Wednesday, February 19, 2014

What it means to be Born Again

Before I contend with you on what it actually means to be born again I must first state what it is not. Being born again has nothing to do with baptism, nothing to do with morality, and nothing to do with justification by obedience to the law. It is not ceremonial and no sinner on this planet can be born again without the direct intervention from God. It is not ritual and must come from the preaching of the true gospel. Anything other than the true gospel is not a saving or redeeming gospel but a false one that does NOT in fact convert the soul.
The Bible says that all are dead in trespasses and sins. That all are dead spiritually and cannot see or hear anything regarding the things of heaven or the things of God. The Bible says that all are slaves to sin when born into this world all human beings except Christ Jesus are totally depraved and unable to do anything good on their own. All men take pleasure in sin and long to commit it, that have yet to take part in redemption. This may be a small sin it may be a huge sin but they like it and desire it.
Now this is what I believe it means to be born again.
There is a true and false Gospel. Galatians warns of this.
Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8  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.
Gal 1:9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
This is the true gospel that saves
There is a God. He is Holy. He has a law 10 commandments that you have broken. Sinner must recognize his doom and damnation and that he is under the wrath of God like Romans 2 declares, the book of John and the entire Bible.
Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Once a sinner understands that sin has betrayed him and it is fatal to the soul and is hopeless then Jesus is offered as the sacrifice or substitute for the sinners sin. He turns from sin accepts the sacrifice of Christ Jesus and at that moment is born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. He first must come to the conclusion he is lost before he can be saved. He has to see the Holiness of God which God reveals to Him upon the preaching of the gospel. Jesus is God in the flesh, born of a virgin, lived a perfect and sinless life, died on the cross, and rose again from the dead in the same body. If you will turn from sin and place all of your trust in Him you will be saved. Simple gospel. However the ONLY ones that hear this and truly are changed are those that God calls from sin to Holiness.
Being born again is hearing the true gospel message and obeying it or applying it to ones life.
Now this can only be done because God chose you to salvation not based on anything you have done but because He is good and merciful. Being born again means God did love you before you were ever born and chose you to inherit eternal life. This I will show now. Not all who profess to be Christians have had God reveal His Holiness to them.
2Pe_1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Ti_1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Eph_4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Php_3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Eph_1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
If God calls you through the preaching of the true gospel from sin to Holiness then you are in fact His Child and He will keep you until the end.
Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the CALLED according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he ALSO called: and whom he called, them he ALSO justified: and whom he justified, them he ALSO glorified.
This calling has nothing to do with how you behave or what you have done in life. God Himself imparts Himself into you regenerates your soul makes you a new creation gives you Himself through what Christ Jesus has done on the cross. Destroys your desire to sin and give you the extreme desire for Holiness. Seals you with His Holy Spirit.
Rom 9:11  (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;)
Rom 9:15  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.
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Proof you are born again is that God called you by the preaching of the gospel from sin to Holiness. 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is UNDERSTANDING.
You understood God is Holy and you were not separated from Him by your own sin. You renounced sin and now serve God because He gave you the gift of repentance.
2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
So now we see a man is born again through preaching of the Word of God, the true Gospel of salvation. He is born again because God gave him the gift of repentance, gave him his faith, gave him the gift of salvation, and finally sealed him with the Holy Spirit.
2Co_1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Eph_1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph_4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
If you add one iota of works to the gospel it is no longer the gospel this includes but is not limited to baptism.
Once one is born again Jesus says to get baptized. However lack of baptism does not in fact forfeit the eternal life that God has given one in the first place.
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[a]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
May you be 100% convinced of God’s love for me! That I have in fact escaped sin and the wrath to come. Not because of any good thing I have done, but truly because the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ called me out of sin to Holiness by some man of God somewhere who preached the truth to me and God met me where I was. He gave me my faith, He gave me repentance, and He will in fact keep me to the end.
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Amen.

Friday, February 14, 2014

The Need for Sound Doctrine

Dear Readers,

    We are living in a day of deception. Many churches all over the world house false prophets and false teachers who instead of leading souls to Jesus and closer to truth, they lead souls down a path that does not end in knowing or growing in the knowledge of God and Jesus but they lead one further and further away. This is typically done in one of two extremes. The form of extreme legalism where what you do pleases God and how you live and if you do something bad you are not a Godly person at all and need to do everything possible to get your relationship with God back or extreme supposed grace where you can do anything you want and just believe in Jesus and all is well and you will make heaven. There are other forms of false doctrine as well. Here is what the Bible says regarding false prophets and sound doctrine.

