July 14th 2024
God Demonstrates His Own Love For Us In This: While We Were Still Sinners, Christ Died For Us.
James 1:27 (NIV)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
What James may have meant “to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” The world we live in has been polluted by people in rebellion against God. When that first or original sin was committed by Adam eating the forbidden fruit, this world became evil and therefore, God no longer walked the earth and talked to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. From that point forward anyone loving this cursed world would be shunned by God.
John wrote to warn people seeking God to not accept this world as being good. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15). This is not the world of people or the created world, but the world, or realm of sin, which is controlled by Satan and organized against God and righteousness. Non-believers may come to love this evil world and thus disbelieve anything related to acceptance of salvation.
Paul wrote about how all people are exposed to this evil world, and their only hope is to come to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation of their immortal soul. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5).
Unless we come to believe that God exists, we will never be fully able to begin to comprehend the amazing grace that God is capable to give. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. (Psalm 111:10-11). God requires that people can comprehend His reality and thus they endeavor to follow His commands. Before Jesus came into this world believers had to offer sacrifices to have their sins forgiven.
After Jesus Christ came into this world, believers must show their belief by obeying the commands given in our Bibles, since we believe it is God’s Word! Jesus once said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17). Believers will not only believe in this Holy Spirit, but He will indwell us and help us understand the commands of our Father in heaven better. Those who truly love Jesus will try to obey His commands. Just professing to believe is not enough for those who are born again! The Holy Spirit will truly give you guidance when you praise the Lord!
In this world we are surrounded by people who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ, and those who remain non-believers and/or follow some human being or some mythical being they have come to believe in. Paul wrote about this struggle living in this cursed world. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. (2 Corinthians 2:15-17). Satan is attracting many people to ignore Jesus and thus, they will go to hell when they die.
Remember, Jesus is the only Way that puts you on the narrow path that will lead your immortal soul to heaven when you die and leave this world of death. Paul wrote about the power that is within believers that comes from our belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21).
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
James 1:27 (NIV)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
What James may have meant “to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” The world we live in has been polluted by people in rebellion against God. When that first or original sin was committed by Adam eating the forbidden fruit, this world became evil and therefore, God no longer walked the earth and talked to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. From that point forward anyone loving this cursed world would be shunned by God.
John wrote to warn people seeking God to not accept this world as being good. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15). This is not the world of people or the created world, but the world, or realm of sin, which is controlled by Satan and organized against God and righteousness. Non-believers may come to love this evil world and thus disbelieve anything related to acceptance of salvation.
Paul wrote about how all people are exposed to this evil world, and their only hope is to come to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation of their immortal soul. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-5).
Unless we come to believe that God exists, we will never be fully able to begin to comprehend the amazing grace that God is capable to give. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. (Psalm 111:10-11). God requires that people can comprehend His reality and thus they endeavor to follow His commands. Before Jesus came into this world believers had to offer sacrifices to have their sins forgiven.
After Jesus Christ came into this world, believers must show their belief by obeying the commands given in our Bibles, since we believe it is God’s Word! Jesus once said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17). Believers will not only believe in this Holy Spirit, but He will indwell us and help us understand the commands of our Father in heaven better. Those who truly love Jesus will try to obey His commands. Just professing to believe is not enough for those who are born again! The Holy Spirit will truly give you guidance when you praise the Lord!
In this world we are surrounded by people who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ, and those who remain non-believers and/or follow some human being or some mythical being they have come to believe in. Paul wrote about this struggle living in this cursed world. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. (2 Corinthians 2:15-17). Satan is attracting many people to ignore Jesus and thus, they will go to hell when they die.
Remember, Jesus is the only Way that puts you on the narrow path that will lead your immortal soul to heaven when you die and leave this world of death. Paul wrote about the power that is within believers that comes from our belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21).
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak