Discuss John 3 Page 50

... John 3:3-7 fulfilled in Acts 2:38-39 is water baptism. We are baptized into Christ in Romans 6:3-6 is by water. Same as Colossians 2:12. Same as 1st Peter 18-21. Same as Galations 3:27

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Hi again Claire. Thank you for reading that lengthy sermon - it was heavy going. I had to re-read it quickly to find the portion I think you're referring to. The part that seemed significant is:

"God cannot write his law in our inward parts till with water and with blood he has purged us. Tables on which the Lord shall write must be clean, therefore the heart on which God is to engrave his law must be a cleansed heart; and it is a great joy to perceive that from the person of our Lord heart-cleansing blood and water flowed, so that the provision is equal to the necessity. Blessed be the name of our gracious God, he knows how to erase the evil and to cleanse the soul through his Holy Spirit's applying the work of Jesus to us."

If this is the portion, then I don't believe Spurgeon is referring to water baptism or the requirement to be baptised first & then born again - that would be totally erroneous. His mentioning "water & blood" is his direct reference to 1 John 5:6, 7: "This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

There have been several interpretations of this "by water & blood". I feel it indicates Jesus' physical birth (water) & He speaks of this in John 3:5 & then the "blood": of His Sacrifice. Or, Spurgeon could even be recalling the water & blood that issued out of the Lord whilst on the Cross ( John 19:34). We're unclear but it wasn't anything to do with water baptism which can only be taken after first being born again by faith in Jesus's Sacrifice & the indwelling & renewal of the Holy Spirit.

It seems that your faith hangs on a Doctrine, or rather as you require, a Statement to that effect. My faith hangs on the volume of evidence from the Scriptures showing me, in this instance of Christ's Deity, Who this Jesus is, of Whom it is claimed that He is both the Son of God & the Son of man.

If someone asked me for a Statement of the Doctrine of Salvation & I gave him John 3:16 as an example, what does that verse actually tell the uninformed about Salvation? That God sent His Son & if one believes in Him, he would receive everlasting life. Does this properly describe the Doctrine? Of course not. This is a part of the whole. Or with Acts 4:12?

The Doctrine must also include Who this Son is, how did He come, what did He do, His qualifications to do the work, etc., etc. To rest on (or look for) a Statement to support a huge doctrine is being rather naive about the matter, but only serves to show us that in order to propagate your belief, you have to "strain out a gnat & swallow a camel". In other words, one can be so focused on the minute, that they miss out on the complete teaching of the subject. And the fact that Jesus is both God & Man is not a doctrine of men but a clear teaching from the Word, which you choose to reject or avoid.

If you still care to, I'm still waiting for your understanding of John 1:1-14.

Here's a couple verses I found pertaining to this. As with the others you posted.

John 3:13 "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."

John 6:38-39 "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."

There may be more. Hope this helps a little. God Bless.

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David. Others have also written in line with my understanding of the Scriptures & the realities of living in a sinful world in a body with two natures: one of the old nature & the other of the Spirit of God. To the old nature, Satan makes his appeal & we may stumble, may sin & we confess it, unlike to the new nature that is of God & cannot give into sin (1 John 3:9). To this existing old nature you disagree of course.

Would I then be correct in understanding that your view of the Blood of Christ & its eternal efficacy to keep you always clean (i.e. to be without sin), that at any intrusion of temptation & sin into your life, that Blood immediately cleanses you, keeping you spotless? Is this therefore what you are referring to: "that you are without sin" that even before a confession, the Blood of Christ has already taken effect, hence no need for any alarm or a confession? So, temptation can come to you, but at its birth as sin, you are cleansed & thus remaining sinless. Therefore, you would have nothing to do, as the Blood's efficacy is constantly at work in your life to keep you spotless. I'm sorry that I'm trying to dig deep here, since you have rebuffed others on other grounds, when we might not actually be coming to grips with your understanding of the Cross.

Hi Rich,

My pastor said that the most important thing to bear in mind is that scripture interprets scripture and that the context is important too. He said that the scripture's that I showed him are often misunderstood, and don't mean what I think they mean. He said that salvation cannot be lost, just like God's promises cannot be broken. I think the fact that I have not been baptised yet and that I am the only Christian in my family is also adding to my uncertainty. It says in

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

I think the fact that nobody from my church believes that that the spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues are for all Christians, and that those gifts were only for Jesus disciples. The church that I went to previously had a number of people that speak in tongues, so because I disagree with that, I just feel unsure if he is wrong about these scriptures too.

