August 4th, 2017
John 16:7-12: (KJV): "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.”
In this passage; “and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me;”
bears well with my spirit.
What is one too believe of Jesus? Most of the world (humanity) are not in the least bit interested who, what, where Jesus is or was. When one has some inclination of Jesus, they most often, more often than not are in error of their beliefs. i believe this because of mans depravity of spiritual things. Just recently ask an individual why they thought they were saved. Never got a response, just a few comments of the question as: “thats a interesting question” or “Iv’e often wondered that very question.” Then asking me the same question replied. He, Christ (Messiah) is the Son of the living God. God in human flesh (Isaiah 7:14); Immanuel; defined as “God with us.” Matthew 1:23. God as human to provide the sacrifice for sin that He, the Father requires. The shedding of blood (Heb 9:22); and why blood, perfect blood, that is what the law of God to man demands; (Lev 17:11). Concerning perfection one can see that the LORD Jesus Christ fulfilled that requirement in passages like: (Eph 5:21-27 1 Pet 1:18-19, 2 Corinthians 5:21). We were given a prelude to this event, the perfect life of Christ Jesus in Genesis 22:8 and 22:13. In hind site we have a hint that anything man may be able to do will not be acceptable to God, God demands perfection and that perfection is found only in the LORD Jesus Christ.
Jesus Himself asked the twelve shortly before the crucifixion “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” Matthew 16:13b. A few answers were given but Peter’s answer was complete: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16b. To them, too the world that is all that had been revealed to mankind, that Jesus was (is) the Christ. At that time to be saved man was to believe that Jesus was “Messiah” and to keep the law. Keep in mind what Jesus had told the twelve earlier in Matthew 10:1-15 concerning salvation which at that time was directed to the Jew, “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:6. True Christ had come to fulfill the law and keep God’s promises to Israel (Ro 15:8) but the larger yet to be revealed program was still hidden until Saul (later Paul Acts 13:9) had it yet to be given as seen in Ephesians 1 and 3. Then was the full redemption plan for mankind fully disclosed. i know this from what Paul wrote: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15.
Sidebar: Recommendation; do a word study of the word “chief” and see if it means what is most often taught or is there a different meaning.
But now what is man to believe of the LORD Jesus Christ? What is required for man to be saved today? Is it the same today as then? Jesus spoke of one needing to be born again. “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. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3:8. Again in John we read of the Samaritan woman going to the well where Jesus confronted her with truth. In so doing made a very pronounced statement: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24. What is all this about? How does one worship God in spirit and in truth? Till one is placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:12-13) it will be confusing (1 Cor 2:14) and incorporated with much error. People take a little law, take a little grace and mix them together and really make a mess of their religiosity, but are sure their right in their beliefs (1 Cor 15:2b; believing in vain).
Sidebar: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16. i had often heard this taught as being on fire for God, a real go getter, walking the walk and doing the talk. Or was cold towards God. The Lukewarm person was in a little or out a little making one lukewarm. To me that is absurd now that i believe, have had the meaning shown me. The cold is “Law”, the hot is grace. When you mix the two one has a lukewarm liquid (mixture of law & grace) which is repulsive to the LORD Jesus Christ. An individual who is in law (cold) can still be persuaded to the truth of the scriptures, to see who Jesus is and what He came and did do. The one who has understood grace, believing it as God revealed (not man ideas) is secure in his faith and now is growing in that grace. But to the one who wants to dabble in both; law and grace, it’s sickening to God (not rightly dividing 2 Tim 2:15). They are self-righteous and sicking to God: Paul, i believe, explained this position well in writing: “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:17-21.
God’s intended way of salvation, past and present. Law: believe that God is, believe what He has said and keep, maintain the requirements of that law given by Him. The law hasn’t a way to relieve the guilt (Heb 10:2) but only show ones inadequacy, failure to do what God has said to do. Only the LORD Jesus Christ was able to fulfill that law. But now, because of what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ presents the gospel to us that saves one today, which is what? “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
Man wants to complicate what God has said. We will add to or subtract from, no different than the Jewish leadership did with the law. When grace appeared they, the Jewish Leadership crucified Him, the one they thought they were waiting for, no different today.
LORD Jesus thank You for loving me, providing a way to have eternal life with You. ThankYou for Your life to me, thankYou for being true and just.
i have no hope apart from You; You are all that i need, all that i desire. i have You, better yet You have me and i am secure in You forever. In Jesus’s name Amen . . . . . . .
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