Righteousness

More Bible references to ponder:



To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:



2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.



5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.



8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his OLD sins.



10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.



2 Peter 1



Let's analyze what we all have to possess?



God's divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness!!!

HOW? Through the knowledge of God in the Bible.



God called us by glory and virtue!



God gave us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be PARTAKERS of the DIVINE nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.



What we all have to do?



Giving all diligence, add to your faith (1) virtue-behavior showing high moral standards of God

(2) knowledge of God

(3) self-control

(4) perseverance

(5) godliness

(6) brotherly kindness

(7) love .



For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.



He who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to BLINDNESS, and has forgotten that he was CLEANSED from his OLD sins.



If you do these things you will never stumble!



And your entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Abandoned
The Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. — Deuteronomy 31:8

Maybe you've been abandoned—perhaps it was by your parents, your spouse, or your children. Or maybe you even feel that you've been abandoned by God Himself. There are many people who feel estranged and alienated from God. Even if they have everything they want in life, they may still face a deep, inner loneliness. We read in John 5 of a man at the pool of Bethesda who was in a seemingly hopeless situation. He had been abandoned. He was uncared for and unable to help himself. What's more, he'd been in that condition for many long, weary years. He must have been desperately lonely. In this account, we learn that Jesus changed the man's life forever. It's a story that tells you and me how to change as well. Before Jesus brought transformation and healing into this man's life, however, He first asked him a rather pointed question: "Do you want to be made well?" What if Jesus asked you the same question? Is there something that needs healing or changing in your life? Do you want to be made well? Maybe it's an addiction to a certain vice or a lifestyle, a sin you are trapped in. Maybe it's something you've tried to shake time and time again. Or maybe it's an old sin of hatred or resentment, nursed along over the months and years and becoming more and more toxic with the passing of time. Jesus turned the course of this man's life around forever, giving him the ability to live a life free from loneliness and the power of sin. We can live that life too—the ability to break old habits and to forgive old hurts and resentments. He has all the transforming power we need, but we must "want to be made well." Why do we need such a transformation? Because God abandons those who live in sin! That is why we need repentance to get right with God and return to Him turning our hearts from sins/lovers to God! How to do that? Let me illustrate it showing what I said to a man:

You are such a beautiful man and you say that you are a Christian.
Today is the day of salvation. Millions of Christians will be in the hell fire. Jesus even said to Christians: "I will spit you out of My mouth." Rev.3
"'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. "
He said that it is not enough to read the Bible and bear the name that you are alive but you are dead.

Revelation 3:1.
... I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ... “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ...

So, Christians will be in hell. Who of Christians will be with God?
Christianity is OBEDIENCE to God.
God prohibited to smoke!!!! Did you know that? Abandon this sin.
Repentance means a state when we abandon our sins turning from them. If you killed, do not kill anymore. If you made sex with a lover, abandon your lover and live a holy life. So, active faith is active obedience to the God Jesus. This process is called Regeneration. We are born of God through active FAITH in Him. Jesus said that we should be born of God! Today is the day of salvation. Abandon your sins, get cleansed and live in a renewed life as a son of God!

When we are born of God, God dwells in us, and in this case our bodies are the Temple if God. It means we are prohibited to smoke or intoxicate our body by drugs or wine...

Once an American missionary in Kazakhstan called me and invited to an Arabic restaurant. He ordered hookah to smoke. Can you imagine a missionary in Arab and Muslim world acting like Arabs and Muslims? It is an abomination for the God Jesus. I did not allow him to smoke and said that our bodies are holy for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit and any abomination/intoxication of our bodies is a madness. He was so angry and said that all Missionaries smoke in Iran...All such missionaries/Christians will be judged by God. God prohibits us to sin and calls to holiness. Those, who so boldly disobey God and live in sins, VIOLATING His commandments, will be among those who will be judged by God. He will start judgment from the Church of God.

Look what God said to us:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matth.7


Living Before God Our Father

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Enduring Word

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,24 because


“ All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the LORD endures forever.”
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

That's why, conform your life to the words of God! Believe in the God Jesus! Get regeneration/change of your life abandoning your sins! Be born of God! And God will dwell in you! Then be holy as God is holy. Because His Son is coming back to establish His judgment on earth. Will you get rewards during this Judgment Day or punishment for disobedience and sins? Do not live in sins! Walk in holiness and holy life, walking with God Jesus. He is the Judge during this Judgment Day!

