My Answer is ... April 10, 2010

Q: If we are created in Gods "image" why does the world see "us"?

A: We are not "created" in God's image. Only Adam and Eve were created in God's image (Gen 1:27). The rest of us, all mankind, are "born" in the image of Adam. Adam and Eve did not have any children prior to the Fall. Thus, we read "When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth (Gen 5:3)." It says Adam had a son in his own image. Mankind is in the image of Adam. We are an image of what it is like not to have God. That is why we read that we are spiritually dead prior to salvation. When God created Adam it says that "the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being (Gen 2:7)." The very life of God, His Spirit, was "breathed" into Adam. However, God warned Adam that he "must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die (Gen 2:17)." Well, we know that he did eat from the tree. The death He suffered was a spiritual death. God removed the life He breathed into Adam. Adam was alive physically, living to be 930 years of age (Gen 5:5), but dead spiritually in his sins.

This is the foundation of the Gospel message, our condition of being spiritually dead to God in our sins. But, salvation is the restoration of the life of God made available as a free gift through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we accept Christ we are born again. What is birth? It is life! We go from being spiritually dead in Adam to spiritually alive in Christ (see 1 Cor 15:22, Col 2:13). And because of Jesus' death on the cross, there is now no sin that can cause that life to leave the way it did Adam in the Garden. Thus, what we have is an eternal life. A life that carries us through this life, through death, and on into eternity. That is why the Bible says, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Cor 5:17)!" We are something totally different than what Adam and Eve were in the Garden. We have the life of God, the Holy Spirit, indwelling us and it will never leave. Amen! The Gospel is sin, death, forgiveness and life! (Rom 5:8-10) So, what the world sees is us engaging them with a love that is a reflection of the love God has shown towards us. And as God serves the world in love through us the lost might be saved because of it. Be blessed.

Q: What is the difference between walking in the "spirit" and not the "flesh"(old sinful nature)?

A: The difference between walking in the Spirit and not walking in the flesh is deciding on whether or not you are going to live a life of trust and dependence on the Holy Spirit or trust your ability to live a life of repentance and obedience. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Gal 5:16)." What is living by the Spirit? The Bible says in Titus 2:11-12 that it is the "grace of God" that "teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." Notice it didn't say "the law of god" teaches us. When you are trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide you He will not lead you to sin, gratifying the desires of the flesh, because you will be serving others in love. Therefore, you will not be sinning against them. You will learn to engage the world and others with the love you have received from God. The Apostle Paul showed us what it is like to live a life trusting in our own ability to be repentant and obedient. "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do (Rom 7:15)." No matter how hard we try, no matter how much we love God, we can not live the Christian life in our own flesh.

How many times do we hear pastors say that if you love God you'll stop sinning? Or, if you love God, you will do what it is right and avoid what is wrong? Then they will search the scriptures to find things in order for you to do in order to be pleasing to God. What you will soon realize is that you cannot be pleasing to God by your best efforts to try and be more like Him. Satan deceived Adam and Eve with the same message. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5)." That is the same message many Christians are told and repeat on a daily basis. We need to be like Jesus, become better Christians or we have to stop sinning. All these things are our attempts to be like God through the knowledge of good and evil. Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mat 5:48)." He didn't say this to be encouraging. He said it to bury us so that we would realize we cannot be like God no matter how hard we try or no matter how much we say we love Him. "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:6)." Our faith in the knowledge of how much God loved us in Christ causes us to rest from our self-righteous acts of trying to find ways to be like God. In turn, we are able to allow Him to serve others in love through us with the love we have received from Him. That is how we walk by the Spirit and not the flesh. Be blessed.

Q: What is a Christian's "purpose"?..And does it ever "Change"?

A: "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:2)." Like Paul, my purpose as a Christian is to know Christ. God designed each and every one of us to have the need for unconditional love, total acceptance, meaning and purpose to life. He designed us in such a way that only He could meet those needs in Him. As a wise man once said, "God in the man is indispensable to the life of the man." In other words, God indwelling us is the only way in which man can properly function. The mystery that God revealed to us "is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col 1:27)." The whole meaning of salvation, the entire purpose of the resurrection we just celebrated, is for God to once again be our very life the way He originally intended. Christians are often searching for purpose in life in order to fulfill those deep needs in their heart. It often times can lead them to sin because they end up looking for fulfillment in everything, but their God.

God gave us something so much more than what the world can offer through material and physical possessions. He gave us Himself! And in Him, we have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Ptr 1:3) and every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3). He did this so we would not seek from the world that which can only be received in Him. Thereby, freeing us from the bondage of sin and fleshly lusts in order to allow Him to serve the world in love through us. As He does this we by default end up bearing His fruit to the world. Remember the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, are the fruit of the Spirit, not our fruit. It is produced by God for others to enjoy. As we serve others in love, with the love God has given to us, His Light in us draws others to Him through us like a moth to a flame. God's will is that He is "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Ptr 3:9)." Our purpose is to allow Him to do that through us by resting in all that He has given to us. That is our purpose and it will never change. Be blessed!

Q: What is the "TRUE" meaning of "REPENTANCE"?

A: The idea of repentance can have many meanings. However, in the New Testament it is reserved for one who turns to the Lord. Therefore, true repentance is reserved for the moment of salvation. It is when an unbeliever realizes their condition of being dead in their sins and turns to Jesus Christ and His provision of spiritual life and forgiveness. True repentance is a one time act of salvation that can never be undone. That is why in the Gospel of Mark we read, ""The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news (Mk 1:15)!"" Ultimately, repentance is a change of mind towards what you believed about something. Christians often times use it in terms of how we feel about a certain sin we have been committing and that we desire to avoid. While there is nothing wrong with this we have to be careful of how we use it in our walk with the Lord. I have heard people say that repentance means "I used to commit a certain sin, but now I don't." To which I would respond, "What happens if you commit that sin again? Does it mean you never repented in the first place?"

This is a dangerous line to walk simply because it usually stems from the idea that the Christian life is to be one of completely eliminating sin from our lives. This is dedicating oneself to a life that they can never live. The only result of this lifestyle is feeling totally miserable, unloved and separated from your God. This is because you will discover that the more sin you rid yourself of the more sin reveals itself to you. The Bible says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law (1 Cor 15;56)." What this means is that the more we try and find ways to do what is good and avoid what is evil the more we become mastered by sin. The Christian life is not about living a life of repentance and obedience to rules, laws and doctrines designed to modify our behavior or our desire to prove to God how much we love Him. The Christian life is a life of trust and dependence on the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide you from within as you serve others in love. And when the Holy Spirit is guiding you He is not going to lead you to sin. You will never stop sinning, but remember, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12)." Be blessed.

Confidence to Approach God's Throne

Q: How does God forgive if a person falls when he is saved or sins again when he is saved?

A: Thank you for your question. The issue of forgiveness may be the most important subject to understand in order to move forward in your relationship with God. The entire world has been forgiven of all of its sins since Jesus Christ died on the cross nearly two thousand years ago. 2 Corinthians 5:19 says "that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." Therefore, whether a person "falls" or "sins again" after they have been saved, God is not counting their sins against them. If God still counted our sins against us, what would we have to do in order to be forgiven? The Bible states that "the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)" and that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22)." There is no man or woman alive today that has a life to give that would satisfy God as payment for their sins. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was once, for all and for eternity. That is why Hebrews 10:17-18 tells us "Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary." There is no more forgiveness to get from God because Jesus has already dealt with the sin issue.

When the Bible talks about a person who falls, it is not so much that they have committed a sin, but that they have started living a life of works rather than resting in the grace of God. Galatians 5:4 says, "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." If you fall from grace you have to fall to something. And in this case it is the works of the law that a person falls to. A person who has fallen from grace is still forgiven of their sins and is still saved. However, they have been deceived into believing they must live a life of obedience and repentance to law rather than resting and trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ on their behalf. Christians do not live a life in response to laws designed to modify our behavior. A Christian lives a life of dependence on the indwelling Holy Spirit who leads us from within. Our obedience is our response to the love we are receiving from God that results in our bearing the fruit of the Spirit. That is why Titus 2:11-12 says, "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." It is God's grace that guides us not God's law.

Due to the fact that most Christians do not understand that the sin issue is over between man and God, a whole host of "sacrificial" systems have arisen in order to deal with our sins. Some of the most popular are continually asking God to forgive us, confession booths, altar calls and repeating the "Lord's Prayer." None of these are required by God, nor do they meet His requirement of shed blood to receive forgiveness of sins. If the sin issue was still separating man from God then verses like Hebrews 9:28 would have no place in the New Testament. "Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Jesus is not coming back again to die on the cross because His death on the cross was sufficient enough to take away sins. When He returns it is to gather the believers not to die again. He is not dying again for our sins because He "is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 2:2)." With the forgiveness issue settled, we must deal with the real issue between man and God. The death of Jesus Christ does not save anybody. The problem between man and God is that man is born into this world spiritually dead to God in sin.

While the death of Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation, it alone is not salvation. Simply put, salvation is the restoration of the life of God, made available as a free gift, to all who receive Jesus Christ by faith. Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10)." The gift of God is His life restored to man as it was originally intended back in the Garden of Eden. God breathed His life into Adam when he was created (Genesis 2:17). God told Adam that if he ate of the forbidden fruit he would die (Genesis 2:17). Adam disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6). Thus, God removed His life from Adam leaving him spiritually dead. All mankind is therefore born in the image of Adam (Genesis 5:3); spiritually dead to God in sin. Therefore, before God could restore His life to mankind, He had to deal with the sin issue that caused spiritual death. That is why the death of God, in Christ, was necessary to take away the sins of the world. Now, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that life can be restored to man. And because of the death of Jesus Christ, there is now no sin to cause God to remove His life again. Therefore, the life we have is an eternal life. Therefore, when a Christian "falls" or "sins again" we can rest in the fact that our sin is already forgiven. Thus, we can "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16)." May God continue to reveal to you the blessings you have already received through faith in Christ Jesus. Grace and Peace.

Moral of the Story

There is no doubt that as a Christian grows in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ we should begin to sin less and see changes in our life and behavior that fall more in line with an acceptable moral standard. However, the one thing we must avoid in all of this is comparing ourselves to other Christians and unbelievers.

"Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you." 2 Corinthians 10: 11-13

I happened to read where another Christian was concerned with the apparent behavior, or lack of moral standards, her Christian friends were displaying. Apparently, she believed that her unbelieving friends, not only were aware of this apparent "non-Christian" behavior, but they seemed to behave in accordance with a more acceptable form of morality in her eyes. As she put it:

"We should surround ourselves with people that are healthy for us obviously, in our friendships, and also associate with people of faith and worship regularly....but what is our perspective when you begin to see a pattern....a pattern in which the people you know, backpack with etc...have a higher moral code and sense of integrity than some of the Christians you know? This should not be. It is an embarrassment to the Body of Christ. Our unsaved friends are quite aware of the gaps also. Jesus said You will know them by their fruit."

I have often wondered aloud how exactly should a Christian act? Now, it has been my experience that asking this question has been met with responses that Christians shouldn't sin or that by simply asking the question I was somehow condoning sinful behavior. Of course, I don't condone sinning nor am I promoting it, but I do recognize the reality of it. And, furthermore, no matter how hard a person tries not to, they are going to sin. But, if you are going to have a "moral code" to live by, you must decide what that moral code is. Hence, I have included below my response to this lady's concern with the morality of her Christian friends.

"Perhaps the key to your dilemma is found in your acknowledgement that you "will know them by their fruit." The fruit we bear is not the byproduct of our efforts, but rather we bear the fruit of the Spirit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is... (Galatians 5:22a)"

This may come as a shock, but Christians don't live by determining what is right and what is wrong and trying to live accordingly. To me, that is what is meant by a moral code. How much good are you doing and how much bad are you avoiding? When you think about it aren't we guilty of making the same mistake Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden when the Serpent tricked Eve into eating the forbideen fruit?

"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4-5

We are trying to be like God by attempting to live by a "moral code." We may not say it in those particular terms, but it is the same nonetheless. We have all heard people say they are trying to be more "Christlike." Well, Jesus is God, right? And in order to live this way we have to determine what qualifies as good and evil. And what is that? It is life under the Law. The Law was not designed to make us righteous, holy or blameless. But, rather it's purpose was to show us our sinfulness so we would turn to Christ by faith. In turn, a Christian lives a life of faith in the indwelling Holy Spriit who guides a believer from within.

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us... (Titus 2: 11-12a)"

A Christian lives a life of responding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we are doing that, the Holy Spirit is not going to lead us into a life of sin. And that is the goal of the Christian life; learning to trust the Holy Spirit in our lives. And when we are trusting in, and relying on, Him, He will produce the fruit that we bear for God.

"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22b)."

We cannot muster up these attributes in and of ourselves. In fact, the fruits of the Spirit are reminders of just how it is that God deals with us. We, in turn, are able to share what we have received from God with the people we meet each day. When we bear these fruits to the world, those we encounter will be effected by it to the point that it may lead someone to Christ. Remember, for example, we can't express patience or kindness to someone unless they are being impatient and unkind towards us.

"...to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...(Titus 2:12b)"

And when we are bearing these fruits, it is not out of obedience to laws or moral codes, but in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit. God already had a moral code in place for us to live by. It was the Law. The Law was God's contribution to man's best efforts to be like Him. And, as we read throughout the Old Testament, we see story after story of mankinds failure to live up to it. Perhaps your backpacking friends appear to have a "higher moral code and sense of integrity" simply because they have a set of laws they have agreed to try and live by that appear more acceptable, and doable, than the ones your Christian friends have adopted. Both are mistaken."

The bottom line in all of this is that Christians seem to believe that because we have faith in Christ we always act perfect. That is an unrealistic expectation that I believe leads to a person throwing up their hands in disgust at the perceived non-Christian behavior of their Christian friends. As difficult as it may seem to admit, you don't have to be a Christian to lead, what many would consider, a moral life. There are more than enough religions and personal codes of conduct available to modify ones behavior. However, the difference between a Christian and a non-believer is not their behavior, but how God sees the one as compared to the other. God is judging people on a basis of a new life in Christ not on the basis of sin and death. When we stand before Him the only thing He will ask is "are you dead or are you alive?" Of course, He will already know the answer. "Have you accepted my Son as the only provision available to you to enter My Kingdom?"

"And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10: 10-14

There is no moral code available that will perfect us. But, in Christ, we are already perfect in the site of God. As we learn to trust Him each day with our lives, that perfection will shine through us to the world. And it isn't so much that we don't sin, always make the right choices, say the right things and always have clean thoughts. What happens is that when we interact with others, on a personal level, they begin to see the fruit of the Spirit we bear for God being shared with them. We freely give to others that which we have freely received from God. When we compare ourselves to others only one of two things results. We are either better than the other person which pride. Or we are worse than the other person which is self-condemnation. Both of them have their origins in the devil. What we need is a proper self-image rooted in the truths of our identity in Christ. The more we understand how God sees us and who we are in Him the less we will try and live our lives by standards we cannot uphold.

My Answer is ... August 16, 2009

Q: "Drop" the boxing gloves and quit fighting "Yourself" with "your" words. Today lets say, "I DROP UM"!!!!!!!!!

A: My prayer is that we not use this as an exercise in positive thinking, but an opportunity for understanding how God sees us because of our faith in Christ. It is the focus on ourselves which is what leads to us putting on the "boxing gloves" and fighting ourselves with our "words." If we want to drop anything, let us drop living our lives in an effort to receive from God that which we already have inherited through faith in Christ. Drop asking God to forgive you. You are forgiven (Eph 1:7). Drop seeking to be blessed. You are blessed (Eph 1:3). Drop living in fear. You are loved (1 Jn 3:1). Drop trying to be more Christlike. You are complete in Him (Col 2:9-10). Drop condemning yourself. You are holy and blameless (Col. 1:22). Drop worrying about tomorrow. You have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Ptr 1:3). Drop living under the law. You have been freed from the law (Rom 7:4). Drop fighting ourselves because Christ fought for us and won. In Him, we can become who we are.

Q: How do you know you are walking in "faith"?

