Do you trust Jesus with all your heart? Are you determined to live in a way that pleases God? Then you will be completely forgiven, not partially forgiven.
Are you saved then?
Absolutely.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV
You are either on your way to heaven or on your way to hell.
But Jesus preached not only forgiveness, but repentance. God doesn't just want to forgive you, he wants to free you from sin.
When sinners are converted, we often see dramatic changes, but in other cases the change seems slower, but if your character does not begin to change, your faith is nothing more than religion. Religion does not save.
My father gave his life to Jesus when he was 88. He lived another 3 years after that. He was demented and helpless, but we saw a change. Before his conversion, he was desperate and hopeless.
How are you doing? ‘Still alive.’
But afterwards we saw no trace of despair.
Paul was very strict in some respects.
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor 6:9–10 NIV
But he recognised that some Christians are strong in faith and others are weak. We need to remember that it is not a sin to desire something forbidden. It is only sin if we give in to temptation.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul recognises Christians as saints, although he then writes in the letter about their sins and character flaws, which they have not yet overcome.
There are Christians who regard sex before marriage as normal, and these Christians should recognise their danger.
But there are also Christians who condemn themselves for every misstep and see themselves as hopeless failures and damned sinners.
It is for these Christians that Paul wrote the marvellous promises of God.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Rom 5:1–2 NIV
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:1 NIV
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Strong and Weak Believers
Sunday, June 20, 2021
God's Transforming Love
What did Jesus say when he began to preach?
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14–15 ESV
This is how Jesus began his ministry as a preacher. What does repentance mean? We immediately think of sin, repentance, confession, turning away from sins.
Jesus came to suffer the punishment for our sins on the cross. Jesus took our guilt on the cross. Without taking this understanding to heart, you can not be a Christian.
"Jesus died in my place." This is the confession of a true Christian.
Repentance is a translation of the Greek word METANOIA. It means, "to change your way of thinking." We need to invite God's Spirit to transform our whole way of thinking.
Be having a change of mind regarding your former life, and be putting your faith in the good news. Wuest Expanded NT
Of course, it's not just about your thoughts. God wants to transform your whole life, and we have to be willing to go along with it from the heart.
METANOIA means repentance and transformation, but we can never do it ourselves without God's power and love. We must entrust our lives to the loving care and transforming power of God.
It is not about improving yourself and living virtuously. God's loving purpose for you goes much deeper.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 NLT
Those who allow themselves to be transformed by God are transferred from the natural realm to the heavenly realm by God's Spirit. This is like a new birth.
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, Colossians 1:13 NLT
In a natural birth, the fetus does not become a better fetus, but a baby that needs to breathe. That is a transformation. So it is with the new birth. A new Christian must live in the realm of the Holy Spirit.
The new birth is the beginning of a whole new life.
The goal of a natural baby is not to become a stronger and better baby. The baby is on a journey.
A baby becomes a toddler, a toddler becomes a child. Then comes the transformation of puberty. The child is in a process of transformation. The goal is to become a man or a woman.
What does METANOIA mean? Not just turning away from sin, but an attitude of opening your whole life to God's transforming love.
Jesus had no sin from the womb, and he never sinned. He never needed to repent, but his way of thinking developed and changed at every stage of his life, just like ours.
Jesus did not live with the omniscience that belonged to his eternal being. He depended on God's wisdom at every stage of his life.
So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. John 5:19 NLT
The wisdom he needed as a preacher was different from the wisdom he needed as a carpenter. The wisdom he needed as a teenager was different from the wisdom he needed as a child.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him. Luke 2:40 NRSV
Jesus never spoke of Christians. He talked about disciples. A disciple is one who is always learning something new. The learning process that God wants to give you includes study, but much more a process of transformation.
My way of thinking today is different from my way of thinking a year ago.
My way of thinking today is significantly different from understanding six months ago.
I don’t think I was necessarily wrong two months ago, but I am constantly receiving fresh insights from the Holy Spirit.
Monday, November 5, 2012
WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
Jesus preached the Good News of the Kingdom, so we must embrace HIS agenda.
What did Jesus teach us about the KINGDOM?IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, THE KING IS THE HEALER OF ALL THINGS.
Matthew 4:23 (ESV) And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS A RIGHTEOUS KINGDOM.To live in the Kingdom we must turn from evil.
Matthew 4:17 (NKJV) From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Repentance also means to change you mind, to change your thinking, to think like God thinks.
WE MUST SUBMIT TO OUR GOOD KING AND LEARN HIS WAYS.“The King of Love my shepherd is whose goodness faileth never. I nothing lack if I am his and he is mine for ever.”
Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1 Corinthians 10:17 (NKJV) For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
John 17:20-21 (NKJV) "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
You may be stuck with a way of thinking you learnt from your church but you are not open to fresh inspiration from the Holy Spirit and from ideas from believers outside your tradition.
If so, you need to REPENT, think again, listen to God and listen to inspired thinking from believers outside your denomination or local assembly.
Patriotism is of God because God is love and He loves your nation and your people.
Galatians 3:28 (NKJV) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
There must be no discrimination amongst God’s people. Patriotism must not be contaminated with sinful pride, racism, prejudice or exclusive nationalism.
I also thank God that He has raised up women as wonderful preachers and teachers of the Kingdom in our generation as He also did in Bible days.
- I thank God for Cindy Jacobs, Heidi Baker, Wendy Alec, Mother Teresa, Jackie Pullinger, Joyce Meyer, Basilea Schlink, Corrie ten Boom and many other wonderful women who have built and are building the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 10:7-8 (NKJV) And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
We have received the free gift of forgiveness, a new life and the right to exercise the authority and power of Jesus.
We must use this power to heal and restore lives, to rescue people from the prisons of sickness, rejection and from the control of demons.
Matthew 6:9-12 (NKJV) In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come...
YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
In Heaven there is no sickness and no poverty, so we must resist these things as our enemies.
In heaven there are no denominations, so we must embrace ALL believers here as our brothers, demonstrating actual fellowship and practical love.
Friday, August 17, 2012
LIKE JESUS.
When you believe in Jesus as the Son of God who loves you, you can never be the same person again.