The renewal of the mind.

 BY Argie Simonis

God has created us all with a plan and a purpose:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer. 29:11

It is something that we cannot realize when we are young, but at some point we mature and we have to make decisions about our lives.

- What is God's will for my life? -

This is a question that concerns us all. The answer to this depends on many parameters, as does the question of who is the right partner for you.

I've heard that you'll recognize your significant other by music or bells ringing in your ears, a kick in your stomach, your heart beating fast, or you'll just know in a way that can't be explained.

In the same way, they tell you something similar about how you can know God's will for your life:

"It's your destiny, just wait and it will happen, etc."

So since they cannot explain to you how to find God's will for your own life, the best way is to discover it yourself. Start studying the Scriptures, Christian books, watch anointed videos and teachings. When you give your time and heart to the Lord, He promises:

"And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart." Jer. 29:13

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----- A GREAT REVELATION

"I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Rom. 12:1

This reasonable service that Paul refers to here, is not just for the super saints or the bishops of the churches, but for EVERYONE!

And he continues in the next verse:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2

The last sentence

"that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God",

it is also the answer to the question of how to find God's will in your life.

What is this living sacrifice that Paul mentions in verse 1? What does it mean to be a living sacrifice for the Lord?

Choosing our profession is a serious decision to make, but do you know that it is NOT of primary importance to the Lord? The Lord is more interested if we become that living sacrifice that Paul speaks of. It is this commitment, the decision we make to dedicate our lives to the Lord and to do what He asks of us so that His will may be done in our lives.

Whether you will become a teacher, lawyer, businessman, salesman, etc., how God will use you through your profession, will be the product of the same call that God has for everyone: To become a living sacrifice.

~~ Instead of praying to God to show you what to do, start asking Him to show you who He wants you to be. This revelation can really change your life! ~~

Living sacrifice is a daily commitment that we must keep, submitting ourselves to God.

~~ A sacrifice is totaly at the mercy of the one to whom it is offered. So like a living sacrifice, we go up to the altar of submission and surrender to the Lord every day. ~~

King David, although he made many mistakes, look what the Scriptures say about him:

"... I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, which shall fulfill all my will." Acts 13:22

Let's look again at Paul's words in verse 2:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2

The word "conformity" that Paul mentions here, imagine it as the form that molten metal takes, for example, when it is poured into a mold. The metal, as it cools down, takes the form of this mold.

This is what Paul means here. Do not take the form of the mold of this fallen world.

We have an enemy out there, satan, who hates us to death and has many people working for him. So be sure that you will have problems and opposition in your life, which like fire, will melt you. No one will leave this life the same as they were born. Throughout our lives things happen that change us, shape us like molten metal in a mold. 

~~ No one can escape this pressure and meltdown. But do you know what the good news is? We choose the mold in which we will be formed! ~~

So whatever happens to us, we choose to be formed in the mold of Jesus Christ and not in that of the world. See what Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians:

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD." 2Cor. 3:18

If you are wondering, the glory of the Lord we see in that mirror is Jesus Himself. We read this in Hebrews chapter 1:

"Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:" Heb. 1:3

And in Romans:

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." Rom. 8:29

Serving God is NOT going to happen by itself. It's a decision you have to make and stick to it diligently. When we make it our goal in life to seek God it is something that limits our options, but it puts us on the right path and gives us the certainty of our destination. In other words, we know BOTH what we want AND where we're going.

That alone, do you know how many burdens and how many traps it frees us from?

If you really want to be transformed, as Paul writes to us in Rom. 12:2, from something earthbound and usually ugly, like the caterpillar, to something beautiful that can fly, like the butterfly, the only way to achieve this is through the renewing of the mind by the word of God:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may PROVE what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2

God created each one of us with a plan and for a purpose. Many Christians know this, but do not know how to discover it. This is what the apostle Paul explains to us here in Rom. 12:1-2. If we do what he tells us in verse 1, then it will be manifested and we will taste

"what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

No one can achieve this all at once. It is something that is done in stages. We move in this direction and gradually mature and grow in the Lord as He guides us. Remember the parable of the seed that Jesus said?

"For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Mark 4:28

Do you know how I can tell someone's spiritual maturity? From the way he prays. Some prayers may sound good and right, like the Pharisee's prayer in the sanctuary, but don't forget that the Publican was the one who walked away justified. When we become the living sacrifice that Paul mentions, even our prayer will change. This is where the Lord reveals the religious hypocrite in us, not to criticize or punish us, but to set us free.

