Distinction Between the Righteous (Saints) and the Wicked (Sinners)

  Image by Sabrina Eickhoff from Pixabay.

Malachi 3:16-18

16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him. 18 Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous (just) and the wicked (sinner), between him that serves God and him that does not serve Him.

Today, no practical distinction is made between the righteous and the wicked in most Christian literature and teaching. "We are all sinners" is the mantra, before and after what can be called coming to Jesus or salvation, from the minister on down. Yet sinners cannot be called "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) because they are not. They are walking in darkness (John 8:12) because they are sinners and falling short of the glory of God, not followers of Jesus. They are called to repent and be converted (Acts 3:19). That's the basis to get God's forgiveness and a ne slate to start a relationship with God as a transformed (converted) person. 

Jesus says this about those who are formerly sinners and presently righteous because they have repented and have become obedient to God:

John 17:22-23

22 And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23  I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.

Romans 3:23 "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" is no longer speaking for them, because Romans 3:24 is their experience indeed by faith, upon answering the call of the Gospel: they have been "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

They are called the "just" or "righteous." In the parable of the sheep and the goats, they are simply  called "the righteous" (verse 37):

Matthew 25:31-40

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32  Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33  He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34  Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35  for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 36  I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’ 37  “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? 38  When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? 39  When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’ 40  “The King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

They have left their life of sin as they have answered the Gospel's call to repent to be saved:

Luke 5:31-32

31 Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 15:7

I say to you, that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.

Alert: There is a false teaching that ignores the reality of being righteous altogether and gives the understanding that repentance is a daily endeavor like sin is an unavoidable thing that goes on daily, even deliberate commission of the same sin. These words of Jesus are not understood: 

John 8:34-36

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35  A slave does not live in the house forever. A son remains forever. 36  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Matthew 5:29-30

29 And if your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to go into hell.

In the end, Jesus will usher into his eternal kingdom the righteous and holy, those He has freed from sin/justified (made righteous) and sanctified (made holy so as to be called saints) through their faith in Him, which they have maintained to the end:

Revelation 22:11-12

11 The one being unrighteous, let him be unrighteous still; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he who is righteous, let him do righteousness still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still.” 12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to each as is his work.

An alternate translation of Revelation 22, verse 12, says:

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to each one according to what he has done."

So, under false teachings, the preaching to get saved isn't about opening people's eyes, turning them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so they can be sanctified by their faith in (trust in and obedience to) Jesus (Acts 26:18)! Let's call it what it is: a satanic "gospel" that twists the truth and saves no one. So, people keep on struggling in their sins and get to think that's the normal Christian experience. That's sad, because countless are calling themselves Christians and don't understand what Jesus is supposed to have done for them on the cross. 

Matthew 1:21

And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

Acts 3:26

God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent Him to you first, to bless you, in turning away everyone of you from your wickedness.

wickedness = sin = iniquity = unrighteousness

So, when the false teacher again says, "there is no one righteous, no, not one" out of Romans 3:10, ask him/her to read it in context (Romans 3:11-18) and see if what is said (it's quoting from Psalm 14) can possibly be talking about a "born again" new creature in Christ — a saint. If that is what the person believes, then it means there is no power of the cross to save in what that person believes and preaches. We need to be alert and aware of these things. This is not a time to blindly trust a preacher and not study the scriptures. That time never was. Wake up to righteousness and do not sin!

1 Corinthians 15:34

Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

See also:

Are we All Sinners?

Is There No One Righteous (Romans 3:10)?

Who is the man struggling in Romans 7?

Are You an Ex-Sinner Calling yourself a Sinner?

The Bible speaks about the wicked (sinners) and the righteous (saints)

Who is Hebrews 10:26 speaking to?

Freedom From Sin

The Great Tribulation 

The desire of the righteous is only good,

But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. - Proverbs 11:23

Jesus vs False Teachers

The Goal of Repentance

Romans 10:9 Salvation

Romans 10:9
That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.

That must be read in context. But amen! That means turning away from unrighteousness (2 Timothy 2:19, James 1:21) -- that's repentance, and becoming obedient to Jesus in all (James 1:22, Luke 6:46, Matthew 7:21) -- that's faith. 

Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him

Acts 20:20-21

And [you know] how I did not hold back from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.

Picture by FotoRieth from Pixabay.com.

The context of that verse (Romans 10:9) refers to Deuteronomy 30 that calls to obedience to God. But when this believing in Romans 10:9 is disconnected from the call to obey God, that is a deceptive use of the scriptures. That one verse is not the gospel when it is twisted that way and believing is just a mental agreement to those facts that Jesus is the Son of God who died for the sins of the world and was raised from the dead. A person can believe all those things but not actually regard Jesus' words as commandments to obey from the heart (Romans 10:10) and never hears about nor understands the call to repentance. There won't be salvation based on Romans 10:9 in that case.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14
1 For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not hidden from you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may HEAR it, and DO it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, that we may HEAR it, and DO it? 14 But the word is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may DO it.

Here is Romans 10:5-9
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who DOES them [the works of the Law] will live by them." 6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down); 7 or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)" 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we preach: 9 that if you shall confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved (you shall live by doing these things).

So, if someone believes that Jesus is Lord, then that person will hear and obey Him (not the works of the Law). And it's the obedience of that person from the heart that proves he/she truly believes that Jesus is Lord. So, anyone who is introduced to what Romans 10:9 says should also be reminded of these words of Jesus:

Luke 6:46-49
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not DO the things which I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me, and HEARS my words, and DOES them, I will show you who he is like. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who HEARS, and DOESN'T DO, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES the will of My Father who is in heaven.

John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commandments."

John 12:48
He who rejects me, and does not receive my words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

We know that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). And that hearing for those who have ears to hear then must be followed by their doing of that word (putting it into practice/obeying God's commandments). So, no one can be saved with Romans 10:9 without being a disciple of Jesus who receives his words and walks according to his words:

John 8:31-32
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 15:10
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.

Knowing Romans 10:9 alone then saves no one. But if a person agrees with Jesus and receives his words, then his understanding and application of Romans 10:9 will without doubt bring him to salvation in Jesus Christ.

James 1:21-22
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOUR OWN SELVES.
 
Faith Inplies Obedience (disobedience is unbelief).

This is the rest of Romans 10 that makes it amply clear that faith implies obedience:
Romans 10:8-21
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;" that is, the word of faith, which we preach: 9 that if you shall confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. 10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But THEY HAVE NOT ALL OBEYED THE GOSPEL. For Isaiah says, Lord, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? 17 So then FAITH comes by HEARING, and hearing by the WORD OF GOD. 18 But I say, HAVE THEY NOT HEARD? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses says, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Isaiah is very bold, and says, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he says, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a DISOBEDIENT and gainsaying people.

Lastly, the following is also one way Jesus' apostles knew Him and presented Him to people they preached to: a prophet whose coming was announced since Moses' time. Those who knew the scriptures made no mistake on his identity. He was a prophet whose words should be heard and obeyed, lest the people perish in their sins!

Acts 3:22-26
22  For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23  AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT EVERY SOUL, WHICH WILL NOT HEAR THAT PROPHET, SHALL BE DESTROYED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE. 24  Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25  You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 26  Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

That is hardly how people regard Jesus when they are shown Romans 10:9 to get saved. Most who hear from preachers who use Romans 10:9 deceitfully and skip repentance altogether don't obey Jesus and turn from their iniquities. So, Jesus doesn't do for them what He came to do for them either because they are believing lies.

« Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. » – 2 Timothy 2:19


See also:
Faith Implies Obedience

The Salvation of the Thief Who Was on the Cross

"Coming as you are" to God does imply a changed heart   

The Goal of Repentance - video

Faith in Jesus

Free doesn't mean easy

Complete Surrender - video

The work of the Gospel

Faith Implies Obedience

Hebrews 3:12-19
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief*, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; 15 While it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: nevertheless not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not (were disobedient)**? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief*.

* G544 (verb) - apeitheō

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G544&t=KJV

1. not to allow one's self to be persuaded
   1. to refuse or withhold belief
   2. to refuse belief and obedience
2. not to comply with

** G570 (noun) - apistia

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G570&t=KJV

1. unfaithfulness, faithless
2. want of faith, unbelief
3. weakness of faith

Disobedience is Unbelief

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Keeping the commandments of God, that is serving God rather than serving sin.

1 John 2:3-6
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Romans 6:16-18
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

John 14:15
If you love me, keep my commandments.

NB: Jesus did not say, "I kept my commandments for you so you could do nothing or so you can sin and not die like the serpent told Eve that she could." 

1 John 3:4
Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

No one is saved to be a transgressor of the law or a "worker of iniquity".

Matthew 7:23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

Luke 13:27
But he shall say, I tell you, I know not where you are from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.

Bible search for "worker of iniquity":
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=worker+of+iniquity&qs_version=KJV

Luke 6:46-49
46 “But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

1 Peter 2:7-10

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected as become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

See also:
The Essence of Faith

Eternal Life - By Faith Now

How Do We Know That We Love God

How Do You Love God with All Your Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength?

The Gospel of Jesus - video

Romans 10:9 Salvation

Suffer the Cross to Overcome Addictions 
 

 FOLLOW JESUS - DON'T GO YOUR OWN WAY

Image by Siggy Nowak from Pixabay.

"Am I Saved?" Why Do You Ask?

There are many videos on YouTube and many blogs/websites that purpose to address questions such as, "Am I saved?" or "How to know if I am saved?" But there is no reason any saved person would need to wonder about that. 

What is salvation? It's redemption from the bondage of sin (John 8:34-36, Romans 6:4-7, 16-18). Redemption is release from bondage by the payment of a ransom. In the context of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that payment is his blood that He shed on the cross (e.g. Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 2 Peter 2:1). When people believe that Jesus shed his blood to save them personally, then that payment is personally applied for their release from bondage to sin when they repent and believe in Jesus (Acts 20:20-21). They come out of the devil's snare (or death trap) that they are in before being saved (2 Timothy 2:26, Acts 26:18). A new life comes for the person who gets saved and is now "in Christ," and no longer under condemnation because of sin precisely (Romans 8:1-2). That new life is given by the power of God. It's a miracle. A "new birth" or regeneration occurs (Titus 3:3-7). That's a real experience, not something a person has to try to hold on to "by faith" and wrestle with his/her mind about whether it happened or not. If it happened, there will be evidences of that and a testimony (Revelation 12:11) that goes along with it. 

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Someone who was a prisoner and gets released out of jail does not need anyone to tell him/her, "Hey, you are not in jail now, look around, no jail cell." Or "Answer these 3 questions and you will know if you are in jail or not." That's ridiculous. Why? Because the person who is saved has tasted freedom. Freedom is not captivity. The experience of freedom is not the experience of bondage/slavery. It's only the truth out of Jesus' mouth that can set people free from sin when they become obedient to Him. That means submission to God's will, not doing one's own will anymore and choosing to serve self and sin rather than choosing to serve God.

John 8:31-36
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Salvation isn't a mindset that you get into because you have understood a few things from the Bible. It's the reality — in this present age — of no longer being a slave of sin!

Romans 6:16-18
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

A saved person is a slave of righteousness. It's the complete opposite of being a slave of sin. What does a slave of righteousness do? Righteousness, not sin (these are opposites and they don't mix). False teachings will have you understand that Jesus covers your sins with his righteousness... But what about the part of Him coming into the world to save you from your sins, pulling you out of the death trap of sin? So, you have to ask, who is the "Jesus" who has saved you, the Son of God that the Bible speaks of or another "Jesus," a "false Christ" that has been presented to you, as the Bible also warns against those (Matthew 24:4-5, 2 Corinthians 11:4).

1 John 3:6-8
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

What we see everywhere because of the false teachings that abound (2 Timothy 4:3-4) is people wondering to various degrees if they are saved and others who want to argue about freedom while still sitting in the death trap of sin. The scriptures say they do not love the truth so that they may be saved, but instead have pleasure in unrighteousness/sin (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

Saved people hate sin enough to keep themselves away from it by God's grace. The grace of God at work in one's life means sin no longer has power over that person (Romans 6:1-2, 14). So, when the reality is that one is living under the power of sin, the reality of being saved by grace and being free from sin is not there. The two opposite things can't co-exist.
 
