“Important Teaching – By Christ Himself !!”    10/09/2013  (Part 1 of 3)

Matthew 28:19-20… Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.  (NKJV)

For anyone not familiar with the opening scripture…it is the last spoken words of our Lord Jesus Christ (as recorded in the gospel of Matthew)…  This was recorded just before Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father…  It seems to me, that Jesus would have deemed these words to be some of the most important words that He spoke…being it was Jesus’ last chance to verbally tell His disciples (and us) what their role (and ours) would be in growing His church, after He was gone…

I was asked by someone a few days ago, to show them where in the Bible it tells me to teach them what God has revealed through His inerrant Word, the Bible…  I always try to point people to Jesus Christ, and what the Bible clearly reveals, as to what God wants all of us to know and understand as the truth from His Word…  It is this truth that will set sinners free from the bonds of Satan and the world…1 John 2:15-16…

But even Christians who are not abiding in God’s Word, will not be able to “Walk in the Spirit”, as the apostle Paul pens, in…Galatians 5:16… I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (NKJV)   Un-confessed sins in their lives will destroy their God given supernatural peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7); and their joy from being filled with the love of Christ (John 15:11) will be turned into bitterness, and resentment, and a separation from God’s sweet fellowship…along with His richest blessings…

The apostle John says this best, in…John 8:31-32… Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (NKJV)

I was listening to an audio sermon by Pastor Alistair Begg the other morning, which he titles “What Happened to Expository Preaching ??” (Part 1 of 2), dated October 7, 2013…that can be heard @  http://www.truthforlife.org/broadcasts/2013/10/07/what-happened-to-expository-preaching-part-1-of-2-//

Let me first start out by explaining what “Expository Preaching” is all about…  This is preaching which presents the meaning and intent of a chosen biblical piece of scripture…providing some examples to help explain the passage, to make it clear and understandable…  I like what www.gotquestions.org has to say about “Expository Preaching”…that can be read at the following link…  http://www.gotquestions.org/expository-preaching.html

The point of Alistair Begg’s preaching, is that far too many churches today, do not base their church doctrine strictly from what God teaches us in the Bible…  I remember hearing from one person I was speaking to about what the Bible clearly reveals, tell me that they really didn’t know too much about the Bible…  Their church cites a few Bible verses during their service…but the sermons are not totally Bible based, with biblical scripture backing up all of the church’s doctrine that is being preached…

Friends, this is a recipe for disaster, when people are being taught doctrine that is clearly not what the Bible (including teaching from Jesus) clearly states, as what God requires for entrance into heaven…  I am reminded about this warning spoken by Jesus, in His “Sermon on the Mount” teaching…  Jesus tells those around Him that they will be turned away from the gates of heaven, if they die believing that their good works that they have done in the name of the Lord will have their sins forgiven…  Here is what should be viewed as an “eye opening” warning by Jesus…

Matthew 7:21-23…  “Noteveryone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Yourname, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”  (NKJV)

Church Pastors who are not using “Expository Preaching”…were titled by Pastor Begg, as preaching from one of five categories…  He lists them as Cheerleaders, Conjurers, Storytellers, Entertainers, or Systematizers…  Though some of these types of preachers were discussed with humor by Alistair Begg…it is no laughing matter…  It saddens me that so many people are going to church (or skip church entirely)…and they are not being fed by the truth from God’s Word… 

Church for many, has become a place to go to fulfill one’s weekly duty…or to be entertained for an hour or so…or to go, and leave believing that God loves everyone, and there will be no wrath to pay if one dies in their sins (John 8:24)…or any other kind of false security that anything other than truthful expository preaching, that is totally based upon God’s Word, will provide… 

One can also read some of my past writing about this important subject…by going to www.Godsmanforever.wordpress.com and typing in 1/05/2013 for…”The Right Church”…and 1/08/2013 for…”Church Doctrine Starts and Ends with the Word”…  Both of these will give good suggestions for finding a Bible believing, Bible teaching church, that will share nothing but the truth that God wants all of us to hear and understand from His Word…

Let me finish with the apostle Paul’s excellent description for why we should all spend time reading and feeding upon God’s Word (Matthew 4:4); and why we should be being taught by church doctrine that is derived exclusively from the Bible…