It never ceases to amaze me how religious many believers are from conversations I have with them, or even when I hear them pray. They have a completely distorted view of God. They see Him as a strict judge, a punisher ready to blast you for your every transgression, He is responsible for all the injustice, sickness, wars and every evil that exists on the world because He either causes it Himself or "allows it to happen" in order to fulfill a mysterious plan that He does not reveal to us.

So we are freed from all this as we become daily a living sacrifice before the Lord and the more we know the heart of the good Father and how much He loves us we are literally transformed into His own image,!

Amen!

The spiritual birth.

  BY Argie Simonis

From the previous messages I have begun to speak on the subject of salvation and spiritual birth.

In John, chapter 3 we see Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who comes to find Jesus:

"The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him." John 3:2

I will make a comment here. Jesus was a very controversial figure, and people either loved Him or hated Him. Nicodemus apparently did not come to find Jesus during the day,

"...because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue." John 9:22

Nicodemus at first does not seem to accept Jesus with all his heart, but later, after the crucifixion of Jesus, we see a great change, and I believe that he really believed in the Lord:

"And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, sought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus." John 19:38

"And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight." John 19:39

"Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." John 19:40

Jesus answered Nicodemus:

"Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

The term "born again" today sounds quite ordinary, but at the time of the Old Testament this term was very radical. That is why Nicodemus asks in awe:

"Nicodemus said to 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?" John 3:4

Look what Jesus answers him:

"Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5

There is a treasure of revelation here. When the Lord says that unless one is born of water, He does not mean baptism in water; baptism in water does not save. What the Lord means here is natural birth, because the fetus is in a watery environment within the mother's placenta.

As for the Spirit that Jesus mentions, He means the Holy Spirit that comes and dwells in us and makes us this new creature that I talked about in the previous message.

~~ I will say it again that if you simply believe in the existence of God, it will not save you, because the devil believes that too: ~~

"You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19

You must make Jesus Lord in your life. No human work can save you:

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf..." Is. 64:6

Our self-righteousness will never bring us salvation:

"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10

Therefore we MUST be born from above. And this is not just about a change. Many people say that salvation is a changed life, and I understand what they are trying to say, but we must realize that the Christian life is NOT just a changed life, it is a life of exchange, where you are literally given to God:

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

By making Jesus Lord in our lives, God literally takes that old sinful nature that we are all born with and we become a completely new creation in Christ.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2Cor. 5:17

So our new Christian life is NOT simply some new information we have acquired, nor the acceptance of a set of rules. We are born of God, the Lord has transformed us internally and we belong to him!

Unfortunately there are many who call themselves Christians, believe that there is a God, that Jesus is the Son of God, but they have never really been born from above.

They may try to change their behavior or bad habits, but they never changed in their hearts.

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you." Rom. 8:11

~~ Salvation is not only about the forgiveness of our sins, but about this transformation that takes place in us by the Spirit of God. In the same way that we are born into this physical world, so must we be born into the kingdom of God! ~~

"For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Rom. 8:15

The Spirit of God literally comes and dwells within us and transforms our hearts! Paul writes to the Galatians:

"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. 4:6

Paul continues in Romans:

"The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" Rom. 8:16

~~ Not only do you change, but there is also a testimony within you, that is, you know that you have changed because God himself reveals it to you! ~~

When you know this, all fear leaves and peace comes within you:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" Rom. 5:1

John testifies to the same when he writes:

"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 bears witness, because the Spirit is truth." 1John 5:6

~~ Our Christian faith is not simply the knowledge of a truth, but our commitment, our dedication to this truth. ~~

This is how we are born again and how this transformation takes place within us. We also have the confirmation of this in our hearts, because the Spirit of God testifies to us. Then every change in our life and our behavior is not superficial; it is not the way we will secure our relationship and our justification before God, but it is the fruit of our changed heart and our relationship that we already have with the Lord !

