Abiding

3 False Assumptions about Eternal Security/Once Saved Always Saved [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

Most who believe OSAS/eternal security are not honestly seeking to apprehend and embrace the truth, they’re looking to justify a mere cliché which actually, blatantly contradicts what’s in black and white in the Bible, God’s Word.

Is salvation a “one and done”?

Recently, a firestorm erupted and continued for days on end, around the clock, when I made a brief statement on social media concerning the teaching of Jesus and His apostles concerning the necessity of abiding, continuing in Christ, and enduring to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Luke 21:19; Colossians 1:23; Hebrews 3:6, 12-15; 10:26-39; Revelation 2-3, etc.).

Also recently, a meme was posted containing who Jesus’ disciples are in Him, our salvation. These points were stated from an eternal security/OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) perspective. Of the list of 20 benefits of being “in Christ,” the list contained 3 popular heresies or points that needed clarification. Here they are in the exact wording of the meme:

1. “You Possess Eternal Life”

Yes when Jesus saves a person, they presently possess eternal life (John 6:47). The error though is to teach against Holy Scripture by saying that the now saved person cannot ever lose his place with God. There is heresy. Never mind the un-scriptural clichés, it’s simply not biblical.

Here’s yet another Bible verse intentionally taken out of context and misconstrued by eternal securists:

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” Hebrews 5:9

“Eternal salvation” is promised “unto all them that obey him;” (Hebrews 5:9) Initial and ongoing “obedience to the faith” is required to be in eternal glory with Christ (Romans 1:5). Though eternal life is eternal, the possession of it is not necessarily eternal, is not un-forfeitable. Such can and will be lost if the recipient does not continue, does not abide (remain) in Christ to the end of his life on earth (Luke 8:13; Matthew 25:1-13, etc.). Jesus and His holy apostles taught that after initial salvation, enduring to the end of one’s life is essential to final salvation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; 25:1-13; Colossians 1:22-23; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39; 2 Peter 2:20-22; Revelation 2:26; 3:5, etc.).

OSAS/eternal security wolves teach a no-personal-responsibility, antinomian, law-less doctrine of “lasciviousness”, just as Jude warned us (Jude 4). “lasciviousness” = license to live in sin.

Seems to me that in “grace” circles grace itself is deified instead of the One who alone granted that grace?

“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

Our identity, our salvation is first and foremost in CHRIST JESUS Himself and not in the grace He brought and provided via His death on the cross! First things first! Keeping the main thing the main thing! (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 2:20; 6:14; Hebrews 2:9)

Profile of the typical eternal securist: They want no part of personal responsibility to literally obey God’s Word (Matthew 7:21; 1 John 2:4, etc.).

OSAS people are those who want the guarantee that they are going to Heaven no matter how they live on earth. Jesus gave no such guarantee. This is the band of moral cowards who refuse any real accountability or personal responsibility. They force a lie on God’s Word, manipulating it, taking it out of context to say that they are “eternally secure” without following, worshiping, remaining in fellowship with, and obeying Jesus ON HIS STATED TERMS to the end of their life on earth. These are the vilest of snakes in the church world today of which Jude specifically warned us about (Jude 4). BEWARE.

IS Salvation ETERNAL?

2. “You are forgiven of all your sins”

Yes, initially and yet, many falsely teach that all past, present, and future sins of the initially saved person are automatically forgiven. That would mean that the now saved person has no personal responsibility to continue with Christ, to abide in Christ, to obey Christ, and to endure to the end. That’s an absolute heresy which has damned the souls of many.

According to Holy Scripture, present and future sins are forgiven as the believer confesses them, acknowledges, and approaches the throne of God’s grace where Jesus sits on the right hand of the Father making intercession for His saints (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:24-26; 1 John 1:6-2:2).

There is no “one and done” in Christ’s kingdom! Receiving salvation initially is where our walk with Him begins and yet it’s a lifelong relationship, experience, and not a one-time event. It’s the false teachers who peddle OSAS and paint that “one and done” picture. these wolves are guilty of the damnation of many (2 Peter 2:1-3). They teach people to play upon, to abuse, to presume upon the good grace of god, “ungodly men” who are “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (license to sin).“ (Romans 6:1-2; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16; Jude 4).

Any person who’s been saved and continues in sin, will forfeit the saving grace of Christ until and only if he repents – before it’s too late. Paul asks this very question and answers it in profound fashion:

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2

Sin separates men from God – regardless of their past place with Him. There was no sin when God made man. There was perfect relationship between God and Adam/Eve until SATAN told them they would not be separated from God if they sinned against Him (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

The wages of sin is still death – separation from He who is “Holy, holy, holy” and any person who tells you differently than God has told us, is absolutely an agent of Satan (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 6:23; Revelation 4:8).

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Hebrews 12:14-17

Jesus came and died for the purpose of providing His grace to free, to deliver His beloved people from “ALL iniquity” and not just some iniquity (Titus 2:11-14).

God is always able and desires to deliver and will do so as we submit to HIS terms, HIS will, HIS Word.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Honest people who’ve been poisoned by wolves with the OSAS teaching, when they read God’s Word for themselves, will see this heresy for what it is – a doctrine of devils (Luke 8:13, 15; 1 Timothy 4:1-2).

The eternal securist, and the calvinist migrate to these flesh-flattering lies because he wants an excuse to dismiss his sin instead of dealing with it the only way God’s Word prescribes – through the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

The forgiveness of present and future sins is contingent upon the abiding walk of the once saved person. He must remain in Christ to continue to receive divine forgiveness.

Romans speaks specifically of the “sins that are past” and not present and future sins. God had all the opportunity in the world to use the words “past, present, and future” here and He didn’t.

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” Romans 3:25

Present and future sins are forgiven as the divinely stated conditions of repentance and confession of sin are adhered to.

“IF”

“But IF we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

“IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

“But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house we are, IF WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE and the rejoicing of the hope FIRM UNTO THE END.” Hebrews 3:6

“For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence (obedient faith) stedfast UNTO THE END.” Hebrews 3:14

“And you…hath he reconciled (saved)…to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: IF you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel…” Colossians 1:21-23

We see here in Colossians 1 that it is possible for those who have been “reconciled” to be “moved away” from eternal life, which is “the hope of the gospel.”

The eternal securist is willingly indoctrinated and intentionally, deceitfully selective in the way he interprets Scripture. Beware.

In Romans 11 Paul warned non-Jewish believers to take heed to what God did to His own covenant people who rebelled against Him:

“Be not highminded, but FEAR: For IF God spared not the natural branches (Israel), take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold (take hold of) therefore the goodness AND severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, IF THOU CONTINUE in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be CUT OFF.” Romans 11:20-22

“For IF after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are AGAIN entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22

The eternal securists are dishonest and therefore love the “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” promise yet act like “if we deny him, he also will deny us” isn’t in the Bible (Hebrews 13:5; 2 Timothy 2:12). Eternal securists hate conditions because they wish to live as they wish and still vainly believe they are saved and going to Heaven, no matter what.

“IF” AND “AGAIN”: Death Nails to OSAS/Eternal Security

3. “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption”

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto (not until) the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

The eternal security deception, as usual is heresy, biblical truth that is twisted by Satan and his human agents. Notice that they use the word “until” but the Bible used the word “unto.” “Unto” denotes what Scripture consistently conveys – that born again believers are saved, are being saved, and will finally be saved – AS they “abide” to the end with and in Christ on HIS terms:

The Greek word for “unto” in Ephesians 4:30 and its definition is interesting, and telling:

A primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.) concerning, + continual, to the intent that, perish, throughout, till, to (be, the end, -ward), expressing motion

Eternal securists are famous for ignoring boat loads of Holy Scripture. This is moral cowardice.

“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6

WHAT’S BEHIND THE BELIEF IN OSAS? OSAS is for weak, moral cowards who refuse to truly repent, lay down their life in this sinful world, take up the cross, and follow Jesus for real. Hell awaits (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

When you expose the lie of OSAS, those who hide behind this heresy for a security blanket become highly enraged. The demons behind this teaching now possess them and become hyper-indignant (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

Eternal securists are intentionally dishonest with Holy Writ. Yes they will ignore and don’t even care to know the words of Jesus above and yet, they hold to the words of Jesus in John 10, just 5 chapters earlier. They take this John 10:28-29 promise out of its context by ignoring verse 27 which is the condition Jesus gives, the qualifier. Notice:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29

Notice that Jesus first qualifies who this promise (vv. 28-29) applies to – “My sheep” and what do His sheep presently do? They “hear my voice (present tense), and I know them, and they follow me.”

