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Do you Believe?

Do you believe?

God, Jesus, the Holy Bible…Do you believe? Are you sure?

Our standard English definition of the word believe is to accept something as truth. Jesus is the Son of God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified as the perfect sacrifice in payment of the penalty of our sin, and then rose again in bodily form on the third day; thus conquering death and now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. This is the Gospel in a nutshell. To believe this by our standard English definition would be to simply intellectualize and accept this as fact…this simple acceptance is generally done in a rather casual manner.

The Holy Bible is the complete, inerrant, inspired Word of God…Acts 16:31 …“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”, Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Believe, in the Bible means not simply accepting the Gospel as fact but to trust and commit to it. If you truly believe the Gospel, you trust your life to it and stake your eternity on it. If you believe God, then you must believe what the Bible says, as it is God’s Holy Word. Not some of the Bible. Not only the parts that make you feel good and discard the parts that convict you of sin in your life. To do that would mean you do not believe God as is defined in the Bible…in essence that would be calling God a liar, which He can never be. To say you believe God and His Holy Word means that you trust every single Word stated in Scripture and commit your life to it. That means walking in God’s ways not the ways of the world...Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. That means not living in the works of the flesh…Galatians 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God…but rather, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, growing the fruit of the Spirit…Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Genuine Biblical belief results in true saving faith. Intellectualizing the facts does not…James 2:19-20 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. “Practice these things” in verse 10 refers back to 2 Peter 1:5-7 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. You must have faith…Hebrews 1:11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…you cannot have this saving faith if you do not first believe by the Biblical definition. If true saving faith is yours, it will be evidenced by the growing fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24 above) and by making His calling and choosing you sure by the practice of these things (2 Peter 1:5-7 above)

So, do you believe?

 

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Love

 

What is Biblical love?

Love as we know it in human terms is a sappy, sentimental emotion. But what is the love of God? Is it this same emotion or is it something different? In the New Testament, the Greek word agape is used when speaking of God’s love as well as the love He commands us to give to others. What is this agape love if not simple emotion? Agape is defined as a motivation for action that we are free to choose or reject. Agape love is a sacrificial love; unconditional commitment; always to the benefit of the other regardless of any benefit or risk to oneself. This is the love God has for people as is evidenced by His sending His Son to suffer our punishment on the cross. It is the love Jesus has for people shown in His willingly choosing to go to the cross, take on the sins of the world, shed His blood and die as a substitutionary sacrifice in payment for our sins. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us 5 (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved),…It is the love a husband is to have toward his wife. Ephesians 5:33 But also let everyone of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife that she defers to her husband…This is the same love we are called to show one another. Not just our friends or family members but also to our neighbors and enemies. Leviticus 19:18 You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Jehovah. Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, Luke 6:27 But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who despitefully use you. Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. And your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil…Family may be the easiest to show this kind of love to. Next may be the closest of friends. But what about other friends, neighbors, the stranger on the street, or one you call enemy? Obviously we do not “feel” love for all of these people. But, remember our definition…this love starts with a choice. While we do not necessarily “feel” love, we choose to display it. Why should we when we know many do not deserve it? We make this choice out of obedience to God. When we think about how they do not deserve this love from us, it is then we need to remind ourselves that WE do not deserve this love from God and yet He freely gives it to us. Now, I am in no way saying this is always an easy choice to make. I will be the first to admit I have much difficulty in this area. What are we to do then? First, stay in the Word. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God will speak to you, instruct you, and change you. Second is prayer. Praying to God and admitting this, and all shortcomings, and asking for His help to change you and grow your ability to love all others in the way He would have you love them. Through prayer and being in the Bible daily, your relationship with God will grow closer. The Holy Spirit will work in you and the fruit will grow. That fruit of the Spirit, love, will grow…quickly in some and slower in others. God works in each of us in His own time. It is for us to submit and not fight against the work He is doing in us. I pray for God to continue His work in me and bring forth the fruit of love so I may love all in the way He commands. I pray the same for all. And always remember that this agape love, is the love we are to have for our God first and foremost…it should be more than a mere choice but a desire and an honor to love Him as He has loved us…Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

 

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Choose Your Master

Who will you serve?

There comes a time in everyone’s life that they must choose who they serve. There are only two choices, God or Satan. Some may try to not choice either. They do not want God but also do not want to openly choose Satan. Scripture is clear…Luke 11:23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. Anyone who does not profess Jesus as Lord is, in fact, choosing Satan. Others don’t even consider it one way or the other. They focus on this life and this world. Does this make them somehow exempt from choosing? Again we turn to Scripture… James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever desires to be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. So, focusing on the things in and of this world is also a choice for Satan. Still others claim to “choose” Christ yet the evidence in their lives show a love of this world and sin in their lives. By sin in their lives, I do not mean solitary acts of committing sin. We are all guilty of that. But rather habitual sin…a sinful lifestyle. They seemingly think they can walk toward Christ while holding hands with Satan. Scripture tells us this cannot be…Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. There is simply no way around making this choice. By not making a choice, one has essentially made it…thus choosing Satan. We must choose Christ…a deliberate, unquestioning, unwavering, wholehearted choice…a bold, open, ALL in choice.