Also, I am sure that I have read that we can no longer sin once we have been saved, yet I have used curse words a few times and taken the name of the Lord are God in vain since becoming a Christian mostly in my head, but also out loud on a few occasions.

I've found good Bibles at Goodwill or Walmart. Try to get a King James Version or a NIV or NKJV.

The world is experiencing many of the SIGNS mentioned in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Fires, earthquakes, economy collapse, riots and wars; pandemics. You have a wise child.

Time of the end

Luke 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

Luke 21:20 When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies (I.e. Syria, Iran, Russia, China) you will know that its desolation is near.

Luke 21:24-28 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the TIMES Of The Gentiles ARE FULFILLED

25 "There will be SIGNS in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.

26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your REDEMPTION is drawing near.

32 "Truly I tell you, THIS GENERATION will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but MY WORDS will never pass away.

34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.

35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.

36 Be always on the WATCH and PRAY that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man (Jesus). Be born again now. John 3, John 3:16

Mishael

There are four types of love (in Greek) given in the Bible which is more useful than the single word we have in English.

a. Agape: this is the highest form of love that one can give or receive; it implies an everlasting, sacrificial love. 1 John 3:16, 4:8, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 are few examples.

b. Storge: the love that shows familial deep care & concern between members of a family. Obviously, agape can also be experienced in families, but storge is that general love that family care & devotion applies to. Storge is not a word seen in Scripture, though its opposite is seen, e.g. Romans 1:31 "astorgous" & 2 Timothy 3:3.

c. Phileo: the love, warmth & affinity shared by close friends. John 11:36, Romans 12:10.

d. Eros: a romantic, sexual love, made especially lovely within marriage. This word is not used in Scripture, though implied in the reading of Song of Solomon & warnings of unrestrained love (porneia) going beyond the bounds of morality.

Hi Claire,

I think the reason some say baptism is encouraged, but not 'required' is verses like John 3:16.

However, in my opinion, that's only part of the picture; there's so many other verses to consider like Acts 2:38.

You already read the scriptures, you already want to do it, and you absolutely should. So, please do it, despite the pastors opinion. Since churches that normally would do this probably do this on a limited basis during the virus, if you don't want to wait any longer, all you need is another person, such as a pastor or minister, to baptize you. You could get permission to be baptized with a church's facilities on another day, or you could do it in a lake, pool, or hot-tub or any number of places that are just as valid. The key is that you know what it symbolizes and its helpful to read the scriptures beforehand so you know exactly what it means.

May God bless you and congratulations on your decision!

Understanding our relationship to God seems impossible when we consider the omniscience of the almighty! With this in mind ,we hear Christ words "abide in me", this reason, for the sin that separates us, keeps us from Him! Sin is baggage , a detour before and behind us, moving us in directions that are outside His will for us! Like nature from the day we are born, we are dying all the time! "Heaven and earth shall pass away, my words shall remain forever." Seasons change, but return renewed again, only to start their work again. Christ tells us to abide in His vine, bringing forth fruit. That without Him we will be gathered as dead branches and thrown into the fire. This fruit he speaks of is His righteousness, given to us through faith found perfect in His nature! If we are to grow and enter into his kingdom, we cannot see the kingdom, or hear it without Him! When you except Him and start living in Him, you will see what he has in store for you! Eternal life! A kingdom without end! Given to us, because of His love for the world! ( John 3:16.)

