Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
There are far too many in our day and age that believe that all they have to do is simply believe, and they have heaven tapped. While it is true, that we are saved by grace through faith, and faith alone, it is also equally true, that we need to have faith in Christ and everything He came to do for us.
Did Jesus only come to die for our sins? Or did Jesus say He would free us from our sins also?
John 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
To have faith in Christ does not stop at believing He died for our sins. Having faith in Christ encompasses all that He has done for us. The Bible says that Christ makes us free from our sins. If then we are living still in our old ways, if we are still committing all the same sins we committed before met Christ, we ought to ask why are we in that same spot. It is not a lack of strength on the part of Christ. It is a lack of faith on the part of us.
Can we keep the law? If we cannot, it is only our fault. Christ said He would free us from sin, and either we believe that He can do it for us, or we do not. Either Christ has the power to make us obedient to God, to make us sons and daughters of God, or He does not.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Christ has the power to change fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, to name a few. And it is not only the outward manifestation that Christ can change, but it is the inward manifestation of the heart. The inward changes first by the power of Christ, and the outward follows.
A born again Christian is not one who lives in all his past disobedience. It is one who lives and manifests that he is an actual son of God. He has the character of his Father. He will not use the Lord's name in vain, he will not worship idols, whether stone, or idea, or object, he will not commit adultery, but he will manifest to the world that Christ has the power to change the heart, soul, and mind.
Those who have faith, without works; Behold: It is written:
1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
It profits the Christian nothing, if they share the gospel with others, if they do it without indwelling love. It profits the Christian nothing, if they feed the poor, if they die for others, yet do not have indwelling love. If the heart is not changed, if he is not freed from sins, there can be no benefit.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
There are far too many in our day and age that believe that all they have to do is simply believe, and they have heaven tapped. While it is true, that we are saved by grace through faith, and faith alone, it is also equally true, that we need to have faith in Christ and everything He came to do for us.
Did Jesus only come to die for our sins? Or did Jesus say He would free us from our sins also?
John 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
To have faith in Christ does not stop at believing He died for our sins. Having faith in Christ encompasses all that He has done for us. The Bible says that Christ makes us free from our sins. If then we are living still in our old ways, if we are still committing all the same sins we committed before met Christ, we ought to ask why are we in that same spot. It is not a lack of strength on the part of Christ. It is a lack of faith on the part of us.
Can we keep the law? If we cannot, it is only our fault. Christ said He would free us from sin, and either we believe that He can do it for us, or we do not. Either Christ has the power to make us obedient to God, to make us sons and daughters of God, or He does not.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Christ has the power to change fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, to name a few. And it is not only the outward manifestation that Christ can change, but it is the inward manifestation of the heart. The inward changes first by the power of Christ, and the outward follows.
A born again Christian is not one who lives in all his past disobedience. It is one who lives and manifests that he is an actual son of God. He has the character of his Father. He will not use the Lord's name in vain, he will not worship idols, whether stone, or idea, or object, he will not commit adultery, but he will manifest to the world that Christ has the power to change the heart, soul, and mind.
Those who have faith, without works; Behold: It is written:
1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
It profits the Christian nothing, if they share the gospel with others, if they do it without indwelling love. It profits the Christian nothing, if they feed the poor, if they die for others, yet do not have indwelling love. If the heart is not changed, if he is not freed from sins, there can be no benefit.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.