A: Faith is our response to the truth God has revealed to us. Hebrews 4:10 says, "for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." Christians should live in accordance with what they have received from God, not that which they hope to obtain from Him. God has "blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3)" and "given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Ptr 1:3)." He did this so we would rest from trying to obtain or maintain our right standing before Him by what we are doing. Hebrews 4:11 says we are "following their (Jews) example of disobedience" by not resting. If you are living your life hoping to get more blessings from God or that He will be more pleased with you by what you are doing, you are not living by faith. You are living by works and being disobedient. "The righteous will live by faith (Rom 1:17)." We live by faith in what Jesus has done for us and wants to do through us.

Q: The bible says death and life is in the power of the tongue..Why is it so important to watch what you "say"about yourself?

A: Our words are a reflection of what we believe in our hearts. For example, how many Christians say that you can be "out of fellowship" with God, "lose your salvation" or something similar based on your actions? This comes from what they believe in their heart. The Bible says "For as he thinks within himself, so he is (Prv 23:7)." And we know that "the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man (Mat 15:18)." We don't speak things into reality by what we say. Rather what we say comes from our heart and is a reflection of our reality. Words don't have power. We give words power by the meaning we attribute to them. Christians must look at themselves from God's perspective to get a proper understanding of their identity. From God's viewpoint "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 6:11)." If you think on these things then what you say about yourself will line up with what God says about you.

Q: How do you know when God is "speaking" to you?

A: Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son." Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27)." And we know that "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children (Romans 8:16)." We are the sheep Jesus spoke of who hear His voice. We hear His voice because we have the Holy Spirit of God, the very life of God, indwelling us. It is the Spirit of God that leads us and guides us from within. It teaches us "to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...(Titus 2:12)." We know God is speaking to us because His Spirit is leading us from sin, to a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ and by revealing things to us we never would have come up with on our own.

Q: If we are created in Gods own "image" why does the world see "US"?

A: Adam was created in God's image (Gen 1:27), spiritually alive with the life of God breathed into Him. But mankind is born in Adam, "in his own likeness, in his own image (Gen 5:3), spiritually dead to God in sin. This is the "bad news" of the Gospel, that we are separated from God when we come into the world. The Good News of the Gospel is that God, in Christ, forgave the sin that caused His life to leave Adam, through the Cross. Now God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, can offer His life as a free gift to all who receive Him by faith. And that life is an eternal life because there is no sin that can cause it to leave because of the eternal consequences of the Cross. "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24)." Man looks on the outside. They will only see us, the temple of God. But, as we allow the love of God to shine through us "all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (Jn 13:35)."

A Godless Template, Part 2

Q: Thanks for the reply on my several mixed up question... I After reading the reply i can see and understand most, but what naggs me is the lack of conciquences for the sin in our life , If we continue on in sin. I understand the price was paid in full, but am I not expected to change and turn from sin ? I see so many so called Christian people whom have very sinful lifestyles and thet use "being saved" as an excuse and that God does not expect them to be perfect, he knows we are sinners and he is going to save us anyway.... That greatly troubles me. 2ndly, where do I find that accecpting Jesus as my personnal saviour is my way to salvation? I am not just some cantankerous pentecostal trying to stir you up... I am trying to understand what I call "easy believeism" that every body I meet is "saved" and have this attitude that God know we are bad and expects it. So just be good in church on Sundays and live like hell the rest of the week. That attitude of many southerners is what is causing me to look deeper for a "real" walk with GOD and not just patty cake him like most today are doing. Thanks and God bless... 

A: You are welcome for the reply. When reading your follow up I am drawn to you admitting that you "understand most" of what I wrote. Personally, I have to say I find it difficult to believe you understood much of what was written. I say that because you seemingly gloss over it in order to launch into your comments about sin not having consequences and "easy believism," not to mention your own judgmental attitude towards others. The first thing that has to be addressed in all that you say is have you come to faith in Jesus Christ? This has to be asked because of your question about where to "find that accepting Jesus as my personal savior is my way to salvation?" This is not a question a Christian would ask. If you're not even born again of the Spirit of God, you will never find the answers or believe in the answers you do find. If you are saved, how is it you do not know the basic and popular passages about Jesus being the Savior of the world and the only way to the Father in Heaven? 

There are numerous passages about Jesus as the Savior. Jesus Christ said He was the only way to the Father (John 14:6). The Gospel of Luke records the Birth of Jesus as that of the Savior (Luke 2:11). The Apostle Paul said Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Jesus said He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Eternal life is in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). Paul and Silas told the jailer that faith in Jesus was necessary to be saved (Acts 16:31). Paul talks of Jesus as God's promised Savior (Acts 13:23). Paul encourages Titus by refering to Jesus as Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13). Peter teaches us to grow in the knowledge of Jesus as Savior (2 Peter 3:18). An angel of the Lord told Joseph that Jesus will save His people (Matthew 1:21). Peter refers to Jesus as Lord and Savior (2 Peter 2:20). Peter and other apostles refer to Jesus as Prince and Savior (Acts 5:31). Peter announces that salvation is found in no one else other than Jesus (Acts 4:12). Paul refers to Jesus as the Savior (Ephesians 5:23; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 1:1,10). Paul writes that Jesus the Savior has appeared (2 Timothy 1:10). Paul proclaims Jesus as the Savior of all men (1 Timothy 4:10). Many Samaritans believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world (John 4:42). John testifies that Jesus is the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14). These are just a few of the passages testifying to Jesus as being the way of salvation.

Assuming you have settled the issue of salvation, you can now get the answers to your other questions. There are consequence to sinful acts. There are earthly consequences to our sins as is displayed on a daily basis. The spiritual consequences of sin have already been addressed in my previous answer. The penalty for sin is death. But, thankfully, God is not counting the sins of men against them because of the death of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans 4:8). Now, while some may take this truth as a license to sin or act in a way you are calling "easy believism," it doesn't take away from what is the truth. Sin is wrong and will never be acceptable. However, just knowing that sin is wrong rarely stops people from engaging in it. The question to ask of yourself and of those whose actions are troubling to you is "Why do they engage in the sinful acts they perform?" I would venture to say that they engage in sin for two reasons. First, they want to sin. They make a conscious effort to engage in the sin.

Secondly, and more importantly, they are sinning in order to meet the deepest desires of their hearts for unconditional love and total acceptance. God gave all of us these desires, but He did so because He is the only one capable of fulfilling those needs. When a Christian is not experiencing these needs being met in their relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, they are forced to try and get the needs met from the world through some form of sin. Unfortunately, you and those other Christians are the victims of poor teaching and evangelism. The normal message from the pulpit these days is clean up your flesh, stop sinning, in order to be pleasing to God. In order to try and accomplish this impossible task, a person has to subject themselves to some form of religious law. That can be the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament or, most likely, some denominational doctrines, tenants, rules or sacraments that are derived from the Bible in some way. All that ends up happening is that a person comes to a point where they believe God is disgusted with them. This happens because they realize they will never live in such a way that will be pleasing to God. Until they reach that point a person is doomed to a life focused on their behavior and the behavior of others. It is a miserable cycle that only gets worse. Some people keep redoubling their efforts endlessly, while others simply give up and abandon the faith altogether. As is the case when a person is under the law, it is of no use to you unless you can compare yourself to others. 

That is what I see coming from you. The law makes you sin conscious; focused on your sin and the sins of others. Eventually, you become that finger pointing and cantankerous person that is disgusted by the inability of yourself and others to "behave." If you want that "real walk with God," it all starts with you knowing what is the Gospel and then responding to the truth of it by faith. Being a Pentacostal only means something to other Pentacostals. There are no Pentacostals, Baptists, Catholics, Protestants, Presbyterians, Methodists and so on in Heaven. Those are manmade divisions which have come from a misunderstanding of the Gospel and then separating ourselves by those differences. There are only children of God in Heaven who have been born again of the spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is true that God knows we sin and doesn't expect us to be perfect. But, it is also true that God sees believers as perfect already because of our faith in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:14). The Christian life is not about going to church and then either living like hell the rest of the week or trying to live like Heaven either. It is neither one of those things. The Christian life is learning to trust in and depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you from within. This only happens as a person responds to the love God. When a person sees themselves as God sees them, they will begin to trust Him more and the byproduct will be a diminishing of the sin in their lives. They will never stop sinning, but their focus will be on the Lord and off of themselves. When you realize that the moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior you were accepted by God (Romans 15:7), totally forgiven of every sin you have committed and ever will commit (Hebrews 9:12), made alive to God (1 Corinthians 15:22), made holy and blameless in His sight (Colossians 1:22), unconditionally loved (Romans 8:38-39) and eternally secure (1 John 5:13) you won't be looking to sin to give to you that which it cannot provide.

