Spiritual Understanding

 The Ministry of Spiritual Understanding

Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 5

 

 Most people look at Christians as a bunch of religious fanatics, but this is true for only a few people who have their doctrine mixed up, and they need to get it straight before the Lord returns.

 There is nothing fanatical about preserving our future, and this is what a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will do; it will preserve your future.

 I may get a little off track for just a moment, but I think we need to know these things.

 According to those who live by the Marxist movement in our nation today, the greatest enemy of America is the white Christian. They say so without blinking an eye.

 The truth is their greatest enemy is Jesus Christ because they are the children of the Devil.

 A Marxist is a supporter of the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels:

 Marxism, a body of doctrine developed by Karl Marx and, to a lesser extent, by Friedrich Engels in the mid-19th century. It originally consisted of three related ideas:

 1) philosophical anthropology,

2) a theory of history and evolution.

3) an economic and political program.

 There is also Marxism as it has been understood and practiced by the various socialist movements, particularly before 1914.

Then there is Soviet Marxism as worked out by Vladimir Ilich Lenin and modified by Joseph Stalin, which, under the name of Marxism-Leninism which has become the doctrine of the communist parties set up after the Russian Revolution.

Offshoots of this include Marxism as interpreted by the anti-Stalinist Leon Trotsky and his followers, Mao Zedong’s Chinese variant of Marxism-Leninism, and various Marxists in the developing world.

There were also the post-World War II nondogmatic Marxists who have modified Marx’s thought with borrowings from modern philosophies, principally from those of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger but also from Sigmund Freud and others.

 In nations that adopt some version of Marxism, they have started in a way that looks good to many people, but in the end, it turns to socialism, and then some version of communism, and it never works out to be a benefit to the real people who have to give their lives to support such a system and have no say-so in that government.

 Marxism has never worked because evil men enforce their version on the people, and the government will then control every aspect of their lives and their economic classes.

There is no home ownership for the people and really no true freedom.

In fact, in Marxism, the government owns everything from land to homes, and all else.

 Capitalism, far from perfect, allows freedom to those who are willing to work for it.

The trouble with people today is they do not want to work for anything and expect everything to be free.

Free health care, free education, free life to do as they please, but they do not want to think that someone has to pay for these things, or they are okay with these things as long as someone else is paying for them besides themselves.

Look at how many of them refuse to pay for the education that they borrowed from the taxpayers.

Marxism still uses an anti-supernatural approach to life and its origin and begins with the premise that there is no God and tries to explain a life that is lived without God, which we, as Christians know, is not possible.

We have already tried life without Christ, and found it meaningless.

They all believe in the theory of evolution or some part of it, even if they claim to be liberal Christians.

The term "liberal" has come to mean "my way or the highway"!

Liberal so-called Christians accept the Gap Theory or some version of a gap theory and many of the theories of evolution and try to put them in the Creation Story given to us in the Book of Genesis.

To accept this is to say sin was in the world when God created us and that the death of the Lord Jesus was unnecessary and just a fable.

To accept this is to call God the Holy Spirit a liar!

 The truth is, if God created man, then man is a morally responsible being. Responsible for his own actions.

This is not some new thing!

Jdg 21:25  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

Much of this is coming from the younger generation, and God warns them about these things.

Ecc 11:9  Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 

Ecc 11:10  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Those without God say they are not morally responsible for themselves or to any god and are free to do as they please.

See if you believe you descended from some animal, you are taught that animals do not have a moral understanding, but even this is a lie.

 This is the very reason the world was destroyed in the day of Noah and will be destroyed when the Lord returns.

When the Lord Jesus says, “as in the days of Noah,” this is part of what He was referring to.

 In either case, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, but there is far more corruption in Marxism than in Capitalism, and the people have no real say-so in the government with leaders who put forth their own version of Marxism.

The same ones who teach Marxism made their own millions under Capitalism, so they are hypocrites to begin with.

What many of them seek is the destruction of America and a full-on atheist society.

 Every Marxist politician has their own version of Marxism, and none of them are the same.

 It is a fact that it was Marxism that began the Liberalism we see in the false church today!

It is Marxism that began liberalism in our government.

 It is Marxism that is pushing the Liberal church into social change, which goes against the Word of God.

 It is Marxism that pushes liberals to conceive that change is not achieved through individual salvation and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but through the church itself confronting society concerning injustices.

The Church is not to be an object of worship, and it is becoming nothing more than an idol.

The Book of Revelation says the Church has left its first love, who is Christ Jesus.

The only true Church is based upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co_3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 Marxism in itself is humanism, more indebted to liberal theology than it is to Scripture, and Scripture that does not go along with their Marxist liberal thinking is removed from Scripture.

This is why there are so many versions of the Word of God today.

 As Christians, we place our hope in the Theocratic government of the Almighty God!

 We will answer to God for everything we have done, even for every word that we have spoken.

 God says: Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

 Marxism and liberal theology are all about works, and there is no hope in works!

 Where is our hope and the hope of the true church?

 *****2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

 We must not get discouraged every time our body will not let us do what we want to do.

 We will fall into a state of exhaustion and weariness from time to time, and we will suffer for the cause of Christ.

 With all our troubles and difficulties, it does not change what we are waiting for. What are we waiting for?

 We are waiting on the day we will be with the Lord where we will receive a new body with none of these difficulties.

 Through all our uncertainties, we can be certain about this thing that Jesus promised.

 For we know it is true!

 We will not receive some temporary body when we get to Heaven; we live in our temporary body now as we live upon this earth, but we will receive a glorified body when Jesus Christ returns to take us home.

 1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Much of the world looks upon this as some imaginary fable, but there is more physical proof that the Word of God is true than it is false!

 So, what does happen to us when we die?

 When we die, we go immediately to Heaven to be with the Lord! Here we will stay until Christ returns to claim this earth as His own on the Day of the Rapture.

 Rev_6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

 You cannot place a robe on a spirit; there has to be a body to wear a robe.

