October 24th 2021
Make Sure To Occasionally Revive Your Faith By Doing Some Good Deeds.
Romans 13:9-10 (NIV)
The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.”
Do you try to keep the commands of God? No, this is not a typo, I meant to say commands not commandments. The commands of Jesus are numerous, many more than ten, I suspect they are too numerous to be known, or agreed to by Christians. Life in this cursed world is too complex for there to be any agreement about what everyone should do to conduct their lives to avoid breaking some assumed commands, which end up not really being commands given by Jesus, but instead rules made up by mankind. In the selected verses Paul sums it up for us to fulfill commandments we must, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.”
God gave us a book that explains the basic information needed for us to be able to love other sinners living in this cursed world. You likely have heard of it; it is called the Holy Bible. Have you ever read it? Do you plan to read it every day? Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica and us, and he relates how he has shared this Word with them. And we now have his writing to read whenever we have the time. And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
Do you have the word of God working in your life? Paul reminds us that our salvation is a gift from Jesus not something we can attain by any good works we may choose to do. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no-one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10). Have you thanked Jesus yet today for His indescribable gift?
Once saved always saved is an adage that not everyone agrees with. However, if you have accepted Jesus into your life, how could you ever give up your salvation? The key to me is the once saved part, if it is true, you are forever changed. Once the Holy Spirit comes into you, there can be no turning back! Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). You no longer belong to self; you have become a child of God. Jesus is now your older brother.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2). You are no longer held back by any kind of hatred, as you should view every member of mankind as your brother or sister, through Jesus Christ. In this world and especially in this country we can become lovers of possessions, as we are sometimes told our value is measured by how much stuff we have accumulated. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10). Do not hold on to your money as it may drag you down with it. Note, this verse does not say “all evil” as some may quote it, but it does say loving money is one of the sins that can lead you astray!
Remember, Jesus is coming back to this earth, and all those who have accepted salvation through Jesus will be joining Him, and finally becoming more like Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2). Jesus has gone ahead to heaven, and He awaits us to be ushered by Him to where He is, when we leave this mortal lifetime. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3).
So, in this life do not feel pride in your salvation, as the Pharisee did when he was praying about himself, in a parable Jesus once told. Then Jesus mentioned the tax collector who was very humble, as he prayed and gave thanks to God for all he had. And he asked God to have mercy on him, as he was a sinner. Jesus then said this about this tax collector, "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14). Pride is a five-letter word with I as the middle letter!
Doing good deeds in this life is an offshoot of becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. Good deeds cannot save us, as only through the mercy of God we can be saved, through the works of Jesus Christ on that cross, being the perfect sacrifice needed for the forgiveness for our (your) sins. However, once you have been saved, you cannot avoid trying to do good works in this world. James the brother of Jesus wrote about this for us. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26). Is your faith alive? Make sure to occasionally revive your faith by doing some good deeds. Your brother, Jesus will commend you for it, sometime in the future.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Romans 13:9-10 (NIV)
The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.”
Do you try to keep the commands of God? No, this is not a typo, I meant to say commands not commandments. The commands of Jesus are numerous, many more than ten, I suspect they are too numerous to be known, or agreed to by Christians. Life in this cursed world is too complex for there to be any agreement about what everyone should do to conduct their lives to avoid breaking some assumed commands, which end up not really being commands given by Jesus, but instead rules made up by mankind. In the selected verses Paul sums it up for us to fulfill commandments we must, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.”
God gave us a book that explains the basic information needed for us to be able to love other sinners living in this cursed world. You likely have heard of it; it is called the Holy Bible. Have you ever read it? Do you plan to read it every day? Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica and us, and he relates how he has shared this Word with them. And we now have his writing to read whenever we have the time. And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
Do you have the word of God working in your life? Paul reminds us that our salvation is a gift from Jesus not something we can attain by any good works we may choose to do. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no-one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10). Have you thanked Jesus yet today for His indescribable gift?
Once saved always saved is an adage that not everyone agrees with. However, if you have accepted Jesus into your life, how could you ever give up your salvation? The key to me is the once saved part, if it is true, you are forever changed. Once the Holy Spirit comes into you, there can be no turning back! Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). You no longer belong to self; you have become a child of God. Jesus is now your older brother.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2). You are no longer held back by any kind of hatred, as you should view every member of mankind as your brother or sister, through Jesus Christ. In this world and especially in this country we can become lovers of possessions, as we are sometimes told our value is measured by how much stuff we have accumulated. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10). Do not hold on to your money as it may drag you down with it. Note, this verse does not say “all evil” as some may quote it, but it does say loving money is one of the sins that can lead you astray!
Remember, Jesus is coming back to this earth, and all those who have accepted salvation through Jesus will be joining Him, and finally becoming more like Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2). Jesus has gone ahead to heaven, and He awaits us to be ushered by Him to where He is, when we leave this mortal lifetime. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3).
So, in this life do not feel pride in your salvation, as the Pharisee did when he was praying about himself, in a parable Jesus once told. Then Jesus mentioned the tax collector who was very humble, as he prayed and gave thanks to God for all he had. And he asked God to have mercy on him, as he was a sinner. Jesus then said this about this tax collector, "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14). Pride is a five-letter word with I as the middle letter!
Doing good deeds in this life is an offshoot of becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. Good deeds cannot save us, as only through the mercy of God we can be saved, through the works of Jesus Christ on that cross, being the perfect sacrifice needed for the forgiveness for our (your) sins. However, once you have been saved, you cannot avoid trying to do good works in this world. James the brother of Jesus wrote about this for us. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26). Is your faith alive? Make sure to occasionally revive your faith by doing some good deeds. Your brother, Jesus will commend you for it, sometime in the future.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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