     Before I let you know what the Bible says I want to make certain you know what doctrines you HAVE to be sure of. It is found in Hebrews 6 and in Galatians. What the Gospel is, who God is, who Jesus is, the virgin birth, nature of God, doctrine of baptisms, eternal judgments, resurrection from the dead, repentance from sin and dead works to faith in God, and laying on of hands. These are doctrines that you must be established in then if God permit you will get beyond the elementary scriptures to more meat.

Gal_1:8  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.
Gal_1:9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

Mat_7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat_24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat_24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mar_13:22  For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Luk_6:26  Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
2Pe_2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
1Jn_4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1Ti_1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
1Ti_1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
1Ti_4:6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1Ti_4:13  Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
1Ti_4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
1Ti_5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
1Ti_6:1  Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
1Ti_6:3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
2Ti_3:10  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti_4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti_4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Tit_1:9  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Tit_2:1  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Tit_2:7  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit_2:10  Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth NOT to be ashamed.

Sincerely,
Your brother in Christ
James

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Noah a Preacher of Righteousness

Dear Readers,

     Did you know that the Bible says Noah was a preacher of righteousness? Many people even Christians are unaware of this. Most just remember Him as the guy who built the ark and him and his family was spared. The Bible says that 8 were spared Noah, his wife, his three sons, and his sons wives. However this is not all the Bible has to say about Noah. I want to share something with you that hopefully will encourage you today. I know that many times you preach and preach and preach and more often than not you fail to see results. This is not because of your lack of effort but more often than not the peoples hearts you are preaching too are just wicked. The Bible says in the last days it will be just like the days of Noah. Very few Christians or servants of God while the whole world lies in wickedness.
     It appears in the Bible that Noah was 500 years old when God told him he was going to flood the entire earth and to begin to build the ark. 2 Peter 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 
When God brought the flood Noah was 600 years old. So many people believe that for 100 years Noah warned the entire world of what was to come. He probably said the only way to safety was the ark and for people to help him build the ark so that they could escape the wrath of the flood. Isn't it peculiar the only ones that listened were Noah's family. Everyone else ignored this preacher of righteousness. 
     This is a very scary thought but very true in our time today. There are many false prophets out there who don't warn of the dangers of sin and preach a jesus who does not save from sin. Finding preachers of righteousness and holiness who preach the true Jesus is very rare. What we have to do as Christians is continue to warn people of the wrath to come, the dangers of sin, and show them the way to salvation. We have to do this all the way up to the end. Join with me. Don't stop warning and revealing Jesus to the world. We will one day receive our reward of eternal life with our maker Jesus Christ.

Sincerely,
James

Monday, February 10, 2014

The Storm of Life

Dear Readers,

     I sit here and think about my own life and what I am going through currently. It seems as if all hell is breaking loose. I raised an 8 year old child as my own son for almost 8 years and suddenly without notice he was ripped from my home and given to his biological father. I am currently involved in a major custody battle and not seeing my son very often. My heart is torn and there is no one on this earth that can comfort me except for the Holy Spirit of God.
     I think right now is the time to go to Him and ask Him to help me deal with this struggles. Not all of our struggles are the same. Many of you are dealing with situations far greater than this such as health issues, children being lost, trying to overcome sin. One thing that we as Christians have in common though is we have a Father in heaven who truly cares and can understand what we are going through because of His son Jesus. Right now I ask that we stand together, I need your prayers in this lonely time and while I am going through this storm even though you are not with me in person you can be with me in prayer. I too will stand with you. Feel free to share some of the trials you are going through so that we can stand together. May God keep us in His loving mercy until the end.