 1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

 One thing is sure, even if we existed for a time without a body, we would still be more alive than we are today!

 Just as our present bodies will be part of our eternal bodies, temporary bodies could be part of our eternal bodies.

 That glorified body gets in there somewhere!

 Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

 1) We will receive immortality!

2) We will receive a home, an eternal mansion in God's New Heaven.

 As we get older, we all feel the truth of verse 2.

 *****2Co 5:2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 

2Co 5:3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 

2Co 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 

 God never said it would be fun growing old.

 One thing I have noticed as I aged is that time seems to fly by.

 The years are going so fast that it’s Christmas before you know it and another birthday has taken place and you get to see doctors more than you see some family members.

 As Christians the Scriptures give us a picture of our bodies as a tent which houses our spirit.

 In fact, our spirit is our conscience, and our heart is our soul, and this is our real self and this sack of flesh that covers them is the thing that is perishing with age.

 God is a spirit; the human soul is a spirit.

 God made man after His own image and endowed him with attributes which belong to His own nature as a spirit.

 Therefore, man is different from all other of God's creations.

 Only man is capable of communion with our Maker.

 If we were not like God in some of our characteristics, we could not know Him; we would be like the animals that God created.

 The human spirit was rational, moral, and a free agent before the Devil caused Adam to sin, but we still have those attributes, so we can be saved.

 This sack of flesh we wear as a covering will spend some time in the grave unless you are alive at the time of the Rapture, but this flesh must certainly die one way or the other.

 2Pe_1:13  Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

2Pe_1:14  Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

 Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

 The body we have now is our means of glorifying God since after salvation the Holy Spirit moves into our heart.

 1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

 Our bodies are not to be our masters; our bodies are to be submitted to God in order that Jesus Christ can be glorified in that body.

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

 Php 1:20  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 

 Once Adam and Eve had sin in their hearts, the first thing they realized was that they were naked.

 Noah cursed his grandson because he looked upon Noah while he was drunk and naked.

To the Jew, nakedness was a terrible sin because Adam and Eve knew their nakedness after sin, and they were ashamed.

 This is the way Jesus Christ presents to us the modern church.

 Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

 Nakedness describes a soul that is uncovered before the Lord.

Our nakedness must be wrapped in the Lord's righteousness!

 A sinner who remains lost has nothing to cover himself against the wrath of God.

 Those who know the Lord are now clothed with the robe of righteousness.

This is the robe that we will wear when we first get to Heaven!

 Isa_61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

 *****2Co 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 

 Once we understand we will be clothed, which means our bodies will be transformed at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

 Any underclothing we had on will be swallowed up by our upper clothing until nothing is left of those garments.

 The old is completely replaced by the new!

 1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 

 Don't you just love the Word of God that never leaves anything out?

 We do not have to guess about our salvation; it is real!

 Our salvation is also eternal!

 *****2Co 5:5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 

2Co 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 

2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 

2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

 The Holy Spirit is not some influence sent to us from Heaven; the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune God.

Believe me when I say there is no order in those three persons of the Triune God except for the order that Jesus gave us.

God is the same no matter what person you are dealing with; He is One God, not three Gods!

 The Holy Spirit has characteristics, and He has personality.

 He has intellect, knowledge, a mind, and emotions and a genuine personality.

 He teaches, He testifies, He guides, He convicts, He regenerates, He intercedes, and He commands.

 When He moves into our hearts, we will know it and our transformation will begin.

 There is a saying that our youth used to use: "If you are what you were, then you ain't".

 It's simple: if you are the same old person you were before your salvation and you just say the Holy Spirit moved in, then you have been deceived, and you are not saved.

 2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

 That word "earnest" can be interpreted as "a down payment" on our redemption which will come when the Lord Jesus returns.

 We have this confidence when we no longer look at our circumstances, but we only look upward and forward to a future so wonderful that it is hard to imagine the wonderful things God has planned for us.

 1Co_2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

 When we walk in the faith of the truth of God, then surely, we can put up with this wicked world for a few short years.

The greatest relief we can obtain in this world is to be busy serving the LORD.

 No matter what we face, the Holy Spirit will stir up our courage to face it all, if we listen to Him.

 We need a refilling of the Holy Spirit daily and sometimes on the same day, and God will provide that refilling if we ask Him, in the name of Jesus.

 The Holy Spirit will stir up the faith that is in us, so if you have no faith, the Holy Spirit has nothing to work with.

 Now this does not make us blind to the things going on around us; He just gives us the courage to go through them.

 This shows up in our power to be a witness for the truth of the Gospel!

 *****2Co 5:9  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 

2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 

We must make it our ambition to speak and act in a way that our life pleases the LORD.

If we live only for the LORD, it does not matter if we are still in the body that the Lord gave us or we are absent from that body which is to be at home with the LORD in Heaven.

Wherever we are, our goal is to make the Lord rejoice by living for Him and in His will for us.

If we are not in the will the LORD has for us, we will be miserable even though we may be saved.

The "Judgment Seat of Christ" is the judgment of believers, not unbelievers.

There will be no unbeliever there.

Paul is speaking to the Church, all the ones who have a new nature in Jesus Christ.

Only believers have a new nature in Jesus Christ.

1) The judgment of believers is a surety; it will happen, and nothing can stop it from happening.

2) The judge who will judge us will be the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Joh 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 

Joh 5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

3) Each believer will be judged for the things we have done in the body we lived in after salvation until that body died.

a.) We will not be judged for sin because the Lord Jesus died for all our sin and our sin is under the blood.

God will never again charge us with any sin. Though we must still ask for forgiveness because it is like a slap in the face to our Lord Jesus Christ.

 b) Each believer will be conformed perfectly to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We will receive that perfect, eternal body, a body just like the one that Christ went back to Heaven in.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

 c) When God saved us, He had a purpose for each of us, and He will judge us on how well we have accomplished what He gives us to do.

This judgment will decide on any gifts we may or may not receive.

