Title: Shining for Jesus. Are you a Mirror or Torchlight?

[alaric]

Are you fighting FROM victory or are you fight FOR victory? Many Christians have the wrong basic Christian fundamental. They believe that they need to perform to please God and earn his favour. This is a wrong belief and teaching, a lie from hell. You can tell their belief is wrong when you hear them saying “God help those who help themselves.”

They do not understand that they are helpless and nothing they do can please God. Even their righteous acts are filthy in God’s sight. It is as written in Isaiah 64:6.

Isaiah 64:6 = But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

If you are doing Christian acts of righteousness based on your own willpower or effort with the intention to please God, you are self-supplying and not drawing from Jesus. You will not bear much fruit and will feel disheartened and give up.

John 15:5 = I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

So how can we please God?

Many Christians will say to obey God and do his will. As written in Matthew 7:21.

Matthew 7:21 = Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

So what is the will of the Father?

Many Christians will say “We must follow every commandments from God”. No, this is the wrong answer! If we can fully follow every commandments from God, then we are perfect like Jesus. And Jesus died in vain. As written in Galatians 2:21.

Galatians 2:21 = I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

To know the will of the Father, we must refer to what the bible says. As written in John 6:40

John 6:40 = And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The will of the father is just to believe in Jesus and his finished work. It is so simple. The moment any person who accepted Jesus as their saviour, the Father is pleased with that person. The Father sees that person as if he or she is Jesus.

1 John 4:17 = This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

So does this mean that Christians do not need to bear fruits of good works?

First truth when you are in-Christ, is that you are complete. Your actions cannot add or subtract to the work of Christ. Therefore, you cannot displease God or do something to earn more favour. As written in Colossians 2:10

Colossians 2:10 = And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.

Second truth is that you are righteous the moment you are in-Christ. It is not by your own doing or obedience. But by the obedience of Christ. Righteousness is a free-gift from God. It cannot be earn by your own acts of good works. As written in Romans 5:19.

Romans 5:19 = For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Third truth is that you are permanently righteous in-Christ. Since your actions cannot earn God’s gift of righteousness, then your actions cannot cause you to lose it. The correct Christian’s respond when he failed is to remember that he is still righteous because of Christ’s obedience.

2 Corinthians 10:5 = Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Fourth truth is to focus on Jesus and his goodness. Do not focus on your actions to do good or stop doing bad. If you focus on Jesus, you will do what he is doing. Even Jesus says it himself. As written in John 5:19

John 5:19 = Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

So are you a Mirror or Torchlight?

If you are depending on your willpower or self-effort to bear fruits, you are not focusing on Jesus who is the light of the world. You are focusing on your abilities and what you can do for God. Although you are the branches of the vine, you are not drawing supply from Jesus. You are a Torchlight that has a limited supply, constantly drained and discouraged.

If you are focusing on Jesus and his finished work, know that you are already complete, permanently righteous and forever in God’s favour. Then you will always feel connected with God. At the right time and right place, God will speak by his spirit to us to do something. And by obeying, we will bear much fruits. You are a Mirror that focuses on Jesus who is the light of the world, receiving his light and reflecting it to others. Your supply is limitless, you flow with the Holy Spirit and unknowingly bear much fruits.

 

[UnprofitableServant]

Are you fighting FROM victory or are you fight FOR victory? Many Christians have the wrong basic Christian fundamental. They believe that they need to perform to please God and earn his favour. This is a wrong belief and teaching, a lie from hell. You can tell their belief is wrong when you hear them saying “God help those who help themselves.”

They do not understand that they are helpless and nothing they do can please God. Even their righteous acts are filthy in God’s sight. It is as written in Isaiah 64:6.

Isaiah 64:6 = But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

If you are doing Christian acts of righteousness based on your own willpower or effort with the intention to please God, you are self-supplying and not drawing from Jesus. You will not bear much fruit and will feel disheartened and give up.

John 15:5 = I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

So how can we please God?

Many Christians will say to obey God and do his will. As written in Matthew 7:21.

Matthew 7:21 = Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

So what is the will of the Father?

Many Christians will say “We must follow every commandments from God”. No, this is the wrong answer! If we can fully follow every commandments from God, then we are perfect like Jesus. And Jesus died in vain. As written in Galatians 2:21.

Galatians 2:21 = I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

To know the will of the Father, we must refer to what the bible says. As written in John 6:40

John 6:40 = And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The will of the father is just to believe in Jesus and his finished work. It is so simple. The moment any person who accepted Jesus as their saviour, the Father is pleased with that person. The Father sees that person as if he or she is Jesus.

1 John 4:17 = This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

So does this mean that Christians do not need to bear fruits of good works?

First truth when you are in-Christ, is that you are complete. Your actions cannot add or subtract to the work of Christ. Therefore, you cannot displease God or do something to earn more favour. As written in Colossians 2:10

Colossians 2:10 = And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.

