Thinking in the Way of Jesus Christ

Having the Mind of Christ

Book of 1 Peter Chapter 4:1-11

Remember in our last lesson the Apostle Peter talked a lot about our conscience and today the Holy Spirit will take this to the next level.

If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have realized that being a Christian is not always easy and the Lord has never said it would be. In fact the Lord has warned us all along that we would suffer persecution.

Many unbelievers in this world reject Christianity just because they know they will be hated, not only by the world, but even by their close friends, who if they took a close look some were already their enemies.

True friends would never lead you to a life of alcohol.

True friends would never lead you to a life of drugs.

True friends would never lead you to a life of immorality.

A true friend that loved you would always have the best interest for you in mind!

The world will often ridicule and mock the believer and even abuse the believer, some even to the point of death.

The greatest way we as Christians can deal with these things, is to remove our guilty conscience and install the mind of Christ and the Scriptures teaches us how to do all these things!

The very first things we are to do, is to make sure we are in the will of God!

*****1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, "arm yourselves likewise with the same mind": for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh "to the lusts of men, but to the will of God".

If we think about it, what was Christ's greatest attribute? The patient, submissive, and unwavering trust in the wisdom and love of His Father!

Jesus Christ spent every day in the will of His Father in Heaven!

The Glorious God of Heaven came to this earth and took on a body of flesh and it is that body of flesh that suffered so tremendously!

Our Redeemer is so far above us, that we cannot fathom the "Glory World", but He is also walking right beside us to hold us up through our own suffering. "Oh, What a Savior"

Why is it so important for us to be in God's will?

1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

When we are in the will of God, the world will see us as being like the Lord Jesus Christ!

Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What is our job in this world?

Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God "from the heart";

Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

To be in the will of God, is to be dead to self and alive through Jesus Christ.

We are the enemies of sin and immorality, but in many ways our greatest enemy is ourselves.

We war with our flesh, when the Lord has already given us victory!

There can be little doubt that the Lord Jesus suffered most all the things that we suffer even things that we do not suffer in our lifetime, but we can also be sure Jesus did not suffer from illnesses because the work He had to do required a healthy body.

Does that mean just because Jesus had no sin and neither was sin in His heart that He was healthier than most, I'm sure this was part of it.

Does it mean that the diet that Jesus ate was healthier, again I'm sure this was also a part of it.

It took a strong healthy body for the Lord to endure the things that He did in the flesh, but He also was in the complete will of His Father.

Another thing we know is that the Lord Jesus Christ never allowed Himself to be absorbed in His own sorrows. He was always ready to be a part of other people’s joys, but at the same time He would also be a help through their griefs even if His griefs were far worse!

You see Jesus Christ did not come to this earth to suffer for Himself, He came to suffer for me and to suffer for you!

This is when we are to arm ourselves with the same mind!

As long as we are in the complete will of our Heavenly Father, He will keep us healthy to continue the work of the Lord!

I dare say not many of us have all our lifetime pursued the things of God.

*****1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

What great truth are we to be reminded of? It is about time we are fed up with sin!

We must be fed up with the sin in our lives, until we hate that it was ever a part of us!

We must be fed up with the sin in this world, and do what we can to show we are against it!

As Christians, we all have an old life and in our old life we each have sin that caused the Lord Jesus Christ to suffer for our sins. Remember Jesus had no sin at all!

That old sinful life must be behind us and it must remain behind us!

There is no part of that sin that can be a part of our new "Born Again" life! So many do reject this today.

Enough is enough, we are to walk in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Only a few of these things are mentioned, but they will cover all sin.

**Lasciviousness means shameless conduct of any kind, period!

Filthiness, indecency, shamelessness, without restraint, things that are far worse than just doing wrong!

We do not have to go on any further to see that these things are taking over America today.

**Lusts is not only sexual desire which is running rampant and even called natural to evolutionist, who say we come from animals and no worse from a bunch of rabbits.

Lust can be a strong desire of any kind.

Lust is a strong desire and when mixed with passion and craving is destructive to the soul.

Lust of this sort can never be satisfied!

Notice if it drugs or alcohol it is called addiction and there is a great need for help. The answer is to say no to these things and yes to Jesus.

If it is all the sexual lust in our world, it is just called a natural habit that is in our culture as human beings.

We live a world of free sex, but no responsibility for the outcome, in fact expecting some taxpayer to pay for their sin.

**Excess of wine: It should be evident this is not talking about grape juice. The Christian world would understand that we are to do what Jesus said and not what major denominations say about wine.

