This is a wonderful example of the love of the Almighty God and his Son Jesus Christ, the power of the resurrection gives hope. Romans 6:23 states "For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord." Since we are all born in sin due to Adam and Eve's disobedience to God, we all must die, but Jesus tells us there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous, a second chance to learn about our Almighty God and His loving Son, Jesus. We have the power of free will a wonderful gift to either be obedient to Gods commands and principles or as Adam and Eve did, continue to be disobedient to God's law and God's new covenant put in place by Jesus Christ. When Christ comes with his mighty angels and defeats Satan and his demons at Armageddon; the wicked will also be destroyed never to rise again and we can all see the prophecy of Psalm 37:9-11; 21-22; 28-29; Psalms 115:16; Isaiah 45:18; Revelation 4:5 will be realized because all the wicked will be destroyed from the face of the earth and His will will have been done on earth as in Heaven. The great crowd of which no man would be able to number of all tribes, nations, peoples and tongues will be living in peace, harmony and unity, throughout paradise earth under Almighty God's theocratic government - His Heavenly Kingdom. Gods name Jehovah will be vindicated; his Son rules as King of Jehovah's Kingdom with his 144,000 co-rulers as mentioned at Rev. 20:6: “Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.” The scripture at Revelation 20:6 indicates two classes: the rulers, and those ruled. Regardless of the class to which you hope to belong, obedience and faithfulness toward the truth are constant requirements. The prospective members of the royal priesthood need to keep their vision clear and their hope bright, and completely do the will of God. Those hoping for everlasting life on earth in the theocratic new world are eager to learn of the requirements and faithfulness of the royal body of priests that is to rule for the thousand years, and learn to be faithful. Those of the anointed are happy to learn of Jehovah’s purpose to bless and give life to millions of humans. So also those who look forward to living on earth forever will be happy to know about the royal priesthood, to which they will be subject.
3 Jehovah’s purpose to have a kingdom of priests was expressed to his typical people Israel at Mount Sinai. Moses was inspired to inform them: “Now if you will strictly obey my voice and will indeed keep my covenant, then you will certainly become my special property out of all other peoples, because the whole earth belongs to me. And you yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” ( Ex. 19:5, 6, NW) Israel was to be a sacred kingdom under Jehovah, a real theocracy, a royal nation, living under the rules and rites of the Most High. The word “kingdom” as used in this verse has the meaning of royalty, dynasty, sovereignty. It meant that Jehovah purposed a royal, priestly race, a dynasty of priests, each member having the qualifications and attributes of kings and priests. Typically Israel was the kingdom of Jehovah, but they were unfaithful and disobedient. Later, when Jehovah sent his Son, Christ Jesus, the Kingdom heir, to them, they rejected him, the Stone of Zion. This typical house of Israel had lost sight of the purpose of Jehovah, and was building in opposition to God’s will. Jesus said to them: “‘The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. From Jehovah this has come to pass and it is marvelous in our eyes.’ This is why I say to you, The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.”— Matt. 21:42, 43. THIS IS GOOD NEWS TO THE NATIONS (GENTILES) Jehovah’s rejection of the nation of Israel and taking the Kingdom from them opened the door for people of the nations (Gentiles) to have the great privilege of becoming a part of the priestly nation. Cornelius of the uncircumcised Gentiles was the first, and Peter said when visiting him: “‘You well know how unlawful it is for a Jew to join himself to or approach a man of another race; and yet God has shown me I should call no man defiled or unclean.’ . . . ‘For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.’” ( Acts 10:28-35) Paul was commissioned to go to the nations, as Jesus said of him: “This man is a chosen vessel to me to bear my name to the nations as well as to kings and the sons of Israel.” Again, to the Jews, “Paul and Barnabas said: ‘It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to you. Since you are thrusting it away from you and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, look! we turn to the nations. In fact, Jehovah has laid commandment upon us in these words, “I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the most distant part of the earth.”’”— Acts 9:15; 13:46, 47.
Only those translations that are saying "remission" of sins are correct to the original Greek which is the word "Aphesis". Remission & forgiveness are not the same. But above all, The Name Of The Lord JESUS Christ must be spoken, & both the baptizer & the one receiving the baptism must be qualified for it. The one must be an apostolic minister or anyone who has already been baptized in the Name of the Lord, & the one who goes through the baptism, to be taught prior to it, the importance & the revelation of the Name, & have full faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Below is a good article:
THE BIG
MISTAKE
This message is no doubt one of the most important messages you will ever read. It concerns a
commandment that was given by our Lord Jesus Christ, which is being carried out incorrectly by
nearly every church that is professing Christianity. This statement is true, even though the
command is plain and easy to understand. I am referring to the clear teaching of water baptism.
The various religions of this world baptize people with water 635 different ways. In the realm of
nominal Christianity, people are baptized primarily one way; this way omits the use of any name
at all. Thus, Satan with his crafty devices has seen to it that almost everyone who has been
baptized has been baptized wrong!
