Tag Archives: salvation

Fearing End-Times Signs vs. Fearing the State of Your Spirit, Soul, and Body

10 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by in Spiritual

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...Preoccupied With End-Times Signs

 

 

 

So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. ~ Philippians 2:12, AMP

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them. ~ 2 Timothy 3:1-5, AMP

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’ ~ Matthew 7:21-23, AMP

 

 

Too many professed believers in Christ are resting on their laurels—are living like they are satisfied with their past achievement (salvation), so much so that they refuse to consider additional effort from them is necessary. They have assumed that their salvation automatically made them the Bride of Christ—made them saintly Overcomers. As a result, they either overlooked the Scripture that commands them to work out their own salvation, or they read and studied said Scripture but concluded it does not pertain to them.

Maybe when we who claim to be believers in Christ finally get it right—finally understand that Christ isn’t coming back for any “church,” but rather He is coming back for His genuine Bride—we’ll begin to cooperate with His Holy Spirit and allow Him to transform us into Christ’s victorious Bride—into the saintly OVERCOMERS who have been faithfully and obediently defeating their flesh, defeating this world’s corrupt systems, and defeating the lying devil. Only then will we start using, and keep using, what time we have left on this planet to prepare for Christ’s coming instead of wasting our time being preoccupied with end-times signs.

There are numerous videos in which believers list all the things that are happening in this world that correspond with prophetic end-time signs. The truth is that the signs in those videos are pure HYPE (fear used to excite us and motivate us into being ready for Christ’s return—used as nothing more than some preachers’ forms of emotional blackmail). Because the people who are unnerved by the presented signs will more than likely spend too much time studying and interpreting the Scriptures that have end-time signs in them, they will overlook the Scriptures that tell them how to get right with God. As a result, they will end up doing all the wrong things they THINK are the right things that will get their spirit, soul, and body SANCTIFIED, but the things they will be doing only will obtain them “forms of godliness.”

There is a big difference between fearing the end-time signs and then taking action, and fearing the state of our soul, spirit, and body to the degree that we start choosing to do what we should have been doing to get the proper results God always wanted us to obtain. This truth is why those of us who know the signs of the end times and can recognize the ones that are happening right before our eyes already will have determined that we don’t want Christ to come back and say to us—I know you not; depart from me you workers of lawlessness (you folks who act wickedly by disregarding My Commands; see Matthew 7:21-23). Instead of staying busy seeking more and more information about end-times signs that only temporarily frighten us into wanting to live holy and righteous lives, we will stay busy preparing for Christ’s return. That is to say, we will focus on the main thing, which is happily surrendering our whole soul, spirit, and body to Christ so that His Spirit can make us Christlike.

When we are thinking, speaking, and doing the things Christ thought, spoke, and did, we will be living Christlike. The more Christlike we become the more we will know that we are His true Bride—His Overcomers—the saints He is coming back to rapture before the Tribulation Period begins. Selah . . . Shalom . . . . .

BTW: Just because we are saved believers our salvation doesn’t mean we are living like reborn, saved, justified, filled with the Holy Spirit, and being sanctified in spirit, soul and body (becoming fully Christlike) believers who will be glorified in our bodies when we are raptured. We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, which means we must continually work to bring our sanctification to fruition by faithfully choosing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s Sanctification Process, AND we must revere Father God by continually showing Him that we love Him too much to offend Him by disobeying His Commands (see Philippians 2:12). Selah . . . Shalom . . . . .

In Loving Memory of E-man (My Cousin, Ellery)

26 Saturday Aug 2017

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Ellery Wade's Military Picture

Ellery Lamont Wade

 

Yeshua said to her, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life! Whoever puts his trust in me will live, even if he dies; and everyone living and trusting in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ~ John 11:25-26, CJB

Just as human beings have to die once, but after this comes judgment, so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to deliver those who are eagerly waiting for him. ~ Hebrews 9:27-28, CJB

 

August hasn’t been a very kind month. Over the years, I’ve lost several loved ones in the month of August. Case in point, where my extended family is concerned, in less than a year I lost two members of the Wade family. On August 25, 2016, I lost my Uncle Jesse. On August 24, 2017, I lost my cousin—Uncle Jesse’s son, Ellery.

I can’t begin to imagine how Ellery’s death has hit the Wade family, especially my Aunt Edna. My heart bleeds for her, because she not only has lost her husband but also she has lost another child.

What I remember the most about Ellery is that he had a bubbly personality, which no doubt helped him gain his many friends. Indeed, when I think about it, I can’t remember a time when he wasn’t smiling.

One of my most vivid memories of Ellery was the time when he and Eugene visited with me and my family while we were living in Hampton, VA. Maynard and I were stationed at Langley AFB, and Eugene and Ellery were stationed at Fort Eustis. We all had a fabulous weekend reminiscing our childhoods.

Even though I saw Ellery very often, when we were growing up, I was closer in age to his oldest sister and his two older brothers. In fact, his oldest sister and I were more like sisters than cousins. Similarly, because Ellery and my younger brother Eugene’s ages were close, this truth must be why they were more like brothers than cousins.  

There is no doubt that Ellery will be greatly missed by all his family members and friends. Rest in peace E-man, as you often were fondly called.

 

The following is my poetic tribute to E-man:

 

So glad there are no tears
In Heaven—no pain there, either
Only smiles and beaucoup
Laughter where you’re at,
So you’ll fit in just fine.

You’re where you belong
This truth keeps us strong
Enough to deal with your
Loss, even though we’re
Weepy and melancholy
We know our tears are just
Temporary—a freeing of
Our pain and sorrow,
But on the morrow,
When our joy comes,
We’ll fully understand
How taking you fits into
Our Father’s Divine Plan,
Who surely one day will
Let us see you again.