1Co 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 

1Co 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 

1Co 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

4) This judgment will determine our rewards and the degree of those rewards, whether good(gain) or bad(loss)

All those who survive the fire of the "Bema Seat Judgment" will be greatly rewarded. So great that it would blow our minds if we knew them today.

Glory, honor, immortality, part of the inheritance of the Lord Jesus, a mansion, just a few that are mentioned in the Scriptures.

We will behold the face of God and have a glorified body. We will be treated as kings and priests. The joy of life and pleasures that never end are just a few more of the rewards we could receive.

This is just a taste of the rewards we can receive at the "judgment Seat of Christ," which will take place at the Rapture of the Church when we meet the Lord Jesus in the clouds.

Only the Church will be at this judgment at that time. Not one lost soul will be there!

*****2Co 5:11  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 

I know that God will use everyone He saves, but we have to wonder sometimes what keeps that good Pastor from quitting on God.

They are attacked and criticized for the stance they take on the Word of God.

They have to deal with problems on the inside and on the outside of the church.

They have to deal with church members, many who are still babes in Christ and others who think they know it all.

This verse gives us some idea of what keeps good men of God preaching and ministering, and we should take notice of what God says here.

The word "terror" here means fear, reverence, being in awe of the Lord.

It does not mean the kind of fear that trembles and shrinks back from God, though he must be aware of it.

The Lord must be held in the Highest regard and respect; He is God!

These things compel that good Pastor or Evangelist or Missionary to spread the "Good News" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

He will preach the judgment of God:

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

He will preach the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

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

He will preach the desperate need for all of us to reconcile our relationship with the One True God:

2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

God knows what kind of person we are, and He will use that to assign us all a ministry.

1Co 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 

1Co 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 

That good man of God will preach faithfulness!

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 

1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

Amen

The Way of the Truth of God

 Repentance, False Religion, and the True Way

 Book of Luke Chapter 13

 

The Lord Jesus Christ was preaching about the signs of the times, or we could say the sins of the times.

 These are the same sins we have today, only they are getting worse.

 If we analyze the present time according to the Word of God that we have, we should be able to see that time is running out to make a decisive choice about the truth of Jesus Christ.

 Jesus said to the crowd: Luk 12:54  And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 

Luk 12:55  And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 

Luk 12:56  Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 

 The Lord Jesus called them hypocrites because they could look at the patterns of the weather to see what was coming next, but they kept their eyes closed when it came to their spiritual condition.

 Most of the time we think much too much of ourselves!

 They knew the laws of nature and how to apply them, but they were ignoring the Law of God, and they lived according to their own thoughts and the ways of the world.

 God had explained that judgment was coming, but the Word of God was ignored.

 They did not think about the time in which they lived because they did not want to repent and place their lives in the hands of God.

 Their greatest mistake they made was not considering that our lives are already in the hands of God!

 If we know only one thing, it is that we are responsible for knowing right from wrong!

 Normally, this is the first lesson we try to teach our children.

 If we have a personal relationship with God, then we can be where God wants us to be, and God can save us.

 The Lord Jesus always seeks the salvation of each of us so He can show us mercy.

 Mercy means we will not get what we deserve, which is eternal death.

 Num 14:18  The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression,

 Psa 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 

 The next question would then be, "Why do good people suffer"?

 One answer would be that we do not suffer more because we are far worse than others, so we can remove this from our thought process.

 *****Luk 13:1  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 

Luk 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 

Luk 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 

Luk 13:4  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 

Luk 13:5  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 

 Rome considered the Galileans the most turbulent and seditious people under their control.

 They were always ready to cause problems for Roman authority.

 The Apostles that Jesus had selected were all Galileans, either by birth or by where they lived.

 Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

 Most of the Jews could tell if you were a Galilean by the way that you talked. Just ask Peter.

 Mat 26:73  And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 

 It would be sort of like the speech of us Southerners and those who live in the North of our own nation.

 Many would actually call Jesus Christ the Galilean God.

 This was used many times to keep from using the title Christian during the time of the early Church.

 The truth was, Pilate hated the Galileans so much that his army surrounded a group of Galileans at the Temple, where they had gone to worship, and murdered them and poured their blood on the sacrifices that were being made to God.

 By doing this, Pilate also showed his contempt for the sacrificial services of the Jews.

 The question to the Lord Jesus Christ was that these Galileans must have been sinners far greater than other men.

 They suggested that it was not so much the cruelty of Pilate as it was the judgment of God.

 The Lord Jesus said: "It is not up to any of us to decide whose sins are worse than others".

 Jesus's answer to these Jews was "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish".

 We know that there were not many of the Jews who did repent, and they were all slaughtered by the Romans in 70 A D.

 The Romans did to the Jews what Pilate had done to these Galileans.

 The answer is that we do not suffer more in this world just because we are greater sinners than most others.

 We are all sinners in need of repentance!

Every sin has the same "judgment" from God, eternal death without God.

 In fact, totally innocent people suffer, and we do not know any reason beyond the providence of God.

 We do know this verse we see so much: Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

 Then the Lord Jesus adds another incident.

 There was a great tragedy in Jerusalem when eighteen men were killed because a guard tower at the pool of Siloam fell and killed them all.

 Some commentaries say it was eighteen construction workers who were killed.

 Some say that Pilate used the Temple money to construct an aqueduct into Jerusalem, and some of the Jews said this was the reason these men were killed, again by God Himself, but it was merely an accident that happened to men trying to make a living for their families.

 Were these eighteen greater sinners than others in Jerusalem?

 Did they deserve to die more than others who live?

 We might ask ourselves, why are we allowed to live and others are not?

 The Lord Jesus said it was not because they had greater sin than others.

 There again Jesus said: "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish".

 It is not up to us to raise the question of the guilt of others.

 Do I believe there may be different levels of suffering in Hell? Yes, I do.

 Most suffering of the sinner upon this earth is caused by themselves.

 Go to the hospitals and see if you can tell who is good and who is bad.

