If We Continue In His Word

[Christsfreeservant]

John 8:30-36 NASB1995: As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”​

Do you see what Jesus was saying here? Do you understand the gospel message he was teaching here? He did not teach that we could believe in him and therefore we are now saved from all sins and heaven is now secured for us when we die. He let those who believed in him know that if they CONTINUED in his word (in his teachings), then they were truly his disciples (followers). And he let them know that everyone who commits (practices) sin is a slave to sin, and the slaves will not have eternal life.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

Now, this is not the gospel message which is commonly being taught today in the USA where I live. The majority all appear to be teaching an altered man-created version of “the gospel” which appeases human flesh and which makes no requirements of “believers” to die to sin and to obey God in practice. Many are teaching a gospel which denies that any of us have to repent of our sins or obey God, while others make it optional, for they rely upon verbal confessions of faith in Jesus Christ to give them eternal life.

So, what is commonly taught today as “the gospel” is a mixture of truth and lies created in the minds of humans who want to convince people that they can “believe” in Jesus and that now secures them forgiveness of all sins and heaven as their eternal destiny, but regardless of how they live. Although some people may teach this innocently, there are many charlatans and “wolves in sheep’s clothing” among us, some (or many) of them serving as pastors of “churches,” who are lying to the people, to send them to hell.

And yet you will rarely hear any preacher preach that if sin is our practice, and not obedience to God and to his commands, that we will not inherit eternal life with God, even if we did make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. But it is what Jesus taught. It is what his New Testament apostles taught. And if we read the Scriptures in their appropriate biblical context we will see that our salvation from sin and the hope of eternal life with God require that we obey God, and not sin, as a matter of life practice.

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

So, please take this to heart. And please do not depend upon anyone, no matter who they are, to tell you the truth. But study the Scriptures for yourselves, in their full and appropriate biblical context, and you will see that Jesus and his apostles taught salvation from sin and eternal life with God as requiring that we, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, must die with Christ to sin and now live to please God in walks of surrender to him in obedience to his commands, or we do not have eternal life with God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; 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; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; 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 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Recording Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

If We Continue in His Word
An Original Work / January 15, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

[Little Lantern]

Also reminds me of Philippians 2:12 . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, and 1 Corinthians 9:27 where Paul said that he kept his body under subjection lest after preaching to everyone else, he himself would become a castaway-- this was THE Apostle Paul!
It's serious business, and it gets increasingly real at my age. Even as a dedicated believer, it is so easy to get lulled into the comfort mentality.

 

[throughfierytrial]

John 8:30-36 NASB1995: As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”​

Do you see what Jesus was saying here? Do you understand the gospel message he was teaching here? He did not teach that we could believe in him and therefore we are now saved from all sins and heaven is now secured for us when we die. He let those who believed in him know that if they CONTINUED in his word (in his teachings), then they were truly his disciples (followers). And he let them know that everyone who commits (practices) sin is a slave to sin, and the slaves will not have eternal life.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

Now, this is not the gospel message which is commonly being taught today in the USA where I live. The majority all appear to be teaching an altered man-created version of “the gospel” which appeases human flesh and which makes no requirements of “believers” to die to sin and to obey God in practice. Many are teaching a gospel which denies that any of us have to repent of our sins or obey God, while others make it optional, for they rely upon verbal confessions of faith in Jesus Christ to give them eternal life.

So, what is commonly taught today as “the gospel” is a mixture of truth and lies created in the minds of humans who want to convince people that they can “believe” in Jesus and that now secures them forgiveness of all sins and heaven as their eternal destiny, but regardless of how they live. Although some people may teach this innocently, there are many charlatans and “wolves in sheep’s clothing” among us, some (or many) of them serving as pastors of “churches,” who are lying to the people, to send them to hell.