The Twisting of John 10:28-29 by Eternal Securists

The eternal securist simply does not want to truly obey Jesus by denying the self-life, living a crucified life in this sinful world, and therefore rejects the biblical truth of a conditional, not unconditional, eternal security.

Believing the heresy of eternal security/OSAS is your ticket to being lukewarm and rejected by Christ (Revelation 3:15-16).

Enduring to the end of one’s life is essential to final salvation into glory. To say otherwise is to call the Son of God and His apostles liars and false teachers (Matthew 10:22; 24:13, etc.). An Explosive Look at what “Sealed” means and what it does not mean.

Lie of the Ages [book]

STORE

10 Questions about Eternal Security

If a once truly born again believer can’t possibly go back to sin and go to hell, explain: 1. Where did God say any man ever loses his free will on this earth? (Joshua 24:15) 2. Where did God say that those He saves cannot ever go back to sin? 3. How and why are the wages of sin no longer death? (Romans 6:23) 4. Why did God separate Adam and Eve from Himself when they sinned and yet now somehow changed and keeps rebels, violators, unrepentant sinners in His kingdom? (Genesis 3:24; Malachi 3:6) 5. Explain why God is […]

The Damning Myth of Unconditional Eternal Security! [podcast]

HELL Awaits! SO YOU THINK YOU ARE ETERNALLY SECURE? WHO TOLD YOU THAT LIE? NOT GOD! IT SIMPLY DOESN’T MATTER HOW POPULAR A PREACHER IS – IF HE’S TEACHING SATAN’S FIRST LIE THAT CAUSED THE FALL OF THE HUMAN RACE – OSAS/ETERNAL SECURITY – HE’S A FALSE TEACHER, AN AGENT OF SATAN (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). OF COURSE he’s popular – he’s not preaching the cross but rather excuses for sin against a Holy God! RUN from that devil! You will be safe and eternally secure when you get to Heaven, not before. ARE YOU enduring sound doctrine today or walking […]

Accounted Worthy to Escape [podcast]

TODAY: A dear brother in Christ just contacted me. He continues to listen to this message in order to stir up the holy fear of God and fervency for the things of our soon coming KING in his life, in order to remain “ready” and not lose out on all (Luke 12:40; 21:34-36; Revelation 3:11, etc.). TODAY, the body of Christ, the beloved of God, can lift up our heads to the LORD in fervent expectation of the glorious appearing of the Son of God. Redemption is closer than it’s ever been, today. Jesus is coming! This is all going […]

Abiding

Following the Faith of Abraham [podcast]

“There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; ALL came to pass.” Joshua 21:45

The LORD Keeps His Promises to His People

God could trust Abraham:

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Genesis 18:19

Of Abraham who lived by faith, the LORD says “For I know him” and if we love God, like Abraham, we are known of the LORD also.

“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” 1 Corinthians 8:3

Does the unchanging God ever tell His people to leave where they are and go to another place? Yes.

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him…” Genesis 12:1-4

Abraham met the condition and God fulfilled His promise. Could the LORD have blessed Abraham had Abraham not trusted and obeyed Him?

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

“The key is to say ‘Here I am.’ Abraham responded 3 times to God in Gen 22, when God called His name. It was an immediate response of obedience. Did he know exactly why God was calling him? No! It was the posture of his heart. Because of his faithful obedience the Lord knew Abraham was a God fearing man, who only cared about doing God’s will.” Karen Cochran

“And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6

“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” James 2:23

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive my unbelief, which is a sin. Please wash this heart afresh in Your precious blood dear LORD Jesus. Fill my heart with faith, with love, joy, and peace. Please order my every step and be glorified in this life You gave. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

"Though He Slay Me, Yet will I Trust in Him" [podcast]

