Is this love? Jesus said to His disciples, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you (John 15:14).
To people of this world, and to Christians who have not followed Romans 12:1-2, it would seem like Jesus is everybody’s friend, but that isn’t the case. Jesus is a friend of those who “obey” Him.
People with the spirit of error, speak from the world’s point of view.
1 John 4:5-6
They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. NKJV
People with the Spirit of faith, believe and speak in-line with what is written (2 Corinthians 4:13).
2 Corinthians 4:13-14
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, NKJV
You need to know that because all Christ followers (Christians, Acts 11:26) are supposed to be testing what we hear in keeping with 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. If we allow someone who speaks with the spirit of error to lead us, then we will end up being an enemy of God ourselves (Matthew 15:14).
Therefore, the next time you hear something that “sounds good,” and “seems right,” you also need to make sure that it is written in the context that it is being used, and is not against what is written in the Holy Bible.
The truth is that a friend of the world becomes God’s enemy (James 4:4). To God, that’s just like adultery.
James 4:4
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. NKJV
So, after we come to the Lord, we are expected to stop conforming to the world around us and then renew our minds with the truth, which is the Word of God (Romans 12:1-2, John 17:17). We are to allow the Word of God to judge our attitudes and thoughts (Hebrews 4:12).
Romans 12:1-2
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV
Those who know the truth, realize that Jesus ate with sinners in order to call them to repentance (Matthew 9:13). The Gospel of the Kingdom includes a call to repentance; the message hasn’t changed (Acts 26:20, 20:21). God “requires” all of us to repent or perish (2 Peter 3:9, Acts 17:30, Luke 13:3-5).
That’s not just repenting before we come to the Lord, but a life time of repentance if need be. Those who fall away don’t necessarily stop going to church, but they stop repenting of sins.
Hebrews 6:4-6
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. NKJV
Those who do not continue to follow Christ after they get saved, end up being worldly, or carnal Christians, who cannot possibly understand spiritual things, since understanding comes through obeying the precepts (rules, teachings, commands, Psalm 111:10, 119:98-105, 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Hebrews 5:11-14).
However, that doesn’t mean that they do not teach people according to their point of view. In the last days, the most popular teachers will be those who tell people what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4), but they will be easy to spot, since they will shun what is written and follow human precepts taught as if they were a written doctrine (Matthew 15:9); “go have a personal relationship with Jesus,” “trinity,” etc. Do not follow them.
Let us repent of the past and return to the Lord our God, not just with our mouth on Sunday morning, but with our hearts and minds every day of the week. Those who keep their minds on worldly things all week-long are full of death, no matter how spiritual they may seem to you (Romans 8:4-8). They think God has got their back, but actually they are hostile toward God, and enemies of the cross of Christ (Philippians 3:17-19, Matthew 16:23).
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil (1 Peter 3:12), to wipe the memory of them from the face of the earth (Psalm 34:16). Better check it.
Let us return to the Lord in the way that He has requested. Those who belong to Christ “have” crucified their sinful natures with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). Test what I have said and see for yourself. I’m Alan Ballou; a servant.
Father in Jesus’ name have mercy upon all of us, especially me. Forgive us for the sins that we have committed against you and wash us clean with the blood of Christ that we may serve you with a clear conscience. Amen!
If you would like, you may contact me through this home page link www.HowToStopSinning.com .