Further Scripture references follow.

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Luke 11:23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever practices sin is the slave of sin. 35 And the slave does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

John 8:41 You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to Him, We are not born of fornication; we have one father, even God. 42 Jesus said to them, If God were your father, you would love Me, for I went forth and came from God; for I did not come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not know My speech? Because you cannot hear My Word. 44 You are of the Devil as father, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to him whom you obey; whether it is of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness.

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever desires to be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the Scripture says in vain, The spirit that dwells in us yearns to envy? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. 7 Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, double-minded ones.

1John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as that One is righteous. 8 He who practices sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, that He might undo the works of the Devil. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not commit sin, because His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the Devil: everyone not practicing righteousness is not of God, also he who does not love his brother.

 

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Lukewarm Christians

What is a lukewarm Christian and how does Jesus feel about them?

Revelation 3: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

The Scripture speaks of a Christian’s attitude toward Christ using the terms hot, cold, and lukewarm so first, let us look at some definitions. In terms of emotion, the English definitions of lukewarm, hot, and cold are as follows:

lukewarm- lacking conviction or enthusiasm; indifferent

hot- marked by intensity of emotion; fiery; having or displaying great enthusiasm

cold- lack of emotion; having no appeal to the senses or feelings

Now let us look at the definitions of the words used in the original Greek text that have been translated into lukewarm, hot, and cold.

Definitions of the original Greek words for:

lukewarm- literally lukewarm

hot- fervent

cold- frigid, phlegmatic (unemotional)

Throughout Scripture, we see that God is very black and white. There is no gray area with God so, He prefers a person’s attitude toward Jesus be either hot, spiritually on fire for Him, or cold, outright rejecting Him. In speaking of the lukewarm, our Scripture above states He will vomit them out. What does that mean…to vomit them out? In referring to the Jamieson, Fausset, Brown commentary, we see, “reject with righteous loathing”; and from Matthew Henry, “lukewarm professors turn the heart of Christ against them. He is sick of them and cannot long bear them. They shall be rejected, and finally rejected; for far be it from the holy Jesus to return to that which has been thus rejected”.

From my study, I find that a lukewarm Christian is one who intellectually believes the Gospel of Jesus Christ but does not have faith in it. I reach this conclusions as these are people who profess Christ yet the Scripture says they will ultimately be rejected. Since we are saved through faith, and the lukewarm will be rejected rather than saved, it stands to reason they do not have saving faith.

How do you know if one is a lukewarm Christian? I believe that is evidenced in one’s life. Let us consider the picture of a “hot” Christian…one who is on fire for Jesus. One who is on fire for Christ loves Jesus, is excited to speak of Him, learn about Him, and spend time not only reading the Word of God but studying It. This is someone who lives every day in the Word…reading it, studying it, thinking about it, meditating on it, and talking about it. Someone who is “cold” toward Christ rejects Him. They want nothing to do with the Word of God, do not want to speak of Him or hear about Him, and are disobedient to his ways. Lukewarm Christians would fall somewhere in between…in a gray area. They claim Christ and so considers themselves Christian. They may attend church on Sunday morning but generally out of a sense of obligation. Outside of that Sunday morning obligation, their lives tend to be worldly and more self-reliant rather than God-reliant. They spend little to no time in the Word and rarely speak of God, Jesus, or the Bible.

I encourage you to look to your own “temperature”. Are you on fire for Christ? Have you completely rejected Him? Or, do you fall somewhere in that gray area of lukewarm?

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,

Romans 10:17 Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

If you are cold, I pray you hear the Word of God and by His grace, you come to Christ in faith.

If you are lukewarm, I fear you are in danger. Having been deceived into believing you are with Christ but will, in the end be “vomited out”. I pray, you too, get into the Word of God, and come to Christ through true, saving faith.

 

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Site Creation

Light and Sword was created on 10/8/2

We are called to spread the Word through all the nations. As a husband and wife team, we felt called to do just that…spread the Gospel, speak the Truth in love, connect with and pray for brothers and sisters in Christ as well as the lost. New posts will be added regularly so please visit us again. You are invited to contact us, send in a prayer request, and please sign our guestbook. We hope you are blessed by your visit to Light and Sword. Above all, our main goal is that God be glorified.