– composed August 26, 2017

 

In Loving Memory of Ellery Wade

 

~ from Citizen’s Voice

Obituary (UPDATED)

Ellery Lamont Wade

“Ellery Lamont Wade, 62, a resident of Boulevard Townhomes, Wilkes-Barre, entered into glory Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24, 2017, in Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, following a lingering illness.

Born Feb. 2, 1955, in Wilkes-Barre, he was one of 10 children to Mrs. Edna V. Gleaves Wade of Wilkes-Barre and the late Mr. Jesse Wade Jr.

Educated in the city schools, Mr. Wade was a graduate of James M. Coughlin High School, Wilkes-Barre.

He was a baptized member of the Mount Zion Baptist Church, Wilkes-Barre.

Following his formal education, Mr. Wade proudly served our country during the Vietnam era with the U.S. Army.

Until his retirement, Mr. Wade was self-employed as a carpenter locally in construction, and enjoyed woodworking. He later was employed by the Cin-Ram Corp. of Pittston and by the Lord and Taylor Distribution Center in Wilkes-Barre Twp.

In addition to his father, who passed away Aug. 25 of last year, he was preceded in death by a brother, Jesse III, in 1976; by a sister, Darnel Palmer, in 2002; a brother-in-law, Anthony Dawkins, in 1993; and several aunts and uncles.

Left to mourn his passing are his beloved mother, Mrs. Edna V. Wade; his son, Eric, and grandson, Xavier Lucian Wade, Wilkes-Barre; brothers and sisters, including Malachi and his wife Peggy, Norman and his wife, Susan, Jeffrey, Rosalyn, Cynthia, Elvira and Doreese Wade, all of Wilkes-Barre; brother-in-law, Fred Palmer, Florida; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends.

Homegoing services for Mr. Wade will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in Mount Zion Baptist Church, 105 Hill St., Wilkes-Barre. The Rev. Michael E. Brewster, pastor, will serve as celebrant.

Interment with prayers of committal will follow in the family lot in Denison Cemetery, Denison Avenue, Swoyersville.

Relatives and friends may join the Wade family for visitation and remembrances from 10 a.m. until the time of services on Saturday directly at the church.

The Wilkes-Barre Heights location of John V. Morris Family Funeral Homes Inc. are honored to care for Mr. Wade and his family at this time.

To send his mother and family words of comfort, support, to light a virtual candle in Ellery’s memory or for information, please visit our family’s website atwww.JohnVMorrisFuneralHome.com.

 

Funeral arrangements will be from the Wilkes-Barre Heights location of the John V. Morris Family Funeral Homes Inc., 281 E. Northampton St.

Funeral Home
John V. Morris Family Funeral Homes Inc.
281 E Northampton St.
Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
570-823-2754”

GOSPEL

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Praises and Thanks

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The Gospel Is The Grace of GodBut I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. ~ Acts 20:24, ESV

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance,  to the Jew first and also to the Greek ~ Romans 1:16, AMP

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? ~ Romans 2:4, ESV

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel ~ Galatians 1:6, ESV

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. ~ Ephesians 3:7, ESV

 

The word Gospel generally is accepted to mean the “good news.” Additionally, the word Gospel also is used today to describe a type of music, the people who sing this type of music, the body of writing that deals with Christ Jesus’ life and teachings, the books of the New Testament that are considered synoptic, a portion of the New Testament that is read during a “church” service (a lection), the sermons about salvation or redemption, a teaching or revelation of Christ Jesus, and/or a set of principles and beliefs.

More important, though, is the fact that, according to the way that the apostle Paul uses the word kindness in Romans 2:4, it appears that the whole “good news” or entire Gospel message centers on this Divine Truth: It is the graciousness or “Kindness of God” that leads to repentance. Furthermore, what is amazingly remarkable is that the apostle has presented this Divine Truth about the full Gospel or “good news” message in one verse!

For sure, wrapped up in one verse is the Divine Truth that God obviously intended for His Kindness, which Jesus the Christ demonstrated through His atoning sacrifice, would turn sinners away from their life of habitual sinning. In other words, God’s plan of salvation took into consideration that true repentance (or a genuine change in the way the mind thinks about the Perfect Will of God) only could come about from the revelation(s) of God’s Kindness! That’s why God chooses to show that it is truly a graciously patient God who offers in place of His deserved anger His Gifts of Forgiveness, Love, and Kindness, choosing also from eternity to reveal His Kindness through the preaching of the Gospel of Grace. By showing that He is slow to get angry, God is giving humans more than enough time to repent. Knowing that sincere repentance is God’s ultimate goal no doubt is why the apostle Paul proclaims in Romans 2:4 that the unquestionable “good news” message is that it is NOT condemnation and judgment that will change humans’ desires for the things of this world to desires for contentment and joy in God, but rather it is seeing and hearing about God’s Kindness!

From this one-verse Gospel (see Romans 2:4), it is easy to see how Paul relates the Gospel to the Grace of God. Since Grace and Loving-Kindness are two of many English translations for the Greek word charis, when the apostle Paul says, for instance, that he wants “…to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24b), he also definitely is saying that the Grace of God not only is interchangeable with the Gospel but also interchangeable with the Gospel of Grace, the Gospel of God or God’s Gospel, the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel of His Son, and the Gospel of Peace.

