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Psalms 62:1-2 ESV
If we are true followers of Jesus Christ, our faith in him should be based on the teachings of the Scriptures regarding what that faith looks like. We should believe and put into practice what the NT Scriptures teach us on the subjects of belief, salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life with God, but not on just some select Scriptures taught out of context, but on the overall and consistent teachings of the NT Scriptures, taught in context.
Our beliefs and practices should be based on the teachings of the NT Scriptures, i.e. the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles. And they should not be based on the teachings and the practices and the religious traditions of mankind, especially those passed down from generation to generation which are long-standing and deep-rooted and firmly embedded in thought, behavior, culture, and influence, regardless of their source.
But we should be seekers of truth and righteousness who study the Scriptures in context, and who seek the wisdom and discernment of the Spirit of God in understanding what the Scriptures teach, and who are willing to even have some of our traditional and deep-rooted beliefs discarded when the Lord shows us the truth of what the Scriptures teach in opposition to those traditional and deep-rooted beliefs we held on to for many years.
And then, when convinced of God as to what the truth is on these issues related to these deep-rooted and traditional teachings on varied subjects, because we can now see plainly and clearly what is obvious, clear, and evident to those who are willing to see the truth, we should reject the lies we had been taught previously, and now we should believe the truth of the Scriptures, and now we should hold firmly to that truth no matter what.
Psalms 62:3-4 ESV
But when we do that, i.e. when we become students of the Scriptures and seekers of truth who want to know and to understand and obey the truth, and who are not looking for ways to support those long-standing and deep-rooted traditions handed down to us from generation to generation, then we become targets for attacks coming from those who are still embracing those long-standing and deep-rooted traditional beliefs.
Two examples of this come to mind. The first is the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine of salvation which teaches that you can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ one time in your life and now all your sins are forgiven, heaven is guaranteed you, it can’t be taken away from you, but regardless of how you live. For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him.
And he said (paraphrased) that if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, that we will lose them for eternity. But if for his sake we deny self, die to sin daily, and follow him in obedience, we have eternal life. For he also said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).
And the NT apostles taught that if we are true followers of Christ we will be people who by the Spirit are putting to death the deeds of the flesh and who are walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living, pleasing to God. But if we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in walks of holiness and righteousness and obedience to our Lord, then according to Jesus and his NT apostles, we don’t know God, and we don’t have eternal life with God.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
And then the second example that comes to mind is something that is currently in the forefront, and that has to do with how the church overall regards the physical nation of Israel (of man, not of God). For the Scriptures teach plainly that those physical descendants of Abraham are not God’s chosen people unless they believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And all those who truly do believe in Jesus Christ are true biblical Israel.
But if you teach this to the people you should expect to be treated as though you are a heretic or as though you are a hater of the Jews, or as though you should be burned at a stake and put to death for even suggesting that the Jewish nation of today is not biblical Israel, and that only those who believe in Jesus Christ are the heirs of the promises of God made to Abraham and to his seed (Jesus Christ). But it is what the Scriptures teach plainly!
[John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 9:4-8; Romans 11:17-25; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-18; Ephesians 3:6; 1 John 2:22]
For Jesus told the Jews who did not believe in him that their father was not God, and not Abraham, but that their father was the devil, because they denied Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and thus they did not have genuine belief in God who is Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. And Paul taught plainly that it is only those who believe in Jesus Christ who are heirs of the promises God made to his people Israel.
But there are many people in positions of power who want us all to believe that the Jewish nation is of God, that God is her protecter, and that all who would come against her are against God. But that is a lie from hell. And there is a very nefarious reason they want us to believe that, too. For the Scriptures teach that those who deny Christ are the antichrist. So put your trust in Christ, not in the Jewish nation which is not of God but is antichrist.
Psalms 62:5-7 ESV
So, make sure that what you are believing is what the Scriptures teach, in context, and that you are not holding on to your traditions which may be against God and against what his Scriptures teach, and especially as it may relate to your salvation and eternal life, and as it may relate to the antichrist who is coming on the scene and is deceiving the people to worship him in place of worshiping Jesus Christ.
When in The Stillness
An Original Work / September 26, 2011
When in the stillness of this moment,
Speak to me, Lord, I humbly pray.
Be my desire, set me on fire,
Teach me to love always.
Help me to walk in fellowship with You,
Listening to You; sit at Your feet.
Whisper Your words to me,
Oh, how gently, guiding me in Your truth.
While we are waiting for Your blessing,
Lord, in our hearts be King today.
Help us to live for you ev’ry moment,
List’ning to what You say.
May we not stray from your word within us,
Help us obey You, Lord, in all things,
Walking each moment, Lord, in Your presence,
Our offerings to You bring.
Help us to love You, Lord, our master;
Be an example of Your love,
Helping the hurting, lift up the fallen,
Showing them Your great love.
Teach them to love You, follow You always,
Bearing their cross and turning from sin;
Walking in daily fellowship with You,
Making You Lord and King.