 Much of our suffering as we get older is because of the way we lived our lives when we were younger.

 No one suffers upon this earth because we think they are greater sinners than others.

 These things are all in the hands of God!

 The greatest thing we can do is to repent and be saved, so we know we will not suffer in Hell.

 Heaven is going to be so wonderful. Why would anybody not want to spend eternity there?

 We cannot afford to die without Jesus Christ!

 Again, the Lord Jesus teaches us with a parable.

 *****Luk 13:6  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 

Luk 13:7  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 

Luk 13:8  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 

Luk 13:9  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. 

 Israel is God's people.

 The Church is God's people.

 God expects us all who love Him to bear fruit.

 The fruit God expects from all His people is the Fruit of the Spirit!

 Isa 44:3  For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 

Isa 44:4  And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 

 Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 

Joh 7:39  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

 Israel thought they were safe because they were the seed of Abraham under the promises of God.

 Israel did not even realize the precarious state in which they were in.

 (By the way, the Church is sinking so fast that the Church does not realize the precarious state it is in).

 It was totally inappropriate to speculate about the Galileans, and it was foolish to forget the people of Jerusalem.

 We could understand this parable as showing these Jews their own history that hangs over their heads.

 But without a doubt, it should also wake up the Church, which lives by the Grace of God.

 There will come a time when God elects to cut down fruitless trees.

 We must understand the need for repentance: Mat 21:28  But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 

Mat 21:29  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 

Mat 21:30  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 

Mat 21:31  Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 

 Repentance is a change of mind that brings a complete change in the heart. It is a heartfelt sorrow for sin and a confession of that sin, turning to God and righteousness.

 One day God's patience will run out with this world: 2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 

2Pe 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

 Israel is the fig tree of the Lord. Israel must stand before God in its righteousness.

 Adam and Eve, after falling into sin, tried to cover themselves with the leaves of a fig tree.

 Gen 3:7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 

 This man-made apron could not cover their nakedness, so God made them garments of skin.

 They then stood before God covered by a sacrificial lamb, which we know now as Jesus Christ.

 This is the only way every single sinner can stand before our Holy God.

 We know of another Scripture that says the Lord Jesus sought fruit again from the fig tree and could not find it, and the fig tree withered away and died after the Lord Jesus cursed it.

 It is the Lord Jesus Christ who spent three years trying to convince the Jews to repent, but they would not.

 Jhn_1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 The Church also needs to repent and get busy for the Lord!

 It is God Himself who is looking for fruit!

 All those places of worship producing no fruit are just wasting space!

 Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 

Mat 3:11  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 

Mat 3:12  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

 *****Luk 13:10  And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

Luk 13:11  And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 

Luk 13:12  And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 

Luk 13:13  And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  

 This is possibly the last time that the Lord Jesus got to teach in a synagogue of the Jews.

 This healing took place on a Sabbath, and we see that healing was not allowed on the Sabbath because it was considered to be work and not a movement of God.

 The Lord Jesus was doing exactly what He came to do.

 Luk_19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 We can see that the Jewish synagogues were places where women could also worship along with religionists.

 That phrase "spirit of infirmity" probably means that this illness she had was because of a demon.

 So, we see that the devil and his demons try to be present in every worship service, and he still does this today.

 This woman had reached a point where she could no longer lift herself, but if she had not been committed to worship, she would have missed this opportunity when the Lord Jesus showed up at the worship service.

 Worship at church reaches another level when the Lord Jesus shows up to worship with us!

 We already know that God sings with us when we sing in our worship service.

 Zep 3:17  The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. 

 When we rejoice in the Lord, we can have the Holy Spirit with us, the Almighty God singing, and the presence of the Lord Jesus to heal us.

 This illness this woman suffered with was for eighteen years, and she may not have been able to make it to another worship service if not for Christ also being there on that day.

 This type of illness is, in typology, a spiritual weakness in those who are weighed down by the Laws of Moses.

 This is what the Law does: it requires those who follow it to meet certain conditions before they can claim righteousness and escape the judgment of God.

Today, we call this legalism!

 The Law cannot make anyone righteous!

 Gal 3:11  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 

Gal 3:12  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 

 This woman had a true Spiritual need!

 The Lord Jesus laid His wonderful healing hands upon her.

 This woman had not asked for anything; the Lord Jesus just knows our needs.

 She was no longer bowed over but was straightened.

 Such wonderful things are overlooked by traditionalists.

 *****Luk 13:14  And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. 

Luk 13:15  The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 

Luk 13:16  And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? 

Luk 13:17  And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. 

 The Lord stepped into a synagogue and just ruined the service for all those religionists, and they would not allow Him into another synagogue during the time He had left.

 Much of the Church would not allow the Lord Jesus to preach in any service today.

 Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

This man worshipped God, but he did not worship the same God as this woman who was healed.

 The ruler of this synagogue was an arrogant man who was self-righteous because he followed the traditions of men rather than the Word of God.

 This woman sought God to meet her needs.

 This synagogue leader sought God through form and rituals, ceremony and rules.

 This is not what the worship of God is to be about.

 This man lost his temper with the Lord Jesus Christ, and this is not a good thing in any worship service.

 The Lord Jesus said he was a hypocrite and he was.

 He had already taken care of his animals before he came to worship, all these things done on the same Sabbath.

 He was a leader who put his own animals and his own rules above the people and above the Word of God.

 There are church leaders who do this same thing today!

 The Jewish people had allowed their religious leaders to corrupt the Word of God.

 The people inside this synagogue began to see the truth and rejoiced to hear the truth from the Lord Jesus.

 The Lord Jesus continued to travel and teach through the cities and villages that were between Him and Jerusalem.

 *****Luk 13:22  And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 

Luk 13:23  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

 Just who are the saved?

 Will many of the world be saved?

 Jesus will answer these questions Himself.

 The Lord Jesus Christ knew exactly what was going to happen to Him in Jerusalem!

 This did not alter His message.

