Admittedly, we were warned of these times, when the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ would be reduced to cunningly devised fables. (II Peter 1:16) Still, when we know that only the Word makes known the intricacies of the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and His Kingdom, I am saddened to see the contested dialogue -- in whatever shape or form that might take -- moving away from the Word and replacing the absolute truth of God with a lie. (Romans 1:25)
Why? Because first and foremost, the Bible -- the infallible scriptures as written are the Word of God. His Word. The same Word that was with God and was God in the beginning -- made flesh and dwelt among us -- God manifest in the flesh -- in order to bring forward the new testament of peace and good will to all. (Luke 2:14; I Timothy 3:16)
This same Almighty God was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. The same God that came unto His own and His own received Him not. (John 1:1-18)
His name is Jesus -- the ONLY name under heaven whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
As apostle Paul so often reiterated in his epistles to the churches, we need not to be removed from Him that called us into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. A gospel that cannot be found anywhere in the Word, and therefore, having no scriptural foundation whatsoever.
Indeed, apostle Paul wrote: "But though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8)
As a consequence, the scriptures should be our starting point, after asking Jesus to be our Lord God and Saviour. (For those readers who may be new to this salvation message, and our Lord's invitation to the most elaborate wedding feast ever, know that you must repent of your sins, asking Jesus to become Lord of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and then be immersed via water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that you too can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:37-42; Galatians 3:26-29; Romans 6:1-4)
When we are buried into Jesus Christ -- "buried with Him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life -- resurrected to stand fast in the liberty wherein is Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 5:1) At this point, we seek to know our Lord God and Saviour in prayer, and through His Word.
To this end, the scripture instructs us to study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15)
Thus, when we gain knowledge of Jesus our Lord, "according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity." (II Peter 1:1-7)
At first, this might seem like a tall order to fulfill. However, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ who wrote to them about obtaining a like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ -- "For if these things be in you and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Peter 1:8)
Moreover, Jesus put it this way in the parable of the true vine:
"Every branch in Me that bears not fruit, He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit, He purges [it], that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine. Ye [are the] branches. He that abides in Me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." (John 15:1-6)
Note that Jesus repeats what He had previously said.
"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so ye shall be My disciples. As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in My love." (John 15:7-9)
How? By keeping His commandments.
Jesus said, "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you -- that My joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full." (John 15:10-11)
"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not know the truth ... But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (I John 4-7)
"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." (I Corinthians 6:11)
Washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. The same Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us.
"Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began -- but is now made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: to God -- only wise, [be] glory through Jesus Christ, for ever, amen." (Romans 16:25-27)
Let those with eyes to eyes see, and those with ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.
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