And yet you will rarely hear any preacher preach that if sin is our practice, and not obedience to God and to his commands, that we will not inherit eternal life with God, even if we did make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. But it is what Jesus taught. It is what his New Testament apostles taught. And if we read the Scriptures in their appropriate biblical context we will see that our salvation from sin and the hope of eternal life with God require that we obey God, and not sin, as a matter of life practice.

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

So, please take this to heart. And please do not depend upon anyone, no matter who they are, to tell you the truth. But study the Scriptures for yourselves, in their full and appropriate biblical context, and you will see that Jesus and his apostles taught salvation from sin and eternal life with God as requiring that we, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, must die with Christ to sin and now live to please God in walks of surrender to him in obedience to his commands, or we do not have eternal life with God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; 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; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; 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 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Recording Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

If We Continue in His Word
An Original Work / January 15, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue I mostly agree.

A word of moderation

Apostle Paul preaches in I Corinthians that he had not yet given them solid food for they were not yet ready for it. He also addresses those as not yet spiritual but mere men. Hebrews addresses such folks also urging them on to maturity. Jesus says in Matthew 24 that the wise and faithful servant gives them their “meat” in “due season”.

What I’m seeing in this post is a lack of addressing the issue of dealing with the infants in Christ. We have to be conscious of the weak among us at the same time as prodding the believers on to maturity.

I agree that we need to be certain to teach the truths and there should be opportunity for real growth and searching out the deep truths. Let’s also not forget to have praise and worship.

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Also reminds me of Philippians 2:12 . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, and 1 Corinthians 9:27 where Paul said that he kept his body under subjection lest after preaching to everyone else, he himself would become a castaway-- this was THE Apostle Paul!
It's serious business, and it gets increasingly real at my age. Even as a dedicated believer, it is so easy to get lulled into the comfort mentality.

Good parallel Scriptures. Yes, we must all guard against complacency and be diligent in following our Lord in obedience to his commands. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Christsfreeservant]

A word of moderation

Apostle Paul preaches in I Corinthians that he had not yet given them solid food for they were not yet ready for it. He also addresses those as not yet spiritual but mere men. Hebrews addresses such folks also urging them on to maturity. Jesus says in Matthew 24 that the wise and faithful servant gives them their “meat” in “due season”.

What I’m seeing in this post is a lack of addressing the issue of dealing with the infants in Christ. We have to be conscious of the weak among us at the same time as prodding the believers on to maturity.

I agree that we need to be certain to teach the truths and there should be opportunity for real growth and searching out the deep truths. Let’s also not forget to have praise and worship.

I do believe you may not be looking at the Scriptures you note in their full context. I believe Paul was scolding the people when he told them he had not yet given them solid food for they were not yet ready for it. The same with those not yet spiritual but mere men. This would indicate that they were not living the life God had for them to live, and so this was to strongly encourage them that they needed to change course. There is not a gospel message for the "weak" and then a different gospel for the "strong." The same gospel message applies to all of us. There is too much coddling of people in their sin these days, and that is not biblical. And praise and worship of God is in surrendering our lives to the Lord to do his will, to give our lives to God as living sacrifices to God, holy and pleasing to God, no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world but walking in obedience to our Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3: But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

 

[throughfierytrial]

I do believe you may not be looking at the Scriptures you note in their full context. I believe Paul was scolding the people when he told them he had not yet given them solid food for they were not yet ready for it. The same with those not yet spiritual but mere men. This would indicate that they were not living the life God had for them to live, and so this was to strongly encourage them that they needed to change course. There is not a gospel message for the "weak" and then a different gospel for the "strong." The same gospel message applies to all of us. There is too much coddling of people in their sin these days, and that is not biblical. And praise and worship of God is in surrendering our lives to the Lord to do his will, to give our lives to God as living sacrifices to God, holy and pleasing to God, no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world but walking in obedience to our Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3: But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a