 The Lord Jesus would be killed by the hands of the Jewish people.

 Mat_27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

 The Lord Jesus just kept doing what His Father sent Him to do as He traveled to His death.

 Then someone asked Him: Lord, are there few that be saved?

 Notice the Lord Jesus is not so much concerned by the question as He is by that person who asked the question.

 This is still one of the biggest questions asked by those who are religious.

 Many religions, including some Christians, still try to find some way to deny those whom they do not like the opportunity to get to God's Heaven.

 It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can set the boundaries of getting to Heaven.

 It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can separate the sheep from the goats.

 Only God can open the door to Heaven, and it is by His Grace through His Son Jesus!

 This doorway is narrow, and the Lord is the door!

 Jhn_10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

Jhn_10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

 There is a great price to be paid to get the Lord Jesus to open the door to Heaven.

 No halfhearted people can get through the door!

 The Apostle Paul wrote: 1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 

1Co 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 

1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

 It is by repentance and by renouncing our self-righteousness, our arrogance, and our own self-will.

 It is difficult to enter this door when it is open and impossible once it is closed!

 We must be doers of the Word of God!

 Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 The Lord Jesus continues:

 *****Luk 13:24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 

 The way to salvation is specific, very specific!

 1) There are not many ways to salvation; there is only one way to salvation.

 Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

 2) The way to salvation is straight, very straight!

 It is not crooked in direction, it is not crooked in purpose, it is not crooked in morals.

 There is nothing in salvation that will make us great, so we must become small.

 We must be in the right relationship with God!

 Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

 We must diligently seek God!

 Most of those in our world are not willing to pay the price.

 The Lord knows it so, therefore the gate is narrow.

 *****Luk 13:25  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 

 We must understand that God is long-suffering and truly patient, but there will come a moment when God puts an end to entering the Door of Jesus Christ!

 In the Bible, we have a great example in Noah.

 Gen 7:15  And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. 

Gen 7:16  And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: "and the LORD shut him in". 

 The salvation of God is now, today, that door may be closed tomorrow.

 If your name is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, then the Lord Jesus will say that He does not know you, and if He does not know you, then the God of Heaven does not know you.

 Luk_10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

 It will be too late to call for the "Mercy of God," and He will cut off the flow of "Grace" from His throne.

 *****Luk 13:26  Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 

 Then those who have had one foot in the Church and the other foot in the world will be rejected.

 They were friends of true Christians.

They listened to the preacher, and they may have even attended Sunday School.

They had witnessed great movements of the Holy Spirit and had seen souls who were truly saved.

 They were citizens of so-called Christian nations.

They even allowed their streets to be used for evangelism.

 However, they professed a relationship with Jesus Christ that they did not have.

 Tit 1:15  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 

 We should understand that the Lord Jesus was outside the doors of the Church at one time, knocking, almost begging for them to let Him back in.

 Now we see just the opposite. We see those who were playing Church on the outside of the door of salvation begging the Lord Jesus Christ to let them in.

 What will the Lord Jesus say to them?

 *****Luk 13:27  But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 

Luk 13:28  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

 We see that the saved shall be separated from the lost, and it appears that those who are lost will get to see those who are saved enter into the Kingdom of God.

 Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

 On the day of the Rapture, many will look around and wonder why they were left behind.

 They will be upset with themselves and with God's saints who are no longer on this planet.

 They will see godly parents, friends, children, and neighbors enter the Kingdom of God and see themselves shut out.

 They had not denied themselves: Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

 *****Luk 13:29  And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 

Luk 13:30  And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. 

Those who were saved are mainly Gentiles, and the Lord will do a new work on the Jews after and during the seven years of Tribulation.

There is a revival of sorts today in many nations, though not in the USA.

We need to be praying for a revival while there may still be time to have one.

I have never seen so much sin and corruption in our nation as I see today, and no one seems to care.

Our politicians have allowed these things to go on for far too long.

Those who are lost have their conscience seared with a hot iron and do not see the sin and corruption in our land today.

Those who are corrupt accuse everyone else of being corrupt to hide their own corruption.

They have it in their minds that we are all fools when they are not fooling anybody.

The great "Marriage Supper" of the Lamb of God is closer than we think, and we must know that we know we are saved.

There will be no classes of people in Heaven. Race will not be considered, nor riches, nor classes of people.

Only Christians will be there, those who love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart.

Act 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 

Act 10:35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 

Amen

We Must Not Become Hypocrites or Christ Died for Nothing

 Paul Confronts Peter

 Book of Galatians Chapter 2 Verse 11 through 21

 There is a short verse in the Book of Thessalonians that we need to learn, understand, and adhere to, throughout our Christian Walk.

 1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

 There are virtues we need to cultivate in our devotion to God and this Scripture is far more important than we realize when we first read it.

 We sometimes forget that the Holy Spirit lives within us. 

When we "grieve the Holy Spirit," we lose any power we have as Christians and are no longer a good witness for the truth of Jesus Christ.

 1Th 4:7  For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 

1Th 4:8  He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. 

 It was no different for the Apostle Peter, and the Apostle Paul awoke Peter to this fact.

 We know that Paul was clearing up a few things for these Thessalonians before he began his discussion on the Rapture and the return of Jesus Christ.

 This Church had a special need for guidance and sometimes even our most devoted Christians also need additional guidance.

 We will never reach a point in our lives that we should not be growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

 Sanctification is a lifelong project!

 At Jerusalem, all Church leaders had confirmed Paul’s authority!

 We know that Peter had been the leader of the Apostles from day one.

 Though we cannot make excuses for the actions of Peter, we must insist that we all need to watch our conduct at all times for it seems that someone is always watching for good or bad reasons.

 Act 15:22  Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 

Act 15:23  And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: 

Act 15:24  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 

Act 15:25  It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 

Act 15:26  Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Act 15:27  We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 

Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 

 This Silas and this Judas were two men from the Church at Jerusalem who would verify the results of the first Council of the Church, to these Galatians.