Comments by Alex about being bornagain of an incorruptible seed EVEN BY THE WORD OF GOD that heavenly bloodline of Christ as we have borne the image of the earthly (our adamic nature ) we must also bear the image of the heavenly ( the nature of CHRIST ) THAT Promise seed a new innerman which is the H.G.( THIS IS REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY BY BEING BORNAGAIN WE REPLACE OUR OLD MAN by that new heart and new spirit the H.G. Not circumcision nor uncircumcision but a new creature which is the H.G. new to us but old to God as Jesus said they will bring forth things out of their hearts new and old.When Jesus told Nic. a jew he had to be bornagain inorder to enter the kingdom thats replacement theology we replace the old man with a newman.Our old man was in rank with satan.Paul was preaching replacement theology when he said its not i that live but but Christ that lives with in me,Saul was replaced but Paul. Just as the old covenant was replaced by the new covenant.If perfection came under the levitical Priesthood what was the need for another priesthood after the order of Melchizedek this was replacement theology. There was none righteous no not one thus the need for a new covenant by the blood of CHRIST.Jesus said outa of the hearts of MAN proceeds all manner of evil, thus the need for a new covenant. what Jesus did at calvary is gona make us all replacement,The H.G. is our replacement, our new innerman which is Christ in us the hope of glory,But Jesus does not do away with the Jewish ppl as all men will be washed in his blood, we will all be bornagain as Jeremiah saw all men in travail and birth pains in the end at the lake of fire which is his baptism of fire that all men will go thru. Who shall abide the day of his coming, Who shall stand when he appears for he shall be as a refiners fire and fullers soap,He is asking a question (WHO) impling WHO WILL ESCAPE THE LAKE OF FIRE,The wraft of the lamb, th blood WHO? implies nobody is gona escape the blood of the lamb.2 ND ADAM.

Bronson, You do not go to hell for not perfectly living up to God's standard, in fact, you cannot. It is only by faith in Jesus Christ and His death and ressurection for your sin, that saves you. John 3:16-18,36. Romans Chapters 4 and 5. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. May He provide understanding and help to you in this matter.

Jesus is referring to the earth when it is restored back to the paradise that God always meant it to be. At Matt 6:10, n our model prayer it says "Let ur Kingdom come, Let ur will b done, as n heaven also on earth. He couldnt have meant heaven cuz at John 3:5 Jesus said unless anyone is born from water n spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And he couldnt have meant that literal day, Jesus was n the tomb for 3 days n didnt actually go to heaven till 40 some days later

Lynn, the Holy Spirit has graced you with spiritual knowledge, may the Spirit grace us with his words. I John 3:8-9 He that committeth sin is (the child) of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning: for this purpose the Son of Man was manifested, that he might destroy the works (unbelief) of the devil. (vs) 9 Whosoever is born (of the Spirit) of God doth not commit sin (live in unbelief); for his seed (Holy Spirit) remaineth in him and he cannot sin (live in unbelief), because he is born (of the Spirit) of God. Philippians 2:5-6 Let this mind be in you, which was also in the mind of Christ Jesus: (vs) 6 Who (Christ), being in the form (image) of (the Spirit of) God, thought it not robbery to be equal with (the Spirit of) God (does God sin). John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had healed on the sabbath, but said that (the Spirit of) God was his Father (who is your Father), making him equal with (the Spirit of) God (does God live in unbelief). Amos 4:13 He that formeth the mountains, and created the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought....... Psalms 92:4-6 For thou Lord, has made me glad through thy works: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. (vs) 5 O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. (vs) 6 A brutish man (beast) knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

Hello Adam,

I never make assumptions about anyone or the Bible.. I read and hear the words that are spoken and know by the words I hear how that person stands with God.

I would recommend you checking out 1 John 3:4 thru 10. Hopefully I spelled that right.

Then let me know if you still believe it's possible for folks that live their lives alive In Christ to be free from sin or not.

You're wording made no sense at all. When I say I am free from sin that does not give me liberty at all to sin. It simply means that sin no longer applies to me. I don't believe sin applies to anyone unless they believe it does.

Sin means one believes they have done something wrong in the eyes of God and must do something in order to regain God's favor.

I know everything I do at all times is exactly what God wants me to do and has me doing. I know everyone is doing exactly what God wants them to do and has them doing at all times. Most people have no understanding at all of how God rules all His creation.

However, Paul did clue us in when he spoke the words in Ephesians 4:6. I'll just let you look it up in case it doesn't print out for me.

As it stands now it's clear to me that your belief regarding what sin actually is, is not the truth according to how God has defined sin.

The problem I see is, when one has no understanding of what Jesus accomplished at the cross, it shows they are worshiping a false god and that false god is usually their religion.

I already followed Jesus straight to the cross and the old me died there with him. Then the new me was resurrected alive In Christ free from sin.