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Pro 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

There are those who twist and turn this Scripture, but the Holy Ghost says do not even look upon alcoholic wine, so certainly we are not to drink it. This goes for all Christians and in fact all believing Jews!

The excess of wine means drunkenness which in fact is the sin of covetousness and lust!

Anything we take into our bodies that affect our senses, can loosen our moral restraint!

Pro 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

Pro 23:33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Pro 23:34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

Pro 23:35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

**Revelings: Some would say carousing which is hard drinking, abusing freedoms, over indulgence. Some would say too much party life, and orgies. In truth it is just feeding the lusts of the flesh without restraint!

1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

**Banquetings: Are no more than drinking parties, or drug parties or marijuana parties. People gathering to partake of their sinful nature!

Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

**Abominable Idolatries: This is the worship of idols and anything that is placed between you and God is an idol.

These can be man-made things, but also things of the mind. Devoting yourself to anything that is not of God!

These are the very ones who are in Hell looking up wishing they had changed their ways but refused to do so too many times!

Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

These are old friends or acquaintances or lookers on who think it is you who are strange!

*****1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

1Pe 4:5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

People today think Christians are "judgmental" when they reject all these things mentioned here.

When we have "the mind of Christ" we can see how the world looks upon us.

The world just cannot understand why we would want to be different from them.

The world just cannot understand why we do not accept the things they accept.

The world has taken that word freedom to mean unhindered in all the things of the mind and a distinct hatred for authority and anyone else who thinks they are wrong! In fact they are so full of hatred toward those who object to their line of thought they are willing to kill and maim and murder all in the name of their freedoms!

We Christians are hated just for what we stand for! Freedoms that extend no further than the Word of God! I made a choice to be free with the freedom that Jesus gave me, and He gave me the freedom to stay away from the people of the world that go against the Word of God.

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

To give in to the world is to go against my holy Father!

My Father is also the "Judge" of this world!

All those in the world will stand before my mighty Father and give an account for everything they have done, and they will not be able to use the excuse that no one told them.

Even if that was true, it is still a lie because they have observed how the Christian has lived and they have rejected that and in doing so they have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ!

Mat_5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The love of our Father in Heaven means that we must condemn the world while at the same time reaching out to those who are caught up in this world!

God sets a high standard, but it is truly a standard that makes sense even if you are not a believer!

The world will say we are only superstitious, but the fact is they are only half right. We have a SUPER FATHER in Heaven!

God loves us all so much that He makes sure we all hear or see the truth, so we can make up our own minds about the truth of God!

*****1Pe 4:6 For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Was the Gospel preached in the time of Adam? The coming of the Messiah has always been preached. His coming at two different times was just missed by many of those who ignored the prophets or those who decided they were more important than the truth of God!

Jud_1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Those people rejected the truth then just as they do today!

Besides Elijah and Enoch, every child of God who was a child by faith, whose soul has returned to God in Heaven, but they left a sack of flesh to be buried in some grave, or burnt to non-existence, or slipped into the oceans or some were just left to rot or consumed by beast.

It was not important that the flesh be saved as the souls that loved the Lord returned to Him!

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_5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Again Paul wrote

Php 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Php 1:22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Php 1:24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

This is not just a doctrine of the New Testament, it is the doctrine of all the Scriptures!

Enoch new and Job who lived around the time of Abraham new!

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.

God smiles every time a child of God leaves that flesh behind and goes back home to his Creator!

Psa_116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

The same cannot be said of the souls of those who reject the Lord!

1Sa 25:29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

Before the Lord came to pay the debt for our souls, the coming of the Messiah was preached to all who would listen to the truth!

Since the Lord came and then returned to Heaven, the Gospel is preached of the Second Coming of the Messiah.

God is going to judge this world!

This has been the message since the time of Adam. Yes God destroyed much of the world in the time of Noah, but God will destroy this entire world after His Second Coming.

Immorality is returning as in the days of Noah, the world does not care, but endorses all immorality and God will burn this world with fire whenever He gets ready.

What truth do we know?

If the Church was "raptured" today there would be at least 1007 years until the time of the destruction of this world!

The "Gospel" is preached so the world will know the judgment of God while they are still in the flesh!

The "Gospel" is preached to warn those who have rejected the Lord for one last time.

The "Gospel" is preached to offer eternal life to anyone, who will believe!

