Fri, Mar 29th - 11:42PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Heb. 12: 22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Heb 8:3-13; Heb 10:17;  Eph 1:7 ;Eph 2:19; Eph 2:15; Rom 11:26; Rom :9;Jhn 10:28.

Tue, Mar 26th - 2:59PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Heb 12: Exodus 20:18-21; Deuteronomy 5:22-33)

18For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:). Exo 19:18.

Brothers and sisters, thanks for hanging with me as we continue to fellowship together in the inerrant, eternal word of God. Here in Heb.12:18-21 of Hebrews the word of God greatly comforts and assures us His people that none of us are coming to the terrifying Mount Sinai to hear the commands of the God untouchable to His people. The Bible describes the terrifying appearance of Almighty God to the nation of Israel. God had appeared first to Moses in a bush as a fire that did not consume the bush: Exo 3:6.  Now, however, God shows up in an entire huge mountain. Nobody and nothing could touch His mountain. Any person or animal that did was to be put to death. The people of Israel, hearing God speak, the blaring trumpet, the thunder of His voice, darkness, tempest, fire spewing out from Him came to the conclusion that they were on borrowed time if they who were sinners kept in direct contact with God. They were amazed that God let them see Him and live. They were certain that they would not be so fortunate to survive a second direct encounter with Almighty God, who hated sin, and might break out in wrath to destroy them due to this. God’s purpose: Deu 4:10; Deu 4:24; Deu 4:35; Deu 4:37; Deu 10:12. Results: Jos 5:6; 2Ki 18:12; Jer 11:8; Jer 17:23; Jer 32:23;Zep 3:7; Dan 9:14.

 Israel knew they could not reject God, so to a man they pointed to Moses standing there himself shaking with fear of God to his very core and begged God to talk to Moses all He wanted and then Moses could get back to them on it. This is why Israel had no direct contact with God.

God accepted this from the people. Thereafter, the prophets and the Levitical priesthood was established as mediators between God and the people, due to the people not wanting any direct contact with God our of fear for their lives.

Holy people, there is no doubt we should fear God, however, we see in this example that fear of and in itself was insufficient to cause people to willingly and consistently obey God to any extent, that He found acceptable.

Love

serola

Sun, Mar 24th - 8:50PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Heb 12: 16Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

Fornicator: a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator. Revelation 22:15; 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:10; 2Ti 2:16 -21;Hebrews 12:16; Hebrews 13:4; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15.

Profane:  ungodly men, wicked; 2Ti 2:16 -21.

Heb 12:17For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Brothers and sisters, we know the power of Jesus Christ, and that the Bible is never teaching the lie that true Christians can backslide, nor the lie that Christians can sin unrepentantly and lose their salvation: 1Jo 3:9 - Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Jde 1:24.

 Instead this verse continues to address the profane, those whose root is corrupted, just as Esau’s was. Esau never respected the promises of the covenant nor had respect for his birthright because he sold it for next to nothing. Profane persons arise, who exemplify Esau, in that although they understand the gospel message,  they unrepentantly reject it, just as Esau did: Mat 3:10; 1Ti 1:9; 2Ti 2:16. Esau might have even cried crocodile tears, but he could not fool God. God read his heart as unrepentant still and rejected him forever. Esau thought he could regain his blessing through murdering  Jacob. Gen 27:41 - And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. 1Pe 4:15; 1Jo 3:15.

This is a warning too, saints (G40 hagios), against sliding people into the ministry only on the basis of their parents being Christians or holding an office within the church. Salvation is based directly on the individuals believing and obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ, not in error claiming one has passively received it based on parentage. I am happy to hear people be thankful for having godly parents, but I cringe when they allude that somehow, they are more holy than other believers because of it. The downside to such claims is then it must falsely mean that those Christians who did not have godly parents are somehow inferior to those who had godly parents. Everything we have as Christians come from Jesus Christ. let us be thankful for our godly parents, and celebrate those who despite having ungodly parents, nevertheless are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, understanding that God is no respecter of persons: 1Pe 1:17.