Knowing who you are in Christ will change how you see the world and others. You will begin to engage the world with what you have to offer it; the love of God. Then you will be able to love others as Christ loved the Church (Ephesians 5:25). Therefore, when you see others trapped in sinful lifestyles you can go to them and restore them back to a knowledge of who they are in Christ (Galatians 6:1) instead of looking at them with disdain for their actions. You won't be experiencing a life of going to church and then trying to live in the world the rest of the week, but rather your life will be one of taking the church (you) to the world all week long. Just remember, it all starts with knowing the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the rest will begin to fall into place. Thank you for the dialogue and my apologies if I came across abrasive. I only did so to make my point and to get your attention. Grace and Peace to you in the name of my God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

My Answer is ... February 6, 2010

Q: JESUS I WANT TO SAY “WITHOUT YOU” MY LIFE WOULD BE A DISASTER..SO I WANT TO STOP AND “THANK” YOU FOR SAVING MY LIFE…

A: Like many of us, I thought I would find meaning and purpose to life in my friends, my family, a successful business, a relationship and even through belonging to a church. I figured that through cultivating these areas of my life I would satisfy the deepest desires of my heart. Ultimately, I discovered that nothing could be further from the truth. All I accomplished was deeper exploration into the never ending depths of sin. Drunkenness, fornication, worldly gain, meaningless religious traditions and constantly trying to please others to earn their acceptance led me to the end of myself. As I exclaimed in frustration one day, "God, if this is getting to know you, I will never know you." We often hear people encourage us to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, to get back on that horse and when you're at the end of your rope to tie a knot and hang on. All of them paint a picture that getting through this life and fulfilling our needs is tied to us trying our best and rededicating ourselves endlessly to whatever we feel we need to do to make it through.

But, what I found was that when you get to the end of your rope, let go! It is the only way you will ever fall into the loving Hands of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus, when He walked this earth repeatedly tried to bury those who He spoke to under the law so that they would come to the end of themselves. He wanted them to realize that no matter how hard we try we will never satisfy the needs of our heart in this world. His goal was to get us to ask, "Who then can be saved (Mt 19:25)?" When I responded to the Lord knocking at the door of my heart my entire life changed. I was no longer running blindly into the world trying to get from it what it couldn't provide. I was set free to receive from God all He had created for me to have in Him. Now, instead of running with the world, I am running against the world trying to get them to turn from their ways and come to faith and rest in the only provision God has provided, Jesus Christ. I would not be where I am today, speaking this to you all, WITHOUT YOU JESUS! Thank you!

Q: What is the difference between walking in the "spirit" and the "flesh(old-sinful nature)"?

A: The Bible says, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Gal 5:16)." And that "if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law (Gal 5:18)." What is living by the Spirit? "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age..(Titus 2:11-12)." The Spirit guides us away from gratifying the sinful nature by leading us back into the truth of who we are in Christ as a result of His love for us. When we are serving others in love, with the love God has given to us, we will not be sinning against them. That is why it says there is no law. Because when there is law there must rewards for obedience and penalties for disobedience. Many Christians like to say we must be "obedient to His Word." This is the beginning of falling from grace (Gal 5:4) because we then must define what we must be obedient to. Therefore, we insert all sorts of man made or biblical rules and laws to observe. This leads to a reliance on ourselves and not the Holy Spirit.

We are told to be "filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18)." This means to be controlled by Spirit. And when we are controlled by the Spirit we aren't going to be fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Jesus didn't come to show us how to live a life of obedience only to give us grace when we fall short of doing so. We are told to enter the Sabbath rest (Heb 4:9), a daily rest from our self-righteous works which are actually acts of disobedience (Heb 4:11). Christians must be aware of the fact that we are free and that everything is permissible. Yes, everything, including sin. But, we are told "do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Gal 5:13)." And that while everything is permissible "not everything is beneficial" and "to not be mastered by anything (1 Cor 6:12)." We must realize that "everything that does not come from faith is sin (Rom 14:23)." If you're trying to live an "obedient" life, even if it is religious in nature, you are sinning. Sinning is not just sins of the flesh, it is also an attitude of pride that believes you can be obedient to all God commands (even with Jesus' help). The righteous live by faith (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11). When we are living by faith we will not be gratifying our sinful nature. Trust the Spirit to live the life only He can live through you. Amen!

Q: The bible says, my food is to do the "will" of the Father...How do you know you are walking in Gods "will"?

A: You know you are walking in God's will when you realize that the deepest desires of your heart for unconditional love, total acceptance, meaning and purpose to life are met in Him. What is a will? It is the "promised eternal inheritance" we have "now that he (Christ) has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant (Heb 9:15)." When does a will go into effect? "In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living (Heb 9:16-17)." What is the inheritance we have received as a result of the death of Jesus Christ? "His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence (2 Ptr 1:3)" and He "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3)."

It is the knowledge that God has met the desires of our heart that manifests itself in our resting from trying to fulfill these desires outside our faith in Christ. That leads us to becoming "living sacrifices" and to "not conform any longer to the pattern of this world (Rom 12:1-2)." We are able to "give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:18)" because we are resting in His sufficient grace. Therefore, instead of trying to get from the world those things only God can supply we are able to be available to Him to fulfill His ultimate will. And that is that He is "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Ptr 3:9)." God's will is not so much about where you live, who you marry, what job you take or what you do minute by minute. His will is for you to "make every effort to rest (Heb 4:11)" in what you have been given through faith in Christ so He can live His life through you. In that way we can say, "For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved (1 Cor 10:33)." Amen!

Q: The bible says don't be "lukewarm"....What does that mean?

A: A "lukewarm" Christian, according to John in Revelation 3, is the Christian focused on wealth and material gain. In other words, it is the individual who is trying to obtain the blessings of God through a lifestyle of obedience and repentance. They may become "rich" in the flesh, but are not "rich" in the Spirit. The Church in Laodicea was this kind of Church. Paul expanded on the church in Laodicea in Colossians. He said the church was characterized by being deceived by "fine sounding arguments (Col 2:4)" and taken "captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Col 2:8)." How many Christians believe and teach we must obey the Ten Commandments (Mosaic Law), that the Sermon on the Mount was Jesus giving us instruction on how to live as Christians or that long observed traditions are ordained by God? These are the philosophies that deceive and are fine sounding because they are based in scripture, but void of context and meaning.

Those who have subjected themselves to these teachings may know scripture, may have received many blessings and have the respect of all around them. However, they don't know their God. Their whole lives revolve around their own behavior and the behavior of others because they believe it to be a sign of holiness or the mark of a "good" Christian. They believe it to be about church attendance, tithing, confessing sins, church activity and getting others to duplicate their behavior. All the while their eyes are off of Jesus which is just how Satan wants it. If he can get you focused on what you, or others are doing, you aren't focused on what Jesus has done and wants to do through you. We don't live by traditions, commandments or laws designed to modify our behavior in order to maintain or obtain the blessings of God and avoid His curses. We live by faith in the indwelling life of God who has given us everything we need for life and godliness and leads us from within.The quicker we realize this truth the sooner we become "hot" and not "lukewarm." Be blessed.

Q: The bible says "pray" for our governmental authorities...So it it wrong to "criticize" our president?

A: No, it is not wrong to criticize our president. When Paul writes, in 1 Timothy 2, about praying for "kings and all those in authority" it is so "we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Tim 2:2)." The first century Christians lived in an environment hostile to them and their faith like many believers do today. Remember, it was the Jewish and Roman authorities that put Jesus to death. Many of Paul's writings were done from prison were he was put there because of his faith. He, as were many apostles and disciples, was later put to death because of His faith. Paul, even criticized the Roman authorities when he was imprisoned without a trial (Acts 16:37). Hebrews 11 reminds us of many saints who suffered terribly at the hands of the authorities because of their faith. And we need look no further than the Middle East, Africa and Asia, to name a few places, to find saints today who are suffering, at the hands of local authorities, to levels as great as any Christian has endured throughout history.