Throughout the majority of the New Testament, it is the Gospel of Grace that the apostle Paul speaks about the most. He leaves no doubt that out of the fullness of God’s Grace (Loving-Kindness) comes the person of Christ Jesus, whom God freely and unreservedly gave to human beings who not only don’t deserve to receive His Grace but also won’t ever earn God’s Grace, even though this Grace of God is their greatest need. Moreover, the apostle Paul seems to be suggesting throughout the New Testament that the Gospel of Grace looks like, sounds like, walks like, talks like, and lives like Christ Jesus, and that is because Christ Jesus is Grace personified! Also according to the apostle Paul, the Lord is the One through whom all believers repeatedly receive God’s Grace, time and time and time again!

Once more, to the apostle Paul, the Gospel IS the Grace of God, and the Grace of God is Jesus the Christ and EVERYTHING His atoning sacrifice purchased. That’s why it takes the Grace of God to activate the power of God (the Holy Spirit) for salvation. In other words, it is both the free Gift of the Grace of God (Jesus the Christ and His atoning sacrifice; the Gospel of Christ; the Gospel) and the free Gift of the Power of God (Holy Spirit) that generate the free Gift of Salvation, which includes forgiveness of sin, healing, prosperity, deliverance (from eternal death, from the power of demonic influences, from depression, etc.), and liberation (as in being saved/rescued from danger or destruction).

Now whenever anybody preaches and teaches something other than the Gospel of Grace (other than Christ Jesus’ atoning sacrifice), the apostle Paul declares that he or she is preaching and teaching a different kind of gospel. Whenever anybody preaches and teaches that someone or something other than Christ Jesus (other than Grace through faith) saves, he or she also is preaching and teaching a different kind of gospel. Therefore, since God is the One who decided that Christ Jesus would be the ONLY ONE who could pay the price for the sins of this entire world, this Divine Truth is why Christ Jesus (or the Gospel of Grace) also is the only true Gospel—the only authentic “good news.”

For all of these above reasons, it is impossible to substitute any kind of human activity for God’s Grace. In other words, it is impossible for people to buy their way into Heaven—to use their money to purchase their salvation. Likewise, it is impossible for people to use their own “good” works to save themselves. The bottom line is that there is NOTHING human beings can give or do to obtain salvation, because God also is the One who decided that by His Grace He would give His free Gift of Salvation to the entire world (see Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:5, 8).

Be that as it may. Today there are many “religious” leaders who are preaching and teaching a different kind of gospel. The gospel these “religious” leaders are presenting basically is their own set of rules—their own dos and don’ts. They say: You must read your Bible; you must only attend “their” church; you must pray so many hours a day; you must fast so many days; you must pay your tithes; you must “increase” your faith; you must give more money (to “increase” your faith so that God abundantly will bless you); you can’t worship with “those” people; you can’t listen to “that” music; you can’t watch “that” movie or “that” television program; you can’t wear “those” clothes, and so forth. The message that these “religious” leaders’ dos and don’ts sends is that believers have to act “good” by doing only those “good” works these “religious” leaders say they must do. In other words, these “religious” leaders are saying that it is by these mentioned “good” works that believers will make themselves “good” people. This message clearly isn’t the “good news” Gospel, which is why it is a different gospel.

Everything anybody would ever need to be saved Christ Jesus provided by way of His life, death, burial, and resurrection. For this reason, the Gospel not only is a belief in salvation but also an understanding about how salvation is obtained, which is by God’s Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus. That’s why the Gospel not only is “good news” for the sinner, but also “good news” for Christians, as well as “good news” for the sick, the healthy, the poor, the wealthy, the inmate, the free man/woman, and so forth.

Lastly, since there are different gospels that are being preached or taught, believers have to be very sure that the Gospel they are listening to is indeed the Gospel of Grace. If believers in the apostle Paul’s day, and now, didn’t have to be careful to not fall for the different kinds of gospels, then the apostle Paul wouldn’t have needed to warn the Galatians and modern-day believers about paying close attention to anything that adds to or subtracts from the “good news” of the Gospel of Grace. The apostle makes it clear that everything that adds to or subtracts from the “good news” of the Gospel of Grace most definitely will be a falsification or misrepresentation of the true Gospel of Grace (see Galatians 1:6-7)! A word to the wise should be sufficient!

Working God’s Perfect Will Out of Us

09 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in Spiritual

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Tools of the Trade

…Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. ~ Philippians 2:12b-13, NLT

What on earth does the apostle Paul mean in the above verses? Is he saying that our salvation can be lost? Is he telling us to live in a constant state of nervousness, worried that at any minute God will judge us unworthy to be His sons and daughters? Well, for some “religious” leaders, the answer to the last two questions is a resounding “yes.” However, a close examination of these verses proves that the apostle Paul is neither trying to instill fear into the Philippians’ hearts, nor is he warning them that they could lose their salvation.

In Philippians 2:12b, the apostle Paul uses the Greek word katergavzomai, which is transliterated as katergazomai. Now depending on which English translation many of us might be using, the Greek word katergavzomai often is translated in English as “work out,” “work hard,” or “carry out.”

What the Greek word katergavzomai actually means is this: To continually work at bringing something to completion or fruition. This is the definition used in Philippians 2:12b.

Therefore, based on the aforementioned definition of katergavzomai, it is clear that what the apostle Paul says to the Philippian believers also pertains to all believers. That which is applicable is this: Before the Philippians ever could demonstrate that the lifestyle they are living is the result of an unwavering and unshakable faith, they first had to focus their attention on and be profoundly concerned about working out of themselves God’s Perfect Will, which God has put inside of them.

According to the apostle Paul, the Philippian believers, and by virtue of being born again and saved, all believers in Christ, are working God’s Perfect Will out of them, when they are allowing the Holy Spirit (the Source of God’s Perfect Will or the Divine enablement in them; see Philippians 2:13) to complete for them His practical sanctification process. The Philippian believers, as well as all believers, also are working God’s Perfect Will out of them when they are obeying whatever the Holy Spirit prompts, leads, and teaches them about salvation’s ultimate goal: Christlikeness.

