If Jesus isn't God, you have the wrong Jesus (and the wrong God)

Hello everyone,

I haven't shared anything in writing in a long time. Therefore, I thought I would share an interaction I had recently on my YouTube channel (96tolife) with a viewer who disagreed with a short video I made where I concluded that if Jesus isn't God, you have the wrong Jesus (and the wrong God). The viewer who disagreed with me replied with the following:

"If you think Jesus is God the YOU have the wrong God.

If Jesus is God then why did he say "I am going back to MY GOD and MY FATHER ? WHO is the God of Jesus, and what is his name, when you find the answer to that question then you will see the TRUTH behind WHO God is ! Jesus backed up that belief when in prayer to his heavenly father said, "This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. John 17: 3. Notice how he calls his father the ONLY TRUE GOD! The first century Christians taught the same when they preached for example 1 Cor 15: 24-28 where we see in Vs 24 that Jesus has a GOD AND FATHER and that in Vs 28 he SUBJECTS himself to his God & Father! SOME do say however, that Jesus does address God as his God and his father because he was A MAN however one of the clearest scripture which shows that Jesus is NOT God is Rev 3:12 where we see Jesus as NOT a man but back in heaven: "The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. New International Version So, please read Rev 1:1 which says: "a revelation from Jesus which GOD GAVE HIM" So WHO is the God Of Jesus, and what is his name ?"

MY RESPONSE IS BELOW

@96tolife 

 

Let's see: In Revelation 1:17-18, Jesus is speaking to John. What does He say to John? 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Jesus says, "I am the First and the Last." The first and the last is God. Jesus goes on to say, "I was dead." When did the First and the Last (God) die? On the cross. Jesus finishes by saying, "I am alive for ever and ever." How could God die and be alive forever? Because of the resurrection. In John 10:32-33, it says, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” The life of Jesus is threatened because they said that He, "a mere man, claim to be God." But Jesus never said they were wrong for their claim. If Jesus is not God, what better time was there to correct this idea that He was God than when He was being threatened with death for claiming to be God? In John 20:28-29, it reads, "28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!" 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Thomas calls Jesus God. Did Jesus correct Him and say He was not God? No, rather, He affirms Thomas' claim by saying, "Because you have seen, you have believed..." Seen what? The once dead Jesus is now alive. Believed what? That Jesus is God. Jesus goes on to say, "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Who are those who have not seen? People like me and all the Christians who came after this point in history. What do we believe? The same thing as Thomas, that Jesus is our Lord and God! In Matthew 1:22-23, he wrote, "22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)." If Jesus wasn't God, why did Matthew say Jesus would be called Immanuel, which means God with us? Nowhere do we read where this statement is refuted. In Isaiah 9:6, it says, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Who is the child that would be born? Jesus. Who is the son that would be given? Jesus. What will Jesus be called? Mighty God and Everlasting Father! Was Isaiah lying? In Hebrews 1:5, 8, it says, "For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?... But about the Son, he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom." We see clearly that God the Father is talking about His Son. What does God the Father say about Jesus in verse 8? He says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever..." God the Father calls Jesus God, whose throne will last forever. In John 2:18-22, it says, "18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken." What sign did Jesus tell the people that He would give them in verse 19? He says, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." What temple was He referring to? Verse 21 says, "But the temple he had spoken of was His body." If Jesus is not God, how could he have promised that He would raise Himself from the grave? Mere men cannot resurrect themselves. Only God can bring life to the dead! In Philippians 2:6-7, it says, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." What does verse 6 say about the nature of Jesus? It says He, "being in very nature God..." How can Jesus have the same nature as God if He is not God? And, if that isn't clear enough, the verse continues by saying that Jesus "did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage..." It says that Jesus was equal to God! Who is equal to God? It's God! There is only one God, and Jesus is equal to Him; that makes Jesus God! Then in verse 7, it says that Jesus "made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." If Jesus is just a man and not God, why does the verse say that Jesus "made Himself nothing" by "being made in human likeness"? Does a man make himself a man? Does a man need to be made in human likeness? No. That wouldn't make sense. Jesus had to be something else to make Himself human. He was God made flesh! That is why John 1:1, 14 says, "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." If in the beginning the "Word was God" and the "Word became flesh," that means God became flesh! When did God become flesh? When Jesus was born! i.e., Immanuel, which means "God with us." 2 Peter 1:1 says, "Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ ..." Peter knew Jesus personally and called Jesus "our God and Savior." Am I to say Peter was mistaken? No, I'm not. Titus 2:13 says, "Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ..." Was Paul mistaken when he said he was waiting for "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ"? You don't accidentally refer to Jesus as your God. Colossians 1:15-16 says, "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." In verse 15, Jesus is described as the "image of the invisible God." So, Jesus is the physical version of God, which means He is God. The verse says that Jesus is the "firstborn over all creation," which speaks to His preexistence and the authority He has as God. Some say this is evidence that Jesus was created. However, verse 16 says that in Christ "all things were created..." IfJesus was created, then you have to say that God the Father created Jesus through Jesus. That doesn't make any sense. Furthermore, if Jesus is just a man and not God, why would Paul say that "things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him"? Again, that doesn't make sense if Jesus is not God. Romans 9:5 says, "To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen." Who does Paul say is "God over all"? Christ. Who is Christ? Jesus! I could go on and on, but I don't believe it will make a difference. Once people make up their minds on subjects like this, only God can change it. This will be the end of this. I'm not going back and forth endlessly with these enormous posts that only end in more division. P.S. As for who the God of Jesus is, maybe this will help. Does Jesus have a God?