If you are still "following" Jesus, you haven't quite got to the finishing end of it. I agree it's a serious situation that all hangs on what one believes.

Have a great day. Lynn

You have to use all letters in the SEARCH boxes.

Scriptures will show a link and print, but it has to look like this: John 3:16

Or, 1 John 1:9

Any extra spaces or commas and it will not print a link.

Your right: no links from other websites.

You can mention the name but that's all.

Hope this helps :)

How to become a follower of Jesus Christ (Christian)

If you feel compelled to take your first step towards God, you can do that right now wherever you are.

1. Acknowledge the Problem: We have all sinned, and that sin separates us from God

No matter how good you think you are, no matter how many good things you try to do, it is still not good enough to get into heaven; it can't be earned but is a gift.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23

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

"And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these evil things come from within, and defile the man." Mark 7:20-23

2. Discover the Solution: Jesus

The only way for God to bridge the gap between Himself and us is through His Son, Jesus Christ. His death was a substitute for us; He paid the penalty for our sins.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." I Peter 3:18

"Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

3. Respond: Believe, Repent, Confess, Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior

To be saved, we must believe that Jesus is Lord and believe that He died for our sins. This confession acknowledges before God that we are unable to attain righteousness on our own and that we accept His plan for our lives.

Luke 17:34 - Careful study suggests that the faithfull will be with our Lord Jesus on His return. Others will be perished as like in the age of Noah and Lot. The disciples asks where he one shall be taken? The taken shall be perished and eagles will feast on their dead bodies. Revelation 19:21- And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. For our Lord death is a sleep only. John 11:11 - These things said He :and after that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth: but I go, that I may awake him. In reality , Lazarus was dead. Thus the death of an unfaithful is a permanent departure from Him.Still it is a sleep. The unfaithfull will be judged after millennium. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that love not his brother abideth in death. John 3:14.

On MARK 2:21

By nature every person is born in sin through the sinful seed of their natural fathers and conditioned therein ( 1 Peter 1:23). For that reason and in order to become a son of God, which are born of God, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, a person must be 'Born Again' ( John 1:12,13; 3:3-7; 1 John 3:9; 5:4).

God is the judge over His Church and teaches us that you must be 'Born Again'. No believer and follower of the true Christ has ever made a claim that they are 'Born Again'. That is judging oneself and falsehood, as in truth they follow after an image of a false god and a false Christ ( Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22; Gal. 4:8; Rev. 12:9). This is how Satan has transformed Himself into an angel of light ( 2 Cor. 11:13-15).

Only through 'True Repentance' will God be able to reveal Himself, and adopt you as His sons and daughters ( Rom. 8:15,23; 2 Cor.6:18; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; Hebr. 12:5; 1 John 3:1).

The word 'Repent' means a lot more than what people by nature have been conditioned to believe. It is the key principle of all the teachings of Jesus Christ and the axiom (basis) of the Word of God and a prerequisite and primary requirement for the salvation of mankind. It actually means the changing of spirits - to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God ( Acts 26:18).

For a better understanding and the 'spiritual truth' of what it means to repent, and learn how and by whom mankind has been deceived ( Rev. 12:9), and what people must do to be reunited with the true and living God, we invite you to seek Him according to the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive ( John 14:17).

You need not that any man teach you ( Isaiah 54:13; 6:45; 1 John 2:27), It is only by revelation of God that you will come to know Christ ( Daniel 12:4,9; Amos 3:7; Matthew 16:17; Luke 2:26; Romans 16:25; 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:16; Eph. 3:3,5; Rev. 1:1). It is a narrow way that leadeth unto 'Life', and few there be that find it.

Only after the Ethiopian was saved by faith in Jesusu Christ in verse 37 was he allowed to be baptized. Salvation is saved by Grace through faith in what Jesus did by shedding His perfect, holy blood on the cross for the sins of mankind. People in the Old Testament were saved the same way the only difference is that they believed God would send a Savior. We are saved by faith by believing that the Father has already sent the Savior, baptism is a picture of our faith representative of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Baptism has nothing to do with Salvation. The Bible clearly states in Romans that "whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." No baptism mentioned or required. Also when Phillip was lead of the Spirit to Gaza to meet the unich has in Acts chapter 8.

" And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."