This understanding of believers having a Divine enablement (the Holy Spirit) inside them, who wills and is able to perform God’s Perfect Will in believers’ lives, not only is evident from what the apostle writes in Philippians 2:13, but also by chapter three of Philippians the apostle Paul obviously is referring to the Holy Spirit being that Source of God’s Perfect Will (that Divine enablement), which God Himself has put inside every believer. Paul writes:

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. ~ Philippians 3:13-14, NLT

There can be no doubt that by the time the apostle Paul writes the above verses he has come to the conclusion that the only way he truly will know Christ Jesus and the power of His resurrection is by focusing his attention on and being profoundly concerned about (submissive and obedient to) the Holy Spirit’s practical sanctification process. In fact, the apostle Paul is confirming that by focusing on the goal of Christlikeness, and obediently pressing and reaching for that goal, he has learned the meaning of the “fear” and “trembling” he speaks about in Philippians 2:12b (ASV, ESV, KJV, NIV, etc.).

This “fear” apostle Paul mentions is nothing more than believers being so devoted to and respectful of God that they consciously choose to be totally submissive and voluntarily obedient to His Perfect Will. Put differently, in Philippians 2:12b, the “fear” apostle Paul speaks about is believers’ confidence (faith) in and awe (deep reverence) for the God who both designed and implements the plan of salvation, with all of its gifts and blessings.

Additionally, this “trembling” apostle Paul mentions is nothing more than believers having a humble attitude. They are putting no trust or confidence in their own ability and power. This “trembling” also means that believers intentionally are being seriously cautious; they continually are looking out for every kind of temptation that so easily could ensnare them, while they are pursuing the goal of Christlikeness. In other words, with the help of the Holy Spirit, believers’ humble attitude plus their healthy reverence for and devotion to God (the “fear” that keeps them shying away from any and everything that might offend God or discredit His name, and Christ’s name) are the motivating forces behind them obediently and faithfully carrying out their salvation to its ultimate conclusion, which is Christlikeness.

As a matter of fact, the apostle makes several references to this kind of “fear” and “trembling”—this obedience and submission that leads to being faithful to God’s Perfect Will. Perhaps the best Scriptures that explain what the apostle’s “fear” and “trembling” mean are verses 1-2 of Romans 12. In these verses, the apostle Paul is saying that when believers truly respect and revere God, then that’s when they are fulfilling their “reasonable service,” which is to be obedient and submissive to God’s Perfect Will. This “reasonable service” (being obedient and submissive to God’s Perfect Will) not only means that believers are being changed from the inside out, desiring only to do what God wants, but also means that believers are agreeing with God that what He wants is moral, pleasing, and achievable.

For the record, the original Source of believers’ salvation is Father God, and He has seen fit to place His Perfect Will inside each one of His sons and daughters by giving each one His Holy Spirit—the Source of the spiritual power, spiritual gifts, and practical sanctification in every believer. In other words, the Source of every believer’s will (desire or determination) is Almighty God, and He brings every believer’s will into harmonious agreement with His Perfect Will by allowing His Holy Spirit to work in each believer “…the desire and the power to do what pleases…” Almighty God (Philippians 2:13b, NLT).

For God’s Perfect Will to become every believer’s will (every believer’s conscious and natural choice), each believer must work out his or her own salvation. This working out of the Source God has put into every believer is accomplished when each believer repeatedly goes to that Source (the Holy Spirit)—when every believer continuously relies on the Holy Spirit’s power, authority, promptings, leadings, teachings, and so forth.

It is the Holy Spirit’s daily supernatural job to bring back to every child of God’s remembrance the Word of God he or she has been feeding on throughout his or her Christian life. It also is the Holy Spirit’s daily supernatural job to renew every child of God’s heart and soul so that he or she can come into Father God’s presence and worship Him in the “spirit” of awe and reverence—worship Him in Spirit and in Truth!

The Holy Spirit only can achieve His jobs when each believer has focused his or her attention on and has become profoundly concerned about working out of himself/herself God’s Perfect Will for his or her life. When what is inside a believer can be seen outside of him or her, that would mean this believer is doing the Perfect Will of God—demonstrating to others that the lifestyle he or she is living is the genuine result of an unwavering and unshakable faith. In essence, the believer would be demonstrating to others how much like Christ he or she has become!

The bottom line is this: Contrary to popular opinion, the ultimate goal of every believer is not to make it into Heaven. The ultimate goal of God’s salvation plan is to have every single one of His sons and daughters achieve Christlikeness. Once again, the only way to achieve this goal is through the work of the Divine enablement (the Holy Spirit and His practical sanctification process), which changes believers from the inside out.

With the aid of the Holy Spirit, believers are able to work out of them God’s Perfect Will for them—they are able to work out of them everything God has worked into their human spirits/hearts so that others will see the evidence (manifestation) of God’s saving Grace and His Holy Spirit’s sanctified work that are going on inside believers. More important, believers will know that their labor, the working of God’s Perfect Will out of them, will not be in vain, for they are promised that “…God, who began the good work within [them], will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Philippians 1:6, NLT; the bracketed word is this blogger’s emphasis).