Is there any difference between "Hyper-Grace" and Grace

Is emphasizing grace a "new wave of teaching?"

If we can keep the commands of Jesus then why was He asked,  "Who then can be saved?"

How many of your sins were in the future when Jesus died on the cross? 

What does it mean to confess? 

If Christians are not holy and righteous in the eyes of God,  then what are we? 

Do you take sin seriously? 

Does Jude 1:4 get misquoted to use as a weapon against teachers of grace? 

Who is really teaching a license to sin? 

Who is really an antinomian? 

Resources: 

Titus 2:11-14 What does the grace of God teach us? 

https://youtu.be/kq2fQ6vwaCI

1 Timothy 1:8-11 Are you using the Law properly? 

https://youtu.be/N22VEmL6Vxc

Forgiveness

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/forgiveness.htm

Do not do according to their Takanot

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/takanot.htm

What does the grace of God teach us?

 

"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, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who 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 2:11-14

What does the grace of God bring?
Who is it brought to?
What do we learn from the law of God?

Resources:

https://96tolife.blogspot.com/search?q=Titus+2&m=1

https://bobgeorge.net/teaching/closer-look/the-reality-of-the-resurrection/

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/grace_ungodliness.htm

What do we get wrong about the early church?

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. Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 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 2:1‭-‬6

Did the early church have full maturity from the beginning?

Were they all in agreement on how to live the Christian life?

Resources:

https://96tolife.blogspot.com/search?q=Early+church+&m=1

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/acts15_confrontation_over_circumcision.mp3