Jesus also says that a slave does not remain in the house forever (John 8:35). Being in the house of God as free from sin/saved indeed then going back to being a slave of sin is a no-no. It's possible but it's a no-no (2 Peter 2:20-22). That's all Jesus is saying. In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus addressed backsliders and told them to repent or they would perish (cf. Revelation 2:5, 2:16, 2:22, 3:3, 3:19). They would not be saved in the end just because they had been saved once, although they have failed to walk the walk of a Christian thereafter. John 15:4-6 teaches the same lesson about abiding in Jesus and failing to abide in Jesus. 

One can always find a person that thinks prison life was better than being a free man or woman, and then finds his/her way back into prison. But the best "life" that person will have will be "life in prison," and inevitably, death will follow --not eternal life. Eternal life is guaranteed for those who have and maintain a (saving) relationship with Jesus Christ until the end (physical death or Jesus' second coming). Jesus warned people about dying in their sins (John 8:24). That means having denied Him, because He didn't come into the world for people to die in their sins, but to be saved from their sins (Matthew 1:21) as they get born again and the works of the devil are destroyed in their own lives (1 John 3:8-9).

Faith in Jesus means obedience to Him/submission to God and faithfulness in that.

Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him,

Luke 6:46-49
46 “But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

John 12:46-48
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects me, and does not receive my words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

John 14:15
If you love me, keep my commandments.

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

There is no Christianity or salvation apart from obedience to God (the opposite of sinning).

Revelation 14:12
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, who are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

The grace of God is an empowerment from God to walk in his ways faithfully to the end, until Jesus comes back for his people. They will be found ready like the wise virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) only if they have been saved by grace and have walked in that grace (not sin) until his return. Grace is not a cover for ongoing sin. Ongoing rebellion in the heart that produces the fruit of continuing to sin (knowing right from wrong and continuing to do wrong) is a contradiction to freedom from sin/salvation (John 8:36).

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 instructing us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Sinners have to cleanse their hands and purify their hearts to be saved. They have to be in 100% agreement with God about recognizing sin as evil that God hates and turning away from it. That's the call to repentance. 



See also:
Freedom From Sin

Saved From What?

Willful Sins and Unintentional Sins

Is Repentance Just a Change of Mind?

The Essence of Faith

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

The Great Tribulation

Evil Desires and the Pride of Life

 

  Image by Sabrina Eickhoff from Pixabay.

1 Corinthians 10:6
Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did.

Please listen to this post here if that's easier than reading it:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hpuxsm8t7gjiau8/Evil%20desires%20and%20the%20pride%20of%20life.mp3

Sometimes, God may need to "reset" you so you don't go and destroy yourself. We are warned against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17) being opposed to having the love of the Father. If you walk in a way that these things can become snares to you and hinder your walk, God will prevent it if you belong to Him. He has many ways to slow you down as you go down a wrong path and one of them is that he will "zero" you out. By that I mean that he will humble you through some circumstances, He will bring you to something you will most definitely call "hitting rock bottom", so that you will remember that you should cling to Him and have Him first in your life and know that he is your "everything." Because the whole world is busy preaching something else to you to remove your focus from Him. That is the world we live in. It is a system that is essentially opposed to God and his ways. Satan is called "the god of this world" who blinds the minds of those who don't believe the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). So, Jesus let his disciples know that they were aliens in this world because they no longer belonged to it or followed its values once they came to belong to Him, and the consequences followed:

John 15:18-19
18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remark that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life spoken of in 1 John 2:15-17 are the same things that made Eve sin:

Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust/desire of the flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust/desire of the eyes), and a tree to be desired to make one wise* (pride of life), she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

*The devil had told her "your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5) But He left out the part where God said that they will surely die! (And she forgot it, too! And Adam forgot it likewise!)

Genesis 2:16-17
16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.