Our current President claims to be a Christian. However, he supports things like abortion, the homosexual agenda, many paths to heaven and a foreign policy that many describe as giving aid and comfort to an enemy that wants no less than our conversion to their faith or at the very least our submission to it. And he is taking our money in many instances to support these ideas. It is this type of agenda that could, and has, led to a hostile environment for Christians. We have a government "of the people, by the people and for the people." When it does not govern in the ways in which we feel are a reflection of ourselves we not only should criticize it, but it is our duty to do so. Thankfully, God is in charge of it all. But, that does not give us permission to sit on our hands while the world around us gathers against us. My prayer is that the President listens to the Holy Spirit he claims to have indwelling him because, so far, his actions are not consistent with a man who has had an encounter with the living God. Be blessed.

Everything is Permissible

Q: If Jesus has given us "grace" for every sin (past and future), is it ok to "live" any way you want to?

A: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer (Rom 6:1-2)?" There is your answer. It is not "okay" to sin or to live any way we want. However, whether okay or not, we will sin daily until the day we die regardless of how hard we try not to. Thankfully, God is not judging us for our sins anymore because of the cross (2 Cor 5:19). However, we will never understand the grace of God until we admit that we are free to sin. We are told not to use our freedom to indulge the flesh, but serve each other in love (Gal 5:13). In 1 Corinthians 6:12 we are told that "everything is permissible," but not everything is beneficial or to not allow ourselves to be mastered by anything. Until we realize this truth, we will always be a candidate to be put back under some form of law. Titus 2:11-12 says that it is the "grace of God" that "teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." We have to be careful not to fall for the lure of Satan.

How often have we been told or told others that "if" they love God they will be "obedient to His Word"? It sounds good, but that is the moment you recognize that somebody is about to get you focused on your flesh. And whether you are trying to increase the sin in your life or trying to restrain the sin in your life you are, as Romans 8:5 says, setting your "minds on the things of the flesh." We will hear people say if you love God you will go to church, tithe, forgive others, honor your parents, not gossip and so on. But, what is the penalty for not doing these things? Well, that is when people will call upon the grace of God and say that you then just confess your sins and get forgiven and try harder next time. This is living life under the law. For one thing you will never be obedient enough. Secondly, the wages of sin is death, not confession or asking forgiveness. And third, the motivation for being obedient is normally to get your flesh blessed. Your motivation for the Christian life is not get blessed by God through your attempts at being obedient and repentant to rules, precepts, doctrines, laws, etc. Your motivation for the Christian life is trusting in and depending on the Holy Spirit to guide you from within.

It is not our love for God that compels us, it is His love for us that does. "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died (2 Cor 5:14)." When we live our lives we don't say I love you God so watch my obedience. We say, "thank you, Lord, for loving me" and then allow Him to love others through us. It is not about "living any way we want to," although we are free to do so, it is about is what I am doing an act of love and consistent with who I am in Christ? A totally different mindset then most Christians have. My challenge to the saints is to answer one question. "How is it that the grace of God teaches you to say no to ungodliness?" The answer to that question will set you free from performance-based living, focused on your behavior, and allow you to rest in the sufficiency of God's grace and His life in you. Be blessed.

Keeping Yourself Pure

Q: 2 Timothy 2:20-21 talks about gold and silver pots used for `special occasions,` while wood and clay pots are for `everyday use.` Of course, I want to keep myself pure so God can use me for `special occasions,` but I also want to be used `every day.` So, here are my questions: What`s wrong with the wood and clay utensils if they`re used every day? Don`t we ALL want to be used every day by God; not ONLY on special occasions?

A: I understand, and admire, your concern for wanting to be used by God. However, the premise of your question is off base. God has made you a "new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)." And because you are a new creation you are already pure in His eyes. Jesus Christ "gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good (Titus 2:14)." When you say that you want to "keep yourself pure" so God can use you, you must then identify those things that you must do and avoid in order to meet your goal. The only way you can attempt this is to put yourself under some form of law. As a Christian you are to be led from within by the indwelling Holy Spirit not outwardly through laws designed to modify your behavior.

Instead of looking at yourself as gold, silver, wood or clay, look at yourself as what you are, a child of God. As a child of God we are to make ourselves "living sacrifices (Romans 12:1)." A sacrifice can be described as a selfless good deed for others or a short term loss in return for greater gain. Making yourself a living sacrifice to God is a way of allowing God, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, to lead you and guide you through life. In this way He is able to use you for "special occasions" and "everyday use" depending on the situation. Keep in mind that that any fruit we bear is not our own, it is the fruit of the Spirit. We bear what God produces through us. The "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)" we display for others is a direct reflection of how God has treated us in Christ. We cannot produce these fruits on our own. And that is exactly what we try and do when we attempt to make ourselves pure. The Christian life is not an exercise in behavioral modification attempting to gain through human effort that which can only be received by faith in Jesus Christ.

By attempting to make yourself pure in order to be used by God you are cursing yourself to a lifetime of bondage and frustration. You will never reach your goal. The Bible plainly tells us that "the power of sin is the law (1 Corinthians 15:56)." As you attempt to purify yourself you will only reveal your inability to do so and you will discover that the only way to try and accomplish your task is through engaging in some form of sin. The Apostle Paul said, "what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do (Romans 7:15)" Nobody would question God's use of Paul. After all, he wrote two thirds of the New Testament with the knowledge that he could not make himself pure. But, what he did discover is that God used him despite his imperfections because, in Christ, he was already pure in God's eyes. God does not need your ability He only wants your availability. Time spent focusing on purifying yourself to be used by God will only limit the opportunities God has to use to perform the tasks He created in advance for you.

If what you desire to accomplish were possible then there would not have been a need for Jesus Christ to come to this world. Keep in mind one thing when believing you have to keep yourself pure: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18)." The sins that so many people believe keep them from being used by God are no longer an issue that separates us from God. The sacrifice of Jesus took away our sins from the eyes of God for eternity. While it is a fact that we still sin we must remember being a Christian is not about learning to stop sinning, but trusting God in the midst of our sins. Normally, the desire to be "pure" is tied to our sins. We feel we need to rid ourselves of sin in order to be used by God. God knew we could not do this, therefore, He send Jesus do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Now, raised from the dead He can live the life, only He could live, in and through us now. God purified us through the sacrifice of Christ so He could use us as He sees fit. Knowing we are already pure, in Christ, God can now begin the work of conforming us to the image of who we already are as His children.

Milk and Cookies

Q: If you have gone to church for 4 1/2 years and have not grown as a christian, and are further in to sin now than before, should a person leave a church like this? They are also telling teens they are saved but there is no change in these kids. They are so mean and hate filled now.

A: Leaving a church you don't feel you are growing in is a decision that you will have to make on your own. However, your spiritual growth as a Christian is your own responsibility. The Apostle Paul, on at least two occasions, chastised believers for their immaturity and lack of spiritual growth. He addressed Christians, in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, as "infants in Christ" who "are still not ready" and "are still worldly." Our spiritual growth should not depend on what church we go to. In most cases, we only go to church once or twice a week. How would you be if you only bathed once or twice a week? If you only ate once or twice a week, how would you feel? The Holy Spirit is our Counselor who, as Jesus said, "will guide you into all truth (John 16:13)." Our growth is our own responsibility. It is not the responsibility of the leadership of a particular church we attend. We should not leave our growth in the hands of others. If we do so, we are at risk of not only staying infants in Christ, but of being "tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)."

You mentioned that you are "further into sin now than before." This is a direct reflection of your spiritual growth, or lack thereof. As you grow in Christ you will begin to understand that the Christian life is about learning to trust in, and depend on, Jesus Christ, not about trying to stop sinning. Christ will not lead you into sin, but remind you of who you are in Him. And who are you in Christ? You are holy and blameless (Colossians 1:22). You are totally forgiven (Colossians 2:13). You have been made perfect forever (Hebrews 10:14). You are totally accepted by God (Romans 15:7). You are justified by God (Romans 3:23-24). You are free from condemnation (Romans 8:1). You are a child of God (John 1:12-13). You are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)." You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). You have total access to God (Ephesians 3:12). And, amongst many other things, you are in fellowship with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). Because of your faith in Christ, your sins no longer separate you from God. This doesn't mean you will stop sinning, but as you begin to understand your identity in Christ, and all that you have been given, you will see a diminishing of the sin in your life. After all, it is the grace of God, the Holy Spirit reminding us of who we are in Christ and God's love for us, that "teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12)."

