Romans 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
The same thing exists in the Christian churches today.
Many are born of the flesh, by the will of man, by the will of themselves, by the will of their families. These go forward and are baptized in water but do not have the Spirit of God. They think they are Christians and they say they are Christians but they will not do specific portions of scripture. Basically Bible has little meaning for them. They explain away scripture and they go along with churches that explain away scripture. These are not the children of God.
Jude vv.17-19 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers (people who watch and copy people they consider godly) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Do you remember what it was like when God changed you?
Those of us who have been changed by God, remember what we were before and how we were instantly different. Certainly through the years, after this initial moment, we learned various scripture by the Holy Spirit that lives in us, and we were recreated in the image of that scripture as we lived on this earth. This happens many times. But the recreation was done by the Spirit of God working in us.
This makes sense to those of you who have the Spirit. You know the difference between fleshly will and the Spirit of God. Fleshly will of man is like those New Years' Resolutions that some make in their flesh by their own thinking as to what will be good for them to do or not to do.
Many in churches do not have that initial experience with God by HIS Spirit. His Spirit does not dwell in them. By their minds they try to be "good" Christians but they do not understand when we speak to them by the Spirit.
Neither can they understand things of the Spirit.
I Cor. 2:12-14 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Those of the Spirit of God are called "born again" by Jesus and HE says the following concerning such.
John 3
Those of the Spirit of God are called "born again" by Jesus and HE says the following concerning such.
John 3
3 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
5-6 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Those persons who are born of the flesh, who put themselves into church by their own will and by the will of others, are not the children of God but are the children of the flesh.
Those born of the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Paul describes it as follows in Romans 9:15-16.
God says ... I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Paul explains: So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
There is an elect chosen by God. God reveals HIMSELF and things of God to those whom HE wills.
No man can cause this to happen to himself nor to another person. It is all by the will of God. It is nothing any man can learn of himself by study.
That is the reason Paul says they are always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. II Tim. 3:7
Paul explains: So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
There is an elect chosen by God. God reveals HIMSELF and things of God to those whom HE wills.
No man can cause this to happen to himself nor to another person. It is all by the will of God. It is nothing any man can learn of himself by study.
That is the reason Paul says they are always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. II Tim. 3:7
We, who are of God, recognize others who are of God because we have that Spirit of God in us and have understanding that only comes from God.
Often they will appear to be of God, having that "form of godliness", but usually very soon we begin to see something is wrong. It's just not the same spirit we have.
They are merely an image of their own creation as to what seems godly to themselves.
Many times I have quoted scripture to a person who attends a church and says he is Christian, only to have him stare blankly at me. There is no joy in him over the scripture. There is no excitement over scripture. He is dead.
So if you are of God, rejoice. Rejoice continually in the Word of God.
I rejoice in the following:
Mt. 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
I do not see this as a burden but rather I rejoice knowing this is the way to freedom from sin.
I know I cannot learn these spiritual truths by reading and study of Bible. It is only as God opens my eyes to see that I can see.
And God chooses to reveal HIS truths in part to us. One day we will be reading scripture and all of a sudden we see something we had never before seen. We should know this is not of ourselves that we now see, but God opened our eyes to see. God opens the scriptures to us, but as HE wills. None of us can cause this to happen. We just keep reading Bible and wait on God to allow us to see.
God plants HIS truth in us and then we know.
Matthew 16:13-18 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, HE asked HIS disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Peter didn't learn this by study. No man taught Peter this. It was God revealing HIS truth to Peter.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The "rock" is that word revealed to us by God. That word will never fail.
The following is the New Covenant church set up by God:
Hebrews 8:10 God says ... I will put MY laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to ME a people:
The truth is revealed by God. It is put into our hearts by God. Understanding is from God when it comes.
I read the Bible. But when I see truth in a verse, it is because God opened my eyes to see that truth. I cannot do anything of myself. It is all done by God.
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Paul says: give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. I Tim. 4:13
We need to read Bible, we need to warn one another, we need to reread doctrine and think on doctrine.
Repetition is very important to our endurance and also to holding onto God's truths. We will often hear people speak things that are not God's truths. And TV is filled with that which is opposite to God. Why would you think you do not need to repeat specific doctrine from Bible?
We ground ourselves in truth from Bible ... and we keep those truths from Bible before us viewing them multiple times.
We know the ways today are very evil.
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For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of HIM that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
For HE saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Romans 8 :14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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Romans 9:18 Therefore hath HE mercy on whom HE will have mercy, and whom HE will HE hardeneth.
22-24 What if God, willing to shew HIS wrath, and to make HIS power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that HE might make known the riches of HIS glory on the vessels of mercy, which HE had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom HE hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
30-33 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on HIM shall not be ashamed.
Jesus is THE WORD ... You cannot believe on Jesus and deny THE WORD.
They who believe on Jesus, believe THE WORD for Jesus is THE WORD.
22-24 What if God, willing to shew HIS wrath, and to make HIS power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that HE might make known the riches of HIS glory on the vessels of mercy, which HE had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom HE hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
30-33 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on HIM shall not be ashamed.
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Jesus is THE WORD ... You cannot believe on Jesus and deny THE WORD.
They who believe on Jesus, believe THE WORD for Jesus is THE WORD.
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Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.
Be not wise in your own conceits.
Conceits:
feeling of importance
Recompense to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Honest:
- without misleading another person
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Peaceable:
- avoid strife and dissention as much as you can
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
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Romans 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
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Romans 13:12-14 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
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