Ambassador for Christ Blogger Award

27 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by in Awards

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Ambassador for Christ Award, Revised

Therefore we are ambassadors of the Messiah; in effect, God is making his appeal through us. What we do is appeal on behalf of the Messiah, ‘Be reconciled to God!  God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.’ ~ 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, CJB

 

Bishop O.W. Prince at O. W. Prince Ministries has nominated me for the prestigious Ambassador for Christ Blogger Award. I am honored that Bishop Prince has given his auspicious approval of my blog’s postings. I am also elated to be recognized by him for being a preacher and teacher of God’s unadulterated Word, and I am elated to be acknowledged as a Christian blogger who points out in my apostolically and scripturally based regular blog postings the need for true repentance, salvation, holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, and obedience to God’s commandments. For these reasons, it gives me great pleasure to accept this Ambassador for Christ Blogger Award. Thank you so much Bishop Prince for nominating me.

Additionally, I want to encourage all of the individuals who visit my blog to check out the exceptionally inspirational and motivational writings, as well as the apostolically and scripturally based postings, that can be found on Bishop Prince’s blog. He definitely is preaching and teaching about the Word of God’s repeated issues—repentance, salvation, holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, and obedience to God’s commandments. Indeed, I am genuinely touched by the godly warmth, kindness, and love that he sincerely and faithfully expresses in every one of his postings and comments.

Now, in order to accept this unique award, the nominee must follow these few guidelines:

1.    Add the Ambassador for Christ Blogger Award logo to your blog.

2.   Write a blog entry in which you give your thoughts on receiving this prestigious award. Please be sure to name and thank the person who nominated you, as well as provide a link to that person’s blog.

3.    Pass the award on to as many or as few worthy bloggers as you like, either by notifying those bloggers via e-mail or in a comment posted on one of their blog entries.

Let me say, once again, thank you Bishop Prince. Thank you for your encouragement, appreciation, and your support. I pray that our God continues to bless you and your loved ones exceedingly and abundantly above anything that you could ever imagine, or guess, or request.

 

Shalom . . .

 

Resurrected From Spiritual Death To Spiritual Life

05 Saturday May 2012

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Spiritual Rebirth

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice. ~ John 5:28, ESV

  

We know that God’s Holy Spirit is the Living Water—our constant flowing source of Divine Revelation (illuminator of God’s WORD), our constant flowing source of spiritual wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and spiritual gifts, and our constant flowing source of Christ Jesus’ power, authority, and anointing. In view of this knowledge, there should be no doubt that this Living Water additionally not only continually cleanses us from all manner of defilement but also initially makes us spiritually alive.

Even though, for the most part, we indirectly hear Christ Jesus’ voice speak to us (like from off the Bible’s pages that we read, and/or from out of the mouths of Bible teachers, preachers, and disciplers), Christ Jesus first had to speak to us, indirectly or directly, before we ever could be resurrected from out of our spiritual graves (the state of being spiritually dead to God). In actuality, according to God’s written and preached Word, our Father sovereignly decided that, after His Grace and the Power of His Holy Spirit worked together to influence a positive response from us to the read or preached Word, His Grace and the Power of His Holy Spirit would work together to perform a preliminary spiritual baptism in us so that we could be resurrected from spiritual death, or separation from God.

In other words, no matter when we respond favorably to either the written or the preached Word of God, the Divine Truth is that our positive response is because of God’s Grace and His Holy Spirit’s Power. That’s right! It is because of God’s Grace and the Power of His Holy Spirit that God allows His Holy Spirit to influence our receptivity of the read, preached, and/or taught WORD of God, which is the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Furthermore, it is because of this initial act of God’s Grace and Power that His Grace and His Holy Spirit’s Power next work together to breathe life into us, again, only this time it is the “new” life that is being breathed into our spiritually dead human spirits. God, in essence, is regenerating sinners’ spirits—we are being born again from Heaven.

No one can feel this new birth while it is happening, and no one can do anything to make this new birth happen. Put differently, regeneration (rebirth; being born again from above) is solely the work of God’s Grace and the Power of His Holy Spirit.

Subsequently, the teamwork of God’s Grace and His Holy Spirit’s Power also involves giving us our measure of faith, as well as influencing our spiritual hearing (understanding), our spiritual receiving, and our spiritual trusting in our Lord’s voice, which is calling us, either directly or indirectly, unto repentance, salvation, discipleship, and sanctification. Now even though there has been much written about whether or not believers actually could hear Father God or Christ Jesus’ audible voice, the Divine Truth is that very soon, Christ Jesus will speak and His direct audible voice will be heard clearly by every one of His deceased disciples.

When He speaks to His deceased disciples with His direct audible voice, His voice will be calling them from their graves. He will be resurrecting all of the centuries of the dead in Christ saints from their physical graves (from the places on this Earth where their physical bodies were buried, no matter if they were buried in the ground, at sea, placed in mausoleums, or put in urns).  As it was with Lazarus who arose from his grave when Christ Jesus cried out to him with a LOUD voice, “…Lazarus, come forth…” (John 11:43), the dead in Christ will arise from their physical graves, wherever those graves might be, as soon as these dead in Christ hear their Bridegroom’s shout (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16)!

However, there still will be another resurrection. The centuries of people who have rejected Christ Jesus’ call to repentance and salvation also will be “called” out of their graves to be judged and then thrown into the Lake of Fire (cf. Revelation 20:11-15). Their fate is why every believer should use most of the time he or she has left on this Earth to pant after the Living Water (to draw closer to Christ Jesus), to pay attention to His voice, to answer  “yes, Lord,” and to do God’s Perfect Will. In other words, we never can turn a deaf ear to God’s Divine Truth or His Perfect Will, because if we do, then the next time we hear Christ Jesus’ voice might be when He says to depart from Him, because He doesn’t know us (cf. Matthew 7:21-23)!  