~~ Our holiness is the fruit of our salvation and not its root, because Christ offers us salvation by grace, as a gift, and not as a reward for our good works. ~~

"For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness." Rom. 6:20

No matter how good we were before we came to Christ, we were enslaved to sin because of our sinful nature. Jesus even raised the bar of perfection:

"You have heard that it was said of them of old time, You shall not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:" Μatt. 5:21

"But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Μatt. 5:22

"Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." 1John 3:15

"You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery:" Μatt. 5:27

"But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." Μatt. 5:28

You know, this does not mean that a man of the world cannot do good deeds, charities, help, have mercy, comfort others, but none of these deeds can change his sinful nature. You must be born again for this to happen because we were by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3)

This is what Jesus explained when Nicodemus came to ask him questions (John 3:3-8).

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life." Rom. 6:22

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This does not mean that a Christian cannot sin. See here a revelation that Paul speaks of in verses 20 and 22 that we read:

~~ Just as no good works can change your sinful nature, so no sin can change your righteous nature in Christ! ~~

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and stays for ever." 1Pet. 1:23

~~ As a baby is the result of a seed, so our spiritual regeneration is the fruit of the imperishable seed of God's word. ~~

Right now as you watch this message, you are receiving within you the seed from the word of God, and as Paul writes to us, you are growing in your faith:

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17

As you grow in faith, your behavior will change painlessly, because

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he..." Prov. 23:7

Therefore, if your nature has not changed, no matter how much you try to do good, you may succeed at times, but in the end your behavior and actions are a product of your nature.

~~ Our change comes from the inside out and not the other way around. This is the real essence of our salvation, and having this revelation many other doors will open before you! ~~

Amen!

Conscience, condemnation and guilt

 BY Argie Simonis

In last Sunday's message I spoke about our justification by grace, about the works of the Law versus the works of faith and I explained their difference.

Today I will talk about our conscience, how condemnation and guilt affect it, the searing of conscience, but also the cleansing of the conscience from evil works.

Here, of course, the spirit of relegion ranks first in this problem.

I quote the definition of consciousness:

"Consciousness is the mental capacity of an organism which allows it, in extension of its senses, to know and understand itself, its environment, the happenings around it and within it and to have a possible sense of 'place' and his importance in the world as well as the impact of his actions."

~ Source: Wikipedia

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In the letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul writes:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;" Rom. 1:18

"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has showed it to them." Rom. 1:19

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" Rom. 1:20

Paul's purpose in these three verses was to explain why the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation that he spoke of in verse 16. The problem was that then, as now, most people believed that the way for someone to come to God was through guilt and the fear of hell. People doubted that Paul's good news of God's love would be enough to cause repentance.

Therefore, Paul began to demonstrate that every person already has an instinctive knowledge of God's wrath against their sin.

~~ We don't need to prove God's wrath. God has already done it. You don't have to be a Christian to know that murder, lying and stealing for example are wrong. ~~

In Rom. 1:18-20, Paul shows us that God has revealed Ηimself to ALL mankind. In the Old Testament we also see that God revealed Himself to ALL through nature:

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork." Ps. 19:1

"Day to day utters speech, and night to night shows knowledge." Ps. 19:2

"There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." Ps. 19:3

The apostle Paul describes to us that there is an intuition, a revelation of God within each person. This instinctive knowledge given to all of us is called consciousness and he explains it below:

"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law to themselves:" Rom. 2:14

"Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)" Rom. 2:15

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Now look at what we read in the letter to the Hebrews:

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Heb. 9:14

The most common interpretation of this verse is that it is talking about those acts of sin that cause guilt. But this can also be applied to the religious notion that the better we perform at doing good, the more we are loved and accepted by God.

This is NOT the true. Without being born again in the spirit we cannot have a relationship with God. This is what the Lord said to Nicodemus:

"Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

In other words, if we put all our trust in our good works, we fall into the trap of DEAD works.

Notice what it says that it is our conscience that must be cleansed of these dead works. Conscience is a part of us that justifies or accuses us. 

We read this in Rom. 2:15, where Paul describes the guilt our conscience produces when we do something wrong or the self-righteousness our conscience produces when we do the right thing.

We need to be cleansed from both of these functions of the conscience, which the Scriptures call an evil conscience:

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Heb. 10:22

How can we achieve this?

We do this by focusing our attention on God through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. We come before the Lord according to what we are already in Christ and not with self-righteousness, that is, with what we achieve with our own strength.

~~ The absolute confidence and assurance in our hearts must be based on what Jesus has done for us and not on what we have done for Him. ~~

We can be as close to God as we want, because it is not Him who is separated from us, but we seperate from Him, and this is something that comes from our guilty consciences.