We are prohibited to smoke.
It is an abomination for God.
Sinners will NEVER inherit the Kingdom of God.

He said:

“I wish I could quit smoking. I've prayed to God about it and have tried so hard to. I know without His help I will not be able to do it. I just wish that He would take this urge to smoke away from me.”


Hi, Thank you for message.

Let's think together:

Imagine. I am a Christian and I live in Cairo (Egypt). My lover makes sex with me every day. God said:

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18

Am I saved in this case if I continue to live in sins? In sexual immorality? The answer is no. Not I should live, but God should live in me. This is what we call regeneration/the birth of God/ born again Christians. This is the new life. That’s why to live with God, we should abandon our sins. We should TURN from them and in this case we repent of our sins. This is the true repentance. God Jesus calls you to repent of your sins and abandon them. If you live in sins, God does not live in you! That’s why the Holy Scripture says that we should DAILY die for ourselves to live with God in a renewed life. Believe me no matter what I say (whether I am a Christian or not) if I will make sex with Arabs in Cairo, I will be JUDGED by God for my sexual immorality. No matter what you say (whether you are a Christian or not) if you will make sex with children in your Catholic Church, you will be JUDGED by God for your sexual immorality. No matter what you say (whether you are a Christian or not) if you will kill Americans, you will be JUDGED by God for your murders and God will judge you even in the USA by the American laws because His laws are almost the same. And you will be a killer for God in this case. Will He consider you as a Christian? Of course not. He addressed to you by saying that:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matth.7

So, if you disobey God, it means you practice lawlessness and God will judge you for violation of His laws. He commands you (not gives you advice!): “You should be HOLY, because I am HOLY!” All sinners/killers/ sexual immoral people were killed in the life time of Moses because God cleansed His Jewish people from criminals/ sinners to make them righteous and HOLY people. That’s why God said in the Old Testament that He lives among His HOLY people Israel. If you do not want to live with God, you live against God. There is no third option!

That’s why die for your sins! Abandon your sins! Conform your life to high God’s standards to be a HOLY man of God and His follower and son adopted by Him through FAITH in the Son of God. Or you will live and die in sins and finally you will be judged by God for your sins/crimes because it is God’s nature: JUSTICE and It means that He hates our sins.

Effects of Denying the Resurrection

Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. 1 Corinthians 15: 15: 29-34

Let me tell you it so: Awake to righteousness! Stop sinning! If you live with God you cannt sin! Do not sin! For some do not have the knowledge of God. If you know what God thinks about your sins, then ABANDON them! It is the true Christianity when daily you are refined (like gold) of all your sins (alloys) to live in righteousness and be READY to meet the Lord. Because He is coming back to judge this world for sins. Will you be judged by God for your daily sex in Cairo? Or will you be a HOLY son of God who will TURN hearts of Arabs to the living God and His Son Jesus? Save people and be worthy of your name: “a son of God”. Or return to your vomit like dog and to your mud pit like swine! If you prefer your sins, HOW can you dwell in the Presence of the HOLY God who HATES your sins?!

Thus, to enter into the God’s dwelling place, we should be ready and prepared by Him. That’s why get cleansed of your sins! Repent of your sins! Abandon them! ABANDON your lover in Cairo! Stop putting to your body what is abomination for God! Your intoxication is MADNESS and it made you a SLAVE of your sin- smoking. But the Truth of God can set you FREE. This TRUTH commands you to live a HOLY life because God is HOLY! Jesus took the sin of the world on the cross and if you will live during your life in constant sex with Arabs then HOW are you going to get to the Kingdom of God? You will live and die in your sins.

God Jesus tells you:
“unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Luke 13

Repent or Perish

1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Thus, if you bear the name ‘Christian’, then CONFORM your life to God’s standards. If you will live and die in sins i.e. in BOLD disobedience to God’s words then your way will perish and you will find yourself in the lake of fire judged by God for your sexual immorality, lie, anger, hatred, disobedience, disbelief…..And it is God’s nature JUSTICE will JUDGE you among millions of Christians who disobey the Creator of the universe Jesus and kill, make sex, take drugs and intoxicate their bodies by alcohol, cigarettes…WHY do they do it today? Because they do NOT Know God who is against their abominations! He is the JUDGE and soon He will start judgment from the Church of God.