The Sinner’s Prayer

19 Wednesday Oct 2011

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Most “churchgoers” teach that the Sinner’s Prayer is an unsaved person’s invitation to Jesus the Christ—a prayer in which an unsaved person asks the Lord to come into his or her heart so that he or she can be saved. Unfortunately, there are so many reasons why this teaching is not from God. The three most important reasons why this teaching is not from God are as follows:

First, the point of view about the Sinner’s Prayer being step one of several steps that lead to salvation is not biblical. Nowhere in the New Testament is there anything that remotely suggests that people can be saved by first saying or repeating a Sinner’s Prayer, because NOWHERE in the New Testament is any sinner instructed or encouraged to “pray” for his or her salvation. Why? Well, because prayer is an avenue of communication between God the Father and His children (those believers who have a SPIRITUAL relationship with God, which is made possible through the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection—His SPIRITUAL covenant/contract with the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ). Thus, an unsaved person is not a Child of God (cf. John 9:31)!

NOTE too that New Testament Scriptures like James 5:16 and 1 John 1:8-9, etc., pertain to BELIEVERS! Moreover, the thief on the cross who asks the Lord to remember him when the Lord comes into His Kingdom could not at that moment be saved, because Jesus the Christ had not yet died, had not been buried, and had not been resurrected! The Lord, however, did forgive the thief’s sins, and He did restore this Jewish man to his Old Testament “physical” covenant relationship, which in turn would place this thief in the Paradise compartment of Hell where Abraham and other faithful Jews were. In essence, the thief was not sent to the Torments compartment of Hell, and he was not sent to the Abyss!

Second, it is God through Jesus the Christ who does the inviting. Indeed, the Lord invites sinners to come to Him, because He is the only ONE who can do the drawing (cf. Matthew 11:28-30; John 12:32). This drawing, however, involves being “born-again,” which, by the way, is exclusively God the Father’s work that has nothing to do with what people say or do! In other words, because of the regenerative work of God’s Grace, God’s Faith, and God’s Holy Spirit, people are able to confess with their tongues and believe in their hearts the Gospel’s Truth (preached Word of God) about Jesus the Christ being the Son of God, whose atoning sacrifice makes it possible to receive Him as their personal Savior and Lord!

Third, those “churchgoers” who have been teaching unsaved people that they will be saved if they pray a prayer in which they invite the Lord into their hearts are why there are so many people who, because they prayed such a prayer, now think that they are saved, when many of them are not! Furthermore, the Scriptures teach that calling out the Lord’s name—that is, saying  “Lord, Lord”—is not enough to obtain either the regenerative or the saving work of God’s Grace, God’s Faith, and God’s Holy Spirit, especially if the person calling the Lord’s name is NOT doing the Will of the Father (cf. Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46; John 9:31).

Just like water baptism never saved any lost souls, for many dry devils were dipped into water only to be raised up out of it as wet devils, the Sinner’s Prayer also never saved any lost souls, for many sinners were just as unrepentant and disobedient after their “Amen” as they were at the beginning of their Sinner’s Prayer. Therefore, if everyone who says a Sinner’s Prayer doesn’t receive salvation, then the Sinner’s Prayer cannot be from God. Instead, the Sinner’s Prayer is a snare that tricks lost souls into believing in a false assurance of salvation!

The bottom line is this: Since Jesus the Christ and His first-century disciples never asked or required anyone to repeat ANYTHING after them, then no modern-day evangelists or “church” spiritual leaders have the right to ask or require anyone to repeat a Sinner’s Prayer after them. Lastly, the goal of every evangelist or “church” spiritual leader has never been to get lost souls to pray any prayer. The goal ALWAYS has been to be a witness for Jesus the Christ—to lead the unsaved world to the Lord by demonstrating to lost souls how to live for Him.

Christianity Doesn’t Need to Make Room for Other Beliefs Because True Christianity Isn’t a Religion

18 Sunday Jan 2009

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How many times have you heard people say that Christianity is a religion? How many times have you heard debaters of “other beliefs” say that since “Christianity is a religion” that is a mixture of many religious tenets and worldly philosophies, Christians, thus, need to make room for other beliefs? Indeed, these debaters of “other beliefs” maintain that Christianity isn’t Christianity if it doesn’t make room for other beliefs.

First off, this “Christianity is a religion” faulty premise is what causes debaters  of “other beliefs” to misread, misinterpret, or overlook the solid evidence that proves that the Good News Gospel of Christ is not a mixture of many religious beliefs and secular philosophies. In fact, the Good News Gospel is not about any religion at all; it is about God’s salvation plan! That is why being born again and then saved are not religious experiences, for, if they were, then the religiosity of traditionalists from numerous ancient religions, including Judaism, would have been sufficient enough that there would not have been any need for Jesus the Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

Secondly, true Christianity is ALL about God’s supernatural regeneration of spiritually dead, human spirits that, when these dead, human spirits become spiritually alive, born-again individuals then can be influenced (convicted) by God’s Holy Spirit about the need for them to confess their sins, repent their sins, and accept Jesus the Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus the Christ, in turn, justifies His new believers (presents them before God just as if they had never sinned) so that they can begin their eternal-life status in right standing with God. As such, these born again, saved by God’s Grace believers now can enjoy their renewed spiritual relationship with God the Father and with Jesus the Christ the Son. These believers’ right standing in God also makes it possible for them to fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Christianity (or rather, being a Christian), then, is  about God’s saving Grace and ONLY about God’s saving Grace. For sure,  no man-made (or woman-made) religion has been able to affect an everlasting change in the spiritually dead condition of the human spirit like God’s saving Grace.

