upgraded on February 18, 2010
Leviticus 11:44 (NIV) I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground.
Leviticus 19:1-2 (NIV) The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
Leviticus 20:7-8 (NIV) "'Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
Leviticus 20:26 (NIV) You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.
1 Peter 1:15-16 (NIV) But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Matthew 5:8 (NIV) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
Matthew 5:48 (NIV) "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
God in His Holiness, must have His people, and His dwelling place untarnished by sin.
Habakkuk 1:13 (NIV) Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.
Revelation 21:27 (NIV) Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
In discussing the future Heaven, John the Revelator specifically states in Revelation 21:27 printed above that; "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful". We know from the Holy Word of God that something impure, and that someone shameful and deceitful was in the first Heaven, and that God will never let that happen again. We know that Satan and one third of the angels sinned in Heaven and were cast down to the earth.
Revelation 12:7-9 (NIV) And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Revelation 12:4a (NIV) His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.
Luke 10:18 (NIV) He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."
Job 4:18 (NIV) If God places no trust in his servants, if he charges his angels with error,
Job 15:15 (NIV) If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
Because of the knowledge that we have concerning Satan's fall from Heaven, we can know the reason why God will destroy the present Heaven. God will destroy the first Heaven and the first earth because there has been sin in them. Satan and his angels sinned in Heaven before Satan fell; Adam and Adam's descendants sinned on this earth.
Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
What is this "Holiness" spoken of in the Holy Word of God, without which we cannot see the Lord?
Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
There are certain keys that unlock the great truths of the Holy Word of God, and make them instantly simple. Some definitions and a clear understanding of terms are necessary for further insight into truth.
Holiness - The idea of Holiness originates in the revealed character of God, and is communicated to things, places, times and persons engaged in His service. Its ethical nature grows clearer as revelation unfolds, until the Holiness of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, of the Church as a body, and of individual members of that body, fills the New Testament horizon. Holiness is interwoven with Righteousness and purity. To seek Holiness apart from the other qualities of a Christ-like life, is to wander from the way of Holiness itself. (The New Compact Bible Dictionary - Zondervan)
Righteous: Acting in accord with divine or moral law: Free from guilt or sin - (Webster's Dictionary)
Faith: Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Grace n 1 a: unmerited divine assistance given man for his regeneration or sanctification - (Webster's Dictionary)
Words cannot express how important it is that YOU have a clear definition of sin. YOUR understanding of sin could in some part determine whether YOU spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Anything less than the Holy Word of God in defining sin is dangerous.
Sin: 1 John 3:4 (NIV) Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
Since, "sin is lawlessness," we must ask ourselves, what is the law?
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
The law that Jesus Christ referenced in Matthew 22:37-40 is an umbrella policy that covers all previous laws, and is summed up in - Love God, Love your fellowman, Love yourself. The requirement of Love is the sum of the law.
In analyzing 1 John 3:4, we are able to recognize that SIN IS TWOFOLD IN NATURE.
1 John 3:4 (NIV) Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
(1) Sins are acts.
We recognize sin for its acts: "Everyone who sins breaks the law,"
(2) Sin is a state of being.
We recognize sin for its state of being: "in fact, sin is lawlessness."
English words ending in "ION" such as "action" refer to an act:
· justification
· regeneration
· sanctification
· expansion
· contraction
English words ending in "NESS" generally indicate a state of being:
· Holiness - the state of being holy
· Righteousness - the state of being Righteous
· godliness - the state of being godly
· darkness - the state of being spiritually ignorant
· deafness - the state of being deaf
· blindness - the state of being blind
· lawlessness - the state of being lawless
LAWLESSNESS IS THE STATE OF BEING LAWLESS!
Webster's dictionary defines sin as, "an offense against religious or moral law." John Wesley defines sin as, "a willful transgression against the known law of God." In both these instances, sin is defined for sin's acts. The acts of the sinful nature are reviewed in Galatians 5:19-21:
Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The "acts" of sin come from the "sinful nature".
Since Adam committed his first act of sin, man's "NATURAL" state of being is sinful.
The "acts" of sin come from SIN AS A STATE OF BEING!
To consider sin for its acts, or results, is 250 year old antique theology. To define sin for its acts is like defining a disease by its symptoms. That is like defining herpes as a lesion on the skin. Herpes may produce a lesion on the skin, but the root problem is a diseased body. To attempt to eliminate sin by stopping the sinful acts is like attempting to eliminate herpes by cutting the lesions off the skin. An infected person can no more eliminate herpes by cutting the lesions off the skin than can a sinner eliminate sin by stopping the acts. A person who is infected with herpes cannot stop the lesions from coming back, and a sinner cannot stop from sinning.
All of mankind inherited the genetic spiritual disorder of sin in our hearts from Adam. Hebrews 12:12-13 printed below refers to sin as a lame body part.
Hebrews 12:12-13 (NIV) Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
In the original Greek text, the word "cholos" translated "lame" denotes a twisted or dislocated body part rendering all sinful people unable to function as God intended.
G5560. cholos, kho-los'; appar. a prim. word; "halt," i.e. limping:--cripple, halt, lame. - Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, Edition 3
Hebrews 12:12-13 printed above is using the physical body as an example to show a spiritual truth. Hebrews 12:12-13 is referencing the rebellious selfish-will. Sin is the diseased selfish-will.
SIN IS THE REBELLIOUS, DESTRUCTIVE, TWISTED SELFISH-WILL IN THE HEART.
Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV) "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Matthew 15:16-20 (NIV) "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'"
Luke 6:43-45 (NIV) "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."
The heart of the natural man is desperately wicked. In the natural man, with his rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will; there is sin against God, your fellow man, and yourself where you do not even know it. People are in rebellion against God on matters that they are not even aware of.
Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
When Satan and his fallen angels who have become demons were created, they were completely Holy. There was no hint, trace, nor preclusion to sin in them. Then, they individually determined in their hearts to rebel, and to do their will instead of God's will.
Ezekiel 28:11-19 (NIV) The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.'"
The devil wants to be God. It is what caused the devil and his demons to be cast from heaven.
Isaiah 14:13-14 (NIV) You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
Like Satan and his fallen angels, at the time of man's creation, man was completely Holy. There was no hint, trace, nor preclusion to sin in Adam.
Genesis 1:27 & 31a (NIV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. - {31a} God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Adam was created in the image of God with a clean freewill, thereby giving Adam the option to worship and commune with God. Then, Adam individually determined in his heart to rebel and to do Adam's will instead of God's will. Adam rebelled against God's law and consequently twisted or distorted Adam's freewill into a rebellious destructive selfish-will.
Thereafter, every person is born with the rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will. It is our will in defiance of God's will. Christ is not God, self is God. Self desires to be God, and totally control self. Man is born with the very same desire to be God that the devil has, consequently sinful man has the same rebellious heart as the devil.
"The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness." - Joseph Conrad 1857-1924
Every person is born with the rebellious, twisted, selfish-will that desires to, "steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10).
John 8:44 (NIV) "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
With the sin of Adam, fallen man was captured to do the devil's will. YOU will not do YOUR will, YOU will either voluntarily subordinate to God's will, or as Satan's captive, YOU will continue to do the devil's will.
1 John 5:19 (NIV) We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV) And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Acts 8:22-23 (NIV) Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."
Satan is the tempter. Satan will tempt YOU to sin. In this war that YOU are caught up in, YOU will either serve God by design, or YOU will give in to the tempter and serve Satan by design or by default. No human is able to do what they want to do.
Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV) I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.