Fourteen Years

"Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me." Galatians 2:1

I had the pleasant surprise of seeing an old friend at church today. Having moved out of state some time ago he had not been able to attend church for a while. While it may seem insignificant to some, he played a huge role in my Christian life. I became a born again Christian in 1996 (hence the name of my blog). I attended one church regularly for the first few years after my salvation but soon grew disenchanted with the teaching. For a short time, I bounced around from church to church until I gave up trying to find a church to join. It was during this pause that I found a radio ministry called People To People. It was a call-in counseling show based out of Texas that was hosted by pastor Bob George. Discovering his teaching was like God rewriting the Bible for me. The insights into the grace of God, forgiveness, and the new life in Christ changed me beyond measure. Unfortunately, I soon came to realize that this teaching was not held by any of the churches I had visited or knew of where I lived. Hence, I was unable to find a church home. Thankfully, through listening to the teachings of Bob George and finding like-minded believers online, I was able to continue my growth in Christ as well as satisfy my desire to be around other Christians who believed in the same things I believe the Lord was teaching me. However, I was still hoping to find a local church I could belong to. It was then that People To People came to my rescue again. Apparently, there were Christians around the country who had started small groups and churches dedicated to the study and proclamation of what came to be called the "Finality of the Cross" and the "Reality of the Resurrection."In other words, they were teaching what I was coming to accept as the true meaning of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and what role His resurrection plays in salvation and the Christian life. Therefore, I called the ministry and asked them if they had any groups meeting in my area. And, thankfully, they did. As it turned out, my friend was on the Board of Directors for People To People and they put me in contact with him. Eventually, we connected and he told me about this local group of believers. In time, I would begin to attend this church on a regular basis. This coming May I will celebrate 16 years at my church. In that span of time, I have grown immeasurably in my faith as well as my ability and desire to communicate the Gospel message to others. As a good friend told me, "Truly is amazing and encouraging to look at how you've grown in the grace of Jesus Christ." My point is that it takes time to go from new birth in Christ to the time you start to experience significant growth in your walk. For me, it was about eight years. I can only look forward to what God has in store for me moving forward.

For the Apostle Paul, he obviously didn't have the same experience as I did, but we see that it took some time for God to work on him as well. The beginning of Galatians 2 implies that it took fourteen years for God to "beat the law out of Paul," as some like to say. If you recall, Paul was a staunch enemy of the Gospel. In fact, Acts 8:3 says, "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison." Saul was Paul's name prior to his conversion to Jesus Christ. However, Paul would eventually become a staunch proponent of the Gospel. So much so that God used him to write nearly two-thirds of the New Testament. He would later write, "If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ (Philippians 3:4-7)." How did Paul go from making "havoc of the church" to saying "whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ"? It was first and foremost because of his encounter with the resurrected Christ. However, it was also due to the Lord taking time to rid Paul of all his pharisaical teachings and beliefs to the point where he could go out and be a powerful witness for Jesus Christ. How long did it take for God to do a complete 180-degree turnaround with Paul? It seems to have taken about fourteen years. While growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ is a never-ending adventure, there is a time when we should all go from a form of immaturity to maturity. I believe it took me at least eight years before I was comfortable enough just to sit inside a gathering of believers who shared the same beliefs as I did much less be as bold as Paul became in his proclamation of the message of Jesus Christ. But, I am confident of one thing. You have to know and believe that God is no longer counting your sins against you and that salvation is the restoration of the life of God through faith in Jesus Christ before you will begin to see significant growth in your spiritual maturity. Some people would seem to stay spiritual infants for most of their Christian life while others seem to grow like weeds. It all depends on what you believe about your identity in Christ. It may never happen or it may happen in an instant. For me, it took God using a phone call to a previously unknown director of a radio ministry. For Paul, who Christians were afraid of, it took a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus as he was on his way to persecute Christians. My prayer is that all mankind not only comes to faith in Jesus Christ but to also allow God the time to finish what He begins in you so that you also will come to know the fullness of the Gospel.

Carnal Christians

"But I, brothers, could not address you as a spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,  for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?" 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Have you ever heard the term "Carnal Christian?" It, basically, refers to a Christian who sins. Given the fact that everybody sins, Christian or otherwise, this doesn't seem to be that big a deal, much less needing to create an identity out of it. However, some will say that "the key thing to understand is that while a Christian can be, for a time, carnal, a true Christian will not remain carnal for a lifetime." This gives the impression that Christians can eventually reach a point of sinlessness. This is absurd, to say the least, but it misses out on something else completely. This term seems to be only directed at somebody who is indulging their flesh. As Galatians 5:19-21 puts it, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." Nobody disagrees that these are sinful and should be avoided. However, I believe a "Carnal Christian" is something totally different. There are also "Carnal Christians" who focus on their flesh by spending their entire lives trying to restrain themselves from sinning. Whether you are indulging the flesh through the commission of sin or trying to restrain the flesh through a lifestyle of obedience and repentance to laws designed to modify your behavior, you are still being carnal. The Bible tells us that, "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so (Romans 8:7)." Is your mind not "governed by the flesh" if it is focused on restraining it? Of course, it is. Now, don't get me wrong, sin is terrible and should be avoided at all costs, but focusing on ways to modify your behavior is not going to achieve that which people believe it will in the battle against sin. The Bible is clear that "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law (1 Corinthians 15:56)" and "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14)." If you are trying to restrain your flesh through living a life under the law, you are only giving into the power of sin and allowing it to be your master! That doesn't sound like something designed to give you victory over sin, but rather to guarantee defeat and giving into carnality. In fact, the Apostle Paul said, "Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died (Romans 7:9)." Whatever law, rule, tenet, sacrament, ritual, or code you subject yourself to in order to achieve victory over sin, will only lead to more sin in your life.