In the denominations of nominal Christianity, the Scripture verse of Matthew 28:19 is misused in
a very clever way. Matthew 28:19 reads as follows: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” We must bear
in mind that when this command was given, no actual baptism was happening at the time. A
command was given, and God intended that it be carried out, not just repeated. Countless
thousands of ministers repeat the exact words of the command without ever doing what the
command says to do. Jesus specifically ordered that we are to be baptized in the NAME
(singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost! In order to find out what that name
is, we simply look in the Bible at incidents of water baptism after Calvary as administered by the
apostles of Jesus Christ. We will find that there is not one incident ever where anyone was
actually baptized using the words, “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” It was always done in the
saving name of Jesus, which fulfills the command to use the singular name. When we say the
words, “I baptize you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,” we are in full obedience of Matthew
28:19. Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s name….” ( John 5:43). The angel of the Lord said
to Joseph regarding Mary, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:
for he shall save his people from their sins” ( Matthew 1:21). In John 16:7, Jesus said He would
send the Holy Ghost. It all happens in the name of Jesus!
We will now look at actual events of baptism to see exactly how it was done by the Apostles of
Jesus Christ. In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we will begin with chapter 2 where many
people who were listening to Peter were convicted of their sins and were looking for the remedy
to the problem. In Acts 2:37-39 we read as follows: “Now when they heard this, they were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do? 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.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call.” As we can see, the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not even
alluded to by Peter as he answered their question, because the Apostles understood full-well that
Jesus commanded his saving name to be used to fulfill Matthew 28:19. Were the Apostles
correct in this matter? In Acts 2:41 we read the following: “Then they that gladly received his
word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Another example of an actual baptism is found in Acts 8:14-16 as follows: “Now when the
apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent
unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.)
Yet another example showing how the singular name of the Lord Jesus Christ was being used in
water baptism is found in Acts 10:47-48, which tells us, “Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded
them to be baptized in the name of the Lord….” In this example, we must also note that water
baptism was not simply suggested, but it was commanded! This is consistent with the very words
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, when he commanded in Mark 16:15-16, “….Go ye into all
the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
One question that frequently arises regarding water baptism is whether or not a person should be
rebaptized if they had not previously been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. In Acts 19:3-5
that question is answered, and the matter is settled. The Apostle Paul met with some people who
had been disciples of John the Baptist and were baptized by him. We know that when John
baptized, no name was used, but it was simply done unto repentance, opening the way for people
to receive Jesus, the Lamb of God. After Jesus shed his blood on the cross, the saving name was
required in baptism. Even those who had received the valid baptism of John needed to be
rebaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. That is why we read of this in Acts 19:3-5 as follows:
“And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that
they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they
heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
At this point I must also point out that the word baptize, comes from a Greek word that means to
make fully whelmed, which means to put completely under the water. It was the Roman Catholic
religion that started baptizing by sprinkling and pouring during the time of the building of St.
Peter’s Basilica. Because they charged money for baptizing, they began to baptize infants,
because they needed the money.
We must also remember that the Bible tells us that we are not to be baptized into a church, but
rather into Christ! Romans 6:3-4 tells us in no uncertain terms the following: “Know ye not, that
so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
When we consider the subject of water baptism, it is essential that we remember that it is in the
Gospel! In I Corinthians 15:1-4, the Gospel is clearly defined as the death, burial, and
resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Thus, our repentance is the death of our old sinful self; baptism
with water in the name of our Saviour, Jesus, is our burial; and receiving the Holy Ghost is our
first resurrection unto a new life. The resurrection of all people at Judgment Day is the final
resurrection from the earthly graves. We cannot ignore any part of the Gospel, or we have
ignored the whole Gospel.
So much more could be said about this subject, and we can learn so much by reading our Bibles
rather than reading catechisms and other church books, which contain doctrines of men. The
points we must remember are: 1. Baptism is commanded. 2. Baptism must be by immersion. 3.
Baptism must be done using the name of Jesus. 4. Baptism must be done once the Gospel is
understood. Babies are not to be baptized.
It is a sad fact that nearly everyone that has been baptized in these last days has accomplished
nothing more than getting wet. It is a problem that can be easily corrected. Acts 4:12 will meet
all of humanity on Judgment Day, and it should be heeded now, while there is still a little time.
That powerful verse still echoes down the corridor of time with these words, “Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved.”
Pastor David J. Meyer
Last Trumpet Ministries International
The scripture says that we are delivered from the power of darkness, not darkness itself. As one is able to overcome the power of gravity,yet are we not free from gravity itself. I believe this verse refers to the reign of sin and death ( romans 5:21) and the release from the power of sin ( romans 6:14).
I feel put into a double bind because my errors already have consequences on earth, and then my doubts cause me trouble in heaven. I only have the choice of submitting to God's will, or reject it.
@ Anonymous: In the bible there are verses that support the baptism of water for remission of sins, for example: Mark 1:4: "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the BAPTISM of repentance for the remission of sins". But this does not mean that you were headed to the kingdom of God; there is a little bit more to that. You asked what is the procedure to enter the Kingdom of God:
1: Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the BAPTISM of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
2: Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by BAPTISM into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
3: Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And summing it all up for us to understand clearly: John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
So Baptism of water is needed for remission of our sins and the baptism of spirit is needed for the faith in the operation of God. In other words your sins has to be "washed" away and professed publicly (baptism of water) and the baptism of spirit has to change your lifestyle into one of Faith in God (Baptism of spirit).
I hope herewith to have answered your question as to the meaning and function of baptism in water and what the procedure is to get into the kingdom of heaven.
