly are and who God is. Only when you honestly know both can you repent of one and turn to the other. Two, if you don’t seek and abide in truth then you don’t know God for He is truth. So if you don’t truly know God, who are you praying to? 1 John 5:19
Once through the refining trials and filled with God’s spirit of truth, a person’s prayers have tremendous power. In Revelation 19, Christ, called the Word of God, comes with His saints to conquer. His method of conquering? The sword that comes out of His mouth; His Word, truth. God’s words have power. By them He creates and destroys. Those filled with His Word, hold its power. May we not underestimate the power of it and neglect the Word and the significance of prayers spoken in line with it.
Now God is very merciful. Truth and mercy go hand in hand – thank goodness. Someone who is seeking God in truth, but immature in their understanding of the God and His ways as they progress through the refining trials, probably aren’t praying in line with God’s will. They are unknowingly praying against God’s will, and they don’t really know what is good. But their heart is to know God and their seeking testifies to that fact. Graciously, the Holy Spirit prays on their behalf as they don’t know what to pray. This is why at times they feel their prayers aren’t answered. God isn’t answering them as they expect because of His love. If He did ramifications would be harmful. This is what Satan does, he gives someone what he superficially wants yet it’s to his destruction. God gives you what is best for you, and as you learn in time it’s what you truly desire.
As a young believer continues to abide in the Word and the instruction of the Holy Spirit, they come to better understand God’s will and pray more in line with it, though the Holy Spirit is always interceding to some degree for God’s people because there is always more to learn.
Conversely, for those who have willingly NOT abided in the Word, their prayers lack power. They’ve been misled by false teachers and religious doctrine that abiding in the Word and diligently seeking God by feasting on His truth daily isn’t that important. As a result their prayers are without strength no matter how good they may appear. Matthew 7:22-23 (Though God still shows them mercy in their lives.)
Powerful prayer comes from knowing God and being united to Him in truth and Spirit. It’s then that your heart, mind and spirit are truly united to Him.
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
Call To The Elect
In Revelation 11, the two witnesses (the two groups of believers, the two lampstands whose light wasn’t removed, who aren’t bound by local institutions, denominations, or titles) stand before God. Their words have tremendous power. Revelation 11:5-6 They intimately know God. They know His truth. They walk in it. They’ve been purified by it. John 17:17. They’ve honored God’s command by doing what He has instructed; know Him, seek Him, abide and mediate on His pure Word that comes from Him. Revelation 2-3 Thus their words and prayers have tremendous power.
God is calling these elect to pray on others’ behalves. They are able to pray in a power and a manner that those consumed in darkness (lies and deception) cannot. God is using them to deliver many because of His great love for ALL His children. God is longsuffering, patient, and waiting for people to truly repent from following self and turn to Him. He doesn’t want any to perish. Because it’s God who saves, prayers are needed by those accepted by Him to pray to have mercy upon souls bound in darkness. Revelation 6:10-11
Do you see the difference of the power of those who are truly of God, who have His Word abiding in them, and who pray in line with His will? In God’s holiness, God’s elect need to pray to an extent that others cannot. Now is the time to pray; to pray for God’s truth to penetrate others’ lives, for their souls to be united to God’s in truth and Spirit, and for God to have mercy.
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another (and forsake them), and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
God saves us, not ourselves. Therefore, we each are in great need of God’s abundant mercy.
The cry of mercy is a heartfelt cry of wanting nothing of our self-driven life and wanting only the life God has for us. It’s a cry that we are tired of following the dictates of our heart influenced by this world and want to completely follow God. It’s a cry to be governed through and through by God, and thus no longer to govern our own soul. This cry spews from our lips, when we understand the corrupted nature of our self-will and the death and filth it manifests and the perfection of God’s eternal life for us. It’s a desire to forsake all that separates us from God. It’s the response of seeing the truth of ourselves and God. It’s the response to tasting God’s love.
John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life
When we come to this point in our soul, a point of deeply and honestly wanting to forsake our self-driven life/soul (repentance) and follow God in every way, then it’s God who gives us a new spirit. He replaces the old corrupted nature with a nature that’s of Him. In a very real way, we (our self-driven soul) are crucified with Christ, in Christ and then filled with a new spirit like a new operating system. As we can’t birth ourselves into this physical world, we can’t birth ourselves into the spiritual one. It’s all God’s work in us.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Some doctrines can be somewhat misleading on this point by putting salvation into the hand of people as if it is all their choice. Our part is to ask for mercy, for our self-driven life (flesh) to be crucified, and for God to have mercy and give us eternal life by giving us life through His eternal spirit. But He is the one who gives new life.