(My God can save anybody, anywhere, at any time)

The point being, those whose flesh remains, are left on upon this earth to return to the dust from which it was created, and had accepted the "Gospel", have heard the truth of God, have heard the coming judgment, but because they accepted the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ, will miss out on the coming "Judgment of God"!

They already live with God!

They already possess the life that God has given them!

They are already living forever according to the promise of God!

If we realize these things are completely true, bury them in our heart, forget the promises of this world, which are vain, we can have that peace like a river.

Isa 66:12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

Isa 66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

You see the end of all things is getting closer every tick of the clock. There may be 1007 years or more left, but the only way to miss all the "judgment" of God is to accept the "Gospel" today while you are still in your flesh!

*****1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

The end of all earthly promises is at hand.

The end of worldly enjoyments is at hand.

The end of trials and sorrows are at hand.

The end of privileges is at hand.

The end of opportunities is at hand.

The wrath and the judgment of God are at hand!

After the Bride of Christ has been removed, there will be 7 years of tribulation, the last 3 and 1/2 years, will be wrath like has never been seen.

Then 1000 years of the reign of King Jesus, where He will deal with the Jews and those nations that helped the Jews, the Church will already be with Him when He returns to this earth.

Keep this in mind, but while these things still exist and before the rapture of the Bride of Christ, we need to have the mind of Christ now!

To live sober lives is to be serious about the plan of God given to us in the Scriptures, have a sound mind according to the Word of God, always in control of our beliefs and our thoughts, self-restrained from temptation, and to be calm and sensible in this evil world!

Our main thought should be that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent!

All remaining prophesies concern the Jewish nation, the Church is only waiting on her Husband, waiting on the "trumpet" to blow at any moment alerting her(the Church) it is time to leave this world!

We are to be busier in the House of God to carry His message outside the house.

It is not time to hide, it is time to put on the work gloves (the Scriptures) and work even harder to break up that fallow ground (the lost) and our lost family members so they are not left behind!

Life is precious to the Lord, because He is all about life and the Giver of life!

God already knows what we are going to do, so He has the tools ready for us, if we will just get busy at the work the Lord Jesus gave us to do.

It is not time to give up on the Lord!

It is not time to quit on the Lord!

It is not time to listen to those in this evil world!

It is not time to stray from the Word of God!

It is time to be sober minded and watch unto prayer!

To "watch" is to see how the Word of God is unfolding in our world today, but also remembering God's Word will never come back void.

The Word of God will do what God sends it out to do!

It will bring Holy Ghost conviction to those who hear it, or it will make an enemy.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

But this is not all.

It is not time to forget about the love of God!

*****1Pe 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

1Pe 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Charity: The message of God is love. There is no greater love than the love of God toward all His creation.

In fact if God had another name it would be "LOVE"!

Be not mistaken there is no one upon this earth that God does not love!

There would be "No Mercy" without the fervent love of God!

There would be "No Grace" without the fervent love of God!

God has a universal love and good will toward all mankind, and it goes unnoticed by most of the world.

There would be no life without God's air.

There would be no life without God's water.

There would be no life without God's food.

Every seed would rot in the ground, without the fervent love of God!

This world is a much better place when we also show that fervent love of God to each other!

For the Christian, love is the number one witnessing tool we have!

The true Christian will hate sin without hating the sinner, realizing that sinner walks according to the devil and we all did the same at one time.

Sin is sin because it goes against the Word of God.

The only way to eradicate sin is death! That soul must die to sin and be "Born Again" into new life and this happens only by the Word of God.

When we show that love of God to each other, it is then that we can say "Love Changes Things"!

To love means we are not hating.

To love means we are being forgiving.

To love means we are more likely to reach someone with the message of God!

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Hospitality means we are to accept one another ungrudgingly!

For the early church would not have survived without Christians sharing everything with each other.

Many Churches today are still in what is called the "Home Church". People who open their homes because of the love of God and invite strangers into their homes!

In fact hospitality is important in every church, or what would that lost soul think when they walked into the church of today.

Every home is to be the center of Christian love, fellowship and outreach, and this is to spread throughout the Church!

Everything we have belongs to God and we are to share those things to "glorify God"!

God has even given each of us a gift and it is to be used to glorify Him!

Spirit gifts come to us after the Holy Spirit moves into our souls.

The Holy Spirit may expand on talents we had before He moved in, but these are not the same as Spiritual gifts.

1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Notice it is the Holy Spirit who decides what gifts we need for the work He has given us to do, and He may add to or subtract to those gifts as time goes on.

These have nothing to do with the "fruit of the Spirit" which is given to us all!