For these reasons, the fundamental tenets of Christianity are irrefutable. These incontestable fundamental tenets are: the Triune God (God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) is the Eternally Self-Existent, “I AM”; the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God, inerrant in the original authorships; Jesus the Christ is God’s only begotten Son; Jesus the Christ is the incarnate Word of God who is the first of all creatures and the creator of all things; Jesus the Christ is both man and God; Jesus the Christ died for the sins of the world; Jesus the Christ rose from the dead, as the first fruit of the dead, and He is now seated at the right hand of God; Jesus the Christ is believers’ Advocate; Jesus the Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings; Jesus the Christ is the way, the truth and the life; Jesus the Christ is the only “path” that leads to God; and Jesus the Christ is coming back to Earth again. Therefore, the people who hold fast to different tenets  need to know that their beliefs cannot negate, replace, pollute, or stand along side of God’s divine truth, which is documented in His Holy Bible.

As early as the first century A.D., and continuing until today, there have been proponents of “other beliefs” who, while debating the validity of their religion or their new spirituality’s tenets, were simultaneously trying to prove that the preached, taught, and documented Gospel of Christ’s fundamental tenets were foolish, specious, unfounded, illogical, and unreasonable, simply because the Gospel of Christ makes no room for other beliefs. Indeed, modern-day true Christians constantly declare that twenty-first century’s debaters of “other beliefs” neither are presenting any new evidence that is better than the evidence first century debaters of “other beliefs” used, nor are these modern-day  debaters  of “other beliefs” convincing true believers that they need to make room for beliefs that are contrary to those found in God’s Holy Bible.

Moreover, it is funny how 21st-century people believe and trust in the words thought to be penned by Homer, Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Buddha, or other ancient wise poets and thinkers; today’s intellectuals readily accept the copies of these aforementioned authors’ works as their original thoughts. The truth is that just like the works penned by the writers of the Holy Bible, these famous poets and philosophers’ works that people read and study today and use as the foundation of their own religious tenets are  just copies of copies of copies of copies, and so forth! Yet, modern-day masses hardly ever try to refute, for example, the validity of  Homer or Plato’s secular documents with the same fervor they use when they are dealing with the Holy Spirit inspired writings found in the Holy Bible.

While there are many debates about whether  the works penned by the earlier mentioned well-known poets and philosophers are more worthy to be believed and followed than the biblical works  inspired by Creator God, the fact still remains that there are  thousands of  Old and New Testament  manuscripts. Indeed,  of all of the discovered manuscript copies attributed to Homer, Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Buddha, and other ancient wise poets and thinkers, there are far more authenticated manuscript copies of the works that are in the Holy Bible. For this reason, what the Apostle Paul writes about that relates to how God feels about making room for “other beliefs” is indeed an undeniably excellent piece of evidence that proves that the irrefutable Good News Gospel is about the supernatural act of salvation, and not religion. The Apostle Paul writes:

As the Scriptures say, ‘I will destroy human wisdom and discard their brilliant  ideas.’ So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. God’s way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. This ‘foolish’ plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength. Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important…. (1 Corinthians 1:19-28, NLT)

Finally, people also should not get it twisted. Without a doubt, most  21st-century people who call themselves Christians will not agree that the central truth of their faith (their trust in God) is the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The central truth of Christians’ faith is: Jesus the Christ is the ONE and ONLY Savior of this world. Based on this central truth, Christians know and believe that performing good works and obeying God’s commandments cannot and will not earn any person a place in Heaven.  Moreover, these believers know that Christian living is not about performance-based acceptance.  In other words, Christians’ holy and righteous living is not about trying to prove themselves perfect by the works they do for Jesus the Christ.

Therefore, true believers are Christians because they are saved by Grace, which is solely of God, and God’s saving Grace is why genuine Christians cannot and do not boast about any good works they do, and why they do not boast about any commandments they keep. In fact, true Christians obey God’s commandments and show compassion, respect and concern for others not because these beliefs originated in Judaism, or because variations of these beliefs can be found in many world religions, but true Christians endeavor to keep God’s commandments and do good works because they love God more than they love anyone or anything else. Since all of God’s commandments are summed up in Jesus’ new commandment, which is for true believers to love God with their entire spirits, souls and bodies, and to love others like they love themselves, genuine Christians do not need to make room for others’ beliefs because all that true Christians need to believe in is found in Jesus the Christ.

For these reasons, genuine Christians know that they cannot let any person lead them “…astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ” (Colossians 2:8, NLT). Furthermore, true Christians also know that they are made complete through their “…union with Christ…,” who is Lord and ruler of every person (cf. Colossians 2:10, NLT).

Once again, the Apostle Paul’s spiritual wisdom says best what true Christians know as God’s divine truth pertaining to other beliefs. Paul writes:

Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’ t see – kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together. (Colossians 1:16-17, NLT).

Because Christ “holds all creation together,” He is the major reason why Christians’ beliefs are irrefutable, why their Christianity is not a religion, and why their God and His Good News Gospel have no need to make room for other beliefs.  Amen, and Amen again!

We Must Be Born Again

15 Thursday Jan 2009

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Have you ever wondered why Jesus the Christ concentrated more on the idea of being born again than He concentrated on the idea of salvation? Here’s why!

Concerning whether or not people need to be born again, Apostle Paul writes in Titus that God:

…saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7, NIV).

Translation: regeneration is a must! Being born again is a must, because if we never experience our second birth (our spiritual rebirth/renewal/regeneration), we never will be truly saved! In essence, regeneration is the definitive prerequisite to salvation. That’s right! Being born again and being redeemed are not synonymous.

For sure, Jesus the Christ knew the difference between rebirth and salvation. In fact, during His earthly ministry, He didn’t explicitly teach about salvation because His primary focus was on the Kingdom of Heaven and how people must enter into this spiritual Kingdom. He taught that they must come through the ONE and only door/gate—that they must come through Him. Christ’s teaching on how people enter into the Kingdom of God confirms that there is ONLY one way (one path) that leads to living an eternal life with God.