Notice also that there is no mention of confession of sin or atonement for sin in this passage from Hebrews that I read. Atonement for sin has already been delt with by Jesus with His sacrifice on the cross. We have been sanctified and perfected once and for all:

"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Heb. 10:10

"For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Heb. 10:14

There is no more need for a sin offering:

"Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin." Heb. 10:18

~~ The only obstacle to entering God's presence is our unrenewed mind that does not understand the true magnitude of our redemption and allows an evil conscience to condemn us.~~

Here I should underline that if there is a bad conscience, this means that there is also a good conscience.

So by renewing our minds with the word of God (Rom. 12:2), the truth about who we are in Christ is revealed to us. We need to shake off the condemnation that the devil puts upon us when we fall into sin, even from the condemnation that comes from our own heart, because that is how many of us were taught in the legalistic environment we grew up.

~~ By true repentance in our heart, we cleanse our consciences of dead works so that we can serve the living God.~~ 

And the Lord promises:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1John 1:8

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1John 1:9

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Cleansing our conscience from evil works is the Biblical way we should practice to get rid of condemnation and guilt. But there is a reason God allows our conscience to condemn us. And I will give you an example:

The rapist, the pedophile and the murderer, they SHOULD be convicted by their conscience and feel condemnation and guilt for what they do. But some reach the point of searing their conscience. See what Paul writes to Timothy:

"Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" 1Tim. 4:1

"Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;" 1Tim. 4:2

Apostasy is a sign of the end times. Paul warns us not to be deceived:

"For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now lets will let, until he be taken out of the way." 2Thes. 2:7

Although the origin of false teaching is from these demonic spirits, it is PEOPLE that the devil uses to spread these teachings. These people are hypocrites, who have seared their consciences and speak under the inspiration of demons.

The searing of the conscience is not done overnight. It is a long process carried out in stages.

The same way they used to make candles in the old times by dipping a wick into melted wax, the same way our hearts get hardened every time we sin. 

Those who fall into sin and unrepentant continue to do the same, their hearts slowly harden, they lose their sensitivity to hearing the voice of God and when this hardness reaches the highest point something very bad happens:

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" Rom. 1:28

~~ Do you know what this reprobate mind is? It is this situation that comes when someone has seared his conscience to such an extent, that he does evil and he does not give a dime about it! 

That's when God hands him over to a reprobate mind, meaning that He withholds the conviction of the Holy Spirit and leaves this man completely to his own devices. There is nothing worse than being left to your own devices by God. That's a road of no return! ~~

That is why it is very important, especially in the wicked times we live in, to examine everything under the light of the Scriptures with the fear of God, so that we are not carried away by every wind of deception and intimidation.

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Here comes the good news:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1

So those of us who have accepted Christ, as new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17) we continue to be IN CHRIST even when we sin. That is why we should not let any condemnation affect us. And as John mentions in his letter:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1John 1:8

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1John 1:9

So whenever we fall into some transgression, we don't try to hide from God's presence like Adam did because he was ashamed, but what do we do?

"We come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain MERCY, and find GRACE to help in time of need." Heb. 4:16

This is the good news of our Christ. Amen!

Justification: The works of faith versus the works of the Law.

BY Argie Simonis

The spirit of religion has done great damage to the body of Christ. It brings burdens and guilt and:

- either it makes you constantly feel the need to satisfy an angry God who is waiting to blast you for the sin you have committed,

- or it justifies you so much, that you are satisfied by seeing how much better you are with the good works you do comparing to your neighbor who lives in sin.

That's exactly why Jesus spoke the parable of the publican and the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14.

See what Paul also writes:

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Rom. 5:6

"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." Rom. 5:7

"But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8

"Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Rom. 5:9

This is exactly the definition of an unconditional and without limits love. The lack of this revelation causes many people to accept salvation by grace, but then fall back into the deceit that they must live good enough for God to use them as Christians.

According to this mindeset, if today you fell into sin, does it mean that God will not use you tomorrow to evangelize a person who does not know the Lord or to pray for someone and receive healing?

While many start their journey correctly with an understanding of the greatness of Divine grace, along the way religion comes and makes them completely miss the meaning of what Paul was saying.

