Q: Let go of the past, let's load up this page and say "I LET IT GO"!
A: God promised He would forgive all our sins in the Old Testament. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jer. 31:34)." Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of that promise. "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)!" We now live in the forgiveness we have in Christ. "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them (2 Cor 5:19)." The forgiveness issue is the most important issue for a Christian to understand. God is not holding your sins against you. If He did you would not be saved because every time you sinned you would lose your eternal life. And you can't call it eternal life if you can lose it. You wouldn't ask somebody to give you something you already possess. We don't ask God for the forgiveness we already possess. There are no more confession booths, altar calls, short accounts or whatever we do get forgiveness. God "let it go" and now we should "let it go" as well. Believe it!
Q: Jesus says your "thoughts" are not my "thoughts". What does that mean?
A: As unbelievers we are dead to God in sin. Our minds are focused on the flesh. And, therefore we sow to the flesh. We have no alternative, but to sin in one form or another. As Christians, "we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16)." We have come alive to God through faith in Jesus. The Spirit of God now indwells us and illumines everything for us. In Luke 24:45 it says that Jesus, "opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." The difference is that without the spirit of God we have our own fallen minds to rely on. In Christ, we have the mind of God to help guide us and teach us. Colossians 1:21 says, "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior." This is an example of man without God. He has no alternative, but to rely on his own understanding which leads to sin. Now, in Christ, our thoughts become the Lord's thoughts because we have His mind available to us.The lost world doesn't have this available to them.
Q: What does it mean to have a "Recognizable" faith?
A: Often times "recognizable" faith is defined as "how well another Christian is doing at mimicking the behaviors we are trying to do." It leads to things like accountability groups and "fruit" inspecting other Christians trying to get them to act properly. Are you going to church, studying your bible, sinning less, giving enough, etc? This is not of the Lord. Recognizable faith, if there is such a thing, is strictly between the individual believer and the Lord. Paul said that if we don't have love we have nothing (1 Cor. 13). If we recognize anything it should be how well we are doing in the love department. And that starts with recognizing how much God first loved us. Are we always patient, always kind, never keeping records of wrongs, never delighting in evil, never envious, never proud, never rude, always trusting, always hoping, etc? This is how God is with us and we in turn allow Him to produce the fruit of His love through us. Recognize our faiths fruit is for others to enjoy.
Q: The bible says who the son sets "free" is "free" indeed. What does that mean?
A: We are free to serve one another in love. Free to give of ourselves. Free from sin. Free from accusation. Free from the wages of sin. Free to approach God in confidence. Free to let God work in us rather than us working for Him. Free from the law of sin and death. Free from the Old Covenant. Free to stand in Grace. Free from human regulations and traditions. Free to be led by the Spirit. Free from condemnation. Free to be controlled by righteousness. Free to rest. Free from fear. Free to discover all that we have in Christ. Free to be a slave to Christ. Free from the burden of the yoke of slavery. Free to know the truth. Free to preach the Gospel. Saints we are free in Christ. God is pleased with us and given us the righteousness of Christ through faith. We should live as who we are not as who we want to be. The Christian life is a discovery of all that we have freely been given by God through faith in Jesus Christ. In turn, we live a life of thankfulness to God for our freedom.
Q: Why are we(Christians) "anointed" by God?
A: 'Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor. 1:21-22).' To anoint means to dedicate to the service of God. Often times oil is used as a symbol of being anointed. Oil is also a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The anointing Christians have been given is the Holy Spirit. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ the life of God has been restored to all believers. God now indwells us. Through trust in and dependence on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a Christian has the 'power' to stand firm in Christ and preach the Gospel. Therefore, we can keep our eyes on the Lord and what He is doing through us and off of ourselves and what we try to do for Him.'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).'
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