Bless the lord o my soul and all that's within bless his Holy name JESUS.THE WORD OF GOD IS POWERFUL,ALIVE! IF BELEIVE IN OUR HEART,CONFESS WITH OUR MOUTH JESUS DIED FOR THE WORLD, YOU AND I AND HE RISED THE THIRD DAY.REPENT FOR THE REMISSION OF YOUR SINS,GO IN THE UPPER ROOM AND TARRY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE POWER FROM UP HIGH,WHICH IS THE COMFORTER GOD'S SPIRIT,LIVING WATERS,TEACHER,LEADER,AND GUIDER INTO ALL TRUTH THE HOLY GHOST.BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS WE CAN BECOME DOERS OF THE WORD OF GOD AND NOT ONLY HEARERS.ONLY THE DOERS ARE BLESSED BECAUSE WE BECOME DECEIVERS TO OURSELVES AND THOSE AROUND US WON'T ENTER IN AND STANDING IN THE SINNER WAY.LET THE REDEM OF THE LORD SAY SO.AMEN! AMEN! PRAISE THE LORD FOR HE IS WORTHY OF ALL PRAISES HONOR GLORY AND MAGESTY.THE WORD IS FOR OUR LEARNING HOW TO SUBMIT TO GOD RESIST THE DEVIL AND WILL FLEE; OBEY THE WORD OF GOD AND YOU WILL BE ROMANS THE6 CHAPTER TP THOSE AROUND US.PRAISE THE LORD EVERY BODY.MAY GOD POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT ON EVERY ONE THAT READ THIS.HE THAT HAVE EAR HEAR WHAT SPIRIT SAY UNTO THE CHURCHES.
To answer the anonymous person, I'm sorry I did not answer your question. Here is some scriptures that maybe helpful to you. Matt 3:7,20:33-23,21:25. Mark 10:38-39, 11:13. Luke 3:3, John 3:1-7, Romans 6:4, Eph 4:5, Colossians 2:12, 1peter 3:21 Jesus gave commission and we must obey, alot of scriptures are very easily to understand if you pray and ask God to give you knowledge from above as I ask he gives me the word with knowledge. God Bless!!
Not my verses, God's Word. It does not matter what I think. It matters what He says. Romans 5:8, Eph. 2:8-9, Romans 5:1. Someone may say "then just accept Christ and do whatever you want. God cannot be decieved. He sees our hearts and our motives. Romans 6:1. Works are what we do for Him because we love him. His baseline expection for me: Rom 12:1-2 Of course it is more complex than that... But for salvation we need to come simply, as a child... with childlike faith.
Baptism it is not a symbol. Why? Because it doth now save us . This is why we cannot do away with it. It is also a burial, not a sprinkling, or pouring of water over one’s head. Why? Because Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12 Speaks of Baptism as a Burial ( Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.) ( Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.) I just want to stop right here for a minute. Here is where most get it twisted. The operation Of God is Baptism, we are risen with him through the faith of that operation---(Baptism) A real life view—If you go to a cemetery to bury someone, you just don’t sprinkle soil on top of them, nor do you pour a pitcher of water over their heads, that is just not a BURIAL! Now for the question of who should be baptized? The scripture plainly states: in Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. I want to shorten this you can ask me for scripture / or look them yourself. This is God’s mandate for baptism. One must hear the word of God, believe the word of God, repent of sins, confesses Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and thence forth be baptized. Question can a baby do any of that? I must leave now feel free to get back to me on that.
As helpless on our own as we are,we would be lost forever but because of His grace,we are clothed in His rightiousness. For this reason again,it is possible to attain the very rightiousness of Jesus.
Greetings everyone in the Name of Jesus Christ! In Matthew 28:19 our Lord gave the command to the disciples to go baptize in the Name (of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). To find out how this commandment was carried out, we must search the book of Acts. On the day of Pentcost, Acts 2:37 Baptism was in the Name Of JESUS. This was preached by the Apostle Peter. Acts 8:12-17 the Church at Samaria was established and they were baptised in the Name of Jesus by Philip, another of Christ's diciples. The Church at Caesarea, Acts 10:44-48, baptism was also preformed by Peter in the Name of the Lord, which is Jesus. The Church of Philippi, Acts l6:14,15,also verses 25-34; as also the Church of the Ephesians were baptized by Paul in the Name of Jesus. Acts 18:1-11, Acts 19:1-7Romans 6:3, Acts 22:16 are also examples. Even those that were baptized by John the Baptist, after they received instruction by Apostle Paul were RE-baptized in the Name of Jesus. Now I ask you to answer this question-- Did the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus defy His command to be baptized IN THE NAME of the father,son,and Holy Ghost or were they carrying out His instructions knowing there is only ONE NAME given under heaven whereby ye must be saved? Allow Jesus to take the blinder off your mind and receive this wonderful truth: Jesus is the Name of God (father,son, Holy Ghost) He is the Word made flesh. No more than you can separate your word from who you are, Neither can the ONE GOD separate Himself into three separate Gods. It is One God in three offices---Father, Son, Holy Ghost...OH PRAISE THAT SAVING NAME WHICH REVEALED BY THE ANGEL !!! Read Isaiah 9:6--The prophecy of His Name. GOD CAME WRAPPED IN A NAME IN BETHLEHEM. May the Lord reveal His Truth to you.
When Jesus sets you free, you're free indeed.
Praise our Lord Jesus Christ. Give God the praise
he deserves, now. It's his master plan before the foundation of the world. He is our Alpha and Omega. Praise the Lord. God Bless everyone.