So what are "Spiritual Gifts"?

We could say that these gifts are "Grace Gifts" because of our "faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ, because there is no other way to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit!

1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Another thing we should understand about the gifts of God, they do not make us better youth workers or better adult workers.

These gifts do not make us better workers in the slums, or in foreign countries, or in cities, or in the country. The gifts of the Holy Spirit work everywhere the Holy Spirit sends us!

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are a benefit to mankind on a Spiritual level!

Natural talents, though a gift of God through our parents are a benefit to God on a natural level, but they too, should be used for the purposes of God for maximum benefit!

We should have the benefits of God on our minds at all times!

*****1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Once a lost person has observed us and they will.

Once a lost person has seen our love, and they will know.

The next thing is what do they hear coming out of our mouths?

The Oracles of God would include His Prophesies, but oracles are all the communications from God which are bound up in what we call the Bible.

When we are in conversations, we must never refrain some saying "thus sayeth the Lord".

We need to explain God's side to all we come in contact with.

They have only heard the lies of the world. They do not need to hear worldly things come from our mouths.

When we are busy about the work of the Lord, then let's use all the abilities God have has given us. These would be the gifts of the Holy Spirit as we have just discussed.

If we have other talents, such as singing or other musical talents, then they too should be used to promote the Word of God, the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ".

There are certainly Books called the "Gospels" but all the Word of God is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

They tell us of His First Coming before the Church and His Second Coming after the Church.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who bought us from the slave market of sin. He owns us! Surely, we can use anything and all things the Lord has provided to glorify God, in Christ, in everything we do.

We should be busy today!

Notice that this was Peter's prayer, and we need to pray for such things also!

Amen!

Let's just Pray Now!

Dealing With Persecution

Dealing With Inner Anxiety

Book of 1 Peter Chapter 3:13-22

It can be said that "anxiety" is the state of mind when we are so concerned about someone or something, to our own harm.

1) This could be a genuine concern:

The Apostle Paul writing about his concern for the church at Philippi.

Php 2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

Php 2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

The Apostle Paul writing about his anxiety for all the "Body of Christ".

2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

2) This could be concern about the distorted perspectives of life:

The Lord Jesus Christ speaking of His concerns of teaching the Word of God.

Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not prohibit genuine concern for one another nor for the Church!

The Lord Jesus Christ did teach us to keep all these things in perspective!

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Listen as we see how Peter tries to help the persecuted church.

*****1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

The primary sense of these words is "if we are inoffensive in our Christian behavior" the world will be less likely to injure us.

If we are anxious to do good, we are less likely to suffer from doing evil.

God does not teach us how to handle our troubles received from sinful behavior!

God does teach us how to handle our troubles that come about from our righteous behavior.

Neither is Peter speaking of troubles that are just part of life itself, even though godly principles will work in all situations in life or they would not be godly principles.

As Christians we are all going to suffer persecution, some much more and much worse than others!

So how can we be assured that we will stand up under persecution and still be counted faithful?

How can we be sure we will endure and still keep the hope of eternal life and still live with the Lord forever?

There is only one way! We must take our stand on the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what is going on in our life!

We must be followers of that which is good!

The only good we can be sure of, is those things that are according to the revealed will of God!

This means "for it is written" or, "thus sayeth the Lord" or, "for I the Lord" and other phrases had better be adhered to, when we take the Word of God in the context that it is written!

Sometimes, the only relief for those who are suffering persecution is when he or she remembers the promises of God that cannot fail, and remember at death we go immediately home to be with the Lord.

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.

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

One of the biggest faults of the church today is that we walk by sight and not by "faith"!

How did the Apostle Paul put it?

Act 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Let's continue to learn from the Holy Spirit.

*****1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

Some would say "how is it possible to be happy with any sort of suffering"? The truth is when we are focused on Jesus Christ and the works, that He did to cause us to be saved, then suffering in this world does not really feel like suffering. It just feels like we have joined our Savior in His suffering!

This is the key to our own relief of mind!

If we have done some good and then suffer because of it, we have just become aware of a world that calls evil good and righteousness bad!

One of the greatest truths in the Scriptures should keep us on the right path.

Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

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.

Doing good and being righteous are both conforming to the standard God has set for us!

2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

The Lord Jesus had no fear for what the world could do to Him, because He had come to this earth to do whatever it would take, that you and I and all who would believe upon Him would be linked once more to the Father of life, and that life eternal. Meaning once again joined to our Father in Heaven, in His place, even in His home with nothing in this world that could cause this to not be true!

