God Required Holiness of Humanity – So God Provided Holiness to Humanity

God said,
“Be Holy because I am Holy.”

Man’s dilemma,
“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

So God came down to man as a man,Immanuel, God with us.

and the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

after the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life,

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting ?

 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,

that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 The Lord has shown his holy arm
    in the sight of all the nations,
all the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation of our God.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, 

the gospel of your salvation.

Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal,

 the promised Holy Spirit, 

who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance 

until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—

to the praise of his glory.

(Scripture references – 1 Peter 1:16,Romans 3:23,1 Corinthians 15:55, Matthew 1:23,2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 52,53, Ephesians 1:13-14)

Inseparable, Unchangeable, Irrevocable – The Magnificent Love Jesus Christ Has for Us

Do you know Christ has always loved you?

His love is the most powerful force in the universe.

He loved us so much that He came to us to pay for our sins on the cross.

He loved us so much that He defeated death for us by dying and then coming back to life.

Now Christ gives life to all who choose to receive His love.

Simply ask Him.

He is listening now.

The following passage is from the Bible, God’s Holy Word.

“What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who can  be against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all,

how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long;

“We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers,

nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth,

nor any other created thing,

shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(Rom 8:31-32 ) ( Rom 8:35-39 )

Free Will Explained Well

“God does not choose us because we believe, but that we may believe.”

~Augustine~

“Until God saves us ,we are all like Lazarus. We are dead and unable to even call out to Christ.”

“Christ calls us out of our tomb of death into life.”

The Very Best Place To Live

 

 

heavens (Photo credit: Mystic Musings…)

 

“For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” (Hebrews 13:14)

 

Heaven.

 

Think of it.
Living with God in God’s city!
Streets paved with pure gold.

 

Jobs- Don’t need them. Everything is God’s and all who received Christ are His royal family! We will have no want or need except to be with God.
Crime rate – eternally zero.
Climate – always perfect, never storms or cloudy, never too hot or too sunny, in fact, it is always day time because Christ is always there and His glory is it’s light!
Health- Our bodies are totally changed into perfect bodies when Christ returns to take us home. No more illnesses or death, weaknesses or bad health ever. Our new bodies will be incorruptible.

 

Ethnic diversity- People from every kingdom,nation, and tribe on Earth.

 

Things to do- Basking in the full and continually abundant love of almighty God. Worshiping God in His presence will be a natural response.

 

The ultimate best place to live is literally out of this world!
But we can have our citizenship to that city now.
The price of our residence in Heaven has been paid for already by a generous benefactor, God.

 

” 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)

 

In fact, if we decide we want to go there, God will personally seal the deal.

 

(Ephesians 1:13,14)” And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

 

If you want to be sure now of where you will live for eternity, ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior now,…He’s listening.

 

Jesus! The Savior Of My Soul!

Jesus!

The Savior of my soul,
He is the promise of eternal tomorrows,
the fact that He resides in me,
and the thought that He will never leave me,

He lives in me as the promise of life unending,

A promise that God who cannot lie, has made!

He is the seal of an eternity of tomorrows!

His Spirit in me!
His Spirit teaches me,
His Spirit guides me,

His Spirit changes me,

His Spirit comforts me,
and gives me peace that passes understanding,…

theses are only a few reasons I worship my Jesus.

Eternally Secure In Christ – “I Shall Lose None of All”

These are the Words of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

^“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

 (John 6:37-40 ,NIV 84,The Holy Bible)

The above words of Christ settle every conceivable scenario a person could imagine for loosing one’s salvation.

ALL the Father gives Jesus Will come to Him.

Jesus will NEVER drive you away.

Jesus SHALL LOSE NONE OF ALL, so that means that if you really know Him you won’t want to leave Him either. NONE of ALL.

EVERYONE who looks to the Son AND believes in Him SHALL have ETERNAL LIFE

Anyone who can see that God has loved them completely is now free to also love God completely in return for His matchless, incomparable love!

href=”https://christcenteredteaching.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/the-secret-ingredient-to-eternal-life/” target=”_blank”>The Secret Ingredient To Eternal Life (christcenteredteaching.wordpress.com)

Who Authored Hebrews?- Why I Think it Was Barnabas

 

 

The question of ,”who authored the Bible book of Hebrews”, has been a subject of debate for almost two thousand years.

If you are a student of the Word of God and doctrine this is an important issue for one primary reason.

The author of Hebrews gives an ALMOST contradictory set of statements regarding Salvation by Christ alone. One is one of the most assuring and the other is very disconcerting. It is known  as a paradox. They only APPEAR to cancel each other. There is another truth that the simple explanation of makes sense of both.