Humans either serve God by doing what God wants them to do, or they give in to temptation and serve the devil by doing what Satan wants them to do. Frank Sinatra's song "I Did It My Way" is the song of the deceived. YOU will either serve God by living a Holy life through faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ, or YOU will serve the devil by sinning. If YOU are deceived into thinking that YOU can do what YOU want to do, then I challenge YOU to decide that YOU want to stop sinning. YOU will find that YOU cannot have YOUR way and stop sinning no matter how hard YOU try, and no matter how much YOU want to stop sinning.
Ecclesiastes 8:8b (NIV) As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
If YOU are sinning, then YOU are giving in to the temptation to sin, and YOU are doing what the tempter wants YOU to do. If YOU are doing what the tempter wants YOU to do, then YOU are serving the tempter. Satan is the tempter. The truth is that YOU cannot live YOUR life YOUR way. YOU are either serving God, or YOU are serving the devil. I am not talking about someone else, I am talking about YOU!
Ephesians 2:1-2 (NIV) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
2 Timothy 2:25-26 (NIV) Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
In “Paradise Lost”, John Milton quoting the devil said, “Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven”. The human spiritual descendants of the devil have stolen the expression from Satan. How naïve these humans are; they will not rule in Hell, they will serve in Hell, just as they are serving here on earth. The devil, "has taken them captive to do his will"(2 Timothy 2:26 printed above). Satan does not destroy his children now because God will not allow Satan to execute Satan's children until God has judged them. People that go to Hell will be serving vicious, hateful, mean, demented angels that are far more powerful than humans are. Those on earth that call themselves the “Hell’s Angels”, won’t be the Hell’s Angels in Hell. They will be the abused little girlfriends of the angels in Hell. They will be the Hell’s Bitches, the punks of Hell.
Prior to Pentecost, Peter is an example of a man who had repented of his past acts of sin (Luke 5:8), was actively communicating with, and seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, but still retained the spirit of the devil in his heart.
Matthew 16:23 (NIV) Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Mark 8:33 (NIV) But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Like the devil, in man's desire to be God, natural man also desires to worship himself, worship created things rather than the Creator, and man desires to have people worship him. The devil has weaved the common thread of self being, or becoming God in the heresies of Humanism, Mormonism, Hinduism, and some of the descendants of the eastern religions. Self may choose on particular issues, or at particular times, to defer to Jesus Christ, but sovereignty rests with self. At the crisis, self will assume command. We can see this displayed in people of all ages, but especially in the very young and the very old who are less likely to mask their true emotions.
"Next to the very young, I suppose the very old are the most selfish." - William Makepeace Thackeray 1811-1863
"Age does not make us childish, as they say, It only finds us true children still." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749-1832
Anyone who lives their life only for self becomes a very unhappy, and very ugly person. By direct contrast, anyone who gives of themselves to others is very fulfilled and becomes a very beautiful person.
Sin effects a degenerative process. The degeneracy caused by Sin will never stop! Sinful people in Hell will continue to degenerate into infinity.
God saw Satan evolve from a completely Holy being with no preclusion to sin, into the horrendous being that Satan has become today. God saw God's creature Satan, destroyed by Satan's rebellious selfish-will. God knows that sin will continue to degenerate and debase Satan into infinity. The rebellious selfish-will that exists in Satan and has resulted in Satan's cataclysmic and increasing deterioration, is the exact same rebellious selfish-will that every human being is now born with. Consequently, rebellious people are following the exact same course as rebellious Satan and his demons. Rebellious humans are at various speeds of degeneracy. Some rebellious humans exhibit only a small degree of deterioration across their lifetimes, while others become quite decadent in a short period of time. The rate of speed varies, however, all rebellious beings have the same motivation, and consequently they are all headed to the same place. This rebellious selfish-will in humans will effect the same results that have already occurred in God's creation Satan. Most people in the world view demonic possession as a horrendous thing, and it is. The Judeo-Christian world views demons with their heinous, destructive, perverted, gory wickedness as the most wicked creatures in all of creation, and they are. The only reason that the rebellious demons seem more wicked than rebellious humans, is that the demons have had 6,000 years to degenerate. Every person who has not been born of the Holy Spirit of God will degenerate beyond the heinous wickedness that demons are today. When a rebellious human looks at a demon, that human is looking at their own personal horrific, heinous, destructive, perverted, gory wickedness in 6,000 years.
Sin is devastating on the human system. The sin of Adam impacted one of Adam's sons to the extent that Cain became the first murderer. We have free volition as Abel did not commit murder, but the potential is greater, just as the potential for a great athlete to have athletic children is greater than for someone who is not athletic. Sin is so devastating on the human system, that it takes ten generations to recover from the sin of an illegitimate birth.
Deuteronomy 23:2 (KJV) A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
Every unrepented sin impacts to the third and fourth generation.
Exodus 20:5 (NIV) You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
Malachi 2:3a (NIV) "Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will spread on your faces the offal from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.
The sin of Adam was so devastating that it took 2,000 years before a man was born, who was removed enough from Adam's sin, that God was able to establish a covenant with mankind. Abraham was that man. (While Enoch walked with God, {Genesis 5:21-24} Abraham obviously had qualifications that Enoch did not possess.) Even so, God had to remove Abraham from everything that Abraham knew in order for God to be able to develop Abraham. God had to remove Abraham from Abraham's homeland of Ur, from Abraham's parents and Abraham's family traditions; in order to radically change Abraham's thinking.
God despises sin because God knows that the conclusion of sin is the destruction of God's creation. It is easy even for humans to understand why God does not want something God created, "very good", to be destroyed. God's laws or requirements come completely from a love that knows the destruction of sin. God desires to return YOU to that beautiful condition whereby YOU can truly worship and commune with God. God desires to restore YOUR will to the clean freewill that Adam had prior to Adam's fall.
Do YOU think that the Holy Spirit of God can inhabit a vessel that is simultaneously being inhabited by the same spirit that the devil has?
The Holy Spirit of God cannot dwell in an unholy vessel. YOU may have either the Holy Spirit of God, or YOU may have the same spirit that the devil has. YOU cannot have both!
1 Corinthians 10:21 (NIV) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.
Matthew 6:24 (NIV) "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 (NIV) Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Mark 3:23-26 (NIV) So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come."
Thank God, thank God, thank God, for Jesus Christ.
The New Testament is the story of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The salvation process begins with the Holy Spirit of God drawing YOU to God:
John 6:44 (NIV) "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."
The Holy Spirit of God in God's infinite mercy and justice, draws every person to God. The Holy Word of God completely refutes the devil's lie put forth by John Calvin in asserting personal individual predestination.
John 12:32 (NIV) "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
Isaiah 55:6-7 (NIV) Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
John 6:40 (NIV) "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Romans 10:13 (NIV) for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Revelation 3:20 (NIV) "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
Matthew 22:9 (NIV) "'Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'"
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV) This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Repentance is the first human function in the salvation process. Repentance occurs when YOU feel contrition for YOUR past acts of sin, determine in YOUR heart to never commit an act of sin again, and ask the Holy Spirit of God to come into YOUR heart. The act of repentance effects the result of justification. Justification is JUST-AS-IF YOU had never sinned. Justification only addresses YOUR past acts of sin. YOUR past acts of sin are then covered by the Sacrificial Blood of Jesus Christ. However, YOUR rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will remains in YOUR heart, and consequently the Holy Spirit of God CANNOT come into YOUR heart.
The Holy Spirit of God does not in any degree dwell in a person who has only repented, because the spirit of the selfish-will is still in the person's heart, and the Holy Spirit of God cannot dwell in the same vessel with the spirit of the devil.
1 Corinthians 10:21 (NIV) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.
2 Corinthians 6:14b-15a (NIV) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?
The Holy Spirit of God then assumes the responsibility of telling YOU why the Holy Spirit of God cannot come into YOUR heart. God knows YOUR heart, YOUR strengths and YOUR weaknesses:
Psalm 139:1-24 (NIV) O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. 5 You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the light will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? 22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
As the Holy Spirit of God identifies YOUR gods, YOU are then given the option to spiritually crucify your gods, one by one.