I just Thank God for the word.... We do not have to life in sin knowing that God has paid the price for us. The of sin (is) death and the gifts of God is eternal life...That within itself is something for me to shout about. Amen, Amen and Amen. To God be the the Glory. Pray my strenght saints of God. Love you all!
Dear Dan, The ones that Christ referred to pertaining to the dead 'HEARING' His voice, were those that had died IN FAITH in God's Word, thus promises, pertaining to that which was to come, prior to Christ coming into the world in the form of a man; in the likeness of sinful flesh, to die for the sins of mankind. All those that had died prior to His coming, who HEARD God's Word; words, in the way that means to BELIEVE God's Word; to thus have faith in God's Word, are all those who's souls went down into the midst of the earth, not into Hell, but nevertheless in a particular grave site, where death held them hostage, as they waited for the prophesied; foretold, coming Messiah; Saviour. As, the Lord had promised them, saying:
Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with MY DEAD BODY shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste DEATH FOR EVERY MAN.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Acs 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
After Christ came OUT of that fleshly body; the form of a man; the likeness of sinful flesh, He THEN went to the part of the midst of the earth that is Hell, and TOOK AWAY from Satan the KEYS of Hell and Death!
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
THEN He want to another part of the midst of the earth where all those souls that had BELIEVED God; believed the Word of God preached to them, and had thus died in faith, looking forward to the coming Saviour; Redeemer; Messiah, slept; rested, waiting for Him to come. And He took them, who were all held CAPTIVE by death, in the grave, all CAPTIVE UNTO HIMSELF, and AROSE, with them, they with HIM, from the dead:
As prophesied in the Old Testament:
Ezekiel 37:13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
He FULFILLED that prophesy in the New Testament, upon rising from the dead:
Matthew 27:50 Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And THE GRAVES WERE OPENED; and many bodies of the saints which slept AROSE,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led CAPTIVITY captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Since our Saviour; Redeemer; Messiah, is come in the flesh:
John 1: 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
In response to Doug.
Check out: Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
REGARDING VERSES 8-10: The difference between those of mankind that are born of God, and those that are not, is that those that are not have not received Christ. Until they do, they CANNOT repent in the way of true repentance. This is why no one need repent IN ORDER to receive Christ, since one CANNOT until and unless one does, and this is why the gifts and the calling are WITHOUT repentance.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
As, it is the love and GOODNESS OF GOD in Christ that LEADS a man unto repentance.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the GOODNESS OF GOD leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE OF GOD, which is IN Christ Jesus our Lord.
Yet, we are still all brothers in Christ, regardless of those that have not received Him from and with their hearts so that He may be IN them. As, He died for ALL, even for those who are considered to be SINNERS as we were before we recieved Him. ROMANS 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:15 And that he DIED FOR ALL, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Also, while we that are born of God cannot commit sin, as far as WITH the 'mind of Christ,' which is God, and which we have, we CAN sin WITH THE FLESH, by yielding to sin, and thereby serving sin. ROMANS 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then WITH the MIND I myself serve the law of God; but WITH the FLESH the law of sin.
The MIND refered to is NOT the CARNAL mind, whch is FLESH:
Romans 8:7 Because the CARNAL MIND is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
But the MIND of Christ, which is SPIRIT:
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the MIND OF CHRIST.
Although we CAN sin, that NEW CREATURE we each are in Christ CANNOT. If we serve sin with our flesh, thereby LETTING sin have it's way, we are allowing our OWN WILL, instead of God's to take control. However, having the MIND of CHRIST, God HIMSELF gave us HIS WILL to resort to, meaning we can SAY NO to our own fleshly; carnal, will, and turn it back to the WILL of God:
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both TO WILL and to do of his good pleasure.
That 'TO WILL' is one of the gifts of the Spirit of God, PRAISE GOD, He has made it EASY on us:
Romans 6:12 LET NOT sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
We are GODLY because we have RECEIVED, and have continued to LOVE, Christ, DESPITE our inclination to yield to sin, and thus we REMAIN IN Him, having our sins COVERED by His BLOOD, giving us grace, and time, to repent of any sin/s we have not yet repented of, and receive the forgiveness for, the and cleansing away, of our sins the moment we repent.
It is BECAUSE we have received Christ, and ARE thus SPIRIT BEINGS; SPIRIT of God's Spirit; BORN of God, that we, despite our sins, are GODLY, and it is BECAUSE we are GODLY that we CAN, and, by God, we WILL repent of; CONFESS, our sins unto the LORD. Hear this Old Testament prophetic prayer that clarifies that the GODLY are inclined to sin, as far as to yield to it, and to HAVE SIN to admit to, and confess, unto the LORD. And as you read, take note that the GODLY are those that, DESPITE their sins, TRUST IN THE LORD, are BLESSED, RIGHTEOUS, UPRIGHT IN HEART, COMPASSED ABOUT WITH MERCY, AND SONGS OF DELIVERANCE, and HID in Christ, HID from the WRATH of God, as the blood of Christ covers our sins:
PSALMS 32:2 BLESSED is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5 I ACKNOWLEDGED my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I WILL confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For THIS shall EVERY one that is GODLY pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
7 Thou art my HIDING place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt COMPASS ME ABOUT with songs of DELIVERANCE. Selah.
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, MERCY shall COMPASS HIM ABOUT.
11 Be glad IN the LORD, and rejoice, ye RIGHTEOUS: and shout for joy, all ye that are UPRIGHT IN HEART.
NONE of this means that a born again child of God can serve sin, and refuse to repent, and still be saved in the end. God's Word warns us. God is a just God, warning the righteous to NOT forsake Him, and warning the unrighteous to turn unto Him.