So, don't think yourself more wise than the first man and woman, because the devil is busy preaching the same thing to all of us, albeit in very different ways than in the garden. But you will be blessed to take some time and look into your life and ask God to reveal to you if there is any area where you are driven by the desires of your flesh, the desires of your eyes and the pride of life.

The pride of life is a quite broad concept and it's tricky, too, because it has so many expressions, yet can remain hidden. It has to do with what you want to be or are proud to be or to do or to have (and keep) in this world. It has to do also with what you want to be known for; it sets you on a course to "gain the whole world" in your own way and lose your soul in the end (Mark 8:35-36). All things that drive you to find "treasures" in them rather then store treasures in heaven that will last forever are fueling the pride of life in you (Matthew 6:19-20). It's my life, my way, etc. It's not humility and submission to God that your life is founded on. But it's standing on a foundation that you have built and that won't stand (that's the bottom line). Because in all things you are not seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

If you were seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then God would also fill you with what you actually need (Matthew 6:33). But instead, you go after the seemingly good deals of the devil for you in this world. So, your focus is on those things you think you need, and your hopes and dreams day in and day out are on them. You are short-sighted necessarily because your focus is on passing things. If your focus were on God, then eternity would be in your heart and you would devote all of your being to being on the way to it. You would walk on that difficult way to eternal life with God's graced working in your life (Matthew 7:13-14, Titus 2:11-14). So, things are out of order in your life just because God does not have first place in your heart. And what it takes is a strong resolve to fix that. Imagine parents working so many hours that their children are neglected. Can they work to fix that when they realize their mistakes? Yes, they can. And the solution may include painful sacrifices. The same goes for fixing things up with God. It only takes a firm commitment to pursue after God his way, no matter the cost!

Are the things you pursue self-centered or God-centered? Are you led to praise God or to praise yourself? Do you tend to draw attention to God and his kingdom or to yourself and your accomplishments? Seek to be sure of those things in your life one way or the other. Make corrections that are needed of strengthen your walk in the direction that's pleasing to God and you will be blessed. Keep your relationship with God pure. Remain unstained from the world (James 1:27). Being saved is also to have escaped the corruption that is in the world because of lust (evil desires) (2 Peter 1:4).

James 1:13-15
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So, the only way Satan gets someone to sin and to be bound in sin is through that person's own evil desires that he or she keeps acting upon, instead of keeping on living in submission to God moment by moment out of a humble heart (emptied of pride) that is ready to obey God out of love. Be careful. Pride is dangerous and pride is deadly. Pride breeds rebellion that got Satan thrown out of heaven where he was an angel at the service of God. So, no one can make it into heaven with rebellion that brings sin as evil desires get acted upon. But submission to God is required to enter heaven. We are called to pass from disobedience to obedience to God, and that's the key to passing from death in sin to the new life in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:1-9, Titus 3:3-7).

Luke 9:23
He said to all, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

John 14:15
If you love me, keep my commandments.

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

1 John 2:4
The one who says, "I have come to know Him," yet doesn't keep His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

James 4:4-10
4 You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit which he made to dwell in us yearns jealously"? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

May Jesus bless you!




See also:

The Idolatry of Serving Mammon

The Great Tribulation

Lies will always make someone weak when facing temptation

Can you spot a false prophet?

https://pixabay.com/photos/no-trespassing-keep-out-1573596

How Do We Know That We Love God?

John 14:15
If you love me, keep my commandments.

Luke 6:46
Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?

Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

John 14:21
The one who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.

1 John 2:3-6
3  And by this we know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments. 4  He that says, I know Him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5  But whoever keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: by this we know that we are in Him. 6  He that says he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome.

1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.

1 Jonh 4:20-21
20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 This commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.


See also: 

How Do You Love God with All Your Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength?

The Essence of Faith

Faith Implies Obedience

Bible Study on Sin

Freedom From Sin

Is Repentance Just a Change of Mind?

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

Love Out Of A Pure Heart (1 Timothy 1:5)

Total Dedication To God Versus The Sinless Perfection Straw Man Argument

What Would Jesus Do?