Christ died for our sins. He conquered sin and death of that self-driven life that we might be identified with Him in His death and be resurrected to a new eternal life as He was. Our part is to call out to God in mercy to ask for that resurrected life, as we willingly crucify our self-driven one. Galatians 2:20 We lay down our life. God raises us to eternal life as He raised Christ.
To gain the new, we have to let go of the old. But, it’s God who gives the new birth. He is our Father. It’s His doing not ours.
Testimony we are God’s
Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
This verse above is the testimony that we are truly born of God … the Spirit of Christ is in us. The Spirit of Christ desires the things of God. It longs for truth; loves the truth. It seeks to do God’s will above all else. It longs to obey God in all areas. It loves God and loves others in purity.
Hebrews 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
How can you truly obey without abiding in the Bible being instructed by the Holy Spirit on what God desires of you in your life? This is much to important to simply rely on what others tell you God wants you to do.This new spirit is very real. You experience a change in how you operate, think, feel and what you desire. You let go of the self-will that has driven and directed your life since birth, and now you are directed by a new spirit from within. 2 Timothy 1:7
The time of the end is very close. Cry out for God’s mercy, repent (turn from self-will), and ask God for His life to consume yours.
With the flooding, earthquakes, fires, and tornados, our hearts should be stirring to repentance. Some think they’ve already repented … back in 1989 when they were “saved” and answered that alter call … but let’s ponder deeper …
Repentance is turning completely in the other direction and walking in it. It’s turning from our self-will, which has dictated our lives since birth, to seek and walk in God’s will and let Him dictate our lives. It’s a very deep soul choice between us and God; our way and His. Luke 13:3 Various sins are simply symptoms of going our own way. Therefore, true repentance is going to the source, our self-will, and choosing not to follow it at all, but choosing to follow God. This requires knowing and trusting God; two things that come from diligently seeking Him. Turning from individual sins is important, but they are only the symptoms to a much deeper repentance, a repentance you come to understand as you seek God with all your heart.
Jesus stood in our place and paid the penalty (death) for our sins (going our way instead of God’s) so we didn’t have to. By paying the penalty, He reconciled us back to God so that now we can live in God’s presence. In removing the barrier of sin, He opened the door so we could dwell in unity with God. NOW it’s our part to walk through that door and the journey entails learning of God and repentance. We can’t walk in God’s way when we are walking in ours. We can’t do what we don’t know, thus the need to seek. As we learn God’s ways, we turn from self and turn to God.
Proof of repentance is abiding in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit with the motive to know God, because it shows we are seeking God’s will so we can walk in it. We long to know God so we can walk in His ways and be sanctified to become His living temple. Thus, deep repentance is the response to the gift of grace from Christ.
Because of this gift of grace, for some the compelling need for deep repentance is dampened, when it should be heightened. It was for me. I thought because all sins were forgiven that my obedience wasn’t that big of a deal because I was covered. Yes I should obey, but it wasn’t critical. Therefore, abiding in the Bible wasn’t critical. How misled I was. My lack of desire to obey was a sign something was off; I didn’t bear my cross (crucify my self-will) because I was still following self. Therefore, nothing had really changed. My belief was in vain. Not truly turning from self means there is a lack of understanding of what the sacrifice of Jesus was for.
Luke 14:26 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Coming to understand what Jesus did for us and our falleness is only an acknowledgement of what is. At this point though we may recognize what is, the deep soul choice between following self and following God is still in favor of self. At this infancy of our understanding, we have no idea of the extent in which we follow self verses God.
What should be happening next is an intense journey of individually seeking God to know Him as He is so we can walk in His will. We are to walk through that door that was opened for us by Christ. We are to learn of God from the Holy Spirit given to us by Christ. It’s God’s truth constantly invading our soul that reveals the depths by which we are dominated by self-will. This is the path of sanctification. It’s the natural progression for one who is a child of God. Therefore, if we knowingly continue in habitual sins, we have neglected to understand Christ’s gift.
Repentance isn’t just an acknowledgement that we have sinned against God; it’s the action of turning away from following self and following God. But we can’t follow what we don’t know. This is why God commands that we seek Him and that we abide in His Word, so we can know His ways and walk in them, thus truly repent. This is why abiding in His Word being taught by Him is proof we are on the path of sanctification. John 17:17
Repentance is key and yet sometimes overlooked in the doctrine of grace. God won’t be mocked. What we sow we will reap. Galatians 6:7 Grace and repentance work hand in hand. Repentance is the manifestation of Christ’s gift of grace in our lives. Jesus and the apostles taught repentance and the kingdom of God. Repentance is how we come to abide in the kingdom of God; which is God’s reign in our soul with His will dominating.