Ponder: What is the difference between sexual immorality when you put inside of you sperm of other men or if you put there alcohol or drugs…..??? My answer: you sin against your own body.

God Jesus said that no one of unrighteous people will see the Kingdom of God!

He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-8

Sexually immoral…..

God Jesus died on the cross to give you FREEDOM from your sins. Abandon your sins! And you will be FREE! Get out of your slavery to be a FREE man and to set people FREE! The TRUTH- Jesus- gives you forgiveness of your sins. But if you will continue to live in your sins, then you will even die in your sins. God Jesus commands you: “… unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Die for your sins to live eternally in God’s presence!

Walk with God

He who says he abides in Him (God Jesus) ought himself also to walk just as He (God Jesus) walked. — 1 John 2:6

The word walking speaks of regularity, of moving at a certain pace. The Bible tells us in Genesis 5 about Enoch, who walked with God. But what does it mean to "walk with God?" Is it just a religious cliché?

The prophet Amos asked, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" (Amos 3:3). The idea is to be walking in pace or harmony with another.

When it comes to walking with God, some of us want to run ahead of Him. Others lag behind. What we need to do is move in harmony with Him. We need to stay close to Him and make a continual commitment to do so. Referring to our daily relationship with God's Holy Spirit, the New Testament says, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).

But what does this mean in practice? How do we do this? What does it look like to "keep in step with the Spirit"? It means we take time for the things of God to IMPLEMENT what God commands! It means that when we get up in the morning, we take time to read the Bible. If we neglect the Word of God, it will show in our lives. Abiding in Jesus also means that we spend time in fellowship with God's people.

Make time for the things of God. And don't wait for time to simply materialize; deliberately carve out room in your schedule. If it means an hour less of sleep, fine. If it means skipping a meal, okay. If it means missing a television program, so be it. Do what God commands to do because these things are essential to spiritual growth, to abiding with God/ living a godly life, and to bearing spiritual fruit.

And this walk with God is a walk—the best of all walks—that will bring indescribable richness to your daily life.
My friend Lyndon told me today:
"Tell them how God hates the sin and they must all die! But Jesus died in place of them and tell them God will help them to overcome those strongholds of sin that bind them. Without God we can't overcome those things...
God hates all sin. He is a very holy God. He hates all those things you say, but He is also a loving God, who is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
So preach this to the people...Tell them of God's loving grace...And tell them He hates sin but will forgive them if they come to Him ".

I told him:
"Right. Just remember my point is: "if you were a killer and you continue killing people then you will get to hell."
"If you were a sexual immoral person and you continue to commit these sins then you will get to hell."
"If u were a liar and you continue to commit this sin then you will get to hell."
Even liars do NOT inherit the Kingdom of God! The list o such people is LONG in the Bible!
All people will stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ.
Some will get rewards...some will get to the Lake of Fire.


The Glory of the New Jerusalem

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a LIE, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (the Book of the Son of God Jesus!!!).

11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous[e] still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

Jesus Testifies to the Churches/Christians:

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

Blessed are those who DO His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie


The Great White Throne Judgment

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.


20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”

Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Jesus Testifies to the Churches/Christians:

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”


Repent and Abandon your sins or perish!

You can conquer ANYTHING... once you consciously decide to do so. Let no man deter your destiny.

Reach perfection

Reach perfection

I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. — Philippians 3:12-14

Everyone who has run a race knows that you can break your stride by looking over your shoulder to check out how your opponents are doing. Many races have been lost when the leader looked back. When you see that finish line, that is the time to give it everything you've got . . . because sometimes it's mere inches that separate one runner from another. You must stay focused. This is the idea behind Paul's statement in Philippians 3:13. The apostle was saying, "Don't look back. Don't look behind you." When God promises, "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins" (Isaiah 43:25), He isn't predicting a lapse in His memory. God is saying, "I will no longer hold your sin against you, because my Son has paid for it on the cross." In the same way, then, we need to do what God does: forget our past. Yes, we certainly need to learn from our mistakes and remember some of the bitter lessons we've learned. But we no longer need to be controlled by our past. That's what Paul meant by "forgetting what is behind." Think about the horrible things Paul had done. He shared responsibility for the death of Stephen and had to carry that in his conscience until his final day. He knew that he was responsible for terrible deeds. But he was able to put his past in the past. And we need to do the same. From our limited human viewpoint, we think of the temporal, but God lives in the eternal. We are thinking of today, but God is planning for tomorrow . . . in fact, He's already been there. We are thinking of comfort, but God is thinking of character. We are thinking of an easy time, but God is thinking of how to make us better people to be like His Son.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified..