2 Timothy 3:16-17… All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  (NKJV)

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word, and those of Your humble servant Pastor Alistair Begg, if listened to…would urge us through the power and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, to see the truth that all churches are not preaching from Your inerrant Word, the Bible…  I pray Lord, that You would cut right to the very core like a two-edged sword, of the soul of those in need of seeing this truth…Hebrews 4:12-13…  I pray Lord, that blind eyes would now see…  I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills

P.S. Here is a link for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, after first being drawn in by God…John 6:44…   https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/gods-group-thoughts-for-7112013-the-truth-about-sin/

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“It is Finished”    10/11/2013  (Part 2 of 3)

John 6:28-29…  Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” ²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”  (NKJV)

The opening scripture has the people listening to Jesus preach, asking Jesus what works they had to do in order to inherit eternal life in heaven… This was in response to Jesus’ words recorded in…John 27a… “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life,” (NKJV)

People today make this same mistake that was made almost 2,000 years ago…that self-righteous works done in the name of the Lord (like going to church every week), will forgive sins…and will lead to everlasting life in heaven, if one works hard enough to earn their way…

My writing today stems from these opening verses I read the other morning in my Q/T reading…and from an audio sermon I listened to a couple of days ago by Pastor Alistair Begg, that was titled…”It is Finished”…that can be found at the following link, dated 9/23/2013… http://www.truthforlife.org/broadcasts/2013/09/23/it-is-finished/

Alistair Begg’s sermon was based upon scripture found in…Hebrews 10:1-18…  Here is a link for this scripture…   http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Heb10:1-18&version=NKJV;KJV

This scripture penned by the unknown writer of Hebrews…explains the fact that Jesus’ shed blood on the cross at Calvary, did what all the sacrifices of animals made under the old covenant could not do…  The shed blood of bulls and goats made day after day, year after year…could not take away sins (Heb. 10:4…&…Heb:10:11)…

It was God’s plan, and God’s will from the beginning, that He would send His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah), to shed His blood on the cross, as an atonement to cover sins…  We see this penned 600 years before Jesus was born, in…Isaiah 53:10…

The writer of Hebrews reiterates Christ’s “one time” atonement for sins, in…Hebrews 10:9-10…   then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ¹⁰ By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  (NKJV)

This is what Jesus  meant by…”It is finished”…in His last spoken words in His fully human body, right before He died on the cross, in…John 19:30…  So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.  (NKJV) 

Churches that preach justification by works done in the flesh, are teaching false doctrine that is not based upon God’s Word…  The apostle Paul makes this clear in the following scripture, in…Galatians 2:16…  knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.  (NKJV)

The apostle Paul also penned this most important scripture explaining God’s salvation as a pure gift of grace through saving faith alone in Jesus Christ, not of works done, in…Ephesians 2:8-9…  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV) 

I was speaking to a friend a few weeks ago…asking them if they believed they were going to heaven when they died…  They said they were doing their best to obey the 10 Commandments…and they weren’t there yet…  I told them that I knew for sure, without any doubts or reservation…that I was going to heaven when I died…  They asked me how I could possibly know that; and I responded that the Holy Spirit living with-in me had told me so…  

This truth in my redeemed life, of positively knowing that I am a child of God (Praise the Lord for His grace and His mercy !!), is clearly penned by the apostle Paul, in…Romans 8:15-16… For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (NKJV)

Friends, don’t be so set in your ways with traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation, that your hope for eternal life in heaven depends on works that you must do…  The truth God wants all of us to understand, can only be found in God’s Word, the Bible…  Teaching based on anything other that what God reveals to us in His inerrant Word, is a recipe for disaster…

If we could be made righteous in God’s eyes by keeping the law, by doing self-righteous works to earn our way into heaven…the Bible tells us that Christ died in vain…  The apostle Paul pens this about his own life, in…Galatians 2:21…  “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousnesscomes through the law, then Christ diedinvain.” (NKJV)

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word, and those of Your humble servant Pastor Alistair Begg, if listened to…would urge us through the power and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, to see the that Jesus’ finished work on the cross is all that is needed for eternal life in heaven…for those who by God’s grace, believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ with saving faith alone in the Lord as their personal Savior…