It is absolutely certain, holy people, there is nothing benign about those who unrepentantly reject salvation, for they will surely produce wickedness which will tempt and trouble the body of Christ, if allowed to remain. Therefore, overseers and the body of Christ in general are commanded to put out from amongst the body of Christ any such persons who appear in the church.

The Biblical intent here is not to deal with such persons in an irresolute, merry go round kind of way where they are removed from the church or associations and although they claim repentance, when allowed back in repeatedly are still found to be practicing the same pernicious evil behaviors in the church for which they were put out of in the first place: Rom 16:17; Eph 4:14; 1Ti 6:3-5; 2Jo 1:10; Act 20:29-31; Tit 3:10 - A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

A true Christian, dearly beloveds, even if she or he has been put out of the church due to sin will repent and seek forgiveness and reunion with the church. The wicked will in no case truly repent in word and deed, and thus must remain excluded by the church, as well as by individual church members. The Bible has set the standard in both cases for which the church as a whole and individually must uphold in the sight of God.

Love

serola

Fri, Mar 22nd - 2:41PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Heb 12: 14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Brothers and sisters, God is not calling for any Christian to ensue peace at the cost of compromising the scriptures. But it is clear, saints (G40 hagios), that we should seek to get along with our brothers and sisters and whenever possible in the world in general, as opposed to being busy bodies meddling in matters that do not concern us, or being trouble makers and difficult to get along with anybody.

Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

2Co 13:11Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Gal 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

A life of unrepentant unholiness means no salvation for all eternity it is as simple as that, dearly beloveds. God commands His people to be holy, because he has made and empowered His people to live and be holy people. 1Th 4:7; Rom 12:1; 1Co 3:17; Eph 1:4; Eph 2:21; Eph 4:24; Col 1:22; 1Pe 1:15-16; 1Pe 2:5.

Heb 12: 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Diligently: to look upon, inspect, oversee, look after, care for

A. of the care of the church which rested upon the elders

B. to look carefully, beware

Root: a root

Bitterness: bitter gall

A. extreme wickedness

B. a bitter root, and so producing a bitter fruit

C. metaph. bitterness, bitter hatred

I.springing up: to beget, bring forth, produce

II.to be born, to spring up, to grow

I.to shoot forth, spring up, that which like a root springs from a root, a sprout, shoot

II. offspring, progeny.

I.Defiled: to dye with another color, to stain

A. to defile, pollute, sully, contaminate, soil to defile with sins,

Brothers and sisters, we must all be extremely careful of any person in the body, regardless of His or her claims of Christianity, who refutes, rejects, or unrepentantly denies salvation by grace alone, by faith alone, by Christ alone.

Ultimately, we are commanded to take preventive measures against them to prevent such persons through their corrupt nature or fruit to cause great havoc, trouble the church, and lead people away from the truth. In plain English, brethren, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, acts like a duck, and poops like a duck-it is a duck plain and simple. However, if anyone tries to convince us it is a peacock, we know they are lying. Mat 13:38-43. 

Love 

serola

Thu, Mar 21st - 11:11PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brothers and sisters, praise God for the multitude of overseers and the body general who believe and understand the truth that church discipline is an integral part of the gospel message.

2Ti 4:2 KJV - 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Self- discipline/accountability/responsibility in being first to hold our own feet to the fire keeps us from hypocrisy. The knowledge that facing the truth in repentance, even though it can be painful, strengthens us and glorifies God. We become safe people, capable of disciplining one another in love and in the light of the truth of scripture, rather than out of our personal opinions or annoyances. We get better at self-discipline, dearly beloveds, with experience, and find ourselves stronger, wiser, kinder, rejoicing more and more in pleasing God first. All the commands that God gives us to do is because He has empowered us to do them. His spirit is within us all to help us at every step of the way: Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

(Raise your hand if this verse encourages you and gives you a great sense of relief. I raised mine).

Wed, Mar 20th - 8:07PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Heb 12: 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Brothers and sisters, if anyone unrepentantly rejects God the Father’s chastisement directly through Him or His church, we are commanded to see him, her or them exactly as what God calls them bastards.

The Bible is not wishy washy, touchy feely, or warm and fuzzy regarding those who unrepentantly reject church discipline. Note how the Bible does not describe those who unrepentantly resist church discipline as “broken” or “hurting”. This is because those who sin by unrepentantly rejecting church discipline have no excuse whatsoever in the sight of God, nor His people. Their unrepentant rejection of church discipline is proof that they never belonged to Jesus Christ at all.

The whole church individually and as a whole are God’s tools of discipline in the church. The church has God’s authority to shun association temporarily but welcoming back those who repent or  permanently shunning those who unrepentantly reject church discipline: Mat 18:17; Titus 3:9-11 ESV; Romans 16:17-18; 2 John 1:9-10 ESV; Galatians 1:9 . Both temporary and permanent  expulsion from the church is done only after correction attempts have been made in love, but failed because the disciplined person remained unrepentant.

Holy people, we have to be extremely careful of commentaries such as that of Matthew Henry, a false teacher whose commentary teaches the lie that the verses referring to those who reject church discipline as bastards are Christians who fall away or lose their salvation and end up damned for all eternity. The eternal truth is there is neither the power nor hand that can separate or pluck us from God’s hand: Jhn 10:28-29; Rom 8:39; Heb 13:5; Eph 4:30; Jde 1:24; Phl 1:6.Tools

     Heb 13:5

Dearly beloveds, God never condemns us for ignorance of His word, condemnation comes to those who even after they are taught it, and know it still choose to unrepentantly reject it-proof positive that they were never Christians in the first place.

Let us embrace fully the disciplinary hand of God who embraces us, assures us in His love, truth and discipline that even though He disciplines , we are always indeed His very own dear children.

Heb 112:9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

The Bible speaks plainly that our earthly parents did not discipline us just to teach us, but sometimes on a whim, or just to satisfy their anger at us too. God is nothing like our earthly parents. We can absolutely trust that every single time God disciplines us we will absolutely benefit from it and live in heeding Him and walking in holiness towards Him and one another.

11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Look, holy people, again, God knows we don’t feel very good at the times when our faults are pointed out. We may feel downhearted, and discouraged, however afterwards God shows us the way of righteousness He enables us to follow, we greatly profit in continued peace with Him and healing from going astray, and are able to help other brothers and sisters even as our God has helped and healed us and keeps us in His way. Our response to discipline, saints (G40 hagios), is to understand it is given to the entire body of Christ out of love. The end result is that God expects and empowers us to acknowledge our sins, repent of them that is change our minds, turn away from sin to God and be reconciled to His body.

Love 

serola

Tue, Mar 19th - 7:49PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brothers and sisters, while many churches understand, and conform to scripture in carrying out discipline amongst themselves, some falter badly in this area by not approving of any discipline or going too far in discipline many times resulting in lawsuits.

Church discipline is not a witch hunt, sin scouting, nor exercise in vindictiveness. Some overseers avoid discipline in the church out of cowardice-fearful of push back from the people, loss of members or money. Some overseers do not ever want to be disciplined themselves so they neither teach nor require it of the church. In either case there will be dire unavoidable consequences.

However, the multitude of churches that do discipline experience steady spiritual growth in faith and membership. We are commanded to obey God, and trust Him for the good outcome He has promised as a result of our faith in doing His will. So, we don't have to worry whether or not those disciplined by us will receive it or not.

There is absolutely no question, holy brethren, that God commands discipline in and amongst the entire body of His church; He exempts no one from it and all are subject to it. Christian new testament discipline follows the clear process and absolute pattern, authority, confrontation/corrective/ restorative nature and levels of church discipline as set forth in its New Covenant. By levels or stages of discipline it is meant from warnings, corrective teachings/confrontations, to punishment by expulsion from the church either temporary or permanently. In addition, the church has the authority/mandate to warn its body locally and elsewhere regarding those who unrepentantly preach/teach false doctrines.