The tempter stands ready to tempt YOU at all times, and on every point. God allows the tempter to tempt YOU, in order to expose YOUR diseased selfish-will to YOU; and in order that YOU may seek help from God to cure YOUR diseased selfish-will.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
During this process, self imposes will over God's will, and whether YOU want to or not, YOU will commit another act of sin. YOU cannot keep from sinning without the crucifixion and eradication of the distorted selfish-will, and the complete infilling of the Holy Spirit of God. Peter, prior to Pentecost, is an example of this. (Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75; Mark 14:27-31, 66-72; Luke 22:31-34, 54-62; John 13:31-38, 18:15-18, 25-27)
Matthew 26:31-35 (NIV) Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same.
Matthew 26:69-75 (NIV) Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
After YOUR initial crisis act of repentance, the Holy Spirit of God will continue to draw YOU to God, exactly like the Holy Spirit of God did prior to YOUR initial crisis act of repentance. When YOU sin (and YOU will, because YOU still have the rebellious selfish-will in YOUR heart), if YOU repent again, and confess YOUR sins, Jesus Christ intercedes to the Father exactly like in YOUR first act of repentance, and YOU are forgiven again.
1 John 2:1-2 (NIV) My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
The Holy Spirit of God will continue to draw YOU into an area where YOUR sinful selfish-will is exposed to YOU. YOU may not initially realize that YOUR sinful selfish-will exists until the Holy Spirit of God exposes YOUR sinful selfish-will to YOU.
Romans 7:7-25 (NIV) What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
During the salvation process, the Holy Spirit of God will draw YOU to a place where YOUR selfish-will in YOUR heart will be exposed to YOU. The Holy Spirit of God will be faithful to take YOU to YOUR personal point of rebellion. YOU will then be given the option to spiritually crucify the god in YOUR life that is more important to YOU than God. If YOU do not surrender YOUR last god to Jesus Christ, YOUR salvation process stops. "Many" people reach that point in their lives where the Holy Spirit of God touches there singular last god, and they stop and will go no farther. This "many" is the same word used in Matthew 7:13,14:
Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV) "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Judeo-Christian Organized Religion is FULL of people who have come up against light, or greater knowledge of God, and refused to walk in it. These "many" people rebel and say, "I am religious enough." These people will go to Hell, having never paid the price to become "Born Again" Children of God. The rich young ruler is an example of a person who had complied with all of the law, but when Jesus Christ pointed out the rich young ruler's singular last god, the rich young ruler refused to go any further spiritually.
Mark 10:17-22 (NIV) As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
During the salvation process, after YOU repent of YOUR sins, when all of YOUR past acts of sin are under the Blood of Jesus Christ, God's grace covers YOU, as God continues to draw YOU to the crisis act of the crucifixion of the selfish-will. After the initial crisis act of repentance; as long as YOU do everything that YOU know in order to serve Jesus Christ, continue to repent as YOU sin, and continue to seek a closer communion with Jesus Christ, YOU are covered by God's grace.
1 John 1:7 (NIV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If YOU spiritually crucify all of YOUR gods, the Holy Spirit of God will come into YOUR heart. If YOU do not spiritually crucify all of YOUR gods, the Holy Spirit of God CANNOT come into YOUR heart.
The complete infilling of the Holy Spirit of God comes after the crucifixion of the selfish-will. The selfish-will is crucified with Jesus Christ, and arises unto life with Jesus Christ without the rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will. The selfish-will must be crucified. This crucifixion of YOUR selfish-will results in the death of YOUR rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will that previously existed in YOUR heart.
“The way to bliss lies not on beds of down, And he that had no cross deserves no crown.” – Francis Quarles 1592-1644
"No Cross, No Crown" - William Penn 1644-1718
YOU must release ALL of YOURSELF to God. At the crucifixion of the selfish-will, the Holy Spirit of God will indwell YOU.
John 12:24 (NIV) "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."
Galatians 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 5:24 (NIV) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Romans 6:1-18 (NIV) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
YOUR will must be completely subjected to Jesus Christ's will. YOU must come to the place where YOU are in total subjection to the will of the Holy Spirit of God. YOU must ask the Holy Spirit of God, and by faith BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit of God will remove YOUR rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will from YOUR heart. YOU must totally release ALL of YOUR selfish-will to God's will, or the Holy Spirit of God will not come into YOUR heart.
Matthew 5:8 (NIV) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
Mark 3:35 (NIV) "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
John 4:34 (NIV) "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
John 6:38 (NIV) "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me."
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
After the crucifixion of YOUR rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will, God the Father will give YOU the gift of the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God.
Luke 11:9-13 (NIV) "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
The believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit of God will then have a clean, healthy, and Holy free-will.
Passover is when YOUR sinful nature dies through a crucifixion of YOUR self-will. Pentecost is the second definite work of grace, and is when YOU become a " Born Again" Child of God through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.
Jesus Christ gave His life in order that YOU would have the option to not go to Hell with the devil, demons and all rebellious spirits (human and angelic). When the Holy Word of God says, "thou shall not commit adultery," Jesus Christ died in order that through faith in Jesus Christ, YOU do not have to commit adultery. Through faith in Jesus Christ, YOU can live a Holy life and avoid Hell with the devil and his angels. YOU must choose to accept Jesus Christ's Blood-Substitution Sacrifice, and through faith in Jesus Christ, YOU must choose to not commit adultery.
The Holy Spirit of God will never force YOU into anything. God could force YOU to worship God, but that would not be love anymore than a forced relationship in the physical realm is love! Jesus Christ, in the Garden of Gethsemane reveals that the believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit of God will retain his free-will. That will is voluntarily in subjection to God's will. Jesus Christ never knew sin, yet Jesus Christ had His clean free-will. Jesus Christ's free-will was in complete subjection to God's will.
Mark 14:35-36 (NIV) Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Adam was created with a clean free-will. When Adam sinned, Adam twisted his clean free-will into a rebellious selfish-will.
Genesis 2:15-17 (NIV) The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
When Adam sinned, Adam immediately died spiritually. Spiritual death is separation from God. Adam died physically 930 years later.
Jesus Christ never sinned:
Hebrews 4:15 (NIV) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
Jesus Christ had no sin of His own. If it had not been for man’s sin, Jesus Christ would never have died; because death comes only through sin, and Jesus Christ had no sin. Jesus Christ assumed man’s sin and died for man, but death could not hold Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ had no sin. Because Jesus Christ never sinned, death could not conquer Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ conquered death.
Proof of the fact that Jesus Christ healed us from our sin is the fact that God raised Jesus Christ's physical body from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:12-22 (NIV) But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Because Jesus Christ was a perfect man without sin, Jesus Christ's death as a Blood-Substitution-Sacrifice balanced God’s scales of perfect justice. Because we were born into sin, our death would have been worthless on God’s scales of justice. However just as Jesus Christ died for us, we must reciprocate Jesus Christ's sacrifice, in that our carnal self-will must die in order for us to establish communion with God.
If YOUR sins are not covered by the Sacrificial Blood of Jesus Christ, YOU are dead spiritually and YOU will not be able to conquer death physically and arise unto life with God. At YOUR physical death, YOU will go to Hades, and ultimately be judged for YOUR sin, and sentenced and sent to Hell. If YOU commit any sin that YOU do not repent of, YOU will spend eternity in Hell.
Sin ALWAYS causes separation from God. If YOU want to move closer to God, YOU must stop sinning. The more YOU comply with the law of righteousness and live in the love of Holiness, the closer YOU will be able to move to God.