So it really matters that we know and understand all we can about this author.

Tertullian, the third century Christian theologian, believed that Barnabas wrote the book of Hebrews.

I was glad to hear that because I had already come to the same conclusion before reading about Tertullian.

Here’s my reasoning.

First clue.

1. Most researchers agree that the book of Hebrews reads similar to the books that we are sure Paul wrote.

But a closer look by literary experts seems to conclude that it is somewhat like Paul’s style but not enough that it really could be him, given certain differences that stand out.

I think that Paul is the one who has a similar style of the author of Hebrews.

Take a look at the early days of Paul to see what I mean.

Barnabas and Paul had a traveling ministry to the Gentiles for a while.

Both spoke to the crowds regularly, and would have influence each other’s speaking and therefore writing styles.

If I’m right,the correct way to state the similarities is to say that Paul and Barnabas influenced each other and have similar styles of delivering a message.

Second clue.

2. Theological non- negotiable differences between Paul and Barnabas ,namely that of Grace and its rightful emphasis.

Paul never would have put things as ambiguous as the author of Hebrews in regards to salvation and the  fullness of the meaning of grace.  Nor did he endure it well when he and Barnabas where missionaries.

Here is an example of where Paul stood in regards to his grasp of God’s Grace through Christ as compared to Barnabas’ grasp of God’s Grace through Christ.

 ^“When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Galatians 2:12-13

It is also revealing to know that Galatians was written by Paul to Christians who wandered off the path in regards to the purity of salvation by faith in Christ alone and sanctification by Christ alone more than any other books of the New Testament.

That is true of Galatians in both clarity and content.

Paul’s appreciation for God’s grace ,and his understanding of it, served to save the purity of  the message of Grace Alone for salvation, earned by Christ Alone.

The good deeds a Christian does are then the result of Christ’s working in the heart and desires of the true believer.

And…

The scripture records that Paul and Barnabas split over a dispute regarding Barnabas’ nephew ,John Mark , who abandoned them while the two of them spread the Gospel to the gentiles.

I propose that John Mark was not enough reason for the parting of these two, and that this incident was only the straw that broke the proverbial camels back.”

I think Paul would have stayed with Barnabas if he thought the Gospel was going out in its fullness to the gentiles. He cared more about Christ and the Gospel than he cared about his own life.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:2  

And that was Paul’s last letter before execution.

Paul’s grasp of God’s grace was completely resting on Christ’s finished work on the cross.

On the cross, Jesus Christ paid for the sins of all people who ever did and ever would live.

Only Jesus was the only perfect human to ever live, so only Jesus was worthy to pay for our sins with His life.

He died for us.

On the cross, Jesus said, “it is finished”.

And if we believe, we can choose to respond as Paul did,

“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

The Key to Loving God With All Your Heart

God is love, and He created us for a relationship with Him.
He also made us the reason for the greatest expression of love that has or will ever take place.
God came down from heaven in the personage of Jesus Christ to save us Himself from eternal separation from Him and eternal suffering in Hell.

It all began when Satan tried to over throw God and take His throne for himself.
God banished Satan to Earth from heaven and created Hell as a place of eternal suffering for Satan and the legions of angels that he led away with him in his rebellion to God. Isaiah 14:12-17

Then , perhaps to try to get back at God, Satan tempted Eve in the garden of Eden to do what God had forbidden.
Satan used the same thing against mankind that was his own weakness, Pride!

“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 3:5
Satan wanted to be ,”like God”, and he temped Eve to sin with the notion that she could be ,”like God”.

God could no longer dwell with His creation. Mankind was banished from the paradise that was Eden and the presence of God.
God also promised that He would restore mankind to Himself and gave a clue as to how He would accomplish our redemption.

“He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15

When Christ, the promised Messiah came to save us, he suffered, died , was buried and rose again to defeat death.

He died our death and then defeated death in order to give life to all who believe in Him as Lord and Savior.
Satan was defeated and eternal death was defeated.

Now Jesus offers eternal life to all who believe in Him as savior and ask Him to come into their heart.

For with the mouth confession is made and with the heart man believes and is saved.”Romans10:9-10

He loved us before we ever knew Him. John 4:10,14

His love is infinite and as we experience His presence in us, our hearts will expand and grow to become more like Christ and less about ourselves.

No matter how much we currently love God, we can always grow to love Him more.

Jesus revealed what is probably the best way to set a direction for continuous growth in love for Him when He told this story to a dinner host. The story is found in Luke 7:40-47.