Church discipline is done in love and truth with the fervent hope that the offender will repent and be reconciled to God and the church. It is also intended to protect other church members from the influence of sin.

By what means does God discipline His church in its entirety:

Firstly, God disciplines His body directly in various ways: for example, God warns Christians are not to take communion as a mere ritual, but must take it after eating a meal at home, not in a state of hunger, or drunkenness; self- examination is required to ensure one is taking it as what it is, a memorial to the Lord and His death until His return. Communion taken outside of the standard and boundary that God has set for it is sin and there is a penalty from God: 1Co 11:26-32.

Obviously God gives us warnings and examples to correct, teach, keep us on the right path: 1Co 10:6-13.

The church individually and as a whole must keep in mind that discipline is an act of love from the Lord and His church individually and as a whole.

Revelation 3:19

Verse Concepts

'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

Hebrews 12:  4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Notice, brothers and sisters, the Bible is talking about the things that we do contrary to the word of God. This has nothing to do with the devil, although he does greatly tempt, he has no power to force us to sin against God.

God Himself never tempts His people to sin: Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Again, God is not asking us to like being disciplined at the time He first administers it by Him and the church, nevertheless our attitude should not be anger, resistance or refusal to cooperate with God and those watching over our souls seeking our restoration, spiritual growth, and exhorting us to please God by doing His will above our own.

Love

Thu, Mar 14th - 1:46PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Heb 12: 4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Chastisement: the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body.

I.whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, esp. by correcting mistakes and curbing passions.

II. instruction which aims at increasing virtue.

Grievous: sorrow, pain, grief, annoyance, affliction

A. of persons mourning

Outline of Biblical Usage: Rebuked

I.to convict, refute, confute

A. generally, with a suggestion of shame of the person convicted

B. by conviction to bring to the light, to expose

C. to find fault with, correct by word

i.to reprehend severely, chide, admonish, reprove

ii.to call to account, show one his fault, demand an explanation

D. by deed

E.to chasten, to punish

Brothers and sisters, we know we must enter the study of the chastisement of the Lord with great care and know that it is error to ever abuse anyone under the cloak of chastisement, which God absolutely forbids.

We know, holy brethren, God can punish believers, not in wrath or anger although He is displeased when we do not obey Him out of love. But His punishment is not to destroy us but to bring us to repentance that is to change our minds and come obeying His commands out of love, not fear of punishment.  As human beings although we are eternally saved, correction just does not feel good to us at all at the time God administers it to us.

We know God does not just jump up and knock us in the head for no reason. He has eternally good reasons and does not expect our response to be “ I din do nuffin”, which would be untrue..

The question, dearly beloveds, is by what means does God correct us?

Love

serola  

Mon, Mar 11th - 11:47AM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brothers and sisters, we are commanded by God to see God His Son Jesus Christ for who He is: fully man without ever ceasing to be God. In His omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence and the power of His sinless blood He takes away the sins of all who believe in Him forever.

However, there are those who in error only see Jesus Christ as a good man, nevertheless as just another man whose final finished and complete work on the cross and ascension as Saviour merely opens the door to enter His kingdom and falsely believe there after that God still commands and requires men to pay for their own sins after salvation by continual confession and asking forgiveness each time they sin to stay saved and keep themselves from being lost or losing their salvation.

This is not salvation, but merely a works ministry of man trying to enter heaven vainly through a false doctrine straight from the devil.

People who refuse to turn from this error are still dead in their sins and even in bondage to sin with no hope of salvation through their false doctrine.  I pray that anyone believing this false doctrine would repent and come believing the truth.

The eternal truth is Heb 9:22 . Therefore, Rom 4:7 - 8. What this means is that the confession of any person not accompanied by the sinless blood of Jesus Christ through faith in His name will never be forgiven. However, once His sinless blood is applied to those who believe in Him, it removes all sin forever, seeing that it remains eternally effectual, there is no need for Him to continually shed and apply it repeatedly:  Heb 9:12 - Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. ;Heb 10:10 - By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 Col 2:13 - And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 1Jo 2:12 - I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

In light of what Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord has accomplished for us we can see exactly why God uses even stronger language to us than just to lay aside our sins: Gal 2:20; Gal 5:24 - And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Rom 6:6.