In the meanwhile, prior to physically dying, which if one that received Christ dies with any sins being unrepented of, then that person had to have ceased to LOVE the righteousness of God, which is Christ Jesus. And that soul will be cut off from Him:
Colossians 1:23 If ye CONTINUE IN the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; CONTINUE IN them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
ROMANS 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou CONTINUE in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Even if we yield to sin, to, at that point NEED to repent, IN ORDER TO continue in the goodness of God, it is God's GOODNESS that, at that point, LEADS us UNTO repentance.
So, what is the problem if we serve sin, if we WILL, however eventually, repent? Well, in the meanwhile we get bombarded with lies and feelings of DOUBT that we ARE godly, righteous, blessed, etc., and we start THINKING as if we are NOT these things, and our JOY and CONFIDENCE becomes less and less. THAT is how Satan WANTS us to think and feel. But since Christ has died for our sins, Satan can NOT any longer make us his servants, and KEEP us in bondage to sin. It is NO LONGER Satan's grounds; jurisdiction; right. As, NOW, it is only WE, YOU YOUSELF, I MYSELF, that can keep us, you, me, being a servant to, in bondage to, sin, meaning we can STOP IT, REFUSE IT, by turning unto the LORD to repent, and thereby be cleansed and receive the forgiveness of God INSTANTLY, and then PROCEED to CONTINUE in obedience unto the Lord. Any time we yield to sin, the FIRST STEP before we can continue to WALK in the Lord, is down on our knees, heartfully speaking, and repent. Is NOT repenting of our sins INSTILLED in the VERY prayer that Jesus instructs us to pray DAILY?
LUKE 11:3 Give us day by day our DAILY bread.
4 And FORGIVE US OUR SINS; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
When we hate sin, and are quick to repent of it, AND read; eat and drink, the Word; WORDS, of God, the less and less we are inclined to sin, as the LOVE OF GOD perfects us more and more each day.
But, due to the danger of our continuing in sin; putting of repentance, God loves us TOO much to not deal with us here and now for our own good, not according to our sins, which the wages of is death, but in order to correct us, and keep us from the dangers of being in sin:
1 Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and CHASTEN: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without CHASTISEMENT, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
ROMANS 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed
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I will end with saying this unto all those that have received Christ; God's Word; God's RIGHTEOUSNESS, and who are therefore GODLY, RIGHTEOUS, who's righteousness is of the LORD, that, if you have sin, to date, that you have not repented of; have not acknowledged; admitted, and confessed, unto the LORD, here's the thing: You WILL. It's far better for you to not force your heavenly Father to HAVE to sorely chastise you, because He WILL if need be. And you know full well in your heart that, when it comes to where the rubber meets the road, should you be chastised of Him, you will NOT blaspheme Him as if He is unjust, or as if He does not love you (there IS no if,) but you will stand corrected, and repent of your sins before Him. So, knowing you WILL, why wait? There is no good reason to wait, and nothing but MANY good reasons to come clean NOW. Until you do, you, as far as the NEW CREATURE you are in Christ in your Innerman, has fallen asleep at the wheel so to speak, and is either in a spiritual coma, or is getting that way, and the LORD is calling you to WAKE UP! Don't you worry, if He has to SHAKE you, He will, since the longer you ignore Him, the more deaf your spiritual ears get.
And don't believe the lies of the devil telling you 'But you messed up AGAIN, and have repeately, and God's tired of hearing you repent,...'
As, first of all, if you are a MESS, you are your heavenly FATHER'S mess, and NONE of Satan's business whatsoever. You ARE upright, but it is Christ that is bearing you up. The moment you repent, it is embracing the One that holds you up.
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: NO good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he DIED FOR ALL, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
We need to accept what the word of God says,that we are dead to sin. That the old man is dead,and now we need to renew our minds so we can be conformed to the image of God and of his Christ.
Roman 6 speaks about "the old man" (the devil/sin) in us. when we dedicate our lives to Christ and total commit our to serving God, the old man will not go away. so we need to Meditate day an night, plant the words of God in our hearts
Praise the lord I can live free from sin. I do not have to live under the rule and power of sin. Cause where sin did abound grace did much more abound. It is clear there is no excuse for us to sin once GOD has come into our lives if we would just be obedient to that word.
Hey Kevin, it is plain that the scriptures are saying that homosexual behavior is sin, isn't it.
But please note that it is God speaking not a man and God does not have human frailties and phobias. As a matter of fact He does not fear anything, neither do His children. Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Now seeing that it is God that is speaking, the question is, will you repent of your sins or will you continue in your destructive life style. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
I'm so thankful we serve a merciful & forgiving God! Even though we're unworthy, He loves us. In 2 Cor.6:16b-18 & 7:1,He tells us we r the temple of living God.To stay away from sin... God calls us His sons & daughters. Thank you God my Father,for ur love, ur mercy,ur grace & ur forgiveness!!!
I think that we as sinners should the gift which God so graciously has given us to better prepare ourselves for this evil world. Also, that this gift of eternal life is the one precious gift that anyone can recieve so we as christians should take advantage of this, and not misuse this. The Lord gave his most precious Son for Us so we should be as close or closer to God for this gift.