DO WE have the “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” spirit and disposition of the beloved Job? “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15 Going though a season of testing and trials and yet not worshipping God through it all, is a waste. Personally I had to learn this the hard way. God has been so wonderfully gracious! “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, […]

Are You a "A FAITHFUL MESSENGER" of the LORD? [podcast]

The faithfulness of God is where we begin …. every word in the Bible. His Word oozes with His faithfulness. He was faithful to us “while we yet sinners” (Romans 5:6-8), to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9). ruling over cities – see Luke 19 See examples of faithfulness to God in Hebrews 11: “he pleased God” “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5 “But whoso looketh into the perfect […]

Abiding

The Flesh will Never be Reformed it Must be Crucified [podcast]

The Divine Prescription is Clear and there are No Shortcuts

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24

The law brings repentance, salvation while thereafter the crucified life, the cross keeps us from that sin which once separated us from the LORD, who now has saved us (Psalms 19:7; Romans 6).

There are lots of people peddling the lie of “self care” which is ultimately nothing more than absolute selfishness. Pure evil. We need SAVIOR care! Such “self-care” only perpetuates the prey, the victim, in their misery. The only way to deal with the wicked iniquitous nature, is to crucify it, not pamper it (Luke 9:23-24). It’s your time to get into God’s Word and follow Jesus (KJB). Repent, deny yourself, lay down your life and serve God and others, not yourself. Loving your wicked self IS your problem and so all “self care” is accomplishing is to make your problem bigger, to fortify the evil within (Galatians 5:16-24). Crucifying that evil by the power of the Holy Spirit who is then raising your upward in His grace, glory, and power, is the divine prescription (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:3, etc.). Read Philippians 2:3-5 each morning this week. Jesus commands you to love God. Worship God. Obey God (Matthew 22:37-39).

All whom Jesus has saved make a decision every day, including this day. All who were initially saved and yet aren’t searching out and taking up the cross daily, prove they do not love Him, even though they may claim such. Each of us prove who we really love by who reigns in our lives, and by who dies. See Matthew 6:24.

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16

WHO we yield ourselves to today, proves who we truly love – either the Savior or self.

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:” 2 Corinthians 1:9

We must declare and establish “the sentence of death in ourselves” so that our trust is in God who raised Christ from the dead and raises up all of His saints as they are crucified with Christ.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Tired of sinful self and wanting it out of your way? Here’s the divine prescription: “But I keep under (subdue) my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

The fact that Jesus is coming back for a church, a people who are holy, let us peer into what the Bible tells us concerning overcoming the flesh, sin (Romans 6-8).

Jesus never said to try or try harder. no, Jesus says you must die to follow Him (Luke 9:23-24; John 12:23-25, etc.).

Jesus is sanctifying and cleansing by His Word a people, a church “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Times of fasting and prayer are doing yourself a favor and not God. Yes. You are crucifying self, getting self out of God’s way so that Christ is reigning in your life in place of sinful self! This should be viewed with absolute delight! (See Psalms 37:4; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13, etc..) You are crying, you are driving a stake in the ground and declaring: “LORD, You must increase but I must decrease!” (See John 3:30.) That’s the “daily” operation of the cross God has ordained to be transpiring in our lives (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20, etc.).

What’s your plan for a special time of fasting and prayer this week? There’s no mystery – you will not overcome the flesh, sin, without being crucified with Christ and there’s no better way than fasting and prayer. It’s the most direct route to being dead, buried, and raised up in the victory Christ alone can grant. Lay it all down, now. Memorize Colossians 3:3 and walk it out.

We simply can’t know just how deep we are buried in pride until we begin to obey God in fasting and prayer. Isaiah 58

Overcoming the flesh, walking in victory requires continually delighting in the LORD, worshipping Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

HOW many of us know that the flesh is never going to behave itself, never going to be tamed …. until it’s slain by the cross, crucified?

The flesh IS going to rage, be bent toward and do evil. That’s a given (Romans 7). This is why the cross, the crucifying of the “old man” and putting on “the new man” are essential to God bringing the victory in our lives! (Romans 6-8; Ephesians 4:23-25; Colossians 3:5-10, etc.)