Saints (G40 hagios) Jesus commands us, to do these things because He has empowered us to do them:1 Pe 4: 1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

There are too many commands to post here, but holy people, we should never forget that Jesus Christ is our Advocate before the throne of His Father and our God, making intercessions for us, even the Holy Spirit helping our infirmities also before the throne of God our Father through faith in Jesus Christ. Some sins God commands for us to flee from literally and or figuratively: 1Co 6:18; 2Ti 2:22.

Let us keep our eyes on Jesus and running the race He has set before us with patience and joy, understanding that Jesus our forerunner has set the standard for the path that we are commanded to follow. We do not run alone, for Jesus our Lord is ever with us. Although we might stumble along the way we know it is His strength and love by which we rise to continue on in victory by victory every time: 1Jo 5:4

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1Jo 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Love

Sun, Mar 10th - 7:58AM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brothers and sisters, it is clear that there are those who in error do not believe the whole gospel message that Christ our Saviour, has eternally obtained our salvation and his work just as He has declared for all time, is final, finished and complete in having redeemed all who believe in Him, from ALL unrighteousness or sins, not just some sins.

In the blindness of their error they run in terror away from the whole message of the New Covenant or Testament of Jesus Christ:

Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

This is among some of the passages that terrifies them :Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

They totally ignore the ALL in 1: 1Jo 1:9, however it means exactly what it says ALL, not some and it reflects back to: Rom 10:9-13.

The sinless blood of Jesus Christ has the eternal power of cleansing all who believe in Him from all sin. Heb 9:22.

God created time for His purposes. He placed all people under the dominion of time and limited the time of all people. Human beings, holy people, are limited to the present, and although they have memories of the past have no ability to go back into the past or forward to the future. Therefore, we fully understand that God has limited all people to the present. God who made time is not bound by time. When Jesus forgives all who believe in Him, by His power as God the Son, He goes into their past, present and future and takes away all their sins therein forever. He leaves the believer, made new and sealed with the Holy Spirit in His or her natural body fixed in the present to experience in time all the sins that have been forgiven, to be tested, tried, proved in faith to show he or she has power over sin, and to share the gospel message. Only Christ’s sinless blood can gain forgiveness from God. Once obtained there is absolutely no further offering for sin: Heb 10:18.

Therefore, we fully understand that, after salvation asking, begging, confessing sin to God to get further forgives is in vain. What God commands is for believers to absolutely believe the truth of eternal forgiveness, and to thank God that through faith in Jesus Christ their sins are forgiven forever, that God will not hold nor, remember their sins against them. Then when the believer arrives at the points in time to experience the forgiven sins, by the power of God they resist, repent that is change their minds, and turn from sin and obey God, and they get better at it over time.

 Feel free brethren to see on your own the eternal standard that God alone declares under which He no longer counts or imputes sins to any believer ever again after salvation.

We ought to heed the warnings that God gives concerning those refusing to believe the power of the blood of the covenant of Jesus Christ:  Heb 10:29.

God commands all of us His people to lay aside the sins that so easily beset us because He has given us the power to do so. Other terms are used to lay aside sin: Eph 4:22; Col 3:8; Col 3:9; Rom 6:12.

The Bible, dearly beloveds, does not deny that sin can easily beset us but the answer is to nevertheless lay them aside, because God has empowered us to do so: Eph 4:24; Col 3:10.

Brethren, some of us have laid aside some humdingers of varying types of sins we thought we would never overcome, yet we did and glorified God thereby through the faith of Jesus Christ. There is no doctrine that promotes Christians falling into a sobbing heap merely to be sorry for their sin and then get up and continue on in those sins, that is a false doctrine a complete lie.