Really only one thing is needed! We must sanctify the Lord God Jehovah in our hearts!

To be sanctified is to be set apart for God's use and if we suffer because of this, then we are being more like His So, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Notice Jesus was always prepared to give an answer but at the same time, not all people deserve an answer to certain questions!

Not all, but many will see our hope in the Lord, and they will ask about this hope seeking it for themselves, and this is what witnessing is all about!

Others, who see this as something evil will never understand until they see the true Christian and one day, they too will be ashamed of their actions.

Today the world sees the make believe Christian and it is so easy to see they are hypocrites.

Then the world will say anything bad about them, using them as an example of the Church to downgrade the Church founded by Christ Jesus.

The word church is does not mean every group of people with religion, it means only the "Body of Christ".

Religion is not the answer, "faith" in the work of Jesus Christ is the only answer!

When the world sees the true Christian, who gives them nothing to speak bad things about, they get mad and their hatred boils because the true Christian puts them to shame!

Tit 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Tit 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

It is far better to suffer for being a true Christian than to suffer for being a make-believe Christian.

It takes much more than being the child of Christian parents, or attending a Christian Church, or raising your hand in a Sunday School Class or Vacation Bible School. You must sincerely ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart. Even this does not build perfection except in the eyes of God.

It is the Holy Spirit who will build perfection for the world to see all your days as a Christian, until "perfection reaches glory" when we come face to face with Jesus!

This is much better!

*****1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

We could say, what is the will of God for our lives? That we follow in the ways of Jesus.

This is the will of God for all people. There are not many ways to serve God but only one and this is through His Son, Christ Jesus!

When we become too afraid to go out into the world, just because we may suffer just for doing so, and stay at home, we have gone against the providence of God.

For instance, God supplies the little birds their food, but they still have to go out and hunt for it.

We must go out into this world with the Word of God to reap the benefits of Christianity, even if we have to suffer for it!

It is not the will of God that we suffer!

It is the will of God that we be more like His Son and He suffered just so we can be saved and like the prodigal son, we are returned to the Father!

The world may not punish us for evil doing or it may, but God will certainly punish us for evil!

Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Why did the Lord suffer to begin with?

*****1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Jesus Christ came to our world to get His Father's children, and He had to suffer to do this thing to be obedient to His Father.

The Holy Father of all creation would never ask His Son to do this a second time!

It is the "Blood of Jesus" that made atonement for our souls! There was enough of that blood to save all in this world!

God has given this one chance to every to every human being that has ever lived, all the way back to Adam and Eve!

What did Enoch say?

Heb_11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Jud_1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

How do we please God? We accept His plan of salvation! There is no other way. This is what our "faith" must be based upon!

We accept that we are sinners in need of salvation. The "just" for the "unjust". "Dead in sin, alive by the Holy Spirit"!

How did God preach unto the spirits in prison? By Jesus in power the Holy Spirit, who has all the character and the traits of God, because He is God!

Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

The Holy Spirit is also God!

*****1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Many believe that the body of Jesus lie in that grave for 3 days and 3 nights because it is the truth and it is but God the Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of Jesus" was very busy and one of the things that He felt the need to tell us was that He went to Hell and spoke to those who rejected Noah.

Here is another thing that the Holy Spirit did not have to tell us.

Did He go to give them another opportunity to get to Heaven? NO!

He went to meet with the man on the cross beside Him, He had made a promise to.

He went to gather all the Saints of God in Paradise and take them to Heaven.

He went to get the keys to Hell.

He went to preach to all those in Hell, much as Abraham spoke to the rich man, telling them their days of torment would never cease. After all this is a part of what Hell is all about. An eternity of misery with no opportunity to escape!

You see while Jesus was busy about the things that needed to be done as promised, He also proclaimed His victory over death to all those who were now believers, but they had waited too long! They could only bow at the feet of Jesus.

Luk 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

One thing of Catholic Doctrine needs to be cleared up. Christ Jesus did not offer those in Hell a second opportunity because that would have violated the truth of the Scriptures. There is no way to leave Hell once you get there! There is not enough money in this world that can change God's mind about His plan of salvation!

Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

*****Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

This may be a terrible truth to those whose loved ones rejected the truth of God, but it is still the truth.

We need to concentrate on those around us who are still living!

While we are living, we may get many opportunities to come to the Lord or we may get only one opportunity.

Everyone will get at least one opportunity and most many opportunities!

