(tm) What is our conclusion?
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What is our conclusion?
True faith always expresses itself through righteous works and by works faith is made living and effective.
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? (James 2:22)
Did not Paul seek the righteousness that is of God by faith (Philippians 3:9)?
Yes, he did.
But the majority of Paul’s writings prevent the conclusion that if we profess belief in Christ our conduct no longer becomes critically important in attaining to the first resurrection or any other desirable aspect of our eternal destiny. True faith lives in works. The Scriptures do not teach an abstract faith that exists apart from the behavior of the individual.
As we follow the Lord in the Christian warfare we learn how to lean on the Lord. We cannot gain victory by our own efforts to overcome sin. We soon will give up in despair if we do. It is "the sword of the Lord and of Gideon." We have to do the fighting but it is always the Lord Jesus who gives the necessary strength and wisdom.
We learn to move with the Lord and rest with the Lord. He is the Overcomer with a capital "O." We are an overcomer with a small "o." We cannot fight the good fight of faith by ourselves and the Lord Jesus will not fight it for us.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)
"Him that overcometh . . . even as I also overcame."
The path to victory includes knowing how to rest in Jesus while we are gaining victory over Satan, over the spirit of the world, over our fleshly lusts, and over our own self-will and self-seeking. We gain total victory over these adversaries by the Spirit’s guidance and strength, as we pray, read, hope in, and trust in the Scriptures, as we confess our sins, as we resist the devil, as we gather together with fervent saints, as we minister to and are ministered to by the other members of the Body of Christ, and by all the other means God has provided.
To employ trusting in Jesus as the only aspect of the victorious Christian life, not following the Spirit’s guidance in using the means God has provided for gaining release from the world, for conquering our fleshly lusts, for overcoming our self-centeredness, will lead to confusion, passivity, despair, and finally, spiritual destruction—a complete loss of inheritance.
The current teaching that Jesus did all the overcoming for us is an error. This delusion was designed to destroy the moral character of the Church. Satan knows that God cannot use an unrighteous Church to bring the Kingdom of God to the earth.
Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament Scriptures advocates a trust in God apart from the daily, active, diligent, intense, single-minded seeking of God’s will in every area of personality and behavior.
Ordinarily God does not move us to read the Scriptures. He helps us, and then speaks to us when we make the effort on a consistent basis.
Ordinarily God does not move us to pray. He helps us and speaks to us when we make the effort on a consistent basis.
Ordinarily God does not move us to present our body a living sacrifice. He helps us when we make the effort day by day.
Ordinarily God does not move us to give an offering. God blesses us when we give of our means on a consistent basis.
Ordinarily God does not move us to resist the devil. We resist the devil, according to the commandment in the Word, and then God strengthens us.
Ordinarily God does not move us so that we choose Him in times of trial. We make the choice and then God blesses us. God provides a way of escape for us so we may emerge unharmed.
Ordinarily God does not move us to put to death the deeds of the flesh. We make the effort and then the Holy Spirit does the work.
Ordinarily God does not move in us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow the Lord. But God will bless us if we do so.
We say "ordinarily" because there often are times in our discipleship when the Lord prompts us or reminds us to do something. Also, there are seasons when God "bears us on eagles’ wings," helping us through a difficult period. The times when the Lord "bears us on eagles’ wings, lifting us out of ourselves for a season, are extraordinary interventions, not the normal Christian experience. We do not grow during such times. We grow when we are using our spiritual "muscles."
The above are a few of the commandments found in the New Testament writings. If we strive to obey them God will deliver us from sin and rebellion and we will enter eternal life.
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Romans 6:17,18)
"Obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you." The key is obedience .
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end [the result is] everlasting life. (Romans 6:22)
Everlasting life is the result of holiness. We become holy as we obey the teaching of the Apostles.
It is of God that we address Jesus as Lord. It also is of God that we do what Jesus says. It is vain to call Jesus, Lord and then not do what He says.
Jesus will not obey the commandments for us, although He certainly stands ready to assist us as we come to Him for help. We must obey God in all that the Apostles have stated. When we obey the Word, God sets us free from sin. When we do not obey the Word we are not set free from sin. The result of slavery to sin is spiritual death.
Perhaps the reader is weighing the two alternatives. Should I rest in Jesus and wait for Him to live the Christian life in me, or should I obey the numerous commandments in the Gospels and the Epistles, praying always to God to help me overcome the love of the world, the love of sin, and the love of my self-will?