Romans 8:29 Romans 9:23
What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory..
Romans 11:2
God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. 1 Corinthians 2:7
No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
1 Corinthians 8:3
But whoever loves God is known by God.
1 Corinthians 15:49
And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man (the SON of God).
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Ephesians 1:5
he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
Ephesians 1:11
In him (Jesus) we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will
Philippians 3:21
(God Jesus) who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Jesus' body).
Colossians 3:10
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator (Jesus is our Creator!!!).
2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time..
1 John 3:2
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him (Jesus!!), for we shall see him as he is.

The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3



The first, most primal law of human endeavor: To achieve anything of lasting personal value... You'll have to fight for it.

If your presence doesn't make an impact... Your absence will go unnoticed.

Only those who speak in Arabic ie muslims could understand my post.
I explain this for you:

ONLY a SMALL remnant from Christians will be SAVED. ...from all denominations/sects. All Christians will be in hell. Because the Son of God will start the Judgement from the Church.

This is the purpose of my posts to explain this to you all..to Christians and Muslims.
But you did not give me a chance to do that. That is ok. Muslims love studying the Bible. Christians do what you do: they just confront anything what is about the will of God and His words/laws. Bad ..very bad.

JUDGE NOT?...

I always get great laughter when I hear the secular world or those who do not believe in God or the Lord Jesus Christ, try to quote Scriptures from the Bible of what they THINK God speaks about judging one another, when they are confronted on an issue, topic, or problem of sins, faults, or wrongs.

They boast out loudly trying to quote what God says in His Holy Bible about judging one another, and I hear such things as,"God said, judge not" or they say, "you can't judge me", or "you're not suppose to judge others"... suddenly they become or have a form godliness and spirituality...lol

I laugh first of all, because they SAY they don't believe in God, yet they try to quote His Word in defense of whatever the matter. Nor do they ever quote the complete truth of what God speaks about judging one another, or understand the words of what He speaks about judging one another. They only speak the first two words of what He says about judging and never go any farther with His complete statement.

If one is to quote the Word of God PLEASE make sure you quote His word in its fullness, in CONTEXT, not just the part you think is important or sounds good to your ears to whatever your situation may be.

FOR YOUR EDIFICATION AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHRASE "DO NOT JUDGE" THAT IS SO LOOSELY USED, MISUSED, AND ABUSED BY UNBELIEVERS AND THE SECULAR WORLD. HERE IS WHAT GOD SPEAKS ABOUT JUDGING ONE ANOTHER:

Matthew Chapter 7 New King James Version (NKJV)

Do Not Judge
7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what (the same)judgment you judge, you will also be judged; and with the measure (hardness) you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck (faults or sins) in your brother’s or sister's eye, but you do not consider the plank (greater sins and faults)in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? You Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s or sister's eye.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN CHRISTIANS ARE NOT TO JUDGE UNRIGHTEOUS BEHAVIOR,BUT WE ARE TO JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY, AND IT MUST BE ACCORDING TO GOD'S STANDARDS BASED ON HIS WORD, AND NOT OUR OWN.

Many of you speak out about Versavia religious topics in her blogs and you say she is judging others, yet you start blogs judging and condemning her with your comments.

"JUDGE NOT" this is to mean first consider your OWN SINS AND FAULTS BEFORE YOU TRY TO JUDGE OR CONDEMN OTHERS ABOUT THEIR SINS AND FAULTS. In other words, sweep around your own front door, and make sure your sins and faults have been forgiven, before you try to sweep around (righteously judge) another's front door. But you first, make sure you have your stuff together, you cannot falsely judge a person when you too, judge others and are yourself in faults and sins, otherwise, the judgment will come back(measured out)harder upon you about your sins and faults, than what you gave out to others.

WHO TOLD YOU THAT GOD WILL NOT JUDGE HIS PEOPLE/BELIEVERS? Where is that in scripture?

So are you a self-righteous moralist? Hear what God says you thinking that no one knows anything about Jesus the Christ but you... how silly can that thought be?... Therefore,YOU, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

But because of your stubbornness and your UNREPENTANT HEART , you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, GOD will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

All who sin apart from the law (gospel) will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law (gospel) who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law (gospel), do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Let God be true, and every human being a liar... for God will judge the saint and the sinner. What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

For we will ALL stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD, FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD, FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF GOD!

Has ANYONE on this site ACTUALLY REPENTED of ALL of your sin(s)--OR EVERY sin that is within your old nature.

The Perfect Prayer of Repentance - Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a BROKEN spirit; a BROKEN and CONTRIE heart you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar. AMEN!

NOTE:... spiritual ignorance is SIN!

When you lay your all on the altar before God , this means to come before God in humility in your prayers and tell Him you are sorry for ALL your sins... this does not mean you try to remember every sins you have ever committed in your life... God already knows those and He keeps great records...

Repentance of your sins means acknowledge before God in your prayer that you are a sinner, and ask Him to forgive you of those sins you know about that are holding you in bondage...Why? To ABANDON these sins!

Lord, I confess all my sins to you for forgiveness, it is key to repenting of all your sins before God... if you can name them, then claim them before God. Otherwise, a confession with your MOUTH of your sinful ways, cleanses you from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS... says, the Lord!

You are a SINNER... why do you continue to kick against the pricks of God's truth?... GO AND REPENT OF YOUR SINS! AND BE SET FREE! Here is a study lesson for you.. PLEASE take time to read and study this lesson it is so VERY important that you understand the importance of REPENTANCE for your salvation and relationship with Jesus Christ. Believing in Jesus Christ means nothing and is NOT enough, if you DO NOT, AND HAVE NOT REPENTED OF YOUR SINS...

Repentance: A Condition Necessary to Salvation from Sin

What is the meaning of repentance? How important is it in our salvation from sin? Is it the same as godly sorrow? Must we admit or acknowledge our sins to be forgiven? What other conditions must we meet to be saved? What about faith and baptism? Should Christians ever repent or is it just for alien sinners? What are the fruits of repentance? What is restitution, and how important is it? Have you repented of your sins?

Introduction: Repentance is a fundamental part of God's requirements of man

Jeremiah 25:4,5 - A typical summary of the message of the Old Testament prophets: "Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doing..." [35:15; Ezekiel 18:30; 2 Kings 17:13]

Matthew 3:2 - John the Baptist taught, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

Mark 1:15 - Mark's summary of Jesus' message includes: "Repent, and believe in the gospel."

Luke 13:3 - Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Mark 6:12 - Jesus sent the apostles to preach that people should repent.

Acts 2:38 - In the first gospel sermon, Peter preached, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you for the remission of sins..."

Acts 17:30 - God commands all men everywhere to repent.

Revelation 3:19 - "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."

All who study the Bible agree that repentance is fundamental to Bible teaching. The purpose of this lesson is to study what the Bible says about repentance. Despite the frequent Bible references to repentance, many people misunderstand it and still more neglect it. Many people commit immorality, indifference, mistreatment of others, or doctrinal error, yet never truly repent.

What is repentance and why is it important? What does repentance require us to do?

Note that people who are not Christians need to repent, but so do Christians when we sin. This is a lesson needed by everyone.

I. The Meaning of Repentance - What Does Repentance Mean?

A. A Change of Mind

The basic message of the gospel is change. To be forgiven of sins, you need to change. To please God you need to change. To receive eternal life you need to change. This emphasis on change is focused in the word "repent."

"Repentance" - "a change of mind: as it appears in one who repents of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done ... esp. the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment, the tokens and effects of which are good deeds ..." - Grimm-Wilke-Thayer.

Repentance is "a change of mind" - a decision, a choice, a determination of the heart, a deliberate exercise of the will - in which one determines to act differently in the future than he has in the past.

B. Examples of Repentance

Jonah 3:4-10 - When Jonah preached, the people of Nineveh gave heed, were sorry, and turned from their evil ways (vv 8,10). "Turn" and "return" are common Old Testament words meaning "repent." Jesus said these people "repented" at the preaching of Jonah (Matthew 12:41).

Matthew 21:28-32 - A son refused to work for his father, but later repented (regretted it - NKJV) and went. He "changed his mind." Jesus applied this to sinners who repented at John's preaching in contrast to priests would not repent (relent - NKJV).

C. Repentance from Sin

The change of mind required by the gospel is repentance of sin. This involves changing ones mind about sin - making up ones mind to cease practicing sin and to become obedient to God.

Luke 24:47 - Those who are not God's children should be taught the need for repentance and remission of sin. What they need remission of is what they need to repent of: sin! [2 Tim. 2:25,26; Matt. 9:13]

Acts 8:22 - Likewise, Christians who sin need to be taught to repent of their wickedness. [Luke 15:7,10; 17:3,4; 2 Cor. 12:21]

Repentance is a decision to cease sinning and begin serving God instead.

[Ezekiel 14:6; Deuteronomy 30:2,8,10; Jeremiah 8:4-6; 3:7,10-14; 25:3-7; 36:3,7; 2 Kings 17:13; Zechariah 1:3,4; 2 Chronicles 30:6-9; 1 Samuel 7:3,4; Revelation 2:5. Like hearing, faith, obedience, etc., repentance may refer to a specific decision to obey or may generally include all that a person does to be saved.]

II. Things That Must Precede Repentance

Before people can truly repent, certain other things must occur first. Sometimes people misunderstand or fail to practice repentance because they misunderstand or fail to practice the things that must precede it.

A. One Must Hear and Believe God's Will.

Learning and believing is necessary in order to inform men that they need to repent and to motivate them to do so.

Remember that prophets, apostles, and Jesus all preached and taught repentance (see introduction). Teaching is necessary to lead one to repent.

Luke 24:47 - Jesus commanded repentance and remission to be preached to all men. Men cannot know they need to repent unless they are told to repent.

2 Kings 17:13 - God repeatedly sent prophets to warn the people to repent. Every Old Testament prophet you can name preached this way.

Today people sometimes tire of hearing preachers rebuke sin. But read the prophets! This is God's plan. His way to lead men to leave sin is to warn them to repent.

2 Timothy 2:25,26 - Correct those who are in error hoping they will come to repentance and escape the snare of the devil. No one will ever change until he realizes he is wrong and sees the consequence of his error. To convince people they are wrong we must show them the evidence in God's word.

Romans 2:4,5 - Failure to repent treasures up wrath at the day of God's judgment of mankind. When people are in sin, telling them to repent is not unkind or cruel. It is an act of love, because only in this way can they correct their lives and receive eternal life.

The message that leads men to repent must be God's word.

Ezekiel 13:22 - False prophets encourage people to continue in sin by not telling them that they need to turn (repent) from their wicked ways. When people sin, faithful preachers must not let them continue thinking they are acceptable before God. If we do not rebuke them, they may be lost.

Ezekiel 33:7-9,14-16 - If preachers do not warn people of their sins, and the people are lost, God will also hold the preachers accountable. Some cannot bring themselves to tell folks they are wrong, so they compromise the truth. God will hold them accountable for the lost souls that result.

People in sin need to hear exactly what God's word says. To withhold the truth does not do anyone a favor.

[Jeremiah 23:12; 26:2,3; Isaiah 6:10; 2 Corinthians 7:8ff; Acts 20:21; 17:30; 26:20; Luke 16:27-31; 5:32; Jonah 3:4,5; Proverbs 1:23; Revelation 3:19]

B. One Must Acknowledge Sin.

When honest people hear the truth preached, they see the application and are convicted of sin.

Psalm 38:18 - I will declare my iniquity. We must admit it as a fact.

Proverbs 28:13 - One who covers his sins will not prosper. In order to have mercy, he must confess and forsake it.

Malachi 3:7 - When confronted about their sins, some people refuse to admit guilt. They ask, "What sin? What do I have to repent of?"

Before one will change his life, he must decide to change (repent). Before he decides to change, he must recognize that he has been guilty. As long as a person defends his practice and refuses to admit error, he has not repented.

[1 John 1:9; 1 Kings 8:47; 2 Chronicles 6:24-39; 7:14; Acts 19:18; James 5:16; Jeremiah 3:12f; 8:4-6; 5:3; 44:4,5; Jonah 3:8,10; Amos 4:6-11; Luke 15:18,21; 17:3,4; Psalm 32:5; Leviticus 26:40]

C. One Must Be Sorry for His Sins.

Simply admitting one has sinned is not enough. Some people know they have sinned but don't care, or at least don't really regret what they did.

Psalm 38:18 - I will declare my iniquity and be in anguish for my sin.

Joel 2:12,13 - Turn to God (repent) with weeping and mourning. Tear your heart, not your garment. God wants, not mere outward expressions of grief, but sincere sorrow. We must sincerely wish we had never done the act.

2 Corinthians 7:10 - Godly sorrow leads to repentance unto salvation. One who does not repent cannot be saved, and he cannot truly repent without sorrow.

James 4:8,9 - Sinners must mourn and weep.

A person may admit he did wrong and may even stop committing the sin, but that does not prove he regrets what he did. He may think it was justified under the circumstances, but he simply has no reason to do it again.

For example, a couple may live together without marriage then get married; they are no longer committing fornication, but that does not prove they regret the fornication committed before marriage.

To be saved one must Scripturally repent. But He will never truly repent until he knows and admits he was wrong and is truly sorry.

[Psalm 34:18; 51:17; 31:10; Isaiah 57:15; 66:2; 22:12-14; Job 42:6; Jeremiah 31:19; 5:3; 6:26; Jonah 3:5-8; Matthew 26:75; 11:20; 2 Chronicles 34:27; Ezra 10:1]

III. The Importance of Repentance

It is also possible for a person to know he is wrong and be sorry without really making up his mind to change. Some people have the idea that repentance just means being sorry - if they just admit they were wrong and say they are sorry, everything is forgiven.

But repentance is a decision to change. Why is this important?

A. Repentance Is Essential in Order to Develop Proper Attitudes. We can never please God till we develop a proper state of mind.

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart diligently because out of it are the issues of life. People do wrong because they chose to do wrong. In order to start doing right, they must change their mind and decide to do right - repent.

The mind is where we decide what we will do. This is why our state of mind is so important.

Romans 6:17,18 - One who is a servant of sin needs to be made free from sin and become a servant of righteousness. To do this, he must obey God "from the heart." You cannot obey from the heart until you have decided in your heart to obey. That decision to do right is repentance.

Joel 2:12,13 - Repentance must involve the heart - the inner man. We can never please God till we get our heart right. That happens in repentance. When people know what God wants but will not do it, they lack repentance. (They may also lack faith, love, etc., but one thing they definitely lack is repentance.) [1 Kings 8:33-36,46-50; 2 Chronicles 6:24-39; 7:14; Ezekiel 18:31; Jeremiah 24:7; 2 Kings 23:25; 1 Samuel 7:3,4]

B. Repentance Is Essential in order to Receive God's Forgiveness. 2 Peter 3:9 - God is not willing for men to perish but wants all to come to repentance. The alternative to repentance is perishing! [Luke 13:3,5]

Acts 2:38 - Repent and be baptized for remission of sins.

Ezekiel 18:21-23,27,28,30-32 - Wicked men must turn from evil and do right or they will die (spiritually). God does not want us to die. He is willing to forgive, but first we must be willing to change. Before we can change, we must decide to change - that is repentance.

The gospel emphasizes repentance because repentance is essential to changing our attitudes and our life. Until we are willing to change our lives, God is not willing to forgive our sins!

If you have sinned, you must admit the sin and be sorry. Then you must make up your mind to change. Have you done so, or are you just expecting everything to be forgotten because you said you were sorry? Forgiveness comes only after a decision to change! [Ezekiel 33:10-19; 2 Timothy 2:25,26; Romans 2:4,5; Acts 3:19; 8:22; 5:31; 17:30,31; Revelation 2:5,16,21-23; Luke 3:8,9; 24:47; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 Kings 8:46-50; 2 Chronicles 6:24-29; 7:14; Joel 2:12-14; Jeremiah 36:3,7; Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 11:20-24; 21:28-32]

III. Things That Must Follow Repentance - Some think it is enough just to decide to change. That constitutes repentance, but something more must follow the repentance.

A. After Repentance, One Must Meet Other Conditions of Forgiveness

What the conditions are depends on whether one has or has not been baptized.

After repenting, one who is not a child of God must be baptized. Acts 2:38 - Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. Some people do not realize that the Bible teaches baptism is essential. Other people have been shown but still will not accept it. These people are not showing true repentance!

Remember, repentance is a decision to do what God's word says. When a person sees what God's word says but will not do it, that person is not showing true repentance.

When a person refuses to be baptized, his primary problem is not baptism: it is his faith or his repentance! If believes the truth he will know he must repent and be baptized. If he then truly repents, you won't be able to keep him from the water!

[Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21]

A Child of God who sins must pray for forgiveness.

Sometimes children of God sin after they have been baptized. They do not need to be baptized again, but they do need to repent again.

Acts 8:22 - Simon was told to repent and pray that his sin might be forgiven. The Christian who sins needs to repent and pray, not repent and be baptized. [1 John 1:9; Matthew 6:12]

If one has wronged other people, he must also confess to them - Matthew 5:23,24. If the sin is known and has been a bad influence on the congregation or hindered the effort of the church to teach, then the whole church needs to be told the person has repented. [Luke 17:3,4; 15:18,21; Genesis 50:17; James 5:16; Proverbs 28:13; study passages on influence and reputation]

B. Then One Must Change His Conduct - Quit Practicing Sin.

Repentance is a decision to change. After receiving forgiveness, one must follow through and make the changes he decided to make.

Scriptures

Acts 26:20 - After forgiveness men must do works worthy of repentance. [Luke 3:8-14; Matthew 3:8] Ezekiel 18:21-32 - To avoid death, the wicked must turn from evil and do right and keep God's statutes.

Matthew 21:28-31 - The ultimate question, in the story of the two sons, was which of the two did the will of the father. The son who was right was the one who eventually went and did what he was supposed to do.

Proverbs 28:13 - We prosper, not by hiding our sins, but by confessing and forsaking them.

Applications

This is where many members of the church fail. They profess that they want forgiveness, then are baptized or pray for forgiveness, but never follow through and change. They want forgiveness but not change.

There is a difference between repentance and the fruits of repentance. Sometimes people go through the motions of baptism (or public confession), but do not truly repent. These people will never truly be forgiven until they first truly repent.

Other people really did repent and intended to change their lives, but never followed through. These people may have been forgiven the first time but now are back in sin. They need to repent again and this time produce the fruits of repentance. [Genesis 44 cf. Genesis 37; Luke 13:5-9; 15:19; Ezekiel 33:10-19; Revelation 2:5; Deuteronomy 30:2; 2 Kings 17:13; Jonah 3:8,10; Isaiah 55:7; Jeremiah 4:1; 18:8,11; 44:4,5; 25:3-7; 35:15; 2 Chronicles 30:6-9; 1 Samuel 7:3,4]

C. Then One Must Make Restitution.

The fruits of repentance require more than just deciding to do right "next time" or to "never do that again." To the extent possible we must attempt to go back and correct the harmful effects of our sins on other people.

Ezekiel 33:14,15 - One who was wicked must not only walk in the statutes, but also return what he stole. [Exodus 22:1-15; Leviticus 6:1-5; Numbers 5:5-8; 2 Samuel 12:6]

Ezra 10:3,11,17,19,44 - When Israelite men had married foreign women, contrary to God's law, they had to repent and put away the wives. This is what repentance requires today when people are living in adultery because of unscriptural divorce and remarriage [9:1-10:44; Matt. 19:9]

Luke 19:8 - Zacchaeus had been a publican. When he was converted, he determined to return the taxes charged wrongfully.

This can be a difficult principle to apply because sometimes the effect of a sin cannot be undone (for example, murder). But it is a Bible principle and must be accomplished to the extent possible. [Philem. 10-14,18,19; Matthew 21:28-31; Nehemiah 5:11-13; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; Genesis 20:1-14; 1 Samuel 12:3; Proverbs 6:31; Acts 16:33; 26:20; 19:18,19]

Conclusion - Luke 15:17-24 - The story of the prodigal son illustrates all the principles we have studied. The younger son wasted his inheritance in riotous living (vv 13,30). He came to be in need and "came to himself" (vv 14-17). [The story does not use the word "repent," but the parallel stories do in vv 7,10.]

* He acknowledged his error: "I have sinned" (v18).

* His sorrow was implied by the fact he no longer believed himself worthy to be called a son (v19).

* He then decided to go back to the father (vv 18,19). This decision is repentance. (Cf. vv 7,10)

* He met the conditions of forgiveness by confessing his sin to the father (vv 20,21).

* He left the practice of sin (vv 20,21).

* He offered to make restitution by being just a servant of the father, not even a son any longer (vv 19,21).

The gospel is a message of change. Sinners can change. You can change. Note the attitude of the father when the son did return: vv 20,22-24. Truly there is joy in heaven among the angels when a sinner "repents" (vv 7,10).