 They were chief men of the Church at Jerusalem.

 Later we will see that this same Silas also known as Silvanus as the companion of Paul on his second missionary journey.

 Silas became a great missionary himself.

 It seems that Silas, like Paul, was also a Roman citizen.

 Silas was with Paul when they were in jail where the Philippian jailer and all his family got saved.

 Act 16:25  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 

Act 16:26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 

Act 16:27  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 

Act 16:28  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 

 It is verse 37 that tells us that both Paul and Silas were both Roman citizens.

 Act 16:37  But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, “being Romans”, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

 Not much else is known about Barsabas other than he was a great man of the Church in Jerusalem.

 This Judas surnamed Barsabas, seems to have been gifted the gift of prophecy which at that time could have meant that he was one of the Preachers at the Church in Jerusalem and he returned to that Church.

 It was after these things had taken place that the Apostle Peter visited this Church in Antioch.

 It also appears those Judaizers had remained in this Church at Antioch.

 This is the background where we see Paul confront Peter, and he had every right to do so though we may not know the whole story, we do know that the Holy Spirit included it in these writings of Paul.

 *****Gal 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 

Gal 2:12  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

Gal 2:13  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 

Gal 2:14  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 

 We may not know the exact reasons that Peter came to the Church in Antioch, but who would turn down the leader of the Apostles if he came down to visit.

 Paul may even have invited Peter to visit at any time.

 This Church at Antioch was a great church, but it was also the first Gentile Church established outside of Jerusalem.

 This church was a mission minded church, and it was important that a good example was set before all the Gentiles and the Jews, but especially before the Gentiles by the Jews.

 When Peter arrived in Antioch he sat down with and enjoyed the company of the Gentiles, as we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have the same Father!

 When some other Judaizers came to visit at Antioch they were astounded that Peter was enjoying such fellowship with these Gentiles and he had allowed those same Judaizers to rebuke him for eating with the Gentiles who they still considered to be Heathen.

 We know Peter was a great Preacher and a great man of God, but this thing could ruin his testimony unless it was stopped immediately.

 It went against the decisions made at that First Church Council.

 This thing caused Peter to stumble for a moment.

 If the great Apostle Peter could stumble, we can be sure that we can!

Even today, the most used excuse used by the "Lost" is, that we the Church are all a bunch of hypocrites.

I used to say this myself and it shames me.

 Peter sure acted like one and we know these things are true or this story would not be in the Bible.

 It should be obvious to us that Peter's error was not in preaching a false doctrine.

 The error Peter made was using bad judgment!

 Though we seek moral perfection it evades us much of the time.

 We can believe that this situation was provided by the Devil and these same Judaizers were still full of the Devil, and they would haunt the Apostle Paul most of all his days.

 In Peter's case, we find him bold and then timid many times, even when Christ was teaching him.

 These are not excuses, but just the truth!

We are not to judge Peter when we know God has forgiven him.

 Remember Peter preached one sermon where over three thousand souls were saved in one day.

 I have not heard of anyone else who had such results from one sermon.

 We can also realize that Paul rebuked Peter for this one thing, and it needed to be done, but Paul was not rude to Peter nor was Paul showing personal animosity.

 Without a doubt we can see that both Paul and Peter possessed the same Holy Spirit just as we all do.

 These things did not cause friction between Paul and Peter as Peter wrote.

 2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 

2Pe 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 

 In reality we can still blame these Judaizers who continued to cause turmoil in the Church even though they were rebuked at the Jerusalem Council.

 I do not know of any man of God who has already reached perfection except for those who are already with the Lord.

 Paul and Peter are both in perfection today!

 Paul also knew these things as he wrote.

 Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

 When this thing passed Paul was still missionary to the Gentiles, but he would still drop by a Synagogue of the Jews if the opportunity arose and Peter was still missionary to the Jews, but he would still help any Gentile who had a need and he may have dropped in on all the Gentile churches from time to time

 Both these great men of God had death sentences on their heads, but God kept them protected until God took them home.

 *****Gal 2:15  We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 

Gal 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

 Every believer, no matter where we come from, is justified by one thing and it is our "faith".

 Not just any faith, but faith in the work that Our Lord Jesus Christ has done so that we can be saved.

 Paul admitted that he was a Jew by nature.

 The Jews considered themselves to be religionists and the Gentiles to be Heathen Gentile sinners.

 We could say "rank sinners".

 Paul is saying that if the Jews being religionists would claim the same thing the Gentile Sinners claimed, who believed in the work of Jesus Christ, then they all could confess they were saved by "faith".

 Any Jew who came to Jesus Christ for salvation was admitting that their religion, their works, and their law were not able to save them. Only the same faith that the Gentiles had could save them!

 Is there a work that any man can do or any law that can make us perfect? That answer is no!

 If our salvation depends on any work or any law, then we are lost as Job's Turkey and Job did not have any turkeys.

 God says we have only one hope! Faith in Jesus Christ.

 The word "justified" means to reckon, to credit, to account, to judge, to look upon as righteous.

 It does not mean to make us righteous!

 We are not made righteous,  but we are accounted as righteous!

 Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 

 Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 

Rom 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 Justification is necessary because we are born sinners!

 We cannot live as we desire, we must live as God desires, and until we are saved,  we are the enemies of God, even though He still loves us.

 Those who are not saved do not want God in their lives, they have alienated themselves from God.

 This is not God's choice but our choice!

Remember it is God’s will that we all be saved!

 We cannot turn away from God and then expect the blessings of God!

 Why would God justify any man?

 God will only "justify" any man because of Jesus Christ.

 God will credit our faith as righteousness if our faith is in Jesus Christ!

 Jesus Christ has secured the ideal righteousness for each of us!

 Jesus did this when He came to this earth and lived a righteous and sin free life!

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

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

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

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

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

Rom 5:11  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 

 The world refuses to understand that Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to die!

 By His death, all sinners can be saved if they were willing to trust what God has done for us.