I agree with your post. However you appear to neglect the other part of this picture Paul paints…what transpired before this 1 Corinthians letter. I believe Paul chose to feed them milk at one point. Then, they were to grow up.
This is why I pointed out Matthew 24… giving meat in due season.
Those who are strong are not to harm the weak. (Roman and Corinthians)
I have long felt stifled by those who limit their teachings to those who are infants and weak. My post started off with the words. A word of moderation.
My post was meant to moderate the OP in such a way as to see the other side of the issue

 

[Christsfreeservant]

I agree with your post. However you appear to neglect the other part of this picture Paul paints…what transpired before this 1 Corinthians letter. I believe Paul chose to feed them milk at one point. Then, they were to grow up.
This is why I pointed out Matthew 24… giving meat in due season.
Those who are strong are not to harm the weak. (Roman and Corinthians)
I have long felt stifled by those who limit their teachings to those who are infants and weak. My post started off with the words. A word of moderation.
My post was meant to moderate the OP in such a way as to see the other side of the issue

The weak spoken of, which I believe you are referring to, has to do with those weak in faith who felt they had to keep the Sabbath and the dietary restrictions of the Old Covenant. We are not taught in the Scriptures to coddle those who are deliberately continuing to live sinful lifestyles and to not walk in obedience to our Lord's commands. Yes, we may still sin sometimes (1 John 2:1-2), but if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to our Lord, we do not have eternal life with God. Jesus taught it and his NT apostles taught it. The gospel message is the same for new believers as it is for seasoned Christians. There is no other side. There is only one gospel. And it applies to all of us. And this is not saying that we will be instantly mature once we believe in Jesus, but that the same rules apply for all of us. We don't coddle people in their sin. We teach repentance and walks of obedience to our Lord, not harshly, not unkindly, but in truth, out of love, because we believe God and we care about people.

 

[throughfierytrial]

I am certainly not one who wishes we should coddle sin...not in ourselves or someone else. My post was about moderating the OP and to consider the foolish and the wise, the infant and the mature are being reached through the Message. Many differing approaches to delivering the message are employed and sanctioned by the Word..

Why are some preachers too watered down and careful?...

Luke 11:52:
52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

Romans 1:14:
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.

I Corinthians 9:19-23:
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

I Corinthians 3:10:
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Matthew 12:20
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.

Luke 11:52
52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

 

[biblelesson]

John 8:30-36 NASB1995: As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
Do you see what Jesus was saying here? Do you understand the gospel message he was teaching here? He did not teach that we could believe in him and therefore we are now saved from all sins and heaven is now secured for us when we die. He let those who believed in him know that if they CONTINUED in his word (in his teachings), then they were truly his disciples (followers). And he let them know that everyone who commits (practices) sin is a slave to sin, and the slaves will not have eternal life.

At the time Jesus spoke these words to those Jews who believed, the law was still in existence, Jesus had not died on the cross to bring in the new covenant- and the Holy Spirit had not been given yet - to seal the believer to secure the believers salvation.

So, what Jesus said to those Jews was based on the Mosaic law that existed then. But, after Jesus death, we learn there is a wrestling with the flesh - once the believer receives the Holy Spirit, the Bible tells us the flesh lustest against the Spirit, and the Spirit lustest against the flesh, and we can’t do the things we want to do. That is, we desire to do right, but there is a greater battle with sin. So, it might look as though someone is committing sin when in fact they are struggling with the flesh. To overcome this, the believer must be led by the Spirit. Thus takes time, and growth - a believer must grow in the word of God from the milk stage to the meat stage to where we can put off the old man, which doesn’t happen right away.

If preachers were to explained to believers that we must wait for God’s power, through the Holy Spirit, to strengthen us, (instead of putting people through guilt trips, causing them to feel condemned because of their initial failures), and that the requirement to develop patience, faith, and trust takes time, then there would be less confusion, less heartache, and there would be a willingness to spend more time in the word and praying, and learning to exercise the faith needed to grow in Christ.