“For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
If we are true followers of Jesus Christ, our faith in him should be based on the teachings of the Scriptures regarding what that faith looks like. We should believe and put into practice what the NT Scriptures teach us on the subjects of belief, salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life with God, but not on just some select Scriptures taught out of context, but on the overall and consistent teachings of the NT Scriptures, taught in context.
Our beliefs and practices should be based on the teachings of the NT Scriptures, i.e. the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles. And they should not be based on the teachings and the practices and the religious traditions of mankind, especially those passed down from generation to generation which are long-standing and deep-rooted and firmly embedded in thought, behavior, culture, and influence, regardless of their source.
But we should be seekers of truth and righteousness who study the Scriptures in context, and who seek the wisdom and discernment of the Spirit of God in understanding what the Scriptures teach, and who are willing to even have some of our traditional and deep-rooted beliefs discarded when the Lord shows us the truth of what the Scriptures teach in opposition to those traditional and deep-rooted beliefs we held on to for many years.
And then, when convinced of God as to what the truth is on these issues related to these deep-rooted and traditional teachings on varied subjects, because we can now see plainly and clearly what is obvious, clear, and evident to those who are willing to see the truth, we should reject the lies we had been taught previously, and now we should believe the truth of the Scriptures, and now we should hold firmly to that truth no matter what.
Psalms 62:3-4 ESV
“How long will all of you attack a man
to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah”
But when we do that, i.e. when we become students of the Scriptures and seekers of truth who want to know and to understand and obey the truth, and who are not looking for ways to support those long-standing and deep-rooted traditions handed down to us from generation to generation, then we become targets for attacks coming from those who are still embracing those long-standing and deep-rooted traditional beliefs.
Two examples of this come to mind. The first is the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine of salvation which teaches that you can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ one time in your life and now all your sins are forgiven, heaven is guaranteed you, it can’t be taken away from you, but regardless of how you live. For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him.
And he said (paraphrased) that if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, that we will lose them for eternity. But if for his sake we deny self, die to sin daily, and follow him in obedience, we have eternal life. For he also said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).
And the NT apostles taught that if we are true followers of Christ we will be people who by the Spirit are putting to death the deeds of the flesh and who are walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living, pleasing to God. But if we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in walks of holiness and righteousness and obedience to our Lord, then according to Jesus and his NT apostles, we don’t know God, and we don’t have eternal life with God.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
And then the second example that comes to mind is something that is currently in the forefront, and that has to do with how the church overall regards the physical nation of Israel (of man, not of God). For the Scriptures teach plainly that those physical descendants of Abraham are not God’s chosen people unless they believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And all those who truly do believe in Jesus Christ are true biblical Israel.
But if you teach this to the people you should expect to be treated as though you are a heretic or as though you are a hater of the Jews, or as though you should be burned at a stake and put to death for even suggesting that the Jewish nation of today is not biblical Israel, and that only those who believe in Jesus Christ are the heirs of the promises of God made to Abraham and to his seed (Jesus Christ). But it is what the Scriptures teach plainly!
[John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 9:4-8; Romans 11:17-25; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-18; Ephesians 3:6; 1 John 2:22]
For Jesus told the Jews who did not believe in him that their father was not God, and not Abraham, but that their father was the devil, because they denied Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and thus they did not have genuine belief in God who is Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. And Paul taught plainly that it is only those who believe in Jesus Christ who are heirs of the promises God made to his people Israel.
But there are many people in positions of power who want us all to believe that the Jewish nation is of God, that God is her protecter, and that all who would come against her are against God. But that is a lie from hell. And there is a very nefarious reason they want us to believe that, too. For the Scriptures teach that those who deny Christ are the antichrist. So put your trust in Christ, not in the Jewish nation which is not of God but is antichrist.
Psalms 62:5-7 ESV
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.”
So, make sure that what you are believing is what the Scriptures teach, in context, and that you are not holding on to your traditions which may be against God and against what his Scriptures teach, and especially as it may relate to your salvation and eternal life, and as it may relate to the antichrist who is coming on the scene and is deceiving the people to worship him in place of worshiping Jesus Christ.
When in The Stillness
An Original Work / September 26, 2011
When in the stillness of this moment,
Speak to me, Lord, I humbly pray.
Be my desire, set me on fire,
Teach me to love always.
Help me to walk in fellowship with You,
Listening to You; sit at Your feet.
Whisper Your words to me,
Oh, how gently, guiding me in Your truth.
While we are waiting for Your blessing,
Lord, in our hearts be King today.
Help us to live for you ev’ry moment,
List’ning to what You say.
May we not stray from your word within us,
Help us obey You, Lord, in all things,
Walking each moment, Lord, in Your presence,
Our offerings to You bring.
Help us to love You, Lord, our master;
Be an example of Your love,
Helping the hurting, lift up the fallen,
Showing them Your great love.
Teach them to love You, follow You always,
Bearing their cross and turning from sin;
Walking in daily fellowship with You,
Making You Lord and King.