If YOU have communion with the Father, it is because YOU have accepted the Blood of Jesus Christ as atonement for YOUR sins, and God the Father is able to commune with YOU. If YOU do not have communion with the God the Father, YOU have never truly accepted the Blood-Substitution-Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Because Jesus Christ was sinless, Jesus Christ conquered death and arose unto life. It is only if YOU are sinless that YOU will be able to conquer death and arise unto life. Jesus Christ came so that YOU might have at-one-ment and communion with God. Spiritual life is communion with God.
John 10:10b (NIV) "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
Jesus Christ came to earth with a clean free-will. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and died as a sacrifice, thereby atoning for Adam's and the sins of all mankind. In so doing, Jesus Christ balanced God's perfect scale of justice. When YOU allow YOUR rebellious, twisted selfish-will to be crucified with Jesus Christ, YOU are restored with a clean free-will - identical to that of Jesus Christ.
Luke 6:40 (NIV) "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher."
When the distortion of YOUR selfish-will is removed, YOU are restored to the pre-Adam-sin state of a clean free-will. YOUR clean free-will must be kept in complete subjection to God's will daily, just as Adam had to keep his clean free-will in subjection to God's will daily prior to his sin. Every single day, YOU must start the day by deciding who is going to be YOUR God for the day. Are YOU going to set YOURSELF up as God, or are YOU going to worship the True and Living God as YOUR God. When Adam failed to keep his clean free-will in subjection to God's will, Adam sinned. As Adam with a clean free-will sinned, so also every Holy Spirit-filled believer with a clean free-will can sin.
1 Corinthians 15:31 (NIV) I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 9:26-27 (NIV) Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Matthew 26:41 (NIV) "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Self is a merciless, unrelenting tyrant. Only in God, can YOU rest.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
No person in this life ever gains the ability to abstain from sin without continuous communion with God through their faith in Jesus Christ, thereby acquiring strength from Him. That is why abstinence from sin is the only proof of YOUR relationship with God.
1 John 2:3-4 (NIV) We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
It is only through a constant, vigilant attention to the Lord God, and a total reliance on Him that YOU have the strength to abstain from sin.
Psalms 25:15 (NIV) My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
Thank God and Jesus Christ for the truth that is revealed in Romans 8:1-2.
Romans 8:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Jesus Christ can, in this life, save from all sin. Jesus Christ frees the "Born Again" Child of God who is necessarily filled with the Holy Spirit of God completely from the dominion of sin in both its aspects. (sins as acts, and sin as a state of being) If the inbred sin, the state of being lawless, the rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will is destroyed; there will be no acts produced by the rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will. When the Holy Spirit of God removes the wicked, rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will and restores YOUR heart to the condition that it was in prior to Adam's fall; there will be no acts produced by the rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will in YOUR heart.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
With YOUR will subjected to Jesus Christ's will, YOU will be able to Love God, Love YOUR fellowman, and Love YOURSELF. YOU will no longer be in a state of lawlessness. YOU will be in a state of righteousness - full compliance with the law.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
John 13:34-35 (NIV) "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Mark 11:25 (NIV) "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Matthew 5:43-45 (NIV) "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Luke 6:32-35 (NIV) "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked."
1 John 3:14 (NIV) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
1 John 2:9 (NIV) Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
1 John 4:16-21 (NIV) And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
The Creed of Nicea put forth by the Council of Nicea in 325 A. D. references one baptism:
We believe in one God, the Father All-sovereign, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, and the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all the ages, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from the heavens, and was made flesh of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man, and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, and ascended into the heavens, and sits on the right hand of the Father, and comes again with glory to judge living and dead, of whose kingdom there shall be no end: And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and the Life-giver, that proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and Son is worshipped together and glorified together, who spoke through the prophets: In one holy catholic and apostolic church: We acknowledge one baptism unto remission of sins. We look for a resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.
The Council of Nicea was incorrect. There are two baptism's, one water or physical baptism, and one fire or spiritual baptism, just as the earth has been cleansed once by water and will be cleansed once by fire.
John the Baptist, forerunner to Jesus Christ the first time, proclaimed two distinctly different crisis works of grace:
(1) Repent - which is justification;
(2) be baptized - which is cleansing.
Acts 13:24 (NIV) Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel.
John's baptism was a physical water baptism paralleling the water baptism (or cleansing) of the physical world from sin during the time of Noah. John stated that his baptism was incomplete, but prophesied that Jesus Christ's baptism would be complete and would be a fire baptism (or cleansing) of man spiritually from sin by the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus Christ's baptism parallels the baptism (or cleansing) of the physical world by fire at the end of the Seven Thousand Years Of Measured Time. There are two "Comings" of Jesus Christ. There are two distinctly different spiritual baptisms that cleanse from sin, paralleling two distinctly different total destruction's of the physical sinful world.
Luke 3:16 (NIV) John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
Acts 18:24-25 (NIV) Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 19:1-5 (NIV) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
The reason that John's baptism was with water and was incomplete is that at the time that John was baptizing, Jesus Christ had not yet been baptized into death, and Jesus Christ had not yet conquered sin. The baptism of John was the only baptism available until Jesus Christ was Crucified on the Cross. The Holy Spirit of God could not dwell in a man that had not been cleansed from the sin nature, and so the Holy Spirit of God could not dwell in the heart of any man until the God/Man Jesus Christ came and was Crucified. Thank God and Jesus Christ for the Cross.
I do not know YOUR heart. Do not let Satan, the destroyer, deceiver, liar, and thief, trick YOU out of the inheritance that was given to YOU by Jesus Christ. Only Satan stands between YOU and Holiness.
The Lord God, in showing His ultimate respect for humanity, will not force His will on YOU. If YOU refuse to allow the Great Physician to restore YOU, God will allow YOU to take YOUR lame and dislocated body, and hobble away. The road away from the Lord God always leads down to Hell. YOU will be stubbornly and rebelliously hobbling to Hell.
perfect 1 a: being entirely without fault or defect : flawless - Webster's Dictionary
If Jesus Christ gave YOU the command for perfection, and YOU are not able to attain perfection, Jesus Christ would be a mocker, and not a Savior.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
The Lord God will have a Bride who is seeking to do God's will - PERFECTLY - as is done in Heaven " your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" . If YOU do not seek to do God's will perfectly on earth, then YOU will not be allowed into Heaven.
Will the perfection referenced in Matthew 5:48 printed above give YOU a perfect mind? Will it give YOU perfect knowledge, or perfect understanding? The obvious answer is no. If this were true, YOU would know how many inches it is to the moon at every precise moment in time. YOU would be omniscient like God. It does, however, improve YOUR thinking.
John 16:13 (NIV) "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
Proverbs 2:6 (NIV) For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Psalms 111:10 (NIV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Will the perfection referenced in Matthew 5:48 printed above give YOU a perfect body? The obvious answer is no. It does however drastically reduce YOUR chances for a lot of health problems:
· A.I.D.S.
· Venereal disease
· Lung and throat cancer (caused by smoking)
· Sclerosis of the liver (caused by drinking)
and within the framework of the Holy Word of God we are given instructions for the healing of disease.
James 5:14-18 (NIV) Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Mark 16:17-18 (NIV) "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Matthew 10:7-8 (NIV) "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."
Does the perfection referenced in Matthew 5:48 free YOU from further temptation? No, Jesus Christ was tempted in all things, yet was without sin.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
"lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" Temptation is always tied to the devil. Temptation is the devil's lure into death. Temptation is the alluring facade over death and destruction. Temptation always covers something evil and ugly that will harm and destroy YOU. Behind every beautiful and seductive siren of temptation is the horribly ugly witch of the devil trying to destroy YOU. Never be deceived by the beautiful facade of temptation, it conceals the horrors of YOUR destruction.