3 Jehovah’s purpose to have a kingdom of priests was expressed to his typical people Israel at Mount Sinai. Moses was inspired to inform them: “Now if you will strictly obey my voice and will indeed keep my covenant, then you will certainly become my special property out of all other peoples, because the whole earth belongs to me. And you yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” ( Ex. 19:5, 6, NW) Israel was to be a sacred kingdom under Jehovah, a real theocracy, a royal nation, living under the rules and rites of the Most High. The word “kingdom” as used in this verse has the meaning of royalty, dynasty, sovereignty. It meant that Jehovah purposed a royal, priestly race, a dynasty of priests, each member having the qualifications and attributes of kings and priests. Typically Israel was the kingdom of Jehovah, but they were unfaithful and disobedient. Later, when Jehovah sent his Son, Christ Jesus, the Kingdom heir, to them, they rejected him, the Stone of Zion. This typical house of Israel had lost sight of the purpose of Jehovah, and was building in opposition to God’s will. Jesus said to them: “‘The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. From Jehovah this has come to pass and it is marvelous in our eyes.’ This is why I say to you, The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.”— Matt. 21:42, 43. THIS IS GOOD NEWS TO THE NATIONS (GENTILES) Jehovah’s rejection of the nation of Israel and taking the Kingdom from them opened the door for people of the nations (Gentiles) to have the great privilege of becoming a part of the priestly nation. Cornelius of the uncircumcised Gentiles was the first, and Peter said when visiting him: “‘You well know how unlawful it is for a Jew to join himself to or approach a man of another race; and yet God has shown me I should call no man defiled or unclean.’ . . . ‘For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.’” ( Acts 10:28-35) Paul was commissioned to go to the nations, as Jesus said of him: “This man is a chosen vessel to me to bear my name to the nations as well as to kings and the sons of Israel.” Again, to the Jews, “Paul and Barnabas said: ‘It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to you. Since you are thrusting it away from you and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, look! we turn to the nations. In fact, Jehovah has laid commandment upon us in these words, “I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the most distant part of the earth.”’”— Acts 9:15; 13:46, 47.
The TRUTH shall set you FREE.
THE BIG
MISTAKE
This message is no doubt one of the most important messages you will ever read. It concerns a
commandment that was given by our Lord Jesus Christ, which is being carried out incorrectly by
nearly every church that is professing Christianity. This statement is true, even though the
command is plain and easy to understand. I am referring to the clear teaching of water baptism.
The various religions of this world baptize people with water 635 different ways. In the realm of
nominal Christianity, people are baptized primarily one way; this way omits the use of any name
at all. Thus, Satan with his crafty devices has seen to it that almost everyone who has been
baptized has been baptized wrong!
In the denominations of nominal Christianity, the Scripture verse of Matthew 28:19 is misused in
a very clever way. Matthew 28:19 reads as follows: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” We must bear
in mind that when this command was given, no actual baptism was happening at the time. A
command was given, and God intended that it be carried out, not just repeated. Countless
thousands of ministers repeat the exact words of the command without ever doing what the
command says to do. Jesus specifically ordered that we are to be baptized in the NAME
(singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost! In order to find out what that name
is, we simply look in the Bible at incidents of water baptism after Calvary as administered by the
apostles of Jesus Christ. We will find that there is not one incident ever where anyone was
actually baptized using the words, “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” It was always done in the
saving name of Jesus, which fulfills the command to use the singular name. When we say the
words, “I baptize you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,” we are in full obedience of Matthew
28:19. Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s name….” ( John 5:43). The angel of the Lord said
to Joseph regarding Mary, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:
for he shall save his people from their sins” ( Matthew 1:21). In John 16:7, Jesus said He would
send the Holy Ghost. It all happens in the name of Jesus!
We will now look at actual events of baptism to see exactly how it was done by the Apostles of
Jesus Christ. In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we will begin with chapter 2 where many
people who were listening to Peter were convicted of their sins and were looking for the remedy
to the problem. In Acts 2:37-39 we read as follows: “Now when they heard this, they were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do? 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.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call.” As we can see, the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not even
alluded to by Peter as he answered their question, because the Apostles understood full-well that
Jesus commanded his saving name to be used to fulfill Matthew 28:19. Were the Apostles
correct in this matter? In Acts 2:41 we read the following: “Then they that gladly received his
word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Another example of an actual baptism is found in Acts 8:14-16 as follows: “Now when the
apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent
unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.)
Yet another example showing how the singular name of the Lord Jesus Christ was being used in
water baptism is found in Acts 10:47-48, which tells us, “Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded
them to be baptized in the name of the Lord….” In this example, we must also note that water
baptism was not simply suggested, but it was commanded! This is consistent with the very words
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, when he commanded in Mark 16:15-16, “….Go ye into all
the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
One question that frequently arises regarding water baptism is whether or not a person should be
rebaptized if they had not previously been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. In Acts 19:3-5
that question is answered, and the matter is settled. The Apostle Paul met with some people who
had been disciples of John the Baptist and were baptized by him. We know that when John
baptized, no name was used, but it was simply done unto repentance, opening the way for people
to receive Jesus, the Lamb of God. After Jesus shed his blood on the cross, the saving name was
required in baptism. Even those who had received the valid baptism of John needed to be
rebaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. That is why we read of this in Acts 19:3-5 as follows:
“And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that
they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they
heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
At this point I must also point out that the word baptize, comes from a Greek word that means to
make fully whelmed, which means to put completely under the water. It was the Roman Catholic
religion that started baptizing by sprinkling and pouring during the time of the building of St.