Therefore, with that in mind, you can get a better picture of what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 3. One of the byproducts of living a life under the law is comparison. We often treat others the way in which we believe God is treating us. Therefore, if we are under the law and believe that we must overcome sin through obedience to it, then we will lord over each other trying to keep each other "accountable" to it. What does that lead to? It leads to jealousy and strife among each other because the only thing being focused on is behavior; i.e. the flesh. That is why he referred to them as infants in Christ. After all, isn't it infants that are constantly being instructed how to behave,  being condemned for disobedience, and disciplined by the consequences of their behavior? Are not infants the ones needing to have some form of law in their life because they aren't mature enough to know right from wrong? Is it not infants who are always quarreling with each other, fighting with each other, and telling on each other in an effort to get on the good side of their parents? And, finally, isn't it infants who need milk and not solid food? Infants are the ones that need outside influence to teach them how to live. It is only when a person is mature that they are able to live in such a way that they no longer need the constant influence of laws and are able to eat solid food. This is an example of the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit in a Christian's life. When a person is living in a trusting and dependent relationship with the Holy Spirit, the outside influence of laws are no longer necessary. This is why the Bible tells us 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 (Titus 2:11)." Grace is focusing on Jesus Christ and who you are in Him, what you have received as an inheritance of your faith, and resting in His finished work as the Holy Spirit teaches you to love others with the love you have received from God. That is why the Bible also says that "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10)." Love diminishes sin in your life. Love does not cause jealousy and strife among believers. Love focuses on the Spirit of God, not on the flesh. Love leads you to behave in a spiritual way, not a human way. Love sets you free, it doesn't enslave you. Love means God is your master, not sin. Love makes you spiritual, not carnal. Love focuses on Jesus, not on your flesh. Love focuses on grace, not on the law.

Only Begotten Son

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"Jesus is not God! He is the only begotten son of God! The trinity is a man made theory and does not appear any where in the Bible!" (sic) Have you ever ran across someone who says something like this? Perhaps, this is something you would say. Regardless, the usual response from Christians to this type of comment is to dismiss it as the heresy it is. But, what always gets me when I read a comment like this is wonder why so many people think that their understanding of what they read is always the correct understanding. They see the words, "only begotten son" and automatically assume that God created Jesus. Therefore, Jesus can't be God. But, do they ever ask, "What does it mean to be the only begotten son?" How often do we hear this word used in modern conversation? If you're like me, and I bet you are, the answer is never. The Bible warns against getting involved with people like this who have an "unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions ... ( 1 Timothy 6:4)" and reminds us "not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers (2 Timothy 2:14)." Usually, the outcome of such "quarrels about words" is just endless back and forth or a mud slinging contest as those involved hurl insults at each other. Nobody wins and God is not edified. The meaning of words is important and can help us resolve a disagreement. However, the real issue is whether or not the parties involved are willing to learn the truth when it comes to disputes about the meanings of words. I am one that understands that knowing the meanings of words is helpful, but is not always necessary to solve problems like this. I don't think God requires people, especially His children, to be scholars in the Greek and Hebrew language in order to fully understand the Bible. In fact, the occupations of the 12 Apostles were things like fishermen, tax collector, tent maker, and thief, if you want to include the behavior of Judas. These men were not necessarily the scholars of their time, much less schooled in the understanding of multiple languages. This is not a put down to them or their occupations, it is just to reflect how God used common men to deliver an uncommon message. But, for those that enjoy the discovery of the meaning of words, here is a short description of what begotten means as described by one Christian website. "The phrase "only begotten" translates the Greek word monogenes ... The second definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind or class, unique in kind." This is the meaning that is implied in John 3:16 (see also John 1:14, 18; 3:18; 1 John 4:9). John was primarily concerned with demonstrating that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31), and he uses monogenes to highlight Jesus as uniquely God's Son—sharing the same divine nature as God—as opposed to believers who are God's sons and daughters by adoption (Ephesians 1:5). Jesus is God’s “one and only” Son." In short, the phrase is used to describe the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as having the same divine nature as God; Jesus is God.