Second truth is that you are righteous the moment you are in-Christ. It is not by your own doing or obedience. But by the obedience of Christ. Righteousness is a free-gift from God. It cannot be earn by your own acts of good works. As written in Romans 5:19.

Romans 5:19 = For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Third truth is that you are permanently righteous in-Christ. Since your actions cannot earn God’s gift of righteousness, then your actions cannot cause you to lose it. The correct Christian’s respond when he failed is to remember that he is still righteous because of Christ’s obedience.

2 Corinthians 10:5 = Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Fourth truth is to focus on Jesus and his goodness. Do not focus on your actions to do good or stop doing bad. If you focus on Jesus, you will do what he is doing. Even Jesus says it himself. As written in John 5:19

John 5:19 = Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

So are you a Mirror or Torchlight?

If you are depending on your willpower or self-effort to bear fruits, you are not focusing on Jesus who is the light of the world. You are focusing on your abilities and what you can do for God. Although you are the branches of the vine, you are not drawing supply from Jesus. You are a Torchlight that has a limited supply, constantly drained and discouraged.

If you are focusing on Jesus and his finished work, know that you are already complete, permanently righteous and forever in God’s favour. Then you will always feel connected with God. At the right time and right place, God will speak by his spirit to us to do something. And by obeying, we will bear much fruits. You are a Mirror that focuses on Jesus who is the light of the world, receiving his light and reflecting it to others. Your supply is limitless, you flow with the Holy Spirit and unknowingly bear much fruits.

We should draw from the source, and not rely on our own strength. This is something that people miss when they try to do things in their own power. However, the idea that there is nothing we can do to 'lose' our salvation, is not scriptural.

There are many teachings of Jesus that say we can lose our salvation if we disobey.
I will try to make this answer simple: If the will of God is to believe in Jesus, then what must we do to be a believer in Jesus?

If there is anything we must do to be a believer in Jesus, then it is work based salvation. For example, if the answer is accepting Jesus into our heart and saying he rose from the grave on the third day is what someone must do to prove they believe in Jesus, then that is a work.

How is it a work?

I will answer another question: If someone doesn't say the sinner's prayer (or whatever else may be people's requirement to be considered a believer) then they didn't do the right thing in order to receive God's grace.
In this type of mindset, there is only two ways we can go from here.
1) We must confess that our formula for salvation is work based.
2) We continue to believe that we don't have to do anything to receive God's grace.
If we choose number 2, then you must also confess that you believe that everybody will enter the Kingdom of heaven. Nobody will be left out, because we are all washed clean from the blood of Christ. Since Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, and the gift is free, then everybody receives it, even though they could be the worse sinner imaginable. Why? Because they can't lose something that was free.

I understand you may not agree with what I am sharing, but if you believe that there is nothing we need to do to receive God's gift, and once you receive it you can't lose it; then number two is what you must believe. There isn't any logical way forward beyond what I shared.

Can you see the point I am making?

In peace

 

[alaric]

We should draw from the source, and not rely on our own strength. This is something that people miss when they try to do things in their own power. However, the idea that there is nothing we can do to 'lose' our salvation, is not scriptural.

There are many teachings of Jesus that say we can lose our salvation if we disobey.
I will try to make this answer simple: If the will of God is to believe in Jesus, then what must we do to be a believer in Jesus?

If there is anything we must do to be a believer in Jesus, then it is work based salvation. For example, if the answer is accepting Jesus into our heart and saying he rose from the grave on the third day is what someone must do to prove they believe in Jesus, then that is a work.

How is it a work?

I will answer another question: If someone doesn't say the sinner's prayer (or whatever else may be people's requirement to be considered a believer) then they didn't do the right thing in order to receive God's grace.
In this type of mindset, there is only two ways we can go from here.
1) We must confess that our formula for salvation is work based.
2) We continue to believe that we don't have to do anything to receive God's grace.
If we choose number 2, then you must also confess that you believe that everybody will enter the Kingdom of heaven. Nobody will be left out, because we are all washed clean from the blood of Christ. Since Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, and the gift is free, then everybody receives it, even though they could be the worse sinner imaginable. Why? Because they can't lose something that was free.

I understand you may not agree with what I am sharing, but if you believe that there is nothing we need to do to receive God's gift, and once you receive it you can't lose it; then number two is what you must believe. There isn't any logical way forward beyond what I shared.

Can you see the point I am making?

In peace

Nothing we do can earn salvation. It is a free gift from God. Since we cannot do anything to earn it, we also cannot do anything to lose it. If there are "christian" who are not saved, they are never saved to begin with. These "christian" are those that go through the motion of going to church like other religions without knowing the gospel of grace or they do not accept it or they are going to church with ulterior motives. Not everyone who say that they are christians are true born again christians.

 

[UnprofitableServant]

they do not accept it

How does someone "accept it"?
In peace

 

[alaric]

Accept it as a free gift. It is only when we know that we cannot make it and humble ourself then will we be able to accept it. If u still believe that you can make it by your own good works and self effort, then you will have pride in yourself. Pride will stop you from accepting God's free gift of salvation.