James 1:14 (NIV) but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
The word "evil" is not in the original Greek text given by the Holy Spirit of God through James. In James 1:14, the word "evil" was added by Satan through a corrupt, "Calvinistic" translator in order to make the Holy Word of God comply with Satan's corrupt sinful damning theology. Jesus Christ was tempted in all things just as we are and Jesus Christ had no "evil" desire.
The text from the original Greek reads:
James 1:14-15 but each one is tempted when, by his own desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Temptation comes when YOU consider satisfying YOUR desires in a way outside of what God ordained, or when unholy desires come into YOUR mind. As in the case of Jesus Christ, some of these desires are introduced to YOUR mind by Satan with the suggestion to satisfy them in the way YOU WANT TO, or contrary to God's law. If YOU continue to dwell on how YOU can satisfy YOUR desires outside of what God ordained, YOU will succumb to the temptation. YOU do not have to succumb to the temptation and sin. Through faith in Jesus Christ, YOU can resist the devil, and put these thoughts out of YOUR mind.
James 4:7 (NIV) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jesus Christ was able to overcome temptation because Jesus Christ had no rebellious, destructive, twisted selfish-will. When the Holy Spirit of God restores YOU to the pre-Adam-sin state of a clean freewill, YOU will be able to overcome temptation exactly like Jesus Christ overcame temptation.
Jesus Christ was "tempted in every way" exactly like Adam and Eve, and all Holy Spirit-of-God filled "Born Again" Children of God.
Hebrews 4:15 (NIV) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
Jesus Christ was "tempted in every way", which was three ways. Those three ways are the (1)lust of the flesh, the (2)lust of the eyes, and the (3)pride of life.
(1) "the lust (desire) of the flesh" (sinful man's worship of his own body)
a. food
b. sex
c. sleep
Satan will attempt to incite YOU to satisfy these very natural needs in a way that is outside of God's law, or to an excess.
(2) "the lust (desire) of the eyes" (sinful man's worship of something in the creation rather than the Creator)
a. idolatry
b. materialism
(3) "the pride of life" (sinful man's worship of himself, and his desire for other people to join him in the worship of himself)
a. what people think of YOU
b. what YOU think of YOURSELF
“Among all the diseases of the mind there is not one more epidemical or more pernicious than the love of flattery.” - Sir Richard Steele 1672-1729
Even though Jesus Christ is fully God, and is worthy of worship, Jesus Christ was also fully man and had to resist temptation as a man because the devil was directing Jesus Christ to satisfy Jesus Christ's needs and desires outside of God's law. It is the goal of Satan to get YOU to do your selfish-will on any issue, instead of doing the will of God. YOUR selfish-will is the exact same selfish-will as Satan’s selfish-will. The tempting issue, in and of itself, may not even be sinful, as when Satan tempted Jesus Christ to turn the stones into bread. It would not have been sinful for Jesus Christ to eat bread. The sin would have been in Jesus Christ doing what Satan wanted Jesus Christ to do; rather than Jesus Christ doing what God wanted Jesus Christ to do.
Matthew 4: 1-11 (NIV) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." (1 worship of self) Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" (2 desire to have others worship oneself) Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. (3 worship of created things) "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Sinful man worships (1)his own body, worships (2)created things, and worships (3)himself and desires to have other people join him in worship of himself. The interlocking and meshing of the Holy Word of God is truly magnificent.
Genesis 3:6 (NIV) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food (1 worship of her own body) and pleasing to the eye, (2 worship of created things) and also desirable for gaining wisdom, (3 worship of self and desire to have others worship oneself) she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
1 John 2:16 (KJV) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, (1 worship of your own body) and the lust of the eyes, (2 worship of created things) and the pride of life, (3 worship of self and a desire to have others worship oneself) is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The Holy Spirit of God gives YOU great truth concerning the limits of temptation in 1 Corinthians 10:13:
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 10:13a states that YOU will not be tempted in any way that Adam and Eve, Jesus Christ, and all mankind have not been tempted in.
1 Corinthians 10:13a (NIV) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
1 Corinthians 10:13b (NIV) And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
Does God not allow YOU to be tempted "beyond what you can bear" physically? or spiritually? We know that Jesus Christ was Crucified, and many "Born Again" Children of God have been physically killed including most of Jesus Christ's disciples. Therefore we know that "beyond what you can bear" does not relate to the physical realm, but to the spiritual realm. God will not allow a "Born Again" Child of God, who is necessarily filled with the Holy Spirit of God, to be tempted to the point where they cannot hold out, and must sin. God will not allow YOU to be tempted beyond that point where YOU cannot withstand the temptation to sin.
1 Corinthians 10:13c (NIV) But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
To "stand up" under the temptation is to not fall under the temptation. It is to not sin.
After the complete infilling of the Holy Spirit of God, YOU will have the power to not sin. The Intercessor is still working for YOU, but His mercy is displayed in giving adequate grace and power to overcome the temptation.
Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The devil will use YOUR natural desires in tempting YOU to fulfill those desires outside of God's law. For every temptation, there is a corresponding fulfillment in God through faith in Jesus Christ. You must resist the big three temptations which are all ultimately a worship of self, in order to move toward God. The corresponding fulfillment in God for abstinence from the sinful lusts are as follows:
1. "the lust of the flesh"
a. food - YOU are to seek spiritual nourishment from God. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem - In Hebrew, "bet" means house, "lehem" means bread. Bethlehem means "house of bread".
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Matthew 5:6 (NIV) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Matthew 4:4 (NIV) Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
John 6:31-35 (NIV) Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."
b. sex - YOU are to have spiritual intercourse with God, as YOU are to become the Bride of Christ. The circumcision of the flesh that was given to Abraham and was required before physical intercourse, is a fore-glimpse of the circumcision of the heart that is given by the Holy Spirit of God and is required before spiritual intercourse with God.
2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV) I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
Revelation 19:7 (NIV) Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
Isaiah 62:4-5 (NIV) No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah ; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
Ephesians 5:22-32 (NIV) Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
c. sleep - YOUR true rest comes in God.
Hebrews 4:9-11 (NIV) There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
2. "the lust of the eyes"
a. idolatry - YOU are to worship God only.
Exodus 20:1-6 (NIV) And God spoke all these words: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Matthew 4:8-10 (NIV) Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"
b. materialism - All of YOUR assets must belong to, and be at the disposal of God.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV) "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
3. "the pride of life"
a. what YOU think of YOURSELF
Romans 12:3 (NIV) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Proverbs 21:24 (NIV) The proud and arrogant man--"Mocker" is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.
b. what people think of YOU - YOU are to seek God's favor, not man's favor.
Galatians 1:10 (NIV) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Matthew 25:21 (KJV) "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
Man has a body. Like man, animals have a body. Because animals have a body, animals are concerned with the exact same things that man is concerned with, in man’s lust of the flesh; food, sex, and sleep. Because animals do not have a spirit, or soul, animals are not concerned with the same things that man is concerned with in man’s lust of the eyes, or pride of life. Animals have no concern whatsoever about the accumulation of assets, and animals do not take pride in what people think of them. As long as the lust of the flesh is satisfied, an animal is just as happy living in a piano box under a bridge, as the animal would be while living in the White House. As long as the lust of the flesh is satisfied, an animal is just as happy belonging to a beggar or a criminal, as the animal would be in belonging to a prominent wealthy person or saint. Were all of these men still alive, any animal would be just as happy belonging to Abraham Lincoln, Alphonse Capone, Barack Hussein Obama, or Rahm Israel Emanuel, as the animal would be in belonging to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is regressive deterioration in the sinful selfish-will, from flesh - to eyes - to pride. Pride is the ultimate deterioration of the process, and consequently the most deadly. Hence, 2 Chronicles 7:14 printed below begins with, "humble themselves". In order to humble YOURSELF, YOU are forced to crucify YOUR pride. 2 Chronicles 7:14 attacks the greatest problem first.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
In my personal life, if I feel a need to humble myself, all that I need to do is to realistically consider my life before I was filled with the Holy Spirit of God. I find the realistic trip down memory lane to be so humbling that I usually do not need to go very far down that road to get to the place of complete humility. If YOU are filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and YOU are proud of YOUR life before YOU were filled with the Holy Spirit of God, then YOU are not looking at YOUR past life realistically.