 2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 

2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 

2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

 Jesus came to die, but Jesus also came to resurrect from that death, because God cannot stay dead. 

It is impossible for Him to do so!

 It is His life from the dead that has given us eternal life!

 *****Gal 2:17  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 

Gal 2:18  For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 

 Does Jesus Christ make us sinners, by our trusting in Him that we are justified by faith in Him alone?

 Is Jesus Christ a minister of sin?

 Are we sinners because we reject the law?

 It is the Law that makes us sinners, for the Law condemns sin!

 The law only shows us where our failures are!

 Gal_3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal_3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

 When we sit down and think about what God has done for us, we are driven to please God and not rebel against Him.

 Jesus Christ bore all our guilt and all our punishment for the crimes that we committed against His Father.

 When we bow to our Heavenly Father, it is for our love and adoration in appreciation for such "Amazing Love" that He has for us.

 We try to be good, not to earn righteousness, but to serve Him because He has saved us.

 Jesus Christ teaches us that "Love" is a much greater force upon this Earth than "fear"!

 1Jn 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 

 We cannot ever repay God for what He has done for us, and it is a sin to even try to.

 We are bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ!

So He does own us, not just because He created us, but because He sent His Son to reclaim His right to us and all He asks of us, is to enjoy life and our reasonable service.

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

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

 Ecc_5:18  Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

 God wants us to enjoy this life He has given to us keeping in mind that nothing upon this earth is as great as the things in Heaven.

 We should also keep in mind that there is no life if we do not have the truth of God in our lives.

 If we do not believe our good fortune comes by the hands of God, then we do not believe in the omnipotence of God.

 This is not teaching a prosperity Gospel, but our Heavenly Father does take care of His children.

This sometimes means that when we are suffering, He may take us home rather than heal us.

No one loves us as much as our Heavenly Father!

 We will find that the closer our walk with Jesus the more we will enjoy life, and it does not take much prosperity to enjoy life!

 *****Gal 2:19  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

Gal 2:21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. 

 There are some things we must do to live unto God.

 1) We must die to the law!

 People have a bad habit of comparing themselves to other people in order to show that they are better or worse than those people.

 To be a Christian, we must compare ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ and we will immediately see that we just do not measure up.

 The Lord Jesus Christ lived a short thirty-three or more years in the flesh, and He lived a sinless life in every one of those years. 

We do well to live one day without sin!

 The Law shows me just how much of a sinner I am and how far I am from the goodness of my Lord Jesus.

 I will never reach perfection as long as I am in this body of flesh!

 The law tells me I need to be punished for my sin, and that punishment is my payment for the sin I have committed.

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

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 My "faith" in the work of Christ will release me from the power of sin to keep me in bondage!

 The only hope I have to get to Heaven is to die to the law!

 2) I must be crucified with Jesus Christ!

 How can I do such a thing?

 I must believe that the Lord Jesus died in my place! He took my death to Himself!

 My Lord Jesus bore the punishment for my sin, so I do not have to.

 It is my "faith" in this truth that counts for my having died in Christ.

It is my "faith" in my identifying with Christ that counts for my pardon.

It is my "faith" in the Lord having already been punished for my sin that counts for my freedom from the bondage of sin.

 Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

Rom 6:7  For he that is dead is freed from sin. 

We should be able to see that these are the words our Pastor uses when we are Baptized.

 3) I can now live for God because God lives in me!

 I am crucified with Christ and God sees me as having already died and like His Son, I have resurrected from that death!

 The Lord Jesus Christ is now in charge of my life, He owns me!

 The Lord Jesus Christ is still walking upon this earth because He is walking in my body!

 I am just a branch growing and getting nourishment from the Vine that was my old body but is now the Body of Christ.

 Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 

Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 

 4) I can now live for God because I trust in the "Grace" of God!

 The Lord Jesus Christ is the "Righteousness of my God".

 If I set aside the "Grace of God" then My Lord, My Savior died for nothing!

 Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

 We know that Paul had to confront Peter because there is just too much to lose if we do not gain the life of Jesus Christ!

 Amen

Living Amongst the Enemy

 The Enemies Reaction to Jesus' Kingdom

Book of Matthew Chapter 15

As we go further into the Book of Matthew, we see more and more of Satan inspired hatred for the Messiah. If we want to ask ourselves what is wrong with America today, America is suffering heavily from Satan inspired hatred and it is only going to get worse.

Rev_12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 

The Lord knows what is going on in all His creation at all times!

We must know we live amongst our enemy!

We can also realize that this place is not our home, Heaven is our home we are only pilgrims passing through.

Heb_11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

As Jesus goes about the things He came to do, the super religious crowd from Jerusalem approaches Him to try in any way possible to make Him look bad before the people who were following Him.

*****Mat 15:1  Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 

Mat 15:2  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 

If we think about it these disciples of Jesus Christ were beginning to see the power in the truth of God.

They were also seeing things that none other than our Creator and our Messiah could be doing.

There was nothing magical about what the Lord Jesus was doing!

Jesus was just being who He is and who He is the Almighty Living God!

We see the Word of God is not questioned by these hypocrites sent from Jerusalem, it was man's laws that are brought into question.

What are traditions?

The Jews were pretending that, besides their written law contained in the Pentateuch, God delivered to Moses an oral law, which was handed down from generation to generation.

Which is not true!

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 

Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The question is not that we should eat with clean hands which we should when we can.

Many a construction worker will eat their lunch with the same hands they work with.

This is where that prayer to the Lord thanking Him for our meal is so important. This prayer will protect us while we eat.

It is the ritual cleansing of the hands that is brought into question here.

A ritual cleansing is not intended to truly clean it is only symbolic of God's cleansing and a prayer is much better than anything symbolic.

The Lord Jesus, God in the flesh just tells them, how can you judge someone else when you are also a sinner?

Jesus tells us the same thing today!

In fact Jesus says, "you will know them by their actions". It is called discernment.

*****Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 

The Lord Jesus ask them a serious question. Jesus said: how can you use your man-made laws to overrule God's Law?