I pray Lord, that You would cut right to the very core like a two-edged sword, of the soul of those in need of seeing this truth…Hebrews 4:12-13…  I pray Lord, that You would draw those in need to Yourself (John 6:44), and that blind eyes would now see…  I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills

P.S. Here is a link for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and submission to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, after first being drawn in by God…John 6:44…   https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/gods-group-thoughts-for-7112013-the-truth-about-sin/

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“No Condemnation”    10/14/2013   (Part 3 of 3)

Romans 8:1-2… There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (NKJV)

In my Q/T reading the other morning, I came upon the opening scripture, which I am led to now write about today…  As it turns out, it coincides with my writing for last Wednesday and Friday…  Many of you might have noticed that I am now only posting what I personally write on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays…

Last Friday, I wrote about justification by faith alone in Jesus Christ…emphasizing that Jesus’ finished work on the cross at Calvary, was all that a true child of God needs, to be freed “from the law of sin and death“, that we see in the opening scripture… The Bible (Jesus Himself) teaches us that those who falsely believe that their good works done in the name of the Lord, are what God requires to have sins forgiven (Matthew 7:21-23)…will live as unredeemed sinners in God’s eyes, without the absolute God given peace that the redeemed sinner who has received God’s gift of grace will posses…

You can go back and read this days writing that is titled…”It is Finished”…by going to www.Godsmanforever.wordpress.com and typing in 10/11/2013 into the search window…

Earlier in the Book of Romans, the apostle Paul explains this God given peace, in…Romans 5:1-5…  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been pouredout in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (NKJV)

This supernatural God given peace will only be found in a Christian who has been filled with the Holy Spirit at the moment God has graced them with salvation, through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…  Ephesians 2:8-9…  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)

The apostle Paul penned the opening scripture, and continues on with this, in…Romans 8:3-4…   For what the law could not do in thatit was weak through the flesh, Goddid by sendingHis own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  (NKJV)

The apostle Paul goes on to explain what it means to walk “according to the Spirit“, in…Romans 8:9…  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (NKJV)

As I mentioned in my last writing…the redeemed Christian should have absolutely no doubt that they are a Christian in God’s eyes, because the Holy Spirit will confirm with their spirit that they are indeed a child of God…Romans 8:15-16…  For the Christian, there should never be any doubt…or “I hope I am good enough” thoughts…or any other skepticism of knowing for sure one is indeed bound for heaven to be with the Lord upon their death…

Some religions teach that constant works done in the name of the Lord, must be done over and over until the time of one’s death; or they might not be received into heaven by God… Even then, it is believed that there is a second chance for those that didn’t live up to God’s standards, by going to Purgatory after one’s death for a time, before being allowed into heaven…

Friends, this false sense of security is just not found in the Bible…  Jesus’ last words…”It is Finished”…declared that His shed blood on the cross would be sufficient, once and for all (Hebrews 10:9-10), to cover the sins of those who God has first drawn in (John 6:44), and who God has graced with salvation through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…

The words…“no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus“, means that for the redeemed Christian, all sins before and after being graced with salvation (including future sins), have been forgiven by God… Not only this…scripture reveals that all sins of the redeemed sinner have been forgotten by God…Isaiah 43:25… This means that they are forgiven “positionally” by God, and not ever again held against the Christian…  Does this mean they are free to sin after becoming a Christian ??  Absolutely not !!  There is still what some call “relational forgiveness”, that can only be made complete by praying to God for forgiveness after sinning…1 John 1:9, as the apostle John pens…to be forgiven of any unconfessed sins, and brought back into sweet fellowship again with the Lord…

Here is a good link to explain more about the question of the Christian’s need to keep asking for God’s forgiveness of sins…  http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-sin.html

Heavenly Father, I pray that Your Word would urge us through the power and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, to see the that Jesus’ finished work on the cross is all that is needed for eternal life in heaven for those that have been graced by God with salvation…  I pray Lord, that You would cut right to the very core like a two-edged sword, of the soul of those in need of seeing this truth…Hebrews 4:12-13…  I pray Lord, that You would draw unredeemed sinners to Yourself (John 6:44), and that blind eyes would now see…  I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

Blessings in Christ,  bruce r mills

P.S. Here is a link for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and submission to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, after first being drawn in by God…John 6:44…   https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/gods-group-thoughts-for-7112013-the-truth-about-sin/