This veiled reference to salvation aside, without a doubt Jesus the Christ explicitly taught that before people could come through Him (before they could be saved from an eternity spent in the Lake of Fire) they first MUST be born again! Repeatedly, Jesus the Christ made it clear that unregenerate sinners neither would see nor would they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Certainly that is why Jesus the Christ insisted that people must be born again instead of preaching and teaching that people must be saved!

It is safe to say that He understood the difference between regeneration (rebirth) and salvation. Like God, Jesus the Christ knew that it virtually was impossible for sinners to be saved from the wrath of God without God’s intervention. Consequently, God uses His saving grace and His Holy Spirit’s power for the purpose of influencing every sinner’s necessary born-again experience.

Knowing that we would be utterly hopeless as long as we lived outside of a life in Christ is why God graciously intervenes in our lives and quickens our human spirits so that we can hear the Word of God and receive our measure of faith. God knows that it takes us being born again before we can proceed to the most crucial step in His redemption plan, which is responding to the Holy Spirit’s initial conviction. By God’s Grace, His Holy Spirit first convicts us about our need to be aware of our sin-guilt, to be accountable for our own sins, and to confess our awareness. For sure, it is our confessed awareness and accountability that will activate the Holy Spirit’s successive convictions: confessing our sins, repenting our sins (turning away from our sins and turning toward Jesus the Christ), and accepting Jesus the Christ as our Savior.

After we accept Jesus the Christ as our person Savior, we are reconciled and restored. Christ gives us His righteousness (He justifies us so that we will be in right standing with God); the Holy Spirit begins His practical sanctification process (He begins transforming us unto the image of Jesus the Christ); and our eternal life begins while we are still on Earth. But again, none of the Holy Spirit’s successive convictions that lead to our salvation can happen if we first didn’t have a genuine born-again experience!

The Apostle John says that “…to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan – this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:12-13, NLT). Once again, being born again is wholly, completely, and supremely because of God’s divine power (mighty workings of His Holy Spirit) and Grace. By God’s design, we are inactive receivers of our second birth! That is to say that there is nothing that we can do, say or think about that will influence our regeneration. Furthermore, if the Holy Spirit doesn’t rejuvenate our spiritually DEAD human spirits (spirits that are dead in sins and trespasses), we just would continue to deny our sinfulness and continue to deny our need for a Savior.

Since being born again of the Holy Spirit is something that humans cannot do under their own strength, might, and predilection, people need to know and understand that they are never considered to be regenerated just because they are fortunate enough to have been born (physically born) into a Christian family. Similarly, people need to know that they are not born again just because they make a decision to be saved, or make a commitment to the Lord, or choose to rededicate their lives, or walk down the aisles of the church and give their preacher their hand. Finally, people need to know that they are not born again just because they orally repent their sins and/or boldly profess to believe in Jesus the Christ. The spiritual truth is that people repent and believe because the Grace and Holy Spirit of God already have regenerated their dead human spirits, which is that quickening that eventually leads to believers’ spirits being put back in the right standing and relationship with Father and Creator God–they are presented to God just as if they had never sinned!

Unfortunately, because too many “churchy” people tend to think that regeneration (the rebirth) and salvation are the same, that water baptism is the second birth, that water baptism saves, or that people have something to do with their own rebirth, we have too many professed Christians in our modern-day churches who really never have been born again (people who never have received a regenerated spirit). The sad truth is that not until people study the Word of God for themselves until they know God’s Word inside and out, and not until pulpit ministers and other spiritual leaders teach the truth about the second birth, which is that being born again is solely of God, the numbers of people who neither will see nor enter into the Kingdom of Heaven will continue to be staggering!

Believers Returning To Their Christian Roots

10 Saturday Jan 2009

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As we walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s Baptism, Christ will become increasingly significant and precious to us. Conversely, we short-circuit our rebirth’s wiring when we walk in the flesh. As a result, Christ will become less precious to us.

For sure, how much value we place in Christ will be indicative of where we are spiritually. Even though it is the Holy Spirit’s job to oversee our spiritual growth, we must cooperate with Him. Our cooperation allows Him to glorify Christ in us by maturing our spiritual lives (transforming us into Christ’s image) by moving us from one spiritual level of glory to another.

The higher the Holy Spirit takes us, the more precious Christ becomes to us, and the more we want to meditate on God’s Word. The more we meditate on His Word, the more we learn about Christ’s beauty and majesty. The more we learn about Christ’s beauty and majesty, the more we want to become like Him. Reflecting the highest level of glory in Christ (becoming Christ-like) is what Apostle Paul wanted for the Galatians, even more so now that his evangelistic efforts had become fruitless in them, because Apostle Paul’s honesty about their ungodly living made him their enemy (cf. Galatians 4:16).

As their spiritual father, Apostle Paul vowed to suffer the pains of their spiritual childbirth again and again until the Galatians remembered how they once received him, even with his failing eyesight. The Galatians once loved the Apostle Paul so much that they offered to give him their eyes so that he could see better (cf. Galatians 4:15). Thus, if the Galatians returned to their Christian roots–returned to their past love for the true Gospel the apostle taught them and their past love for him–Apostle Paul believed that the Galatians spiritually would see that the Judaizers among them were the ones who were their real enemies, for the Judaizers taught salvation by works!

Apostle Paul maintained that if the Galatians stopped trying to sanctify themselves with their human works and genuinely renewed their trust in God’s Holy Spirit, they would begin to grow again, from glory to glory. Likewise, today’s spiritually childish believes must return to their Christian roots before they can become Christ-like.   AMEN.

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19, KJV; cf. 1 Corinthians 4:15).