When we do not know our identity in Christ we end up having a misconception about God. Often times, within the confines of a church setting, we can treat others the way in which we believe God is treating us. If a person is not being led by the Holy Spirit, there only alternative is to be led by the law (religious doctrine). Too often Christians can be some of the meanest people you'd ever want to be around. And this is the byproduct of the legalism they have subjected themselves too. If you feel God is demanding perfect behavior and constant obedience to never-ending and increasingly more difficult rules, your frustration will show through. You will have no choice, but to subject others to the same laws you are under. Misery loves company. And the reason we may see others trapped in sin is because "the power of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56)." The purpose of the law was to "lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:24)." Therefore, if you are already in Christ, you are not under the law, but under grace. A Christian is not lead by outward laws designed to modify their behavior. A Christian is led from within through faith in the Holy Spirit to live out the Christian life, only He can live, in and through us.

You will never experience the love of God and a relationship with Him apart from the forgiveness of sins. Falling further into our own sins, not seeing the lives of younger believers changed and experiencing "mean and hate filled" Christians is a sign of not having a true relationship with God. I don't believe you are alone in your struggle. You may even be wondering if you have the wrong God. How could a God of love, grace and peace make me feel so terrible and only have a negative effect on those around me? It is because you, and they, probably don't realize how much God loves you and all He has given you through your faith in Christ. You can't teach others about the love of God if you are not experiencing it yourself. The author of Hebrews, like Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, talked about how a lack of maturity prevents you from teaching others about God. Instead of being teachers, "you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food (Hebrews 5:12)!" These elementary truths center around understanding, and believing in, your identity in Christ. As a believer, you are the Church, a member of the Body of Christ. You are to bring the message of salvation in Jesus Christ to the world. You can't do that if you don't know who you are in Christ. And you can't know who you are in Christ if you believe your sins prevent you from approaching God. And you can't approach God until you recognize you have forgiveness of sins. And when you realize you have forgiveness of sins you can begin to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

My Answer is ... December 3, 2009

Q: What can Christians do to keep from sinning?

A: Trusting in and depending on God will keep you from sinning. The Bible says it is the grace of God that teaches us to say no to ungodliness (Titus 2). Our focus should not be on trying to keep from sinning. If we focus on keeping from sinning we have to live in accordance what is good and not in accordance to what is evil. That is the same lie of the devil that deceived Adam and Eve (Gen 3). Living that way means we have to put ourselves under law because we will have to define what is good and evil. And scripture is clear that the righteous live by faith (Rom 1) and that the power of sin is in the law (1 Cor 15). When we focus on sin we will keep sinning. Ultimately, we will be alienated from God in our minds because we will feel that our sins keep us separated from God. That, in turn, leads us into more sin because we will feel we have to perform a sacrifice, i.e. asking forgiveness, which God no longer requires or accepts (Heb 10). As long as we are in these fallen bodies sin will always be a struggle. But, the only way to avoid sin is to realize that God is not counting them against us (2 Cor 5) and that we have been reconciled to Him (2 Cor 5). Therefore, we can approach Him to see why we weren't trusting Him when we did sin (Heb 4). After all, anything that is not of faith is sin. And if you believe you have to live a life of avoiding sin you are not exercising faith in Christ that He has taken those sins away and wants to lead you from within.

Q: We hear rappers like lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Jay-Z say “I LIKE TO THANK JESUS CHRIST FOR HELPING ME WRITE MY MUSIC’”. The question is, did Jesus really encourage them to write these songs?

A: These individuals are a representation of a disturbing trend within the Body of Christ. it is the belief that faith in Jesus Christ is just a means to an end. That end being worldly gain. While everybody sees the entertainers and public figures who confess thankfulness to the Lord for their success, there are countless Christians that believe in the false teaching that godliness is a means to gain. How many Christians believe that God has promised them health, wealth, restored relationships, perfect jobs, smooth living, etc., for their "obedience"? Personally, I have my doubts about whether or not the Li'l' Wayne's of the world are truly born again. At best they are so immature in their faith that it is difficult to tell. These people have "grown up in the church." They know scripture, talk the talk and may even walk the walk to many who know them, but have never placed saving faith in the Lord. But, we can be thankful that regardless of their reasons for thanking the Lord, He is glorified. "But what does it matter. The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice (Phil. 1:18)."

Q: After we give our life to Christ what then is our ultimate "purpose"?

A: We don't have a life to give to Jesus. Salvation is accepting His life, the very life of God, restored to us as a free gift. It is in that life that we find unconditional love, acceptance and meaning and purpose to life. Our ultimate purpose is to be at home with the Father in Heaven. "For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has MADE US FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor 5:4-5)." It is the knowledge that God has given us Himself, in the form of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and an eternal inheritance that relieves us from the burdens of this life. We know that this world and the bodies we live in our only temporary. Therefore, we are compelled by God's love to share what we have with the world around us. God gave us Himself and the eternal inheritance that comes with it so we would trust completely in Him so He could live the life, only He could live, in and through us. We are Christ's ambassadors. We are of this world, but instead we are representatives of Heaven here to gather souls for the Kingdom. As the Apostle Paul said we can only do this in His strength. "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, STRUGGLING WITH ALL HIS ENERGY, which so powerfully works in me (Col 1:28-29)."

Q: Why is it important to "read" and "meditate" on God's word daily?

A: The purpose of reading and meditating on God's word is to know your God and Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible is a revelation of Him and God's plan of salvation for all mankind. For those in Christ we study to discover all we have in Him as an inheritance given to us through His death, burial and resurrection. Many Christians study and meditate on the word, but have no idea what it means because they do not realize that discernment only comes through the Holy Spirit teaching us. "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14)." Through trusting in the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth everything else in our life in Christ will fall into place. We know what we have in Him. We will be able to correctly divide and discern the scriptures. This allows us to test the Spirits to know if they are from God. And through a knowledge of who we are in Christ we will learn to trust and depend on Him live a life, only He can live, in and through us. The byproduct of which is experiencing the love of God, finding meaning and purpose to our lives and the desire to share with others what you have received from God.

Addicted to Jesus

Q: How is it that people that are unsaved are able to overcome addictions (drugs, alcohol, porn, etc) and stay clean without Christ helping them? I've meet non-Christians how have overcome drugs, alcohol, and porn.

A: Thanks for your question. There is an assumption that you seem to be making that people can only overcome sinful lifestyles and stay clean if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. Any addiction one may have, whether it is drugs, alcohol, porn or something else, is a behavior. And any behavior that one engages in can be stopped. When it comes to overcoming addictions apart from Christ, the motivating factor is usually when a person believes that the perceived benefit they are getting from the behavior is less than the risk of continuing in that behavior. Drugs and alcohol often lead to severe health problems, including death. Pornography can lead to problems with things like masturbation. And all the addictions can have a devastating effect on families and careers as the addiction masters the one engaged in it. The Bible says that "people are slaves to whatever has mastered them (2 Peter 2:19)." When a person begins to realize that their addiction is costing them everything in their life, they usually seek help to overcome this addiction. That help often comes in the form of recovery groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous and various drug addiction recovery organizations.

One thing you will see in common with all these organizations is that they offer a "Twelve-Step" Program, or something similar, designed to help a person overcome their addiction. All of them are designed to change a person's behavior through strict adherence to the program. For example, one program encourages "learning to live a new life with a new code of behavior" as one of its steps to recovery from addiction. Thankfully, many people have found success in overcoming their addictions and gone on to live healthy, productive lives. I am sure those individuals you have met would attribute their success to one of these types of programs. Therefore, the answer to your question is that finding the right system, program or code to live by would be how these people are overcoming their addictions apart from Christ. They simply exchange one behavior for another. Unfortunately, many of these programs miss the real reason behind addictive behavior. That reason is that people will engage in addictive behavior, sin if you will, because they are looking to fulfill the desires of their heart through dependence on the sin that is enslaving them. While people may have found freedom from their addiction in these programs, they will always be at risk of falling into those addictions again because their spiritual needs are not being met.