In the countryside, at night, YOU are able to see many stars. In the city, at night, YOU are only able to see a few stars. It is the peripheral lights of the city that block the light of the stars. Indulgence of the big three temptations will block YOUR view of God. Rid YOURSELF of everything that dilates YOUR pupils and obstructs YOUR vision of God. YOU must never use God's power for the indulgence of YOUR temptations. (Flesh, eyes, pride)
These are the three areas of temptation. This is not a list of the acts, as sin is the rebellious, destructive distortion of the selfish-will in the heart, and sin's acts are infinitesimal. The Jewish people attempted to build a framework of law through the Talmud and the Mishnah that would encapsulate an infinity of acts of sin. It is impossible.
Abstinence from sin after the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God remains YOUR responsibility. If the Holy Spirit of God assumed the responsibility to keep YOU sin-free after the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God, that would be a predestination or eternally secure position. A believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit of God is no more eternally secure in his position than Adam was eternally secure in Adam's position. The Holy Spirit of God gives YOU the prompting, counsel, power, and wisdom, but YOU are allowed to make decisions that move YOU to greater temptation, desire, and subsequent sin. If YOU give in to the first desire, YOU will not find the strength to combat subsequent greater temptations as YOUR desire moves YOU closer to sin.
"It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end." - Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519
YOU will always fight the temptation to sin. If YOU are a wise believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit of God, YOU will fight temptation at it's earliest stage, and not start down the road of desire. YOU can resist the devil at the earliest temptation level, or YOU can attempt to resist the devil at the subsequent desire level. If YOU are aware that YOU have a weakness in a particular area, YOU have a responsibility to stay out of that area.
Hebrews 12:12-13 (NIV) Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
If YOU accept the guidance of the Great Counselor, the Holy Spirit of God will aid YOU in recognizing and avoiding temptation at it's earliest level. This will require a constant subjection of YOUR free-will to God's will.
1 Corinthians 15:31 (NIV) I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let us analyze the acts of sin listed in Galatians 5:19-21. Again, this does not begin to be a complete list, but is representative examples.
Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In each act of sin, consider whether the tempter will be attacking YOUR imperfect mind, YOUR imperfect body, or YOUR perfect heart. Temptation that moves YOU to sin that pertains to YOUR imperfect mind, or YOUR imperfect body, will be more difficult than temptation that relates to YOUR perfect heart. YOUR perfect heart will be YOUR strength. YOUR imperfect mind, and YOUR imperfect body will be YOUR natural weakness.
· sexual immorality - great temptation - A natural desire given by God for the propagation of the species. Satan will try to get YOU to fulfill this in a way outside of God's law.
· impurity and debauchery - low level temptation - There is no physical or mental desire to live low.
· idolatry - great temptation - The physical desire for a better life style-home, vehicle, materialism, is a veiled worship of self. The temptation comes in how YOU achieve materialism, or how important it becomes to YOU.
· witchcraft - no temptation - No physical or mental desire in a heart full of love to commune with the devil and demons.
· hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy - low temptation level because there is no physical or mental draw. These are heart problems and are cured with the infilling Holy Spirit of Love.
· drunkenness - possible high level of temptation because of physical dependency, or an emotional dependency for alcohol brought about by habitual use.
· orgies - low level -while it is sexually based - a natural desire - the essence is a debasing of self and others, a hatred of self and others, including God. In a heart of love, there is no draw for hatred of self, others, or God.
Habits are head problems, and could possibly continue to be a focus of strong temptation for YOU until the habit is broken. An example of this is tobacco and alcohol.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Consider the, "garbage in - garbage out syndrome". YOU can give Satan great aid by putting garbage in YOUR mind through television, the newspaper or publications.
James 4:7 (NIV) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
In the Levitical law, there was a sin offering and a guilt offering for unintentional sins against God's commands. The sacrifice for unintentional sins was required day after day, year after year.
Leviticus 4:1-3 (NIV) The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands--"'If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.
Leviticus 4:13 (NIV) "'If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, they are guilty.
Leviticus 4:22 (NIV) "'When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the LORD his God, he is guilty.
Leviticus 4:27 (NIV) "'If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, he is guilty.
Leviticus 5:14-15 (NIV) The LORD said to Moses: "When a person commits a violation and sins unintentionally in regard to any of the Lord's holy things, he is to bring to the LORD as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. It is a guilt offering.
In the case of the Sin Offering and the Guilt Offering, the sin was unintentional, and a violation of God's ceremonial law. Thank God that Jesus Christ upgraded the ceremonial law of the sacrifice of sheep and bulls to the perfect grace sacrifice of Himself. Jesus Christ is the eternal Substitution-Sacrifice for all violations of God's law.
Hebrews 7:27 (NIV) Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
The Holy Spirit of God will counsel the "Born Again" Child of God for any unintentional violation of God's law or God's will. As the Holy Spirit of God reveals God's will in a particular area, the "Born Again" Child of God will follow God's will. In this way the Holy Spirit of God effects increased Righteousness in the "Born Again" Child of God following the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God. If the act is an unintentional violation of God's will, it is not an act of sin, because the acts of sin come from the sinful nature. If there is no sinful nature, there is no rebellious selfish-will. If there is no rebellious selfish-will, there will be no conscious or unconscious rebellious acts of sin. Once the Holy Spirit of God counsels the "Born Again" Child of God concerning God's will, if the "Born Again" Child of God decides to violate God's will it is no longer an unintentional violation. If YOU have knowledge of God's will and decide to violate God's will, that rebellious decision will instantly restore YOUR rebellious selfish-will to YOUR heart even prior to the act of rebellion.
Because of the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, YOU are no longer under the requirements of the ceremonial law; YOU are under the unmerited favor (grace) of God.
Romans 6:14 (NIV) For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Colossians 2:13-14 (NIV) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
Galatians 3:10-13 (NIV) All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
Hebrews 8:10 (NIV) This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Hebrews 10:1-18 (NIV) The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'" First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.
The Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt is a very clear fore-glimpse of the salvation process. Egyptian slavery is symbolic of the slavery of sin, Pharaoh is symbolic of Satan. The blood of the Passover Lamb was placed on the doorposts the very night that the Children of Israel came out of Egypt (SIN). Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb. The Blood of Jesus Christ covers our sins in the crisis act of repentance or justification (Just as if I never sinned).
God brought His children out from under the complete dominion of Pharaoh.
God brings His children out from under the complete dominion of Satan.
God called Israel out of Egypt - God calls His children out of sin.
God called Jesus Christ out of Egypt - God calls all of mankind out of sin.
John 6:44 (NIV) "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Hosea 11:1 (NIV) "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
Exodus 4:22 (NIV) Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son,
Matthew 2:14-15 (NIV) So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."
The crossing of the Red Sea is symbolic of the first act of cleansing, termed repentance or justification. The Red Sea is symbolic of the red Blood of Jesus Christ. YOUR past life is behind YOU and YOUR past acts of sin are covered by the Blood. After crossing the Red Sea, the law was given, and a complete change of lifestyle in every way was dictated. This represents the complete change of lifestyle that the Holy Spirit of God will lead YOU into, after the initial act of repentance. A complete new set of rules; morays and folkways will govern YOUR life. The desert wandering was necessary because the Children of Israel had Egyptian slavery (SIN) ingrained in them. The Children of Israel were not ready to go into Canaan. This symbolizes the pursuit of Holiness after the initial act of repentance/justification. The desert wandering is symbolic of the process where the blessed Holy Spirit of God reveals the gods in a person's life. The person must remove or crucify each of these gods, or their salvation process stops. Most people wander in the wilderness until they die, and never go into Canaan.