Doesn’t the fact that our flesh does not like the cross, only confirm the need for it? What are the “works of the flesh” that will separate a once saved Christian from God? (Galatians 5:16-21) Though it’s never heard in the apostate modern church world, Jesus commanded the cross in the life of each and every person who would follow Him (Luke 9:23-24). The fact that our flesh hates the cross in no way changes God and what He said concerning the severity in which we are to deal with the flesh, with sin – and the eternal damnation that awaits all who don’t crucify the deeds of the body (Mark 9:42-49; Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 21:8, 27, etc.). When’s the last time you read the words of Jesus recorded in Mark 9:42-49 and took Jesus at His Word? IF you truly love Him, you will obey Him (John 14:15).

God fully expects for His people to induce, to participate in the crucifixion of our flesh, putting the self-life to death (Isaiah 58; Matthew 6:16; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 2:20, etc.).

Holiness is not the way to Christ but rather Christ is the way to holiness. Abiding in Christ IS abiding holy – in the divine definition of holy. The key is that holiness is NOT the way to God but rather Christ is the way to holiness, His way, His definition – which is the daily cross (Luke 9:23-24). Abiding fellowship with Christ, on HIS terms, is holiness – being set apart to the LORD, in the LORD (Psalms 4:3; John 15).

Sin is man’s master until Christ is man’s Master (Matthew 6:24).

No one overcomes by accident. Those who love the LORD, truly, not just in mere profession, will seek Him diligently and obey Him and therefore are brought into His victory by Him (Matthew 7:21; 22:37-39; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:3-6; Revelation 2-3, etc.). The disciple must truly repent and cease all excuses for the sin that displeases God and walk as “MORE than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:1, 5-6, 13-14; 37, etc.).

Jesus came from Heaven to earth and successfully confronted evil, sin, death, and the devil by going to the cross and defeating them! Read Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 John 3:8. In Christ, with Christ, we defeat death by dying, laying down our lives (Hebrews 2:14-15). And Jesus, who conquered death, hell, sin, Satan, and the grave, sends us to the cross – co-death with Him to defeat all of our sin and Satan also (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 8:29, 37; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12, etc.). His precious blood alone atoned for our sins positionally, and yet to enforce that victory in defeating sin and Satan in our daily lives, Jesus prescribed to us the cross life (the practical).

The only thing we can do about this reality – about the iniquitous fleshly nature – is to crucify it (Galatians 5:16-24). There can be no negotiation.

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11

The one way to master sin is bow to Heaven’s Master and let Him master sin! The cross.

BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST ROSE AGAIN, ALL WHO ARE BORN AGAIN IN HIM ARE RAISED UP SPIRITUALLY IN THIS LIFE TO OVERCOME ALL SIN, SATAN, AND THE WORLD, AND WILL SOON be RAISED UP INTO ETERNAL GLORY WITH HEAVEN’S KING.

Rhetorical Question: What’s your fasting and prayer plan beloved? Your answer to this important, prompting question is before you and your LORD….

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

You are not serious about overcoming sin if you’re not yet setting apart regular times of fasting and prayer. The fact that you don’t want to fast is the clear proof that you need to fast. Currently, your flesh is in control! Once you are broken, you will delight in, you will look forward to those times of regular fasting! Read Isaiah 58. | The Amazing Benefits of Fasting and Prayer

Times of Fasting and prayer get YOU out of the way so Jesus can reign supreme! Isaiah 58

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14

“He must increase but I must decrease.” John 3:30

FASTING IS STARVING THE FLESH AND FEEDING THE SPIRIT IN ORDER TO BE BROUGHT BY THE LORD INTO FULL ONENESS WITH HIM AND THE FATHER, AND INTO THE COMPLETE VICTORY AND FRUITFULNESS HE’S ORDAINED YOU TO WALK IN (ISAIAH 58).

Read Romans 6-8.

I am not a good person. Neither are you. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Admit it. The Bible and our own failing experience in this life clearly reveal such to be the case. The sooner we become HONEST with that which is more than obvious, announcing freely and transparently that there is “no good thing” in us except CHRIST, the sooner God will begin a fresh, deeper work in us! See Romans 7:18, 24—the cross!