It is a blessing that these explanations are available to support and defend a Christian's faith in Jesus Christ. Although for me, I gravitate towards other evidence to help me support and defend Jesus Christ as being God. If Jesus isn't God, then why didn't He correct Thomas when after the resurrection Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God (John 20:28)”? You would think Jesus' reaction would have been, "Whoa, Thomas, I am not God, just His only begotten Son!" But, He didn't. Jesus accepted Thomas' testimony as true. If Jesus isn't God, then why did He say, "I and the Father are one (John 10:30)"? You can't be one with God if you are a separate creation of God! Immediately after Jesus said this, the Jews picked up stones to stone Him. When Jesus asked them what work He had done that made them want to stone Him, they responded, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God (John 10:33).” Again, Jesus didn't say, "Hold up! Put your stones down. There is a mistake. I am not God, just his only begotten Son!" In Revelation 1, John is describing his encounter with the Lord God (v8). During this encounter, God said the following, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Revelation 1:17-18)." The question must be answered, "When did God die?" God died when Jesus Christ died on the Cross! What did the writers of the New Testament have to say about Jesus Christ being God? In Acts 20:28, while speaking to the church leaders in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul tells them "to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." Again, when did God shed blood? He did it on the Cross when Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world! In Titus 2:13, Paul speaks of our blessed hope, which is "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ ..."   Peter, at the beginning of his second letter, writes, "To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1)." In two separate places, written by to different authors, we see the same, five simple words; "God and Savior Jesus Christ." And last, but not least, is Isaiah 9:6. It reads, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." In one verse we Isaiah prophesy about a son being born who will be called Mighty God and Everlasting Father. This can only be Jesus Christ! And before I forget, it also puts to rest the whole Trinity is a "man-made theory" argument as well. In the verse, we have the (Everlasting) Father, the son and the Wonderful Counselor (Holy Spirit). There is your Trinity right there. There is also a fourth layer if you want to add in the Prince of Peace. But, I digress. Jesus is the "only begotten son" of God, but that doesn't make Him lower than God. It is just another way of saying He is equal with Him. In our finite minds, there is only so many ways God can communicate with us. Let us not deny who He is and Whom He became because we don't understand the words He uses.

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).”

Sin Déjà Vu

"The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

In a message titled, "Disobedience Déjà Vu," a pastor was speaking on Abraham's propensity to lie and say that his wife, Sarah, was really his sister and then tried relating it to our own personal struggle with sin. He said we should, "never presume on our own weaknesses." By this he was warning us against giving sins we struggle with an opportunity to master us. As examples of this he said, "If you're an alcoholic, it is not wise to rent an apartment above a bar; it's foolish. You stay away from even the smell of alcohol. You spend time with those to whom you become accountable so you can live your life free of the addiction." Secondly, he said, "If you're given to lust, you are wise if you were to block off your internet the possibility of getting into pornographic sites because you can't handle it. You'll go there. And you'll go there again." For his last example he said, "If you're obese, you are foolish to spend your meals at one buffet after another." In general, I agree with taking whatever steps you feel are necessary to avoid succumbing to temptation and falling into sin. However, what I see in these three examples is a life still being controlled by your sin; rather than indulging in it, you are just trying to avoid it at all costs. It is two sides of the same coin. If you're an alcoholic, yes, living above a bar will make it easier to give in to the temptation to drink. However, how does this make the desire to drink alcohol in excessive amounts go away? Any place alcohol is available becomes a place you may have to avoid. Not just bars, but grocery stores, sports stadiums, restaurants, etc. And don't forget to turn off your TV, close your newspaper and avoid those billboard advertisements while driving. When it comes to avoiding lust, you may as well just close your eyes altogether. Similar to the struggle with alcohol, there are few places to go to avoid the temptation to lust. Besides blocking internet sites on your computer and other electronic devices, be careful not to walk down the magazine aisle at the bookstore. And good luck avoiding attractive looking people as you go about your daily life. And as far as being obese, avoiding the buffet is one thing, but what is stopping you from just ordering massive meals at other restaurants or just overloading your basket at the grocery store? You have to eat. If you multiply these behaviors times all the sins we as human beings struggle with, you will find yourself living in isolation at best and trapped in sin your entire life at worst. I do not intend to make light of the real struggle people have with these and other sins. We all struggle with something to varying degrees. But, putting ourselves under various forms of law designed to modify our behavior is only going to increase our desire to fall into sin.

