*** (Ephesians 5:9-10) for the fruit of the Spirit = is in all = goodness = and righteousness = and Truth, [John 17:17]
(Eph 5:10) Proving what is acceptable = to the Lord.
If you have been following… this blog series on ‘Repentance’, you will see this Truth… ‘Interwoven & Replete’… throughout the Holy Word of God. “Repentance” always produces a change in the; ‘hearts & minds & actions’ of every True Believer. This is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit as we yield ourselves to the “Obedience of the Scriptures”. In this ‘age of license’… “MANY”… excuse away ‘obedience’ to the Word. Just perhaps they ‘purposely’ missed… “James 1:22” & “Luke 6:46”…?
*** (2Corinthians 4:16) For this cause we do not faint; = but though our outward man perishes, = yet the inward man = is being renewed = day by day. [John 15:1-to-5]
*** (Mark 12:29-30) And Jesus answered him, The First of all the commandments is, "Hear, O Israel, = the Lord our God = is one Lord;
(Mark 12:30) and you = shall love the Lord your God = with all your heart, = and with all your soul, = and with all your mind, = and with all your strength." This is the first commandment.
*** (Luke 4:4) And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written [Deuteronomy 8:3] that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God."
*** (2Timothy 2:15-16) Study Earnestly = to present yourself approved to God, = a workman that does not need to be ashamed, = rightly dividing = the Word of Truth.
(2Tim 2:16) But shun = profane, vain babblings, = for they will increase to more ungodliness.
Our commitment to “The Scriptures”… is a lifelong one, in knowing and obeying His Holy Word. One ‘cannot’ be a committed Christian without… ‘Knowing & Obeying’… The Word! “Many”… say they ‘Love Jesus’… and yet hardly know ‘Anything’; of what His Word teaches. They cannot defend the “Word”, when a Jehovah Witness; knocks on their door. We are here “TO” witness to them… ‘Not them to Us!’ “MOST”… miss; the calling of “A Soldier of Christ”… and to “Contend Earnestly”… for the “True Biblical Faith!”
*** (Luke 18:8) I [Jesus] say to you that He [God] will avenge them speedily. = Yet when = the Son of Man comes, = shall He find = Faith [True Biblical] = on the earth?
*** (2Timothy 2:3-4-5) Therefore endure hardness, = as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
(2Tim 2:4) No one who wars = tangles with the affairs of this life, = that he may please Him [Jesus] = Who chose him [YOU] = to be a soldier.
(2Tim 2:5) And also if anyone competes, = he is not crowned = unless he competes = lawfully.
*** (Jude 1:3-4) Having made all haste = to write to you = about the common salvation, beloved, = I had need = to write to you = to exhort you = to contend earnestly = for the Faith = once delivered to the saints.
(Jude 1:4) For certain men crept in = secretly, = those having been of old previously written into this condemnation, = ungodly ones = perverting the grace of our God = for unbridled lust, and denying the only Master, God, = even our Lord Jesus Christ.
*** (2Peter 2:1-2) But there were also = false prophets = among the people, = even as there will be = false teachers = among you, = who secretly will bring in destructive heresies, = even denying the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.
(2Pet 2:2) And = MANY = will follow their pernicious ways, = and because of them = the way of Truth [Word of God] = will be evil spoken of.
A “Disciple of Christ”… has a ‘commitment’ to the Holy Word of God! This battle is… “First”… fought in your… “Own Mind!” But how can that ‘Be?’ Because the world is corrupt and our flesh validates that corruptness, this battle is… “FIRST” fought in our ‘own’ mind and heart. Remember, our actions follow what we ‘approve’ in our mind. If the speed limit is ‘45’… and you are driving ‘60’; it is your ‘mind’… that approves of your action. Your vehicle will ‘only’ do what you cause it to do…!
*** (2Corinthians 10:3-to-6) For though walking about in flesh, = we do not war = according to flesh.
(2Cor 10:4) For the weapons of our warfare = are not fleshly, = but mighty = through God = to the pulling down of strongholds,
(2Cor 10:5) pulling down imaginations = and every high thing = that exalts itself = against the knowledge of God, = and bringing into captivity = “EVERY THOUGHT” = into = the Obedience of Christ;
(2Cor 10:6) and having = readiness to avenge = all disobedience [1John 1:5-to-10 & Proverbs 28:13], = when your obedience is fulfilled.
*** (1John 1:5-to-10) And this is the message which we have heard from Him [Jesus] = and declare to you, = that God is light, = and in Him = is ‘no’ darkness at all.
(1Jn 1:6) If we say = that we have fellowship with Him = and walk in darkness, = we LIE = and do not practice = the Truth.
(1Jn 1:7) But if we walk in the light, = as He is in the light, = we have fellowship with one another, = and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son = cleanses [keeps on cleansing] us = from all sin.
(1Jn 1:8) If we say that we have = no sin, = we deceive ourselves, = and the Truth is not in us.
(1Jn 1:9) If we confess our sins, = He is faithful and just = to forgive us our sins, = and to cleanse us from = all unrighteousness.
(1Jn 1:10) If we say that we have not sinned, = we make Him a liar, = and His Word = is ‘not’ in us.
*** (Proverbs 28:13) He who covers his sins = shall not be blessed; = but whoever confesses = and = leaves them = shall have mercy.
*** (Romans 6:1) What shall we say then? = Shall we = continue in sin, = that [God’s] grace may abound?
(Rom 6:2) God forbid. = How shall we, = that are dead to sin, = live any longer therein?
This is the “KEY”… to the ‘Truly Born Again’ believers walk in “Obedience”… to the Holy Word of God! Without an ongoing; “Repentant Spirit”… how then can one… “Walk in the Word, being a Doer of the Word?” Simply, when we allow those thoughts to come into our minds and stay there… we allow sin to take root in our minds. The solution… “Bring Every THOUGHT”… to the “Obedience of Christ!” Remember… (Philippians 2:5) “Let this mind be in you, = which was also in Christ Jesus:”
Without “Confessing & Forsaking”… those thoughts, ideas, concepts and actions… we cannot properly fulfill the definition of “True Biblical Repentance”. Perhaps a ‘practical’ example? I am a man and consequently I am tempted. When watching the TV, I keep my finger on the ‘last channel’ button. As soon as the: “Victoria Secret” commercial comes on… I switch the channel. Surely being single, I do not need to be seeing women in their… ‘Under ware!’ Our flesh wants validation and it does not care… from whom… we get it. Perhaps IF we will ‘yield ourselves’ to the’’’ “Holy Word of God”… that is… All the Validation we need!
*** (Job 31:1) I made a covenant with = mine eyes; = why then should I think upon a maid?
*** (Acts 5:29) And Peter and the apostles answered and said, = We ought to = ‘obey’ God = rather than men.
*** (1John 2:15-16-17) Stop loving the world = and the things that are in the world. = If anyone = persists in loving the world, = the Father's love = is ‘not’ in him.
(1Jn 2:16) For everything that is in the world = the desire for fleshly gratification, = the desire for possessions, = and worldly arrogance = is ‘not’ from the Father = but ‘is’ from the world.
(1Jn 2:17) And the world and its desires are fading away, = but the person = who does God's will [Word] remains forever.
*** (Romans 6:15-16-17) What then? = Shall we sin, = because we are not under the law, = but under grace? = God forbid.
(Rom 6:16) Don’t you know = that to whom = you yield yourselves servants = to obey, = his servants you are = to whom = you obey; = whether of sin unto death, = or = of obedience = unto righteousness?
(Rom 6:17) But God be thanked, = that you were the servants of sin, = but you have obeyed = from the heart = that form of doctrine [teaching] which was delivered you.
This ongoing “Repentance”… does ‘not’ happen overnight. As we mature ‘Spiritually’… we “Obey More!” Simple put… “The more we Obey”… “The Less we Sin!” And “NO”… we ‘never’ become Sinless in practice, though in position we are in Christ, sinless before God. We continue in God’s grace… and in Obedience to His Holy Word. The more we know the Word… the more we know ourselves… as God sees us.
*** (Philippians 1:9) And this I pray, = that your love may abound yet more and more = in knowledge = and in all judgment;
*** (1Thessalonians 4:1-to-4) Now then, brothers, = you learned from us how you = ought to live = and = to please God, = as in fact you are doing. = We ask and encourage you = in the Lord = to do so = even more.
(1Th 4:2) You know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
(1Th 4:3) For it is God's will = that you be sanctified: = You must abstain from sexual immorality;
(1Th 4:4) Each one of you = must know how to control his own body = in holiness and honor,
*** (Matthew 5:48) Therefore be perfect, = even as your Father [God] in Heaven = is perfect.
Take some time… and read the conditions of the “Seven Churches” of Revelation chapters ‘2 & 3’. Those churches were made up of “Believers in Christ”. Each church had believers… in various levels of “Spiritual Growth & Obedience”. We choose ‘to obey’ or ‘not to obey’; ‘to be’ growing in grace or ‘not’ to be growing in grace. We stagnate or we move forward or we backslide. And we are can even be… “Spanked by God” [1Corinthians 11:30]… as He chastens His disobedient children [Hebrews 12:6-to-9]. This is all part of “Repentance”… so that we are continually moving… ‘Forward and Not Backwards’… in our walk with Him… in Obedience to His Holy Word!
Truly… “Biblical Repentance”… is an ‘on-going’ process of maturing… in those “Born Again”… by His Holy Spirit… ‘Sealed’ until the day of redemption!
Continued next blog.
Thanks, In Christ, Roger
Ende…!