Hello Jackie, Do you mean Adam & Eve? If, so they were never saved. They physically died as sinners and they were spiritually dead, out of favor with God, all the days of their lives. God chose the people that He wanted to communicate with in those times.

No, they, A&E did not eat from the Tree of Life. No one got to eat from the Tree of Life until they passed thru the cross, meaning until they believed Jesus died for their sins and the sins of all mankind.

For ex: I know that no one is a sinner unless they have been taught to believe that is what they are.



1John 3:4-9 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Have a great day, Joy to You. Lynn :)

I have thought the same thing. For God so loved the world he gave his only Son and whosoever believes in him shall not parish but have ever lasting life and the way I see it is that if you are a true believer then you will want to obey Gods Commandments and everything else just falls into place or at least it does for me. Amen

On HOMOSEXUALITY, SAN FRANCISCO AND GOD"S JUDGMENT

A Gallup pole of the 50 largest Metropolitan area's in the U.S. found that 6.2% of San Franciscans identify as LGBT; which is 2.6% higher than the national average. The survey was conducted between June 2012 and December 2014. The question now is: Would God be able to locate 10 people that are righteous in His eyes ( Gen. 18:32)? We are afraid not, and please remember: he that is 'spiritual' judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man ( 1 Cor. 2:15).

We have served the true and living God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob since 1984 and during those days have learned that this whole world has been deceived ( Rev. 12:9), and that it is a narrow road that leadeth unto 'Life' and few there be that find it ( Matthew 7:14). Also, that mankind prefers darkness over light ( John 3:19), as they serve after an image of a false god and a false Christ ( Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22; Gal. 4:8; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Rev. 12:9).

It should be remembered that God's judgment will always prevail and therefore our message remains the same: Ye must Repent.

You can learn more about our Ministry in Christ by Googling our 'Names' or the article "False Apostles and False Christs' or 'A World Deceived'. There is also a 'Contact' page for further communication. We invite you to review the 'Letter of Introduction' posted on the 'Introduction' page of the website. It highlights some of our work. Please note that our website was visited last year by people from over 160 countries. There are a total of 193 countries throughout the world plus the Vatican and Palestine that are listed as observer states.

It should be noted that in over 36 years of service we have never collected/received, solicited or requested donations. The gift of 'Life' was freely given and freely do we give to all those that believe ( 2 Kings 5:16; Matthew 6:26; 10:8).

Seek, and ye shall find ( Matthew 7:7).

In His Service.

Andy & Dianne van den Berg - Nova Scotia, Canada

a fabrication? No, In fact I think this verus is the most important in the whole bible.

It is necessary for an individual to be born again to enter God's Kingdom, it takes a gracious and miraculous act-completely on God's part-to close the gap between Him and those He calls ( John 6:44).God graciously gives life by His Spirit. Paul writes, "For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.' So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" ( Romans 9:15-16).

Jesus proclaimed to Nicodemus that one must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Since Adam and Eve, mankind has been cut off from God. The design of the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the worship system under the Old Covenant pictures God as distant and virtually unapproachable. Man in his natural condition, having a carnal mind and dead in his sin, is certainly shown as away from God. Though it is necessary for an individual to be born again to enter God's Kingdom, it takes a gracious and miraculous act-completely on God's part-to close the gap between Him and those He calls ( John 6:44).

No one can arbitrarily volunteer for entry and be accepted; a person cannot cause himself to be born again. Flesh does not produce redemption. Unless one is born of the Holy Spirit, whatever one does in the flesh will not make him spiritual in the biblical sense. The Bible shows that the natural mind of man is at war against God and that it is not subject to God's law and cannot be ( Romans 8:7), expressing the harsh reality of the carnal heart of mankind.

When Paul writes that the unconverted are dead in trespasses and sin, he means exactly that. Regardless of how sincere or religious they might be, such people are lifeless in terms of true spiritual life that is given by God. They are part of the old, natural creation and are spiritually lifeless unless and until-and completely at His discretion-God graciously gives life by His Spirit. Paul writes, "For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.' So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy".