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18

“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” Colossians 3:9

The SINNER, the vile wretch I must first and foremost confront, is myself! See Job 19:28; Rom 7:18, 24; Ps 39:4-5 and Eccl 7:20. It’s essential to begin to understand the flesh, the fallen man, the iniquitous old man, in order to realize what we’ve been saved from and what must be crucified daily. The cross is God’s solution, His prescription to “put off the old man with his deeds.”

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” Ephesians 4:22

The cross subdues the flesh, it separates us from being held captive to the dictates of the old man, the carnal fallen nature.

The Root of the Matter is in Me! | The Daily Cross

Either Crucify the Flesh or it will Crucify Christ out of Your Life [podcast]

Fight the temptation or die the death? Where’s the victory come from? The Cross – something counterfeits intentionally evade (Philippians 3:18-19). The cross is how we know who is real and who is fake. Refusing to take up the cross means one has denied Christ. This would account for the vast majority of men in ministry today. They are cross-less. The only people who are truly following Christ are those who are doing it HIS way – and His stated way is the cross, the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24). There is no other way to follow Jesus. If we don’t […]

To the Flesh we must declare “Shut up and die!” [podcast]

There can be no mercy on the flesh. As opposed to making excuse for the fallen nature in us, we must declare war on it – by the cross (Romans 6:1-23; 8:12-13, etc.). Jesus never said to try. Jesus says you must die to follow Him (Luke 9:23-24; John 12:23-25, etc.). The flesh cannot be cast out, like a devil. It must be daily crucified, put to death (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6, etc.). The Holy Spirit alone can crucify the deeds of the body and this only happens as we are dead and buried with Christ. Read Romans 6 […]

Sin: Man’s Core Problem [podcast]

People don’t have a “mental health” problem, they have a SIN problem and sin is what gives way, gives full access to Satan! “When people hear voices telling them to harm themselves or others, that’s not a chemical imbalance, it’s demon possession.” Rachel Gould “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 Jesus taught us that man’s sin comes out of his “desperately wicked” heart (Jer17:9; Mark 7:20-23). The devil and his agents have created a million ways to divert us from stopping our lives, getting honest, taking personal responsibility, humbling ourselves, […]

Apostasy

Why Did God Give Us His Word? [podcast]

The 4 Pillar Purposes for the Holy Scriptures

There are 4 reasons detailed in 2 Timothy 3:16 for the Holy Scriptures being given to us by God. Under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, the apostle Paul wrote:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

According to this verse, the Bible, God’s very Word, has been given to the people of God for 4 reasons: Doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Let us take a brief look at these 4 reasons for the written Word so carefully presented here concerning the very purpose of the Bible.

Doctrine – (Gr. DIDASKALIA): that which is taught; teaching, instruction. An individual’s doctrinal body of truth consists of that which he has been taught and holds to be true.

Reproof – (Gr. ELEGMOS): proof, proving, test. As the noble Berean believers demonstrate and John commands, to test every doctrine that comes from the mouth or pen of men, against the holy Standard – the Scriptures. This is, in part, what is being spoken to us by the Holy Spirit in this verse at hand. Therefore, we conclude that we have been given “All scripture” in order to exercise “reproof,” or the testing of men’s doctrines against Holy Writ and to test every notion of belief we currently hold against the divine standard of the written Word which is final divine authority (Acts 17:10-11; 1 John 4:1).

Correction – (Gr. EPANORTHOSIS): a restoration to an upright state or right state. The Scriptures are “given by inspiration of God” to bring correction into our own hearts, and into the hearts of all who heed the divine message (James 1:21-25).

Instruction in Righteousness – (Gr. PAIDEIA): training in righteousness is what is meant here. The Bible is given to train us in the ways of the One who inspired the same. The divinely given Precepts of life can never fail anyone who would search out and do its commands (Isaiah 34:16). All of life’s answers, as pertains to man, are found within its pages (2 Peter 1:3-4; Psalms 119:128a). Millions of godly pilgrims, journeying through this earthly life, has found the perfect divine will and direction by studying the words of Holy Scripture (Psalms 119).