See what Paul says:

"​As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him:" Col. 2:6

What Paul means here is that in the same way we receive Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of our sins (by grace through faith), in the exact same way we receive healing, deliverance and everything else we need.

Our salvation did NOT come because of our holiness or goodness:

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" Τitus 3:5

Many times, however, Christians are saved by putting faith in God's grace and then try to earn all the benefits of salvation by their works. This is something that will NEVER work and those who teach this are teaching a false gospel.

See how strict the apostle Paul is on this matter:

"I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel:" Gal. 1:6

"Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." Gal. 1:7

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed." Gal. 1:8

"As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed." Gal. 1:9

Paul goes on and says:

"But I certify you, brothers, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man." Gal. 1:11

"For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Gal. 1:12

What we need to do is to return to the simplicity of believing in what God has already offered us through His Grace.

Look at the harsh language Paul uses in Galatians:

"O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" Gal. 3:1

"This only would I learn of you, Received you the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Gal. 3:2

"Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?" Gal. 3:3

"Have you suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain." Gal. 3:4

"He therefore that ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, does he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Gal. 3:5

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Do you know that Christians who have grown up in a religious environment, when the true gospel is preached to them, the Pharisee in them awakens?

And the first question they will ask you is the same question Paul asks and answers 5 times in his letters. Three in his letter to Romans and two in his letter to the Galatians:

"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." Rom. 6:15

"Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?" Rom. 6:16

What then? Should we not do good works because we are under grace? God forbid! We must realize that we do not do good works to be accepted by God or to be used by God, as I have already explained. Our good works are the fruit of our faith, because a sincere faith in the Lord will always bear fruit. James explains it very well in his letter:

"What does it profit, my brothers, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" James 2:14

"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food," James 2:15

"And one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit?" James 2:16

"Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone." James 2:17

"Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:18

James continues in his letter:

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?" James 2:21

"See you how faith worked with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?" James 2:22

"And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." James 2:23

"You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." James 2:24

"Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?" James 2:25

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:26

Look now at what Paul says about Abraham:

"For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God." Rom. 4:2

"For what said the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." Rom. 4:3

"Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt." Rom. 4:4

"But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Rom. 4:5

So, which one is true? Is man justified by works or by faith?

The key to understanding this is knowing that there are two kinds of works:

- The works of the Law mentioned by Paul in Rom. 3:28 that we read,

- and the works of faith:

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;" 1Thes. 1:2

"Remembering without ceasing your WORK of FAITH, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;" 1Thes. 1:3

"Why also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the WORK of FAITH with power:" 2Thes. 1:11

If you are wondering what the works of faith are, they are the fruit of the Spirit living in us, and Paul describes them:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," Gal. 5:22

"Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Gal. 5:23

The works of the Law are the actions done in trying to gain something from God.

~~ No one can earn anything from God. We must HUMBLE ourselves and believe in what Jesus has already done for us. ~~

 

So when we do this with true faith in God's word and His promises it changes our heart, we become the new creation that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5:17, and we now have works of faith and NOT of the Law.

~~ Works of faith do not cause any change in our hearts, but are our actions that come from an already transformed heart! ~~

Therefore, the works of faith do NOT ensure our relationship with God, but are the result of the relationship with God, the fruit of our relationship with the Lord. That is why James does not contradict Paul at all when he writes:

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:26

~~ James and Paul describe the two sides of the same coin.

Paul tells us that salvation comes only by faith in what Jesus did for us, and James explains how we can discern whether our faith in God is real. If our actions do not agree with our faith, then this faith is dead. ~~

This is exactly how Abraham's faith saved him and made him righteous in the eyes of God:

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." Gen. 15:6

but Abraham's faith was NOT complete until he acted in obedience to God:

"And he said, Lay not your hand on the lad, neither do you any thing to him: for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from me." Gen. 22:12

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----- SUMMARY ----

I want to underline that everything that I have mentioned so far is useful to discern the true from the fake faith, but be careful, because only God knows our heart. And I say this because we ALL make mistakes and fall into sin. This does not necessarily mean that our faith is dead.

Don't forget the words of John:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1John 1:8

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1John 1:9

The Lord always honors a humble heart, which when it falls and sins does not look to hide itself from the presence of God as Adam did in the garden of Eden, but quickly repents and runs to the throne of Grace to receive mercy and forgiveness from the Lord.

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4:16

Amen!