The reason why these people will always struggle with falling back into their addictive behavior is because they identify themselves with their addiction. "Hi. My name is ________ and I am an alcoholic." That phrase is popular amongst people who have struggled with an addiction to alcohol. However, as long as you identify yourself with the sin you are trying to stop, you will always struggle with that sin. For example, if an alcoholic is someone who habitually drinks alcohol to the point of intoxication, why would you call yourself one if you are trying to stop? No wonder a person struggles with alcohol, or any addiction, if they continue identify themselves with the addiction they are trying to overcome. If you don't want to be addicted to alcohol, stop calling yourself an alcoholic because an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. The same goes for drug and porn addiction. However, unless you address the spiritual need of a person they will not have an alternative to fully overcoming their addictions. Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks within himself, so he is." What we are physically addicted to is usually an attempt to address the spiritual desires of our heart. And those desires can only be met through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I used to struggle with alcohol. For years, even after becoming a Christian, I could not stop drinking. Eventually, God revealed to me that who I am is not an alcoholic, but a child of God. "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12)." As a child of God, I have been given an eternal identity that will never change. Eventually, I discovered that habitually drinking alcohol was inconsistent with who I am in Christ and the habit eventually went away. It can be the same with any addictive behavior. When you change who you are, your behavior with follow. God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, meets the deepest desires of my heart through faith in Jesus Christ. He does that because He made me that way. He created mankind to be recipients of His life. "Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7)." It is God's very life, restored to us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that leads us from within.

As we allow the Lord to live His life through us we learn two things. First, we learn that these systems, programs and codes may change our behavior, but do not change our heart. "Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence (Colossians 2:23)." Secondly, while our addiction to a particular sin may stop, we discover that there are countless other sinful temptations not addressed. "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12)." It is God's grace, the indwelling Holy Spirit reminding us of His love for us, what we have and who we are in Him, that teaches us to avoid addictions. Why? We understand that what those addictions offer us cannot compare, much less replace, the love of God our hearts are receiving through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we not only overcome addictions we replace what we thought they gave us with the love of God. It is not just about overcoming addiction, but receiving the life of God, which meets the deepest desires of our heart, through faith in Jesus Christ. Be blessed.

The Battle for Grace

I have been involved in a day long discussion with an old friend I got reacquainted with on the Internet. We will call him C. I guess he is involved in ministry and posts questions on his page everyday. His question for today is below followed by my response. His response to me took place on email. Don't let anyone put you under the law! P.S. I have no idea why he calls me "Champion." Enjoy...

C: THE QUESTION IS: WHAT DOES THE "TEN COMMANDMENTS SHOW US?"

ME: The entire law, not just the 10 Commandments, show us our sinfulness so we will turn to Christ by faith. The Law is for unbelievers not for Christians. "So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law (Galatians 3:24-25)." "We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers-and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me (1 Timothy 1:9-11)." Christians are led from within by the Holy Spirit. We are not led by laws designed to modify our behavior.

C: Champion,great great word and thanks for your answer. Everything you said is correct, but what does it "show" us, and do Christians still need to obey the ten commandment. for example in the ten commandments (Old testament) is says don't commit adultery, but in the new testament it says if a man "lust" after a woman he commits adultery in his heart.

ME: Hey C, no Christians do not need to obey the 10 Commandments. Christ amplified the law in order to bury us so that we would realize that we cannot live up to God's standard of perfection. God doesn't require our best efforts, He demands perfection. A perfection we are unable to live up to. The law was God's contribution to man's best effort to be like Him. And we fail miserably. That is why Jesus did for us what we could not do; fulfill the law by walking in perfect obedience and dying in our place so that, in Him, we could approach God. The New Covenant did not start until after Jesus died, it was not in effect during His life. That is why He preached the law. He was preparing us for the cross. According to Titus, it is the grace of God that teaches us to say no to ungodliness, not the law of God. We live by faith in Christ and what He has done for us and desires to do through us. If Christians were to live by the law then there was no need for Christ to have come.

C: Champion everything you said is correct, but if we had nothing to obey, then would there be any disobedience?. The ten commands is a "mirror" of who we used to be and our need for a savior. It shows us our flaws. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, therefore any man who is in Christ Jesus he is a new creation, old things have passed away and all things our new. Let me ask you this, if we don't have to obey the ten commandment, then why is stealing wrong, [adultery] wrong, taking God's name in vain wrong, disrespecting our parents wrong. Yes we are not "under" the law but we still as christian must "obey" the Ten commandment. Champion your input is awesome. Thanks for being apart of these questions. It is to help us grow "together" as believers in Christ.

ME: Hey C, if we are under the law then we are subject to the penalties for disobeying the law, which is death in just about every situation. Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11 say that the "righteous will live by faith." We don't live by law. As I stated earlier, Titus 2:12 says it is the grace of God that "teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." Let me ask this, if we are being controlled by the Holy Spirit from within is He going to lead us into sin? Sin is still sin regardless of the Covenants, but the Christian life is not about learning to stop sinning, it is about learning to trust God in the midst of our sins. James 2:10 says that "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." If we are subject to the law we have to obey all 613 commandments not just the first 10. How are you doing in that area? Besides, am I subject to keeping the Sabbath as well? That is one of the 10. How are you doing at not coveting? That is one of the 10 as well. And if we are to keep the law, we have to institute the penalties and sacrifices required by the law when we sin. And Hebrews 10:18 says, "there is no longer any sacrifice for sin." If someone steals, commits adultery or violates the Sabbath are we to take them to the city limits and stone them to death? That is what the law requires. If you want to live under the law that is your choice. However, I don't want to fall from grace (Galatians 5:4) by trying to live under laws designed to lead me to Christ. Thanks.

C: All that is right. We are not under the law, but we still need to obey what it says. Thanks bro.

ME: Thanks for discussion, man.. Although, I have to say that if you believed all I wrote was right, you would not conclude we can obey the law. Nobody can.

C: You are right, but we still have to obey His word bro. we are "not"under the law, but we still need to obey it. Champion do study on it bro. If that was the case we could live anyway want. Champion I want you to read Mathew 5:26-30.

ME: Thanks C, I am familiar with that passage and the Sermon on the Mount. I am not new to the subject. We just disagree on what Jesus was trying to do. He was trying to bury his audience who thought they had a righteousness of their own through their obedience. Jesus was preparing them (and us) for the cross by trying to show us we could not live up to God's standards (Matthew 5:48). If Christians are under law than we have to throw away the Pauline epistles and the book of Hebrews. I put up enough scripture I believe clearly states we are not under law. We will just have to agree to disagree. In Him.

C: Bro, I am not saying we are under the "law", we are NOT UNDER THE LAW, but we still have to obey it. Plain and simple bro. Champion have a great day. Champion JOHN 14:15 says, if you LOVE [ME] YOU WILL"OBEY" ME. 1 SAMUEL 15:22, God says, He wants are "obedience" more than sacrifice.The standard we should be living by is all of His word not some of His word. Luke 6:46 says why do you call me lord lord and don't "obey". We can't obey on our own, you are right but the Holy [Spirit] empowers and convicts us to obey bro. I really appreciate the input bro.