Hebrews 3:7-12 (NIV) So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
Hebrews 3:16-19 (NIV) Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed ? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
When YOUR last god has been destroyed, YOU are then able to receive the Holy Spirit of God into YOUR heart. Moses had to die before going into Canaan, because Moses represents the Law, and the Law can never take you into Canaan (Holiness). The name of Joshua (Y'HOSHUA) in Hebrew means the same as Jesus (IESOUS) in the Greek. The tetragrammaton (YHWH) in the Hebrew is Jehovah. "Y'HOSHUA" means "Jehovah (YHWH) will save." "IESOUS" means "He will save." HE (IESOUS - Jesus) is Jehovah (YHWH). As Joshua led his people into Canaan, so Jesus Christ leads His children into Canaan (Holiness). Through the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, YOU are allowed into Canaan (Holiness).
Hebrews 4:1-11 (NIV) Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
The Jordan River represents the second definite work of grace, the second crisis act, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit of God. John the Baptist baptized in the Jordan River. Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River. Within the wilderness, the struggles are primarily with self. After crossing the Jordan River into Canaan, the wars are fought with Satan and his demons (Ephesians 6:10-18). There is greater growth after crossing the Jordan River, because of the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God. The struggle with the rebellious selfish-will is over. The rebellious selfish-will has been crucified and is dead.
The Jordan River
Canaan (Holiness) is the land of promise, the land of plenty, the land flowing with milk and honey.
Numbers 13:23-27 (NIV) When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.
Now as then, most people do not believe that we can go into the land of Canaan. Their unbelief will not allow them to go into Canaan (Holiness). They do not believe that we can live without Sin. The Children of Israel were looking at their own physical limitations and did not have the faith to believe that God would deliver them into Canaan. Today, most people look at their own inability to abstain from Sin, and do not have the faith to accept Jesus Christ in the very purpose that Jesus Christ was crucified for - our deliverance from Sin. Then and now, God struggles with a faithless people.
Numbers 13:28-14:9 (NIV) But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan." Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."
The only time that we can bring glory to God is when we move beyond our human capabilities in our actions and reactions, and people are forced to recognize that it is not in our human capability to function in that manner. They are then forced to recognize a higher source of power than we are. At that time, they run right into the existence, involvement, and power of God.
Mount Nebo where Moses was allowed to look into Canaan
upgraded January 20, 2010
My main request is exactly what should I do to sin no more?
Matthew 5:6 (NIV) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Luke 11:9-13 (NIV) "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
The Lord God has promised that YOU will find God when you seek God with all YOUR heart:
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV) But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
There are some basic principles concerning the salvation process brought forth in this prophecy under the section:
There is greater depth, review, and discussion concerning the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God in the sections:
There is only one answer to YOUR question, "Exactly what should I do to sin no more?" The answer is that YOU must be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
It was necessary to explain the baptism of the Holy Spirit of God to Apollos:
Acts 18:24-26 (NIV) Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
It was necessary to explain the baptism of the Holy Spirit of God to others:
Acts 19:1-7 (NIV) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. 4 Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
I think that the FAQ #4 question stems from the practical approach to being filled with the Holy Spirit of God. I can tell YOU from personal experience the process that I went through in being filled with the Holy Spirit of God. None of these steps independently, nor the collective group will force the Holy Spirit of God to fill YOU. YOU do not need to attempt to force God to fill YOU with His Holy Spirit. God wants to establish communion with YOU. God wants to fill YOU with His Blessed Holy Spirit of God. In considering how much God wants the Holy Spirit of God to fill YOU, YOU must remember that God developed a plan before time began to bring YOU back into communion with Him. God worked His plan for 4,000 years after the sin of Adam, in order to prepare mankind to receive Jesus, the Christ. Jesus Christ, Our Passover Lamb, suffered and died on a cruel cross in order to conquer sin, so that YOU could be restored in a relationship to God. God's love is incomprehensible, I cannot comprehend the depths of God's love. Know that this same God who went to these great lengths, and paid these great prices, is certainly very eager to establish communion with YOU.
These recommendations for moving YOU toward God cannot force the Holy Spirit of God to fill YOU, but they can move YOU as close to God as I know how to tell YOU. Once that last condition and requirement of God has been met, God will instantly fill YOU with His Blessed Holy Spirit. The last condition and requirement of the Holy Spirit of God varies with each individual, because each individual is unique; and within that uniqueness, people have chosen different things to worship as their god. In considering the uniqueness of people's gods, review the case of the wealthy young man referenced in Mark 10:17-23. It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit of God to identify and expose YOUR gods, when YOU ask the Holy Spirit of God to identify and expose YOUR gods.
As in the original case of the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God on the Day of Pentecost, it may take some time to prepare YOU. When YOU are ready, God is ready and the Holy Spirit of God will come into YOU.
Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
(1) PRIORITIZE YOUR LIFE SO THAT YOU CAN:
(2) PRAY,
(3) STUDY THE HOLY WORD OF GOD,
(4) PURGE THE SIN OUT OF YOUR LIFE,
(5) CRUCIFY YOUR SELF-WILL,
(6) WORSHIP GOD THROUGH YOUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST,
(7) LOOK TO AND TRUST IN GOD FOR THE INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
(1) PRIORITIZE YOUR LIFE.
The most important thing that YOU could possibly do in YOUR entire lifetime is to become filled with the Holy Spirit of God so that YOU can commune with God. It is imperative that YOU prioritize YOUR life for God. God must be all consuming, or He is not YOUR God at all.
Exodus 20:3 (NIV) "You shall have no other gods before me.
In this fast paced society, it is easy to become so busy that God is not given time to communicate with YOU and draw YOU to Him. However, it is necessary that YOU continue to work in order to support YOURSELF and YOUR family as per:
Genesis 3:17-19 (NIV) To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Exodus 20:9 (NIV) Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV) If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV) For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
While YOU must continue to function in this physical world, the pursuit of the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God must be YOUR highest priority, with everything else minimized until YOU are filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
Matthew 6:25-33 (NIV) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Matthew 6:24 (NIV) "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Matthew 13:44-46 (NIV) "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."
If YOU are involved in any form of ministry and YOU do not know that YOU have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God - QUIT YOUR MINISTRY! Do not attempt or continue any form of ministry until YOU KNOW that YOU have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus Christ directed the exact same thing of Jesus Christ's disciples in the consuming pursuit of the infilling of the Holy Spirit of God.
Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Luke 24:49 (NIV) "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
If YOU are attempting to teach others about Jesus Christ, and YOU have not been filled with the Holy Spirit of God, YOUR diseased self-willed heart will only lead others to Hell with YOU :
1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV) The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Hebrews 5:13-14 (NIV) Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
If others are looking to YOU for guidance, they expect that YOU know about the deeper things of God. YOU do not know. YOU are the New Testament leper. YOU are the New Testament cripple. YOU are the Gadarene demoniac. YOU may be a Pope, Cardinal, or General Superintendent. YOU may be a Bishop or District Superintendent. YOU may be a pastor, evangelist or deacon. It does not matter what your title or function is, if you are not filled with the Holy Spirit of God, YOU are the New Testament blind man!
Matthew 15:14 (NIV) "Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
When YOU receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit of God, YOU will be able to effectively serve Jesus Christ and the "Born Again" Children of God.