Love

serola

Sat, Mar 9th - 9:13AM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brothers and sisters we begin where we left off: Heb 12: 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Question: If we are forgiven of all our sins, holy people, why in the above passage does the Bible tell us to: “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,”

Question does these passages conflict with Heb 12:1.

1Jo 3:6 - Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1Jo 3:8 - He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1Jo 5:18 - We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Dearly beloveds most of us know that there is no conflict between these verses and the Bible does not contradict itself, the final eternal standard/boundary for righteousness rests entirely in the New Covenant or Testament of Jesus Christ. For example: in the old it was an eye for an eye; now forever it is love your enemies in the New. We will go into more detail next time.

Love

Thu, Mar 7th - 8:41AM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brothers and sisters, we know throughout the word of God that He helps and expects His people to arrive at the point of unwavering faith in Him, instead of being mired in perpetual questionings and doubts, which is unbelief.

Therefore, the Bible does not present the absolute, eternal declaration of the New Testament or Covenant as an invitation which means one has the option to refuse it with no consequences, for there are eternal grave consequences for refusing it. Nor is it presented as a choice or decision as though there were multiple choices of equally favorable viable options to it, for there are absolutely none.

See also, holy people, how it is not presented as merely a passive acceptance as though the one receiving it were doing God a favor.

God gives no one the authority to present the gospel message of the New Covenant or Testament in this way. In fact, God forbids it to ever be presented in this way by anyone. The massage of the cross of Christ must be understood as the eternal good news from God, it is final, fixed, finished, complete, exhaustive, explicit, exclusive, inerrant, unchanging, and absolutely uncompromising in its entirety.

Yet in truth, brethren, it is also the final warning and terrifyingly urgent message from God urging all mankind to be saved from His indignation and wrath against sinners through faith in His only Son and sole appointed Saviour Jesus Christ. Again, and again the Bible warns  as we must too, over and over that no one can be saved by faith in any so called co-redeemers, redemptresses, or substances such as anointing with oil or water baptism. The Bible is absolutely final on this- all are commanded by God to come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ alone to be saved for all eternity  or not at all and be damned for all eternity.

God gives all ample examples of His only accepting people through faith in Christ, not of works. Although we understand, that faith itself in Christ produces works to show that our faith is a living faith rather than a said faith which is of no faith at all.

We know, brothers and sisters, we must steadfastly resist every temptation to water down the gospel message or to think in error that we can make it “more palatable” or acceptable to people by doing so. We should not worry that people will be angry if we present it just as God intends. We preach and witness the love and truth of the gospel message, how people receive it or not is between them and God. It goes without saying brothers and sisters that a watered-down gospel is a false gospel that will not save anyone.

Finally, we know we do not have the option to pick only the parts of the gospel that we believe or appeal to us. It is an all or nothing gospel, meaning the whole must be accepted.

Those who pick and choose only the parts of the New Covenant or Testament that they like are suffering from acute heart disease, in the words from Jesus Christ our Lord: Luk 24:25 - Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

Foolish: unintelligent; by implication, sensual:—fool(-ish), unwise.

I.Slow of heart: slow, metaph. dull, inactive, in mind

A. stupid, slow to apprehend or believe.

i.Believe: to have absolute confidence, surrender, heartfelt obedience to lean on fully rely on and trust the inerrant eternal  truth that Jesus Christ is appointed by God to be the only source of  salvation and spiritual wellbeing for all who believe in Him whether gentle or Jew.

ii.ALL: All, everything.

God left us a superabundance of witnesses to the eternal truth that all of  the New Covenant or Testament must be believed in its entirety.

Wed, Mar 6th - 3:27PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brethren, let us encourage one another often to study the Bible and apply the word of God to our lives day by day. Let us live by its precepts and be guided by its commands and promises. It can’t be said often enough there is never any thing wrong with the Bible, it is not in need of the tinkering or fixings of men or women. The Bible in eternal truth, draws all the saints present and future to the saints (G40 hagios) of long ago in this chapter of Hebrews, that we should be followers of their examples of faith in Jesus Christ and trust in God. We notice that some of them are not even named, nevertheless they are fully known by God.