Peter’s Basilica. Because they charged money for baptizing, they began to baptize infants,
because they needed the money.
We must also remember that the Bible tells us that we are not to be baptized into a church, but
rather into Christ! Romans 6:3-4 tells us in no uncertain terms the following: “Know ye not, that
so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
When we consider the subject of water baptism, it is essential that we remember that it is in the
Gospel! In I Corinthians 15:1-4, the Gospel is clearly defined as the death, burial, and
resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Thus, our repentance is the death of our old sinful self; baptism
with water in the name of our Saviour, Jesus, is our burial; and receiving the Holy Ghost is our
first resurrection unto a new life. The resurrection of all people at Judgment Day is the final
resurrection from the earthly graves. We cannot ignore any part of the Gospel, or we have
ignored the whole Gospel.
So much more could be said about this subject, and we can learn so much by reading our Bibles
rather than reading catechisms and other church books, which contain doctrines of men. The
points we must remember are: 1. Baptism is commanded. 2. Baptism must be by immersion. 3.
Baptism must be done using the name of Jesus. 4. Baptism must be done once the Gospel is
understood. Babies are not to be baptized.
It is a sad fact that nearly everyone that has been baptized in these last days has accomplished
nothing more than getting wet. It is a problem that can be easily corrected. Acts 4:12 will meet
all of humanity on Judgment Day, and it should be heeded now, while there is still a little time.
That powerful verse still echoes down the corridor of time with these words, “Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved.”
Pastor David J. Meyer
Last Trumpet Ministries International
1: Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the BAPTISM of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
2: Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by BAPTISM into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
3: Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And summing it all up for us to understand clearly: John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
So Baptism of water is needed for remission of our sins and the baptism of spirit is needed for the faith in the operation of God. In other words your sins has to be "washed" away and professed publicly (baptism of water) and the baptism of spirit has to change your lifestyle into one of Faith in God (Baptism of spirit).
I hope herewith to have answered your question as to the meaning and function of baptism in water and what the procedure is to get into the kingdom of heaven.
Were going to continue some where for sure every day. Choose
me/you today and let Him live and be manifested (seen IN us)
Praise our Lord Jesus Christ. Give God the praise
he deserves, now. It's his master plan before the foundation of the world. He is our Alpha and Omega. Praise the Lord. God Bless everyone.
Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with MY DEAD BODY shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste DEATH FOR EVERY MAN.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Acs 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
After Christ came OUT of that fleshly body; the form of a man; the likeness of sinful flesh, He THEN went to the part of the midst of the earth that is Hell, and TOOK AWAY from Satan the KEYS of Hell and Death!
Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
THEN He want to another part of the midst of the earth where all those souls that had BELIEVED God; believed the Word of God preached to them, and had thus died in faith, looking forward to the coming Saviour; Redeemer; Messiah, slept; rested, waiting for Him to come. And He took them, who were all held CAPTIVE by death, in the grave, all CAPTIVE UNTO HIMSELF, and AROSE, with them, they with HIM, from the dead:
As prophesied in the Old Testament:
Ezekiel 37:13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
He FULFILLED that prophesy in the New Testament, upon rising from the dead:
Matthew 27:50 Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And THE GRAVES WERE OPENED; and many bodies of the saints which slept AROSE,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led CAPTIVITY captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Since our Saviour; Redeemer; Messiah, is come in the flesh:
John 1: 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Check out:
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
As, it is the love and GOODNESS OF GOD in Christ that LEADS a man unto repentance.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the GOODNESS OF GOD leadeth thee to repentance?
Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the LOVE OF GOD, which is IN Christ Jesus our Lord.
Yet, we are still all brothers in Christ, regardless of those that have not received Him from and with their hearts so that He may be IN them. As, He died for ALL, even for those who are considered to be SINNERS as we were before we recieved Him.
ROMANS 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:15 And that he DIED FOR ALL, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Also, while we that are born of God cannot commit sin, as far as WITH the 'mind of Christ,' which is God, and which we have, we CAN sin WITH THE FLESH, by yielding to sin, and thereby serving sin.
ROMANS 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then WITH the MIND I myself serve the law of God; but WITH the FLESH the law of sin.
The MIND refered to is NOT the CARNAL mind, whch is FLESH:
Romans 8:7 Because the CARNAL MIND is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
But the MIND of Christ, which is SPIRIT:
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the MIND OF CHRIST.
Although we CAN sin, that NEW CREATURE we each are in Christ CANNOT. If we serve sin with our flesh, thereby LETTING sin have it's way, we are allowing our OWN WILL, instead of God's to take control. However, having the MIND of CHRIST, God HIMSELF gave us HIS WILL to resort to, meaning we can SAY NO to our own fleshly; carnal, will, and turn it back to the WILL of God:
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both TO WILL and to do of his good pleasure.
That 'TO WILL' is one of the gifts of the Spirit of God, PRAISE GOD, He has made it EASY on us:
Romans 6:12 LET NOT sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
We are GODLY because we have RECEIVED, and have continued to LOVE, Christ, DESPITE our inclination to yield to sin, and thus we REMAIN IN Him, having our sins COVERED by His BLOOD, giving us grace, and time, to repent of any sin/s we have not yet repented of, and receive the forgiveness for, the and cleansing away, of our sins the moment we repent.