The verse following this monumental 16th verse, v17, also reveals to us another reason for the Scriptures – “That the man of God may be perfect (mature), throughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.” This maturity will come as a result of the workings of God as we walk with Him. He will teach our hearts His doctrine, His correction, His reproof, and instruct us in righteousness.

In review, what are the 4 reasons that God gave us His Word in written form?

doctrine
reproof
correction
instruction in righteousness

The Bible was written to CHANGE you – TO CORRECT FALSE THINKING – and not to accommodate the lies you believe. Are you washing your mind of every false notion – by daily study of God’s Word, OR are you backslidden? (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:26) Repent now and conform to Christ by learning, embracing, adhering to, searching, studying, and obeying His truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17). WHY DID GOD GIVE US HIS WORD? WHAT are the stated 4 reasons God gave us His Word? Do you know this truth, and are you ready to share it with others?

You are obviously saved when you are putting God’s Word as final divine authority of your life and that’s pleasing to the LORD (John 8:47). When we allow God’s Word to correct us, we prove He is authentically the LORD of our lives (2 Timothy 3:16).

SOFT-PEDDLING, HALF-TRUTH preachers are Satan’s agents. No conviction, no cross, no holiness, no repentance, no readiness for the return of Christ, no judgment to come, no hell, no lake of fire! RUNNNNNN

WHY did God give us His Word? It was to establish His truth in and to protect His people from the many deceivers – “them that seduce you.”

“These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.” 1 John 2:26

God gave us His Word so that we may be established in him and kept safe from the “Many false prophets” He so often warned us about. He provided His written Word, his tangible revelation, so that we may fear Him (Deuteronomy 4:10), and so we can know Him (John 5:39). As you study Scripture, be on the look out for the many divinely stated reasons our LORD gave us His written Word.

Beloved saint, will you now teach these Bible truths to others? Share this.

Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 3:16

God gave us His Word in written format so they’d be no confusion and also, no excuse on Judgment Day (John 12:48; Romans 2:16; 1 Corinthians 14:33; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, etc.). The Word of God is the basis by which the LORD shall judge each of us.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

“Read your Bible for yourself. Please. A YouTube sermon clip is not enough. A podcast is not enough. Your favorite preacher is not enough. Know your Bible.” Biblical Man

“Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail…” Isaiah 34:16

Read God’s Word itself, yourself (KJB). THAT is God speaking. Every time you read His Word, God is speaking to you.

In Christ’s Love.

PASS IT ON

Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 3:16

GOD’S WORD

LET’S LEARN GOD’S WORD TOGETHER – ONE TRUTH AT A TIME: Are you tired of reading Scripture or hearing a good message from the Word and not retaining any of it for yourself and to help others? This message was sent out to each person on our Moments For My Master email devotional list. We would love to add you and have the privilege of nourishing your heart with God’s Word (1 Tim. 4:6). Sign up here.

Loving not our Lives unto the Death [podcast]

Just WHAT do we need to “remember” about “Lot’s wife”? (Luke 17:32) “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:11 Will you finish with joy? “But none of these things move me, neither count I my […]

The Necessity of Earnestly Contending for the Faith from a Full Counsel Perspective [podcast]

“Search the scriptures … they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John 5:39-40 Those who are Christ’s come to Him and the way they do that is that they “Search the scriptures” to see Him for who He is, to know His will, to learn to worship, love, and obey Christ who is the Word of God. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 Those who truly know and are […]

Doctrine, Correction, Reproof, Instruction in Righteousness [podcast]

Doctrine, Correction, Reproof, Instruction in Righteousness 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17 ARE you learning sound “doctrine”? Are you being corrected by the LORD? Are you being reproved by Jesus? Are you being instructed in Christ’s “righteousness”? RED FLAG: You attend a “church” and yet aren’t searching, diligently and daily digging into, devouring, and memorizing God’s Word daily. Backslidden! Under the bless-ed weight of the true original Gospel, men are convicted, broken, and crushed to repentance! (Matthew 21:44; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:4; 2 Corinthians 4:20; James 4:8-10, etc.) WHEN a minister’s message is all about encouragement, prosperity in this fleeting life, […]