John 16:13-14 (NIV) "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you."
Acts 1:8 (NIV) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
(2) PRAY,
Talk to YOUR Father God in prayer on a consistent daily basis. In pursuit of the Holy Spirit of God, I attempted to pray at least one uninterrupted hour per day, because of the admonition of Jesus Christ to Jesus Christ's disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane:
Matthew 26:40-41 (NIV) Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
At first YOU will find that an hour spent in prayer is a long time, and seems a bit mechanical, but as YOU begin to pray for additional things and people, YOU will find that YOUR time is well spent. This structured time will allow the Holy Spirit of God to communicate with YOU concerning the Holy Spirit of God's requirements. After YOU have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God, YOU will find that YOU are able to communicate throughout YOUR day with the Holy Spirit of God through the thoughts of YOUR mind. By the way, the Holy Spirit of God gives great counsel when YOU ask for it.
Luke 18:1-8 (NIV) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'" 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
The Lord's prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13 is the example Jesus Christ gave to YOU:
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Consider the prayer of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane for Himself, His Disciples, and YOU:
John 17 (NIV) After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
(3) STUDY THE HOLY WORD OF GOD
As God revealed Himself to Samuel through God's Holy Word, so God will do for YOU:
1 Samuel 3:21 (NIV) The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
Isaiah 28:9-10 (NIV) "Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast? 10 For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule ; a little here, a little there."
Consider the response of Jesus Christ to the rich young man:
Mark 10:17-23 (NIV) As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
Today, most people do not know the commandments. YOU must know the commandments of God found throughout God's Holy Word including the Ten Commandments, as YOU know your spouse; However, knowledge of the Holy Word of God in itself is inadequate for communion with God.
John 5:39-40 (NIV) "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life."
(4) PURGE THE SIN OUT OF YOUR LIFE
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit of God to reveal to YOU those things in YOUR life that are more important to YOU than God is;
Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
It is imperative that YOU change the offensive ways in YOUR life as the Holy Spirit of God reveals them to YOU. If YOU do not change YOUR offensive ways, YOUR salvation process stops. Listen to the directions of Jesus Christ's mother to the servants as YOU move closer to Jesus Christ, and simply do what the Holy Spirit of God tells YOU to do:
John 2:1-5 (KJV) And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." 5 His mother saith unto the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."
John 14:15-21 (NIV) "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
John 14:23-25 (NIV) Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 "All this I have spoken while still with you."
John 15:9-17 (NIV) "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other."
John 16:23-24 (NIV) "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."
(5) CRUCIFY YOUR SELF-WILL
YOUR self-will must be brought into subjection unto Jesus Christ, just as Jesus Christ had to subject His will to the will of God the Father:
Matthew 26:39 (NIV) Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
YOU must crucify the physical, in order to function in the spiritual.
Galatians 5:24 (NIV) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 6:1-6 (NIV) What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Galatians 6:14 (NIV) May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Matthew 16:24-26 (NIV) Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Matthew 10:37-39 (NIV) "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
John 12:24-25, (NIV) "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
Man is a trinity. Man is a soul, man has a spirit, and man lives in a body. In seeking Holiness, YOU must crucify YOUR body, soul, and spirit.
YOU must crucify the desires of YOUR physical body.
The desires of YOUR physical body are for food, sex and sleep.
1. Food
Fasting will aid in the crucifixion of YOUR self-will:
Acts 13:2-3 (NIV) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Fasting for the wrong reason, or in and of itself will not accomplish moving a person closer to the Holy Spirit of God. A person could starve to death and end up in hell.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NIV) Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
2. Sex - YOU must keep YOUR sex life within the commandments of God:
Leviticus 18:6-23 (NIV) " 'No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord. 7 " 'Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her. 8 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonor your father. 9 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere. 10 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter; that would dishonor you. 11 " 'Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father's wife, born to your father; she is your sister. 12 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your father's sister; she is your father's close relative. 13 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative. 14 " 'Do not dishonor your father's brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt. 15 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; do not have relations with her. 16 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your brother's wife; that would dishonor your brother. 17 " 'Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness. 18 " 'Do not take your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living. 19 " 'Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period. 20 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself with her. 21 " 'Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. 22 " 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. 23 " 'Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
Leviticus 20:10-20 (NIV) " 'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 11 " 'If a man sleeps with his father's wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the woman must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. 12 " 'If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads. 13 " 'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. 14 " 'If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you. 15 " 'If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. 16 " 'If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. 17 " 'If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off before the eyes of their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible. 18 " 'If a man lies with a woman during her monthly period and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them must be cut off from their people. 19 " 'Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible. 20 " 'If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.
YOU must not have sexual relations outside of marriage:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 10:8 (KJV) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Fornication: consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other - compare adultery - Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
YOU must not have sexual relations with anyone but YOUR spouse after marriage:
Exodus 20:14 (NIV) "You shall not commit adultery.
Adultery: voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man and someone other than his wife or between a married woman and someone other than her husband; - Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
In marriage, YOU must render to YOUR spouse the sexual requirements due to YOUR spouse. If YOU are fasting, YOU must stop fasting occasionally and render to YOUR spouse the sexual requirements due YOUR spouse.
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (NIV) The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
3. Sleep - Only allow YOUR physical body what is necessary to enable YOU to function as God directs.
YOU must crucify the desires of YOUR soul:
YOUR soul will worship something. YOU must worship the Creator, and not anything within the creation. The lust of the eyes is when YOU desire to worship the creation rather than the Creator. I want only the material goods that are necessary to sustain myself, my family, and those whom God wants me to support until Jesus Christ returns.
YOU must crucify the desires of YOUR spirit:
Every person wants to be thought well of. That desire can become the pride of life. YOU must crucify YOUR spirit of pride in order for God the Father to send YOU His Holy Spirit.
Galatians 1:10 (NIV) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
YOUR BODY, YOUR SOUL and YOUR SPIRIT must be figuratively crucified and brought into subjection to God the Father in order for the Holy Spirit of God to take up residence in YOU. Through faith in Jesus Christ this is now possible for YOU.
(6) FILL YOUR HEART WITH THE MAGNIFICENCE OF GOD
He is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Prince of Life, Son of God, Son of Righteousness, Light of the World, Word of Life, Holy One, Lamb of God, Lion of the tribe of Judah, Root of David, Shepherd and Bishop of Souls, Chief Shepherd, The Way, The Truth, The Life, Horn of Salvation, Governor, Resurrection and the Life, Head of the Church, Righteous Judge, Chief Cornerstone, Lord of All, Dayspring, Advocate, Author and Finisher of our Faith, Bright and Morning Star, Lord Jesus Christ, Messiah, Savior, El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty), The Alpha and Omega, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Great I AM.
As YOU study the Holy Word of God, pay particular attention to the beauty and Love of Jesus Christ. Listen to the directions of the Apostle Paul:
Acts 16:25-34 (NIV) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family.
(7) LOOK TO AND TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST FOR THE INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
Acts 2:37-39 (NIV) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
When the Holy Spirit of God has drawn YOU through the figurative wilderness and removed all of the practices of sin YOU learned in figurative Egypt from YOUR heart and life, and YOUR self-will has been crucified; when YOU as a vessel are clean and pure, the Holy Spirit of God will come in.
How will YOU know when YOU have been filled with the Holy Spirit of God? YOU will be able to live completely without sinning:
1 John 2:3-4 (NIV) We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
How will YOU know if YOU are NOT filled with the Holy Spirit of God? YOU will know that YOU are NOT filled with the Holy Spirit of God if YOU are committing sin. If YOU sin, YOU are a sinner. If YOU are a sinner, then YOU are NOT filled with the Holy Spirit of God:
1 John 1:6 (NIV) If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
John 9:31 (NIV) We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.