Recently, I heard the story of a married man who committed adultery. When confronted about his sin, he said that the reason he had an affair was because of the religious pressure put on him by his wife and her family. Now, this may explain his behavior, but it doesn't excuse it. Adultery is wrong and this man is fully to blame for his actions. However, the religious pressure he felt to try and live a life he could not live made him look for relief outside of his marriage. Sadly, because he was tired of trying to live a sinless life, he committed sin as a way out of that life. The Bible says that the "strength of sin is the law." Whether we are trying to avoid sins by putting ourselves under laws we believe will weaken sins pull on us or we are under the laws of a church or denomination we believe will help us live holy and righteous lives, the end result, in many cases, is falling into sin. We fall into sin because we need a rest from our repeated failures at trying to live a life we cannot live. And being accountable to people who are only encouraging you to keep trying to live that impossible life, only makes things worse. Thankfully, there is a way out that doesn't involve sinning. Jesus Christ said, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name ...(John 1:12)" As a born again Christian, you have the right to call yourself a child of God. This is your new identity. At the moment of salvation, the indwelling Holy Spirit of God begins meeting the deepest desires of your heart for unconditional love, total acceptance, meaning and purpose to life. As an inheritance of your faith, you are forgiven of all your sins, holy, righteous, blameless, justified, sanctified, freed from the law and much more. This is what allows you to rest from the disobedient works of trying to live a life you cannot under the law. While you will still sin, your focus is no longer on overcoming your sin, but on Jesus Christ who overcame sin for you. And as you grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, sins grip on you begins to diminish as a side effect of receiving the love of God you were designed by Him to receive. 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 the grace of God that teaches us to say "No" to sin, not the law of God. Grace teaches us to say "No" to sin because we are no longer looking for love, acceptance, meaning and purpose to life outside of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, as we continue to rest in the love of God, through our faith in Jesus Christ, and not rely on our ability to control our flesh, we begin to live "self-controlled, upright and godly lives." Sins like drunkenness, adultery and gluttony begin to lose their appeal because we are resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, not looking for rest from our unfinished work of trying to perfect our flesh. This is the victory we have through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Rebuilding What Has Been Torn Down

"But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!  For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.  For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God." Galatians 2:17-19