Jesus proclaimed to Nicodemus that one must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Since Adam and Eve, mankind has been cut off from God. The design of the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the worship system under the Old Covenant pictures God as distant and virtually unapproachable. Man in his natural condition, having a carnal mind and dead in his sin, is certainly shown as away from God. Though it is necessary for an individual to be born again to enter God's Kingdom, it takes a gracious and miraculous act-completely on God's part-to close the gap between Him and those He calls ( John 6:44).No one can arbitrarily volunteer for entry and be accepted; a person cannot cause himself to be born again. Flesh does not produce redemption. Unless one is born of the Holy Spirit, whatever one does in the flesh will not make him spiritual in the biblical sense. The Bible shows that the natural mind of man is at war against God and that it is not subject to God's law and cannot be ( Romans 8:7), expressing the harsh reality of the carnal heart of mankind.When Paul writes that the unconverted are dead in trespasses and sin, he means exactly that. Regardless of how sincere or religious they might be, such people are lifeless in terms of true spiritual life that is given by God. They are part of the old, natural creation and are spiritually lifeless unless and until-and completely at His discretion-God graciously gives life by His Spirit. Paul writes, "For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.' So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" ( Romans 9:15-16).

On 2 THESS. 2:3

The Word of God is God ( John 1:1) and not for any private interpretation ( 2 Peter 1:20). If it records in Rev. 12:9 that this whole world has been deceived, it did not speak of a particular country, group of people, person or religion, it meant the whole world.

For a better understanding and the 'spiritual truth' what it means to repent, and learn how and by whom ( 2 Cor. 11:13-15) this whole world has been deceived and what mankind must do to be reunited with the true and living God, we invite you to seek Him according to the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive ( Matthew 7:7; John 14:17).

The word 'Repent' in different forms (repent, repentance, repented, repentest, repenteth, repenting), is mentioned 110 times in the KJV, and there seems to be a great misconception what the true 'spiritual' meaning of the word is. The word 'repent' used in the New Testament was translated from the Greek word "metanoeo", and means to change, transform, to think differently or reconsider.

Only through Repentance will God be able to reveal Himself, and adopt you as His sons and daughters ( Rom. 8:15,23; 2 Cor.6:18; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; Hebr. 12:5; 1 John 3:1) and reveal to you how this whole world has been deceived ( Rev. 12:9) and overcome this world ( 1 John 5:4).

The word 'Repent' means a lot more than what people by nature have been conditioned to believe. It is the key principle of all the teachings of Jesus Christ and the axiom (basis) of the Word of God and a prerequisite and primary requirement for the salvation of mankind. It means the changing of spirits - to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God ( Acts 26:18).

It is only by revelation of God that people will come to know the true Christ ( Daniel 12:4,9; Amos 3:7; Matthew 16:17; Luke 2:26; Romans 16:25; 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:16; Eph. 3:3,5; Rev. 1:1). It should be remembered that it is a narrow way that leadeth unto 'Life', and few there be that find it ( Matthew 7:14).

To ADAM

Must have been too busy and corrected a few typos. Sorry about that!

He that committeth sin of the devil; for the devil (your natural spirit) sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:8,9).

The following is an excerpt from the Article 'What is Sin of the book 'A World Deceived'.

'Sin is not just an act such as prostitution , alcoholism, adultery or a drug addiction, as the spirit of this world has made you believe but is the fruit of every man, woman and child ( Romans 3:9; Galatians 3:22).

For the purpose of this article and to give mankind a better understanding of the title of this article, we would like to add the words 'abortion' and 'homosexuality' as another act.

Sin is often referred to in the Bible in the same context as Satan, and his servants are therefore also described as the servants of sin ( John 8:34). Sin is the natural state a person is born in and his/her whole being is sinful. It is the fruit of the natural body.

As such, every person is separated from the true and living God and under the power of Satan. Religion or any form of Baptism does not change that and is a form of self-transformation of the natural body. This is how Satan has transformed himself into an angel of light ( 2 Corinthians 11:14).

He (Christ) also informed them that they were not of God ( John 8:43-47). Remember now that they truly thought that they knew God and that they worshipped him in truth, but when He dwelt amongst them they crucified Him, as they could not believe His message of repentance ( 1 Corinthians 2:14) and did not like it that He convinced them that they were sinners and that they lived under the power of sin (Satan).

Seek, and ye shall find ( Matthew 7:7).

In His Service.

Andy & Dianne van den Berg - Nova Scotia, Canada