The story has three characters.

A master and two people who both owed the master more than they could pay.

One owed slightly more than he could pay.

The other owed the master a great deal more than he could pay.

Jesus said the master forgave each his debt.

“Which do you suppose loved the master more?”

The dinner host responded, “The one whom was forgiveness the greater debt.”

“Rightly so.”, answered Jesus.

He continues to tell His host that those who have been forgiven much love much and,”He who has been forgiven Little loves little.”

We know the characters in the story represent the dinner host, the former prostitute who washed Jesus’s feet with her tears and wiped then with her hair, and Jesus himself.

But the key truth contained in this story that Jesus wants us all to get is the one that sets our hearts on fire and burns away all competing passions.

This happens when we realize that no one could pay what was owed and all faced the same fate, and the Master’s grace was all that made the difference.

We are also in this story by application. We all owe to God what we can’t pay and Jesus paid it for us.
Only believe He did that for you and receive His gift of eternal life.

One perceived his indebtedness more, the other one perceived his sin less, and they loved in proportion to their perception of themselves. But God is the standard of true perfection.

Here is the answer;”There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:22-23

Whether by little or much, we are all imperfect.
None of us are worthy to dwell with our Perfect Creator God after we leave this life unless we receive the sacrifice of Jesus the Perfect One as our own and we put our faith in Him as our Savior.

When we realize He died for all our sin, not just some of our sin, we will be free to love God with all our heart, not just some of our heart.

He that has been forgiven much loves much.

We all owe everything to God.

Our perceived need is little or much , but the reality is there is no difference.
All fall short.

But this needs to be said also,
We don’t all believe Once Saved Always Saved.

If you currently think you have to maintain a certain measure of works to feel secure in your salvation, you may not be fully trusting Christ’s sacrifice alone as the means to pay for your sins.

You have been forgiven little, and no matter how much you love God, you will always be able to love Him more if you trust Him for all of what He did for you that you were unworthy to do for yourself.

When you FULLY believe and know Jesus paid ALL your sin debt, then you can begin to love God with ALL your heart.

And when you trust God with ALL your life, then you will have tapped into the source of all faith.

Whether little or much, He alone is worthy to settle our debt.

Remember, there is no difference, we all fall short.

All have been forgiven much, and all can love God much.

Life After Death – We Can Know Our Final Destination

 

One day our journey will end.
Our life as we know it will end.

But we can know where we are going after this life is over.

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13

What are we saved from?

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” romans 3:23

God is perfect, we are not. Therefore we cannot live with him when our journey is over unless He makes us perfect.
He promises to change us into perfection and give us eternal life with Him if we let Him save us from our current path.

The following Bible references have helped me to know my final destination beyond any doubt.
The rest and assurance that results from knowing and no longer fearing death is that I now love Him more than my own life.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13,14

If then God puts His Spirit in those who believe, these next verses are also true.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16

God is love. He warms the hearts of those who truly know Him, and we feel His presence in us.

“We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” 1 John 4:13

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16

Do you know Him…? You can know Him, and you can know your final destination for certain and forever.

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13

Heaven is my final destination.
I hope to see you there!

Saved and Sealed for Eternity – God Cannot Lie

God keeps His promises.

“… it is impossible for God to lie…” (Hebrews 6:18).

God made a promise to all of us who believe and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This particular promise is found in Ephesians 1:13-14.

“And you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.”

For those who believe The Good News of Christ, there is a “promise” that cannot be broken and a “seal” that cannot be taken away.
This ‘promise” and ‘seal’ is not a ‘what’, but a ‘who’ as stated in verse 14, God Himself in the believer.

He is the ultimate fulfillment of the greatest longing of every soul. To feel His presence in your heart, is to be changed forever. None who experience His presence can find fulfillment to this degree in anything else that can be desired.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time, He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

We are created by Him to have a relationship with Him. We are ‘hardwired’ to know God and once you do, if you really do, you would never want to leave Him….ever!

God Himself is the deposit who guarantees our inheritance.
We, who placed our faith in Christ, The Gospel of our salvation, are now “God’s possession”. He bought our lives with the life He gave in the personage of Jesus Christ on the cross, His life for ours. When you trust Him to save you owe Him everything.
You are God’s possession. And no one can take us from God. Nor would any who experience Him want to leave.

“They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (1 John 2:19)

The arms of God hold us in an embrace that possesses our deepest longing. Our free will chooses God because He made us for Himself.

God cannot lie.

His promise cannot be broken.

His Spirit in us is the seal that cannot be taken away.

None who ever genuinely know Him would ever want to leave Him.