At death all opportunities cease and they all will be like the rich man in this story of Lazarus the beggar!

In Noah's day there were 8 souls saved by water because they trusted in the words of Noah given to Him by the Holy Spirit!

What we realize is, the worldwide flood of that day was an example of being baptized after having that faith in the Word of God!

We also see the wrath of God to those who rejected the truth of God!

*****1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

We began our lesson talking about anxiety and in the end, we see our minds are cleared with a good conscience toward God that can come only by the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

You see we are saved by washing in water of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, who cannot do His work until we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and begin our personal relationship with Him.

Jehovah God is not a faraway God who cares very little about His creation, but is an up-close and personal God who treats each one of us as His child!

We are not saved by ceremonies because ceremonies cannot affect our conscience toward God through Jesus Christ!

How is our conscience cleared by the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Our conscience is clear, because if God the Father, raised God the Son up from the dead, by the power of God the Holy Spirit, it means God is able to save us from our sin and cause us to be "Born Again".

We can be delivered from all our offenses if we accept the work of the Son, the Messiah!

Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

God has made this thing to be so simple if we only have "faith" in what He says!

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There is no one else we can call on and be saved except the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So who are we saved from?

We are saved from all who live under the authority of God the Father!

This means there is nothing upon this earth and nothing in Heaven who has more power than our God!

*****1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Where is the Lord Jesus Christ right now? Jesus is in Heaven.

How did the Apostle Paul say it?

1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

We must clearly understand that our conduct upon this earth must be based upon our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must also clearly understand that that most of this world have a conscience that is not of God and their conduct will never be of God!

1Co 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

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.

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

We must clearly understand that there are many people in this world who try to do some things good, but because they possess no goodness, they cannot understand the goodness of God.

At the same time they have a witness of goodness that will not get them closer to salvation, but is recognized by the world as greater than Christian goodness. We live in an upsidedown world!

For instance a certain rich man has spent much money to provide water to places who had only polluted water. On the surface this looks like a good thing and it could have been. In the end water companies were formed that provides water only to those who can afford to pay for it. Those poor who died without water before still die without water afterwards.

It would have been good had it been free drinking water for all, but this is the way of the world!

Does this have anything to do with our lesson? No, but it does show the "conscience" of the saved versus the conscience of the lost.

I believe next week we will see the mind of Christ and it will give us a better understanding.

For our minds to be on Christ, we must know that there is no authority here on earth, nor in Heaven, that can overcome the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

When the Lord in Spirit went to Paradise, He openly showed He was in control of all power even the power of "resurrection" to new life, a life they would never know because they had rejected this life.

Was the Lord rubbing it in (so to speak) on those who were already in misery. No not really, but Hell is a place of misery with nowhere to go to get away from it!

Those who think they have the power to overcome the Lord Jesus Christ already live in a dream world that cannot be true!

Amen

Let's pray!

God's Families

Staying Right At Home

Book of 1 Peter 3:1-12

So far as we have studied the Book of 1 Peter, we have seen how to build our relationship with God the Father. It must begin through God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We must be filled and sealed to redemption by God the Holy Spirit.

It is the Triune God that has brought about all creation.

It is the Triune God that has brought about our salvation.

It is the Triune God that will carry us throughout eternity.

Human reasoning cannot fathom the reasoning around the Triune God but to doubt the existence of our God in 3 persons is to doubt the truth of the Scriptures, for even the Holy Scriptures would not exist without the strength of God in 3 persons which is the truth of God.

Peter has spent a lot of time teaching us how to build upon our relationship with our God and with all the things already considered our relationship with God must include the relationship we have with our family.

After all God is all about family! We are to be the family of God! We are to be the "Bride of Christ"! We are God's children if we accept His own dear Son, God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

God is One in regard to essence! God is 3 in regard to persons! We must have understanding and a complete acceptance of this doctrine!

So to continue to see how God builds His family, we need to look to our own family, as the family is to be an example of the doctrine of God!

(Hint: Look at this wife as the Bride of Christ, God the Father as the Husband)

*****1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

God's family planning is to show us the design of the ultimate family of God. In all things, men and women are created equal except for some bodily functions.

After the man and the woman come together, the woman is to bear the child. This one thing is observed throughout creation.

In reality, in the family there must be a head of the family like the Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church!

As we study this passage, we must understand that the entire theme is giving ourselves to God after He has made us to be a part of His family!

If the Christian wife wants to give herself to God, in doing so she must also submit herself to her own husband in God's design for the family!