Is that just a cute saying? We certainly are called to do what Jesus did (e.g. honor his Father and obey Him in all in full submission to his will). So, we will one day be confronted with the fact that we may not have always cared to do what Jesus did or would have done when faced with the temptations we are faced with. And we know this about Jesus and facing temptations:

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
                                                                        _______
  

1 Peter 4:1

Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

Are you willing to suffer in your body so you can be done with sin? When you pluck out your right eye that causes you to sin or cut off your right hand that causes you to sin (Matthew 5:29-30), you suffer in your body. No need for a surgeon to do that. You do that when you deny yourself and take up your cross (an instrument of death) to follow Jesus (Mark 8:34). You die to yourself and that's how the new life in Christ can come, full of good fruit (cf. Romans 6:4-6, John 15:4-5). 

Mark 8:35

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

That verse comes right after the command for those who want to be Jesus' disciples to deny themselves and take up their cross to follow Him (Mark 8:34). You suffer because you choose to resist the devil and not fall prey to him when you are tempted by some forbidden fruit that is quite attractive (e.g. Genesis 3:6). And it's because you love the forbidden fruit. If you didn't love it, you would't suffer by just turning away from it. But if you obey God rather than your evil desire, your love for what is good, righteous and pure will grow. You will be transformed through your obedience to the truth, which is God's word, not the devil's word to you (lies certainly).

John 8:31-32

31 Jesus therefore said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free [from sin, see v. 36].

We can't be Christians and do away with those words. And that's the truth. Let's not realize that too late, because we have been conditioned to sum up the gospel as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9. The message of the Bible will never fit in a tweet!

John 12:24-25

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. 25 He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to eternal life.

If you are still attached to your life in this world and in particular to the sin that's in it, that's the strongest signal that you can send to God, after hearing the Gospel, that his gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23) does not interest you.

But when you give up on living in this world according to its principles, and you truly give your life to God, looking forward to eternal life, He knows you mean business and you shall enter in through the narrow door.

Luke 13:23-24

23 One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able.

Matthew 7:13-14

13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.14 How narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way that leads to life. Few are those who find it.

If this post disturbs you, we can discuss on the basis of the scriptures I have mentioned. Why shouldn't they be in your heart? Why wouldn't you love them and live by them?


See also:

Love Out Of A Pure Heart (1 Timothy 1:5)

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

Crucify the Flesh - YouTube playlist

If your right hand...

DWJS Do What Jesus Said!

Love Out Of A Pure Heart (1 Timothy 1:5)

1 Corinthians 13:13

Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4:16-19

16 We have come to know and rely on the love that God has for us. God is love, and the person who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 This is how love has been perfected among us: we will have confidence on the day of judgment because, during our time in this world, we are just like him. 18 There is no fear where love exists. Rather, perfect love banishes fear, for fear involves punishment, and the person who lives in fear has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because God first loved us.

1 John 5:3

For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

John 15:9-10

9 Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. So abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you’ll abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

It's just a wrong and terrible mindset that prevents someone from taking these words to heart because "salvation is by grace not by works." Deliverance won't come without offering to God a heart that is ready to obey Him in all (that's total, wholehearted, surrender to God - no more rebellion). That's how we show God we love Him. And He wants that in our relationship with Him. It's an honor to suffer for Jesus' name, for the sake of doing what's right. But Satan has convinced countless believers that Jesus having done what's right before the Father exempts them from having to do what's right and their deliberate sins are allowed to go on, with no self-denial and taking up one's cross to follow Jesus (Mark 8:34). Following Jesus is walking on the way to reach eternal life (John 6:68) and cannot be something Jesus has done Himself on behalf of the believer. The believer / disciple / follower has to do what Jesus says (Luke 6:46), obey Him, and that expression of love for Him will lead to victory with Him over sin, the flesh and the devil.

1 John 5:18

We know that whosoever is born of God does not sin; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one does not touch him.

1 Timothy 1:5
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.

 

See also:
What Would Jesus Do?

 

How Do We Know That We Love God?

 

How Do You Love God with All Your Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength?

Heart photo created by jcomp - www.freepik.com



You Obeyed from your Heart