For many Christians, the goal of the Christian life is to stop sinning. I don't share this belief, but for those that do, they will say things like, "[Christians] must do our part to disconnect from this world and the sin that abounds. We learn how to live out this Christian life from the Epistles and the many examples provided in the Old Testament ... God did His part through Jesus at Calvary. We have a role, similar to removing the mildewed carpet. We have to renew our minds and submit to Holy Spirit for total spiritual growth." I have no problem with renewing my mind and submitting to the Holy Spirit for spiritual growth. However, doing these two things is not going to lead a person into searching the Epistles and Old Testament for examples on how to live the Christian life. The goal of the Christian life is not to stop sinning, but to start trusting the Lord through the indwelling Holy Spirit. If I am going to look for "examples" on how to live the Christian life it is not by trying to imitate the lives of believers whether they be found in the Epistles or the Old Testament. This will only lead me to submitting myself to some form of law, which I am no longer under. Whose "example" do I follow? Is it David who, while being considered a man after God's own heart, committed adultery and saw to it that the husband of the woman he committed adultery with was killed in battle? He is not a good example of someone who stopped sinning. Perhaps, we should look at one of the authors of a New Testament epistles for a good example. How about Peter? After all, Jesus gave Peter "the keys of the kingdom heaven." But, it was Peter who denied knowing Jesus three times even after Jesus told him he would do it. It was also Peter who was confronted by Paul for his hypocrisy when dealing with the Gentiles because he was afraid of the men from James. Once again, we see another poor example of someone who failed at his attempts to stop sinning. Who then can we take from the Bible as our example on how to live the Christian life? It has to be Jesus Christ, right? Not only did Jesus never sin, He is God. Who better to emulate in our attempts to live the Christian life, disconnect from the world and stop sinning? What did Jesus have to say about how to live? Jesus said, "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20)." And if that wasn't enough, He upped the anti by saying, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)." How are we doing with these? If we are honest we are failing miserably. Jesus made these statements to show us that the only way we could enter God's Kingdom or live as He commanded, was by the grace and mercy of God!

When somebody says we have to "do our part to disconnect from this world and the sin that abounds," it is not through trying to find biblical examples and copying them. One, they do not exist. Two, Jesus is the only one that didn't sin and He is God. We are not God. Three, the only way to try and do this is to subject ourselves to living a life under some form of law. The Bible says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law (1 Corinthians 15:56)." Subjecting ourselves to any form of law designed to modify our behavior is to guarantee we are going to increase the sin in our life, not diminish it. Scripture is clear that we are not under the law, any kind of law. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4)." "But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the law (Galatians 3:25)." It is also important to understand that our sins are no longer being held against us. This isn't to say that sin is okay, but that God is no longer counting our sins against us. 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them." God not counting our sin against is not Him giving us permission to sin, but presenting us with the only way we could have a relationship with Him. It is in this relationship that He is able to live His life in and through us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Bible 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 ... (Titus 2:11-12)" God's grace which is His complete forgiveness of our sins, His total acceptance of us, His unconditional love of us and His very life indwelling us, is what leads us to disconnect from this world and the sin that abounds. When we are receiving God's love and allowing Him to live His life, as only He can, in and through us, then we will begin to see victory over sin and a separation from this world. This is because, "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10)." When I am loving my neighbor with the love I am receiving, and have received from my God, then I won't be sinning against them. And when I do sin, I can thank God that He is not holding my sin against me and I can, therefore, "approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16)." It is when I can confidently approach God's throne that I am able to discover why I wasn't trusting Him when I sinned and He can renew my mind, instruct me and love on me so I can grow in the knowledge of Him. Instead of subjecting myself to the law and rebuilding what has been torn down, or copying the actions of flawed saints, God can live the Christian life through me as I rest from trying to live it for Him.

Inside Out

"Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men." Titus 3:1-2

How often are Christians encouraged with words like duty when it comes to living our lives? As one author puts it, regarding the above passage from Titus, "The first two duties—submission to government and obedience to all human authority ... are just one more reminder that Christians have certain requirements of attitude and conduct in relation to their secular leaders." As the author earlier puts it, "Paul simply followed the Lord's model..." Requirements of "attitude and conduct" and following the "Lord's model" are, in my opinion, not so subtle ways in which to put a Christian under some sort of law. Otherwise, why would he say, "The first two duties"? This means there are more duties to come. It may not be a law designed to earn God's blessings or to obtain a right-standing before Him, but they are still laws designed to modify our behavior in order for Christians to somehow win unbelievers and secular society to the Lord. While there is nothing wrong with good behavior, the motivation for this behavior seems to only come from obedience to laws. In other words, God has shown you how to act so you should respond accordingly regardless of whether or not you want to do it. If we are required to behave a certain way that is a law. What if I don't live up to these requirements of attitude and conduct? Is there a penalty? Furthermore, did Paul follow the "Lord's model"? Jesus is God. God's standard of "attitude and conduct," if I am to use Jesus as a "model," is perfection. After all, didn't Jesus say, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)." We can't "model" our behavior after Jesus no matter how hard we try. In fact, it was Paul who said, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do (Romans 7:15)." These aren't the words of a man who is successfully modeling his life after Jesus. Duties, requirements and modeling our thoughts and actions after a standard impossible to duplicate is trying to change our behavior from the outside in; here's a way to act now go and do likewise. That is not Christian living at all and will only end up turning the watchful eye of secular society against us as they see our hypocrisy when we cannot live up to the standards we claim we are living by.