Notice that phrase "own husband". God did not want women to think they had to submit to any other husband of someone else!

In reality the Christian wife is to place herself under the authority and the control of her husband, but this is to be as the Bride of Christ is to live under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are some keys that we must understand.

1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

This family will not work as the Lord describes, unless that husband has submitted himself to Christ, the woman also submitting herself to Christ.

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

The main key being, we must all obey the doctrine of God, not the doctrine of this world or the doctrine of some man!

Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

God is building the perfect family, The Lord and the "Bride of Christ". The family upon this earth should resemble the family of God to be a true family.

It is the families that are suffering the most upon this earth.

You know many things are said in trying to stop abortion but "if the men" would follow the Word of God themselves, abortion would cease to exist!

The wife is to be a beautiful example of the "Bride of Christ" and therefore a true witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Php 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

What makes the wife to be beautiful to God and therefore the husband?

*****1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a woman trying to do everything she can to look beautiful to her husband, but it is not the way she fixes her hair. It is not adorning herself with gold and it is not trying to find the nicest apparel.

It is the same things that please God!

God looks into the heart of all His children.

A man, if He takes the time to truly look into the heart of a woman, instead of that outside adornment, he will find that wife that will truly please him and who is already pleasing to God!

You see, it is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ that will produce these qualities in that adoring wife that will make her fairer than all others!

It is the Body of Christ that is the Church! Many see the Church as a building, but a building is only the house where the Body of Christ meets to worship God.

It does not take the most beautiful buildings to serve the church for it's not what is on the outside of any house of God that is important, but it is the "heart" of the congregation on the inside that makes the church.

Much money spent on adorning the outside of buildings could be spent on promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Having said that, God does not want to the Church to reside in tents, but nice buildings well equipped to make disciples, is the purpose that should come first!

Remember we are to be good stewards of the tithes and offerings to God!

Will heaven be a place of great adornment? We must trust the Scriptures, but the one thing Heaven will be is perfect.

We have no idea what perfect looks like nor can we describe perfect!

What does the perfect woman of God look like?

A heart given to God, a beautiful ornament of a meek and quiet spirit that is uncorruptable, which when God sees this, He knows the woman has paid a great price to be this way in our evil world.

This is a woman who is noticed. A woman who has this inward holiness, is well worth holding onto but without leaving your first love which must remain the Lord!

A godly woman will not be trying to attract the world to herself, she will be trying to attract the lost to the Lord, and she does this buy first being in submission to the Lord, then in submission to her husband and then to the welfare of her family, not willing to lose any of them to Satan!

Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

According to the Lord we can see that holy women of old, as far back as Abraham and Sara had no problem with all these things and they were not slaves to their husbands.

*****1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Again we see the greatest quality of that precious lady is her holiness. Far greater than great riches and beauty!

Beauty fades with age and sickness.

Wealth finds so many ways to disappear.

Grace holds on to eternal life and even God blesses such a woman.

Remember Jesus possesses Heaven and Earth, but He also had a mother!

When a godly gracious man meets a godly gracious woman in the love of God, a family has begun!

Notice Peter does not mention women of the world, but some women who already had their names written down in the Scriptures.

If a woman has become a Christian after her marriage, then there is a very good chance she could win her husband over to the Lord!

If a woman is Christian along with her husband, then she will be in subjection to her husband.

Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

It is by Sarah that the nation of Israel was formed.

It is by Sara that we can have such a godly example.

Her daughters would be all those who have followed her in the examples of godliness.

When Peter looked at these things, he could see nothing in the world that could resemble the family of Abraham and Sara!

Abraham was the father of all believers:

Rom_4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Sara also had great faith and mother of all wives of holiness.

Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. (By his wife Sara)

Men never get off the hook with God, yes women were to subject themselves to the man, but God holds the man accountable for the family.

Watch that word "likewise".

*****1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

The Bible pulls no punches with the husband. Each husband is to live with his own wife, not some other woman, and he is to understand and honor her with the highest esteem!

This same husband as a father, is to see that his children are taught the Word of God.

Isa 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Notice that the man is to dwell with his wife. This is not just living together, but it covers all the things of married life!

The man is to dwell with his wife, and not anyone else, he is not to know anyone else other than a godly friend.

He is to dwell with her in purity, righteousness and holiness!

To dwell means he is not to be gone all the time but must reserve some time just for her!

He must set aside some time for his wife. Remember all the time of the Lord is spent in concern for His Bride!

He is to be a close companion not a faraway companion.