ME: Under it and obeying it are the same thing. The Holy Spirit did not come to help us obey the law. The Holy Spirit is our life who guides us from within. As for John 14:15, you have to conclude that you don't love God because you can't obey His commands. We love because He first loved us (1 John). C, you have to obey the entire law and if you don't you are subject to the penalties for disobedience. God doesn't demand our best efforts, he demands perfection. I know you haven't obeyed the law perfectly. If law keeping was what we were to do, why did Paul consider his legalistic righteousness as loss? You have yet to address the passages from Romans and Galatians. We can go round and round on this. As I said before, if you want to try and obey the law, obey all of it, not just those things easiest to obey like not committing adultery. I refuse to allow myself to be burdened by a yoke of slavery not even the Jews could obey. I live by faith, not by law. I am righteous in God's site because of my faith in Christ, not because of my obedience to the Law. In Him

....AND THE BATTLE CONTINUES

That Gospel

"Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.  And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain." Galatians 2:1-2

When it comes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Bible makes mention of "different gospels." While trying to define what these "different gospels" are can be a difficult task, the assumption is usually made that this term is only referring to cults or false religions. The Bible talks about the gnostics in 1 John; the belief that Jesus didn't come in the flesh. Then there are the cults of today that believe error like Jesus is a god or the brother of Lucifer. However, we don't often talk about the "different gospels" within the accepted realm of Christianity. These Gospels agree with the basics of the faith, that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for the sins of all humanity and rose from the grave after three days and nights. However, they differ in how Christians are to live out their faith. While people who differ on how the Christian life is lived are still saved and have eternal life, it doesn't mean that we all agree and get along with each other. While this is unfortunate, it is nothing new for the church as a whole. The early church, as recorded in the pages of scripture, had many disagreements about the fullness of the Gospel and how we are to live out the life we have in Christ. Yet, the majority of Christians today will have you believe that the early church, in particular, the writers of the New Testament, were in complete agreement. The classic example of this is when it comes to James and Paul's writings on being saved by faith alone. James writes in his letter that, "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2:24).” In his letter to the Romans, Paul says, "A person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law (Romans 3:28)." To me, they are saying two different things. But, to others, afraid that by admitting this they are undermining the inerrancy of scripture, they will try and spin it to make it appear that James and Paul were in agreement. For example, as one author puts it, "James doesn’t deny that faith saves; he rejects the notion that a particular kind of faith saves—a faith that doesn’t produce works. In short, faith that is merely intellectual assent is not saving faith." I have no argument with saying our faith leads to works, but there are two things wrong with making this statement about what James wrote. One, defining the works that a saving faith produces is not up to me or anyone else to define. That is between the individual and the Lord. After all, the works of the Lord are those things "God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10)." Second, and most important, James did not say this. Back in James 2:14, he asks, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" To James, this is a rhetorical question. His answer would be, "No, a faith without works does not save him." Paul would disagree and he wrote as much. We have people today that fall on both sides of this debate and are still born-again Christians; saved and have eternal life. Again, this is unfortunate that they disagreed, but it doesn't diminish the Bible. It actually helps explain it.

The problem that arises when you believe that Paul and James believed the same thing is how do you explain other passages of scripture? In Galatians 2, Paul recalls a meeting he had with the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem, namely James. It often goes unnoticed or ignored, but Paul says he communicated "that Gospel" which he preached among the Gentiles. Why would he say "that Gospel" and not "the Gospel" if it was the same Gospel? Fact is, it was not the same Gospel preached by the others; specifically, those in Jerusalem. This is made clearer in Galatians 2:11 when Paul writes, "Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed ..." If there was agreement on the Gospel, why would Paul have to withstand Peter to his face? He did so because Peter "withdrew and separated himself (v12)" from the Gentiles which led to the "rest of the Jews (v13)" and Barnabas being hypocrites and doing the same. What made Peter, the rest of the Jews and Barnabas act hypocritically? It was their fear of "those who were of the circumcision (v12)." Who were those men of the circumcision? None other than men who "came from James (v12)." In modern terms, we could call the men from James legalists because they believed that the works of the law play a role in the Christian life. Paul vehemently opposed this belief and made his feelings clear even to the point where he said this of the leadership in Jerusalem; "But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me (Galatians 2:6)." Again, if there was complete agreement in the Gospel messages of Paul and James, there would be no need for Paul to oppose people to their face and say that the leaders added nothing to him or his faith. You see this type of disunity today when it comes to issues like law and grace, forgiveness, free will giving, water baptism, church attendance and many other subjects debated within the body of Christ. This lack of unity is not what God would desire from His children who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. However, I believe God does desire for us to stand for the truth of the Gospel which Paul preached and to stand against those who would teach otherwise or deny the truth they know out of fear of what others may think. To compromise what we know to be true in order to get along is akin to running our race for nothing. Let us stand firm and remember the words of Paul when he said, "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21).”

My Answer Is ... August 22, 2009

Q: Do you understand the magnitude of what Jesus did “For you”? Check out the video on my face book page and when you see it “thank” Him for what He did “For You”…

A: The dividing line of human history, from man's perspective is the birth of Christ (B.C.). However, from God's perspective the dividing line is His death on the Cross. Before Christ's death man could only atone for his sin through sacrifices and offerings. However, when Jesus died, God was propitiated, totally satisfied with His eternal sacrifice. Now, there is no sin standing between man and God. The sin issue is over! No more asking forgiveness. No more confession booths. No more altar calls to rededicate ourselves. No more repetitive prayers. As Jesus said, "It is finished (Jn 19:30)." The cross was the only time we were forgiven of all our sins. The cross was the only time we were cleansed of all our unrighteousness. "Christ died for sins ONCE FOR ALL, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Ptr 3:18)." Our choice is to accept what He did for us once and for all or continue to ask Him to do what He already did. Which is a response of faith? Thank you Jesus!

Q: "WHY ASK WHY"...If I ask God "why", does that mean I have no faith?

A: Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome (Gen 32:28)." God named the nation of Israel after their struggles with Him. You can't have struggles with someone, in this case God, unless you are asking Him "Why?" The Bible is full of man questioning God in his search to learn his place in God's world. The Old Testament full of man's failure and God's faithfulness. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Job, Samson and others all questioned God, but were commended for their faith. The disciples did the same thing with Jesus. Asking "why" leads to answers which leads to faith. And it isn't that we have a big faith, but have big God. We learn to trust in Him through asking Him questions. It is what He expects and wants so He can reveal Himself to us.

Q: What does it mean to walk in "Godliness"?

A: It means to live a life of trust and dependence on the indwelling Holy Spirit. Titus 2:11-12, says the grace of God teaches us to say ""No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.." The Holy Spirit reminds us of who we are in God's eyes and all that we have been given by Him through faith in Christ. Mankind was not designed to live in obedience to laws designed to control our flesh. We were designed to be indwelt by God and let Him lead us from within. The grace of God is the presence of His love in the midst of, and despite of, sin. It is understanding that we are already right in God's eyes not because of what we do, but because of who we are. The changed heart we have experienced will ultimately lead to a change in our behavior not vice versa. Instead of living a life of obeying good and repenting of evil, we are guided by God who teaches us to walk in love. And when we walk in love we're not going to sin.

Q: The bible says iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another..What does that mean?

A: Iron sharpening iron is a way in which to get a blade which has lost its edge sharp again. Blades, in terms of knives and swords, need to be sharp in order to cut and penetrate. Scripture says that the Word of God is "sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb 4:12)." Christians have Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, indwelling them. We are His "blade" to be used to penetrate the world with the truth of the Gospel. Christians sharpen ourselves through fellowship, study and prayer. This can be done in various ways. I do it through answering Chris' question everyday, through moderating an online fellowship, through my blogs and through weekly Bible Study with other Christians. We do it to keep ourselves from getting dull and to "prepare God's people for works of service (Eph 4:12)." And the "work of God is this: to believe in the One he has sent (Jn 6:29)."

In response to Christian "accountability groups":

We do need each other. However, my greatest period of growth occurred after I left the fellowship I attended after being saved because of the error being taught. One of the greatest mistakes made within the Body of Christ is the assumption that the church we attend, the pastor we sit under or those we fellowship with are teaching, believing and walking in, the truth. We all have the Holy Spirit indwelling us and are in fellowship with God because of His faithfulness, not ours. In order to be accountable to others we must have standards in which to be accountable to and, therefore, we risk focusing on our behavior rather than on our trust and dependence in the Lord. We can't have unity within the Body unless we have agreement. And that is where iron sharpening iron comes into play; believers decreasing and allowing themselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit and being led into all truth. Only then can we have true fellowship and grow in our relationship with each other and the Lord.

Q: What does it mean to have the "keys" to the kingdom of God?

A: Jesus referred to Himself as the "narrow door" and that "Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us (Lk 13:25).'" The 'keys' Peter was given was that the Gospel was opened to everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. The Gospel first came to the Jews, who rejected it. Now it was available to the Gentiles who "are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens (Eph 2:19)." Peter appeared to use those "keys" on the Day of Pentecost when he proclaimed "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:39)." The call of the Lord is "Come to me, ALL you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Mt 11:28)." The door to salvation has been unlocked for everyone because of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. However, that door could be locked at any moment. Remember "now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2)."