God Bless,

Sincerely
James

Thursday, February 6, 2014

The Fear of God That Saves

     The modern church for some reason has done away with the Fear of God. It seems as if sin has become the norm and that no one can escape from the clutches of sin. It seems as if every church you go to the pastor or teacher makes sin a joke and tells everyone everything is OK and that there is peace upon all.
     The truth is there is no peace. We are living in the last days and this is the time when we need the Fear of God more than ever. The book of Malachi says that in the last days those who Fear the Lord will get together one last time and God will make a book of remembrance about them and they will know who serves God and who does not.
     God's fear comes upon initial salvation. When God draws a man and calls Him to Holiness He gives the man a seal of His Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. This is a divine hatred of sin and displeasure of sin. Before a man truly is born again he loves sin and enjoys it. He longs for it and pursues it as if it is his passion. When a man meets Jesus in all His Holiness he comes to an end of himself and realizes that he is truly evil beyond understanding. He falls at the feet of Jesus for mercy and Jesus grants the mercy he seeks. Fear is deposited and he despises sin and understands at that moment how terrible it really is. This is something you HAVE to have. If you lack the Fear of God ask God to save you and give you mercy and the his Spirit more and more. If you have departed from the Lord ask God to bring you back and give you the hatred of sin you so desperately want.
     The Fear of God is not a servile or slavish fear like the world wants you to believe. The world knows that true Godly men have Godly fear and they make fun of them. They say who would want to serve God the dictator who makes men do things. Well the Fear of God is an honor of God because you love Him and don't want to hurt Him. He has pardoned you from the wrath to come and you hate sin because it separated you from God. Don't ever depart from the fear of God.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Willful Ignorance

Dear Readers,

    I want you to understand a few things. The first is that there are some hearers that truly want to know the truth. They desire to be saved when hearing the Gospel because they are God's Holy children whom he has yet to call. Unfortunately we don't know who is and who is not God's children so we have to preach to everyone in hopes that they come to salvation. Many times we get discouraged and distraught because the devil's children want to argue and fight, ask for evidence that one cannot provide because God is unseen and unknowable to wicked men. All the evidence one needs is the Gospel of Salvation. The Bible says it is the power to save. It IS the power of God. So remember you preach the gospel let the chips fall where they may. If one does not get saved under the preaching of the gospel remember one of two things. They are the devil's children or you are the seed planter and God will call them through someone else. Never forget this because arguments about non-spiritual things become silly and it is a snare and trap by the enemy.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19  because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:
Rom 1:21  because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves:
Rom 1:25  for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27  and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.
Rom 1:28  And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
Rom 1:29  being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30  backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31  without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32  who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Why most are not called to be Holy by God.

Dear Reader,

        If you find yourself reading this post wondering why you are a Christian and why God chose you rather than all the others. It began before you ever existed. You were going to be a child of the most High God because well God said so. It really has nothing to do with your own works or goodness because let's face it none of us measure up to Jesus or perfection. It is unclear exactly why God chooses some and allows others to continue in sin, but I have seen enough hearts reject Christ and preached enough to have an idea.
       It goes something like this. God calls some out of this world to be Holy. Usually it is a divine calling to flee God's wrath to Jesus Christ. I have heard others say no it was more of a boom I am called to be Holy and LONG to be Holy and love the Lord. I understand I sinned I fled to Jesus and he saved me. However there are some who profess to be Christians and are not they were never called and are not true Saints of God. Then there are others who are not Christians don't claim to be and are either never going to be called by God or are yet to be called by God.
     The Bible says that the calling is a Holy calling. It is a calling from sin to personal Holiness. Now one never can be Holy looking at his own flaws but the more you look at Jesus and draw close to Him you begin to radiate with His Glory. We are called to share in His Glory and we move from glory to glory until one day we are glorified.
     So why are some never called and do most end up in hell. I believe that God willing to save them, offering them eternal life, and sacrificing His Son Jesus for them all this they do not care. They personally LOVE sin. They cannot let it go. I have spoken with men and women who look at a thing upon preaching and say well I would have to leave this and that I cannot do. It is the sin they cling too. For that reason God will never call them and they will perish forever. A child of God when confronted with sin and Jesus will give the sin up because NOTHING compares to the love of Jesus and holiness in the Lord. We long to be holy and free from sin. A sinner who clings to sin would never want to go to heaven for heaven would be even more miserable then hell to him/her.
     As a Christian make sure that God has called you to be Holy. That you are elect called of God. If you do not internally desire Holiness but call yourself a Christian it is time to examine your faith to make sure you have the real thing. God's children have the Holy Spirit therefore they LONG to be Holy. The devils children have the spirit of the anti-christ therefore they love to sin. Secretly or outwardly they don't really care.
    May God bless and keep you today.
James Peters