He is the leader of a godly team, he and his wife!

Obviously, this is not to do away with individuality, but this is never a problem between two loving people.

It is all these things a man should consider before he even takes a woman to be his wife!

Mar 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

Mar 10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;

Mar 10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

Mar 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Outside the family there are still things the man and woman of God must do.

*****1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Maybe the greatest problem with Christianity, is the fact that we are not all of one mind.

The Apostle Peter was not the only one who taught this principle by the Holy Spirit, so was the Apostle Paul.

Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The church is to be unified in one thing in particular, we are all to be in one mind concerning the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ and just so we are all not to forget it, Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Church and the Church is to teach the Doctrine of the Apostles and the Prophets.

It is easy to see how the mainline denominations have strayed from this truth!

Where is the unity and the compassion? Many a church now act like each church is the enemy of the other.

What happened to love and be loved as brethren?

What happened to being pitiful, which is being sympathetic and courteous?

We are all to know, that it is evil to go against the written Word of God and it is even more evil for anybody who have chosen to go against the Scriptures to bring evil upon those who adhere to the Word of God!

Any, body of believers that have accepted the leaven of those who teach that the marriage between one man and one woman is now meaningless and marriage can be between anyone including animals, are a joke to the truth of God.

We cannot allow the courts and the politicians to determine what a godly marriage is to be!

All those who call themselves Christians, but allow babies to be murdered (yes, I said murdered) in the womb, saying they have some kind of right to do so, are a joke to the truth of God!

Contrariwise, we have forgotten that we are to be a blessing to one another, and we are not to allow the world, nor the things of this world, inside the Church.

What happened to the spirit of oneness to the truth of God?

What happened to a repenting soul knowing they have sinned!

Sin is sin because the Scriptures say so, it is not open to discussion to politicians nor the world, nor world governments!

There are no blessings to those who toss the Word of God out, there is only a place called Hell, which itself will be tossed into the "Burning Lake of God"!

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.

We cannot teach the Word of God properly without mentioning the sin in our world, but the true church must take a stand in this evil world and those who do so, must be likeminded teaching the truth of God and still showing the truth of God!

God says we must not forget to hate evil, and there is to be no compromise with evil!

*****1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

What is a life worth living upon this earth?

Psa 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Psa 34:12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

Psa 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Psa 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

What does God want us to clearly understand, before we allow the world to influence the Church?

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

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

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

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

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

While we are upon this earth, we learn the principles of life and the Word of God directs us to that life that is a blessing to our God, if we listen to what He says.

Life has never been about, "do what we want to anytime we want to"!

Life is about knowing there is an enmity that has given us this life and His purpose is for us to learn about Him and His character and His truths and then, life as He describes and then a precious future that is a life that we cannot even imagine!

That word eschew means, that we are to do everything we can do stay away from evil!

To avoid doing evil ourselves and taking no part in the evils of the world, but also the evils that have entered into many a place that at one time were true houses of God, but are now no more than a platform for the Devil to broadcast his definition of life, which is a dead life or not a life at all but being in the slave market of Satan!

If we will avoid evil as bests we can, do good and never bad, seek the peace of God and all the blessings that come with a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and ensue it, then we can know life here as God expects us to know it.

By the way Peter used that word “ensue” which means to follow these things with the full force of our being!

We are never to be a bunch of wimps in our Christian stance before this world and before all evil!

There is a very good reason we are to be this way in this life!

*****1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

Jehovah God is the source of all life!

As the righteous, we have the true love of God, and to all His commandments, and not allow ourselves to be drawn into anything contrary to the revealed Word of God!

There are and never will be any revisions to the Word God given to the writers of the Scriptures.

There are no lost books of the Bible.

Remember God gave these words to the writers, "so they are the actual words of our Creator"!

2Ti 3:16 "All scripture" is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Those who love the Lord, can only be perfect in the eyes of God by learning and loving the Holy Ghost inspired Word of God!

Then there are those who intentionally do evil!

All of us are capable to do evil in most cases by ignorance, but those who intentionally live a life of evil, rejecting the Word of God, will find that the Lord God Jehovah is against them as long as they have chosen this life!

What does God say again?

Eze 15:7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.

Eze 15:8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.

Psalms 34:16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

Psa 9:16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

God knows most of those who are evil will never read these things, so they are written for our assurance but also for our admonition.

We need to serve the Lord, but we must serve the Lord according to what He has taught us!

Remember the things God write to us are also His promises!

Amen

Let us all pray!