If you are truly born of God, you’ll hate sin. You’ll long to walk in truth and love. You will hunger for His Word, so you know His will. You’ll be taught by God. John 6:45 You’ll want to know HIS will not someone’s thoughts on His will. You come to this point of desire through the grace of God showing you the truth. You come to it because you have sought God. Romans 8:29-30
Have you experienced a deep hearted repentance? Not just from various sins but from your self-will? This is true repentance. Are you walking more in truth today than a couple of months ago? Do you have a LOVE for the truth so that your life is moving to living in God’s will? You can only know His will for YOU if YOU personally seek it from Him. It’s a lifetime and daily activity. Seeking His will isn’t doing what your church says or some religious leader; it’s seeking God’s personal instruction in your life.
If you said no to these, get to know God by seeking Him in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit. When you come to know Him, you will want nothing of your self-will and everything of His.
Romans 2:4b that the goodness of God leads you to repentance
Continuance from previous post …
Penalty of death for breaking the Sabbath Exodus 35:2
Because most of us struggle with sanctification without works, God designed a potent instruction tool, the Sabbath. God established the law of the Sabbath as a picture and foreshadowing of entering into His ultimate rest in Christ. On the Sabbath His people were ordered not to do any work. The consequences of not honoring this day were severe. In Numbers 15:32-36, on the Sabbath, a man was gathering sticks in the wilderness; a seemingly low effort and harmless task. His penalty? Death. The Sabbath law was not to be taken lightly. Exodus 31:14
The day was established to remind us that God sanctifies us and not our efforts. Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. (Ezekiel 20:12) If we try even with the smallest effort, like picking up sticks, we are going against the will of God. Christ fulfilled the entire law including the Sabbath. The requirement of rest pointed to Christ who would be our eternal rest and free us from having to earn our righteousness by obeying the law. He became our rest and we became holy. We are no longer bound to any law because He perfectly filled each one. There is nothing we add to it and it is to our determent if we try to. We are to accept what He has done and rest in grace. We all fall into the performance trap, but the question is in what race are we trying to run, of works or grace?
Galatians 3:24-25, Colossians 2:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
From the severity of the consequences of the Sabbath Law, we can see how important learning and abiding by this truth is to God. It’s critical to our spiritual survival to rest from attempting to earn our righteousness. If we try to live by the law then that is how we will be judged. If we break one iota then we have broken it altogether and we are accountable. The man who picked up sticks that one afternoon was put to death. It is all or nothing. And no one can fulfill the whole law. We are human and we will fall short. This path, which the majority of the world attempts to walk, has one end, death. Conversely, if we live by grace then we are judged by grace, and we abide in freedom and perfect assurance of our salvation and sanctification.
Christ saves and sanctifies. Most of us trust Him with saving our souls but when it comes to sanctification we intervene. If the core motivation to give to the poor, tithe, go to church, say a prayer, go to a Bible study, work for a ministry, and help with the homeless is to earn a high ranking in His kingdom or make us more worthy then our trust is in the wrong place. It’s clear by the consequences of breaking the law that God doesn’t tolerate us attempting to sanctify ourselves. It’s critical that we know this truth deep in our souls. Resting means we trust God to sanctify us alone. A good way to test if you are resting in Him is to stop doing those things for awhile and see what you feel in your soul. If you feel guilt, you are trusting in the wrong thing.
Restrictions on eating certain foods Lev. 11:10
Eating represented eternalizing certain spiritual doctrines. Foods were symbolic of what was unclean, the philosophies contrary to God’s truth and ways and the ones those other beliefs come from. The restrictions on food were a constant reminder that what we take in (other philosophies) affects our bodies, minds, and spirits. If it is tainted then we are tainted.
The Israelites were commanded not to mingle with other nations because their philosophies and beliefs would influence them and lead them astray from God, which they did. Abstaining from certain foods was a constant reminder of this truth.
At the coming of Christ, life was able to go to all men so that all could enter God’s presence not just the Israelites. Anyone God purifies is pure. Acts 10:12-16 There are no more divisions in Christ, all can come to God through Christ. However, it is still critical for us not to mingle the truth of God with other philosophies. Matthew 16:6, 12.
Touching unclean animals Lev 11:8
Again this addresses staying away from other philosophies that aren’t of God because of our ability to be influenced by them. Without the Holy Spirit people had to stay completely separate from these other nations and ideas. They lacked discernment, wisdom and counsel. They easily gave into those ideas. The restrictions on animals represented that separation and served as a constant reminder.
To be continued …
Living Light 