If you look closely at the passage from Titus 3, what does it remind you of? It reminds me of the "fruit of the Spirit." "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23)." When I am receiving the love of God, He created me to receive by trusting in and relying on the indwelling Holy Spirit, I will bear the fruit that He is producing in and through me. It becomes easier to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle and show consideration for all men because the origin of my behavior is the Spirit of God loving me. The behaviors spoken of in Titus 3 are in many ways acts of love. God is the ultimate ruler and authority to be obedient to and when I am loving others the way He is loving me, then I won't have to be told how to act towards those in charge or my fellow man. My "attitude and conduct" originates from the inside out. Receiving God's love for me, through my faith in Jesus Christ, means I am at peace with Him. When I am at peace with my God then I can respond to the truth He is revealing to me and, in turn, share that with the secular world. I am subject to rulers and authorities because I am subject to the ultimate Ruler and Authority. I am obedient because I am obedient to Him. I am ready for every good deed because He has prepared the works for me to walk in. I don't malign others because He has restored Himself to me and built me up in love. I am gentle because He is gentle with me as His child. I am considerate of all men because He is attentive, thoughtful and kind towards me. That is why the scripture says there is no law which can produce these things because they come from God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, not from the flesh, through responding to the law. 

Canonization

“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours (1 Corinthians 1:2).” 

How is a person recognized as a saint in God’s eyes? Well today marks the day where two former Pope’s, Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, will be canonized. Canonization is the process the Catholic Church uses to name a saint. The Catholic Church is quick to note that Canonization does not "make" a person a saint; it recognizes what God has already done. The process the Catholic Church uses starts after the death of a Catholic whom people regard as holy. From a biblical standpoint, if you are not a saint prior to dying it is too late to be recognized as one.  This is because the Bible clearly states, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27).” When a person dies they go before the Lord to be judged, not before a panel of men to determine whether or not they are a saint who lived a holy life. In fact, it is said that a panel of theologians at the Vatican evaluates the candidate to determine whether or not an individual’s life, writings and orthodoxy were worthy of what they call veneration; respect or awe inspired by the dignity, wisdom, dedication, or talent of a person. This is interesting to me because the Bible says that our works are worthless when it comes to our right standing before God. 

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy (Titus 3:4-5).” Beatification is the next step in the process. Beatification is the recognition of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name. The Bible talks about this as well. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).” Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and men. There are no dead saints that we pray to in order to “intercede” on our behalf with God. To say that there is only diminishes the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Part of this beatification process is proof that a miracle has taken place after the candidate’s death.  This miracle had to have taken place as a result of a specific petition to the candidate. And apparently there has to have been more than one miracle to have occurred. Personally, this has to be one of the most subjective of the requirements because anybody can say they prayed to someone and received a miracle.  Quite honestly, every time a person accepts Jesus Christ as their savior a miracle occurs. There is nothing more miraculous that can happen to a person then new birth. Jesus Christ specifically said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3).” To have the Holy Spirit of God come to indwell a person, raise their spirit from the dead and make them alive to God is the most incredible miracle anybody will ever experience. And that leads to the conclusion about all of this. Every born again Christian in the world, now and throughout history, is a saint. It is not because a group of people said we lived a holy life after we died. It is not because people felt inspired by our perceived dignity, wisdom, dedication or talent. It is not because someone said they prayed to us and received a miracle. It is only because of our faith in Jesus Christ that we were set apart by God, sanctified, and called to be saints along with every other Christian who names the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. God determines who is a saint, not a religious organization. 

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.