It is BECAUSE we have received Christ, and ARE thus SPIRIT BEINGS; SPIRIT of God's Spirit; BORN of God, that we, despite our sins, are GODLY, and it is BECAUSE we are GODLY that we CAN, and, by God, we WILL repent of; CONFESS, our sins unto the LORD. Hear this Old Testament prophetic prayer that clarifies that the GODLY are inclined to sin, as far as to yield to it, and to HAVE SIN to admit to, and confess, unto the LORD. And as you read, take note that the GODLY are those that, DESPITE their sins, TRUST IN THE LORD, are BLESSED, RIGHTEOUS, UPRIGHT IN HEART, COMPASSED ABOUT WITH MERCY, AND SONGS OF DELIVERANCE, and HID in Christ, HID from the WRATH of God, as the blood of Christ covers our sins:
PSALMS 32:2 BLESSED is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5 I ACKNOWLEDGED my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I WILL confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For THIS shall EVERY one that is GODLY pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
7 Thou art my HIDING place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt COMPASS ME ABOUT with songs of DELIVERANCE. Selah.
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, MERCY shall COMPASS HIM ABOUT.
11 Be glad IN the LORD, and rejoice, ye RIGHTEOUS: and shout for joy, all ye that are UPRIGHT IN HEART.
NONE of this means that a born again child of God can serve sin, and refuse to repent, and still be saved in the end. God's Word warns us. God is a just God, warning the righteous to NOT forsake Him, and warning the unrighteous to turn unto Him.
In the meanwhile, prior to physically dying, which if one that received Christ dies with any sins being unrepented of, then that person had to have ceased to LOVE the righteousness of God, which is Christ Jesus. And that soul will be cut off from Him:
Colossians 1:23 If ye CONTINUE IN the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; CONTINUE IN them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
ROMANS 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou CONTINUE in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Even if we yield to sin, to, at that point NEED to repent, IN ORDER TO continue in the goodness of God, it is God's GOODNESS that, at that point, LEADS us UNTO repentance.
So, what is the problem if we serve sin, if we WILL, however eventually, repent? Well, in the meanwhile we get bombarded with lies and feelings of DOUBT that we ARE godly, righteous, blessed, etc., and we start THINKING as if we are NOT these things, and our JOY and CONFIDENCE becomes less and less. THAT is how Satan WANTS us to think and feel. But since Christ has died for our sins, Satan can NOT any longer make us his servants, and KEEP us in bondage to sin. It is NO LONGER Satan's grounds; jurisdiction; right. As, NOW, it is only WE, YOU YOUSELF, I MYSELF, that can keep us, you, me, being a servant to, in bondage to, sin, meaning we can STOP IT, REFUSE IT, by turning unto the LORD to repent, and thereby be cleansed and receive the forgiveness of God INSTANTLY, and then PROCEED to CONTINUE in obedience unto the Lord. Any time we yield to sin, the FIRST STEP before we can continue to WALK in the Lord, is down on our knees, heartfully speaking, and repent. Is NOT repenting of our sins INSTILLED in the VERY prayer that Jesus instructs us to pray DAILY?
LUKE 11:3 Give us day by day our DAILY bread.
4 And FORGIVE US OUR SINS; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
When we hate sin, and are quick to repent of it, AND read; eat and drink, the Word; WORDS, of God, the less and less we are inclined to sin, as the LOVE OF GOD perfects us more and more each day.
But, due to the danger of our continuing in sin; putting of repentance, God loves us TOO much to not deal with us here and now for our own good, not according to our sins, which the wages of is death, but in order to correct us, and keep us from the dangers of being in sin:
1 Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and CHASTEN: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without CHASTISEMENT, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
ROMANS 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed
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I will end with saying this unto all those that have received Christ; God's Word; God's RIGHTEOUSNESS, and who are therefore GODLY, RIGHTEOUS, who's righteousness is of the LORD, that, if you have sin, to date, that you have not repented of; have not acknowledged; admitted, and confessed, unto the LORD, here's the thing: You WILL. It's far better for you to not force your heavenly Father to HAVE to sorely chastise you, because He WILL if need be. And you know full well in your heart that, when it comes to where the rubber meets the road, should you be chastised of Him, you will NOT blaspheme Him as if He is unjust, or as if He does not love you (there IS no if,) but you will stand corrected, and repent of your sins before Him. So, knowing you WILL, why wait? There is no good reason to wait, and nothing but MANY good reasons to come clean NOW. Until you do, you, as far as the NEW CREATURE you are in Christ in your Innerman, has fallen asleep at the wheel so to speak, and is either in a spiritual coma, or is getting that way, and the LORD is calling you to WAKE UP! Don't you worry, if He has to SHAKE you, He will, since the longer you ignore Him, the more deaf your spiritual ears get.
And don't believe the lies of the devil telling you 'But you messed up AGAIN, and have repeately, and God's tired of hearing you repent,...'
As, first of all, if you are a MESS, you are your heavenly FATHER'S mess, and NONE of Satan's business whatsoever. You ARE upright, but it is Christ that is bearing you up. The moment you repent, it is embracing the One that holds you up.
Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: NO good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he DIED FOR ALL, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
But please note that it is God speaking not a man and God does not have human frailties and phobias. As a matter of fact He does not fear anything, neither do His children.
Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Now seeing that it is God that is speaking, the question is, will you repent of your sins or will you continue in your destructive life style.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.