God appoints men to determine where to 'draw the line'

God appoints men to determine where to ‘draw the line’ on His commandments.

When the Lord brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, they came to Mount Sinai. There God told Moses to put a boundary on the mountain. God told Moses to tell the people to not go up into the mountain, or touch the border of it. Whoever touched the mountain, would be surely put to death. (Exodus 19:12).

It was up to Moses where to draw the line on the mountain to put the boundary. It was a matter of life and death.

When God made Adam, He gave him a commandment.

"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." - Genesis 2:16-17 KJV

After this, God made woman. (Genesis 2:18, 22).

Adam must have been careful to set the boundary around the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for Eve, to be certain she wouldn’t eat of it and die. It appears Adam must have concluded she would be safe if he told her not to touch the tree.

"And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." - Genesis 3:2-3 KJV

It seems Adam was watching for his wife’s life when he gave her God’s commandment, but Eve was deceived by the devil and did not obey. Adam chose to eat of the tree, and sin and death passed upon all mankind.

Today, God gives us pastors to teach us and to set boundaries. God appoints pastors to ‘draw the line,’ watching for our souls, knowing our falling into sin will destroy us.

"Obey them that have the rule over you [your spiritual leaders], and submit yourselves [do what they say]: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." - Hebrews 13:17 KJV

"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." - Jeremiah 3:15 KJV

What we must do to be saved Part 2

Part 2

Jesus told His disciples to preach the gospel. He told His disciples that those that believe the gospel AND are baptized will be saved. Jesus said we must be born again of water and of the Spirit – baptized in water and baptized with His Spirit. (John 3:5, Luke 24:46-49, Acts 2:38).

You could call the gospel the good news package. It is BELIEVING the gospel – the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. It is also obeying the gospel by being BAPTIZED. It is the good news that when we repent of our sins, are baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of our sins, we can receive the gift of His Spirit to walk in new life.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." - Mark 16:15-16 KJV

Believing who Jesus is is also wrapped up in the good news package. It is good news that God paid for our sins, when only He could pay the price. He is our Saviour, there is no other Saviour beside Him. (Isaiah 43:11). While every man that was born after Adam is born in sin, only God is without sin. It took God, robing Himself in flesh and blood, to die for our sins. Jesus is God robed in flesh.

Only the Father in a sinless body could pay the price of our sins. And only the eternal Father could resurrect His human body from the dead. (Acts 2:24).

.

Jesus said from the beginning He is the Father. He told His disciples, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” and “the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” (John 14:7-10).  If Jesus was only a man and not the Father, He could not pay the price of our sins. Believing that Jesus is the Father is part of the good news gospel package.

"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." - John 8:24 KJV [I AM Exodus 3:14].

What is the Gospel?

 You could call the gospel the good news package. 

The gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day. (1Corinthians 15:1-8). 

The gospel is also the good news that when we repent of our sins, are buried with Him by baptism for remission of our sins, we can be filled with the baptism of His Spirit to walk in new life. (Romans 6:1-4). 

Jesus told a ruler of the Jews that to enter His kingdom a person must be born of water and of the Spirit. Jesus was speaking of water and Spirit baptism – the gospel. 

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5 KJV 

"Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" - John 3:4 KJV 

Jesus explained that He was speaking of a spiritual birth, not our natural physical birth. 

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." - John 3:6 KJV 

Jesus also explained that when we receive His Spirit there would be a sound as we are filled. This sound is speaking in tongues as His Spirit gives us the ability. Jesus compared His Spirit to the wind. 

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." - John 3:8 KJV 

On the Day of Pentecost, when God’s Spirit was poured out on the followers of Jesus, there was a sound like the wind. It was the believers speaking in tongues as they were filled with the Spirit. 

"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:2, 4 KJV 

To be continued…

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

God came and dwelt among us when He overshadowed Mary and she conceived. (Luke 1:35). He was born the Son of God. (Colossians 1:15, 2:9).

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." - Luke 1:31 KJV

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21 KJV

God came in His name of salvation, JESUS, revealing His purpose on earth: He came to save us from our sins.

When Jesus began His earthly ministry, John the Baptist declared Jesus’ mission:

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." - John 1:29 KJV

Jesus as the Son of God (the flesh and blood body of God) fulfilled His ultimate purpose when He died for our sins on a cross, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead.

Jesus paid the price that only God could pay - holy blood shed for our sins.

"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." - Hebrews 9:22 KJV

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." - Matthew 26:28 KJV

It is by His name Jesus in water baptism that we find salvation by remission of our sins.

Jesus told His disciples,

"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." - Luke 24:47 KJV

Peter preached repentance and remission of sins in the name of Jesus beginning in Jerusalem.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

And preached,

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." - Acts 4:12 KJV

Have you received the Holy Ghost since you've believed?

 The Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep." - 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 KJV

Paul explained how we obey the Gospel:

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father [the Holy Ghost], even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:1-4 KJV

Peter preached the Gospel:

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

We can repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus first (Acts 8:15-17), or we can repent and be filled with His Spirit first (Acts 10:44-48), but it is essential that we are born BOTH of water and of the Spirit.  

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5 KJV

Those that had been baptized by John the Baptist needed to be re-baptized, because they hadn’t been baptized in the name of Jesus. After they were baptized in the name of Jesus, Paul laid his hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (Acts 19:6).

Bless the Lord!

 

Thank you, JESUS, for your amazing blessings!

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." - Psalm 95:1-7a KJV

(1Corinthians 10:4, Revelation 17:14, Mark 4:39, Colossians 1:16, John 10:11).

Plans

There is a verse in the Bible that says,

"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow..." - James 4:13-14a KJV

Sometimes we think we have things all planned out, and then it starts falling apart. 

Then comes the next verse, we OUGHT to say, ‘If the Lord WILL…’

"For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." - James 4:15 KJV

The Lord has a plan. He has His reasons. We may never know the ‘why’ for SOME things in the Lord’s plan. And sometimes it is very clear why the plans changed like they did.

The bottom line is this:

"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." - Romans 8:28 KJV

Jesus has a better plan, and He definitely has His reasons. He is amazing. What a delight it is to live for God!!

Knowing these things, and seeing His plan unfold, gives us reason for the next verse!

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV