Don't Be Fooled!

[Christsfreeservant]

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:1-6 NASB1995)​

And what did Jesus teach on this subject? He said,

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23 NASB1995)​

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“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’” (Luke 9:23-26 NASB1995)​

And when Jesus denied himself and he took up his cross, it was to do what? To put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we will now die to sin and walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands. Faith in Jesus Christ, if it is biblical faith, must result in us forsaking the self-life and our sins to now follow Jesus/God in obedience to his commands. If we hold on to our sinful lifestyles, we will lose our lives, but if we give up our self-life and our sinful practices to follow Jesus in obedience, we will save our lives.

And please be aware that making a profession of faith in Jesus is not what saves you from your sins and promises you heaven when you die if you do not deny self, die to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience to his commands. And “the wicked” and “the ungodly” are not just those who make no professions of faith in Jesus Christ, but they are all for whom sin is still their practice, and for whom obedience to God is not their practice. So, don’t be fooled by the lies which tell you that all you have to do is say you believe in Jesus.

Therefore, what should our lives look like if we are of genuine faith in Jesus Christ? Daily we should be putting sin to death, by the Spirit, and we should be walking (in conduct) in obedience to our Lord’s New Covenant commands. And we should be those who are patterning our lives after the character of God and the example of the life of Jesus, and we should walk in agape love which prefers to live through Christ, choosing his choices, and obeying them in his power, according to his will. And love does no harm to its neighbor.

Thus, this will require that all immorality or any impurity or greed must not be existing among us who profess faith in Jesus Christ, and if it is, that it is not to be ignored, but dealt with biblically. For this we should know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or the covetous idolater has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. But this has to do with all who refuse to give up their sinful practices and who do not obey our Lord’s commands, in practice, that they will not have eternal life with God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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Don’t Be Fooled!
An Original Work / September 17, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love