This is what traditions will do in most cases!

The Lord Jesus is not just wise, He is Wisdom Himself!

Mat 22:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

You cannot defeat the Lord by asking Him questions!

Mat 22:46  And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. 

Anything that goes against the written Word of God is false!

We should understand that every question asked by these hypocrites was designed to cause the Lord to fail in front of the people who were following Him.

What had God told Moses?

*****Mat 15:4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 

Mat 15:5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 

Mat 15:6  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 

What are the faults of religionist? Religionist set aside the Word of God for tradition.

What had God said?

Deu 5:7  Thou shalt have none other gods before me. 

Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

We are guilty of sin if we put anything in the place of God. 

If we put some manmade tradition in front of the Word of God, we have placed God second when He must remain first in our lives, and this includes all His written Word rightly divided!

We all know that when our parents get pass the age where they can take care of themselves, they may need our help.

This was even worse in the time of Jesus.

Many who had been misled by these hypocrites would tell their parents when they asked for help that they had dedicated any extra they had to the Temple and could not help them.

We do not know if this was done for spite or other reasons, but this allowed for a manmade tradition to supersede the written Word of God that they were so proud to claim. They had a name for this they called it Corban.

Jesus rebuke them for this thing:

Mar 7:9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 

Mar 7:10  For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 

Mar 7:11  But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 

Mar 7:12  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 

Mar 7:13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. 

What name did Jesus use for those who did such things?

*****Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 

Now I did not say this. These are the words that our Lord Jesus Christ used for all those who put man made laws and traditions before the Word of God.

God is not happy with such people who claim to be true to the Word of God.

Isa 9:17  Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 

Isa 9:18  For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. 

Isa 9:19  Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. 

We have a bundle of these who have become politicians who claim that Jesus as their Savior yet write laws that go against the Word of God.

They should understand they cannot come before a righteous God and survive!

Job 13:16  He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. 

The Lord says they are willfully blind to the truth of God:

Job 20:5  That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 

Job 20:6  Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 

Job 20:7  Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 

What are some things that are used today?

Church Attendance becomes greater than the Word of God.

Rituals become greater than the Word of God.

Ceremonies become greater than the Word of God.

Some use manmade objects to keep them religiously saved become greater than the Word of God.

Some actually believe that prayers could come before the truth of God.

The Word of God rightly divided is our guide to a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ!

Nothing can be substituted for the truth of God!

Again what words did our Lord Jesus use?

*****Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

The Lord Jesus Himself teaches us how we are to worship our Heavenly Father:

Joh_4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh_4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

A hypocrite is not then a true worshiper!

All those in this entire world who reject the Lord Jesus Christ cannot truly worship our Heavenly Father!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

We cannot know God if we reject Jesus Christ!

We will never see God if we reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 

1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 

We cannot worship God without the Holy Spirit living within us!

Traditions have no place in the worship of our Heavenly Father!

Hypocrites do not have the Holy Spirit living within them, no matter what they say!

*****Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

Mat 15:10  And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 

Mat 15:11  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

If there is anything that is false in our worship, then we worship the Lord in vain!

We should understand that ritualistic and tradition filled religion is the same as what these Pharisees had.

Traditions, rituals, holidays, manmade ministries, invented ceremonies, all supersede the Word of God.

 This is the reason most holidays have become no more than commercial days set aside to keep people from giving to the Church.

 We cannot set aside our own inventions and traditions as part of the Word of God.

We know that these Pharisees had no room for Christ, and it is the same for the false Church where we can no longer find Christ.

 We should remember what Age we live in!

We live in the Laodicean Church Age!

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

Jesus immediately called to the multitude and said, "hear and understand".

Jesus Christ never knew fear and He has told us to do the same!

If there is no Holy Spirit within then only evil will dwell.

It is evil within, that defiles us!

These Pharisee looked upon themselves as the leaders and religious leaders, but Jesus said they were leading all the Jews to Hell!

Mat 15:13  But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 

Mat 15:14  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

It did not matter to Jesus that He offended these men. 

They were of no use to the Kingdom of God!

Then Peter said explain this to me because all Jews looked up to the Pharisees.

When we do not understand we need to go directly to the Lord!

*****Mat 15:15  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 

Mat 15:16  And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 

Mat 15:17  Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 

It is a simple bodily function. Anything that goes in our mouth finds its way into our bellies and the unneeded things go out our bottoms.

It is the process of nourishment.

All things that go out of the mouth come from the heart.

It is the things in our heart that make us good or bad!

The true source of defilement comes from within us, and our Lord looks into our heart to know the real person.

A corrupt heart is the true source of our misery in this life!

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 

Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. 

Why did Jesus scold the disciples?

Because it was easily seen that these Pharisee had their own religion, and it did not include the Messiah because it did not include Jehovah God.

*****Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 

Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 

Mat 15:20  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 

The Lord Jesus Christ came to deliver us from evil and this certainly includes every false religion where the Lord Jesus Christ is not the Messiah!

In fact Jesus is that Messiah as taught to the Jews by Moses:

Deu 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 

Deu 18:19  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 

Deu 18:20  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 

This Prophet's name is Jesus!

1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 

1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 

What comes from the heart of those who are lost?

Evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Even when we are saved some of these same thoughts will be used by Satan against us, but having the Holy Spirit within us gives us the power to overcome these things.

Depravity is what we see throughout our world today!

We live in a sin filled world!

All depravity comes from the heart.

It gets into our minds until we act upon them, and this is where sin comes from.

If good comes from us, then our heart is shown to be good!

If evil and wickedness come from us, then our heart is shown to be bad.

Jas_2:24  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

You see it is our works after we are saved, that show the world that we belong to Jesus.

There should be evidence of a new life a life that resembles that of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is why Jesus says we must be Born Again!

1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 

1Pe 1:24  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 

1Pe 1:25  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

We must have a renewed mind!

Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

There is more to it, than just saying "I'm saved"!

Amen