Wed, Mar 6th - 3:27PM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brethren, let us encourage one another often to study the Bible and apply the word of God to our lives day by day. Let us live by its precepts and be guided by its commands and promises. It can’t be said often enough there is never any thing wrong with the Bible, it is not in need of the tinkering or fixings of men or women. The Bible in eternal truth, draws all the saints present and future to the saints (G40 hagios) of long ago in this chapter of Hebrews, that we should be followers of their examples of faith in Jesus Christ and trust in God. We notice that some of them are not even named, nevertheless they are fully known by God.

Sun, Mar 3rd - 7:49AM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

Brothers and sisters, we know we do not have to make the Bible relevant for so called modern times. Everything people did back in biblical times they are still doing now, because the Adamic sin nature has not changed since God created us and in fact without faith in Christ is destined to wax worse and worse until the end: 2Ti 3:13.   Therefore, the Bible is always relevant for the entire human race for all eternity for by it all shall be judged to either everlasting life or everlasting damnation.

 It might be surprising to some to find out that amongst noble persons, some persons voted least likely to succeed appear here in the roll call of faith as well. Brethren, let us look at the faith of Rehab, the harlot.

We know God can use anyone, dearly beloveds, but some might think NO never a harlot, there must be some mistake here. There is no mistake here because God never makes any.

Harlot: a woman who sells her body for sexual uses.

A. a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain.

A. any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust.

 The Bible give us Rahab’s testimony of faith:

Joshua 2:1- 9And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. 12Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 13And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

Jos 6:25 - And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Heb 11:31By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Jas 2:24 - Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Jas 2:25 - Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

We find Rahab in the genealogy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

 Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

Notice holy people, that Rahab is not referred to as harlot in this genealogy because her faith changed her. The fact that Rahab was a harlot was not mentioned to defame her, but to show that regardless of anyone’s past God will receive all who come to Him in faith.

Holy people, can we talk? Look for those among us with a past who love, obey and trust the Lord with all their hearts, yet question and agonize if it is even possible for God to forgive and receive them. It is time to walk in the same faith in the truthfulness of God, just as Rahab did, for it is impossible for God  to lie:

1Co 6:11 - And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

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

Love

Sat, Mar 2nd - 11:41AM

JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

OUR JOURNEY IN HEBREWS

The Bible, brothers and sisters, makes it clear that not just those written about in this chapter of Hebrews have a part in the roll call of faith, but every believer past, present and future as well, this means you me all of us.

The Faith of Moses

Heb 11:23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. 24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

Brothers and sisters, we know that we cannot disconnect Moses from Christ as some do in error. We know that some have in error set up Moses as a stand-alone prophet, and worse yet claim salvation through faith in Moses. Salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ, and we are to worship God alone.

Most assuredly he was one of God’s mighty prophets, even a super prophet who displayed unparalleled signs and mighty wonders never seen before by any other prophet. Men are attracted to him due to his spectacular acts, his talking directly with God, and his power.

However, brethren, in our journey as Christians God brings to our remembrance that everything that Moses had He got from God, and without God, Moses could do nothing. The same is true for all of us. Moses could have lived a life of luxury with a multitude of indolent pleasures, and the power of being son of the daughter of pharaoh.

Instead, Moses saw Jesus Christ, and realized that the temporal treasures of Egypt were mere trinkets in comparison to Him. In faith and trust in Christ  he cast Egypt aside, to wear the mantle of servant of God and led Israel out of the hands of Egypt. Notice God did not throw up in Moses face the mistakes he made along the way, because faith in Christ, cancelled them out. Mar 9:4; Jhn 1:45.

The Bible, holy people, does not forbid any Christian from being rich, but we know full well that riches are never to become our idol. Instead, we too must embrace the mantle of being Christians, servants and children of God in faith, above anything and all this temporal world has to offer. Moses worshipped and preached Jesus Christ in faith, and so must we. Jhn 5:46.

Love

serola