How do we worship in the Spirit and in truth?

 How do we live life through the Spirit?

John 4:23-24 (AMP)
23 But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

In this article my aim is to highlight to you, my dear Readers, the importance of every born again Christian to live his/her life in or, if you prefer, through the Spirit. I will do this mainly by examining Romans 8 with you.

But before we do this though, I would like to highlight some of the scriptures about God that would confirm what the Apostle Paul teaches us in Romans 8 about the importance of living life in the Spirit.

Our first verses are the two above, John 4:23-24. In these two verses John tells us that God seeks people or true worshippers that will worship him in the Spirit and in truth. We will be unable to worship God in this way, the way he wants us to, unless we are living life in the Spirit!

Our next two verses come through the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians. In both the below verses we are told that the Lord is spirit. In verse 17 we are told that when we are in the Spirit, we have true freedom from the bondage of the world or the flesh and in verse 18 we are told that it is because of the Spirit we are progressively being transformed into the Lord’s image – His character and attributes! It stands to common sense reason that these things won’t be manifest in us and through us unless we are living life in the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (AMP)

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

These are amazing scriptures that we need to cling to and pray into our lives continually as we walk the path that God has willed for us, and we continually try to put to death ‘self’ as we walk the kingdom road to maturity in Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Now, what does Jesus say about how important it is for us, His Church, to live life in the Spirit?

Just before the Lord’s ascension into heaven He tells the disciples, us included, that He is not leaving us alone as orphans but that He will send the Holy Spirit to us to help us in everything!

In the below four verses, Jesus talking, He tells us that if we love Him, we must keep His commands, be obedient to Him and His teachings in the Bible and be conformed to His image! He then goes on to say He will ask the Father on our behalf to send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, to help us just as He (the Holy Spirit) helped Jesus in His ministry. Those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Saviour do not know the Holy Spirit but we as believers do know Him, for He lives within us and in each one of us!

John 14:15-17 (NIV)

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 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.

Matthew 3:16-17 (NIV) (brackets is the verse are mine)

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him (being filled with the Holy Spirit as a man). 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Matthew 4:1 (NIV)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

The above verses confirm that Jesus when He walked the earth and ministered to us as a man, was filled with and led by the Holy Spirit! We know that Jesus overcame the temptation of Satan by quoting scripture. “It is written”, He did this in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Devil has no answer to the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word, he is rendered ineffective when we are living life in the Spirit!

In the below four verses Jesus tells us that there is much more He has to say to us and to tell us, but He can only reveal these different things to us when the time is right, or they will be too much for us to bear. But when we are led by the Holy Spirit, He will guide us in all truth in the different stages of our Christian walk. When we are living life in this way, we will bring glory to the name of Jesus!

John 16:12-15 (NIV)

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Right, now that we have laid a sure foundation for ourselves to live life in the Spirit as we follow the Lord’s example, let’s now examine Romans 8!

We will do this by eating and digesting the chapter in small chunks.

In Romans 8 the NIV version of the Bible gives the chapter the heading of, “Life Through the Spirit”, the NLT versions heads it, “Life in the Spirit” and the Amplified version heads it quite differently from the other two versions with, “Escape from Bondage”. All these headings are relevant to us as we study the chapter.

Ok, let’s start ‘chunking away’ at this chapter using the NIV bible.

Romans 8:1-4

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

In verse 1 Paul assures us that when we are born again or saved as many say (when we are in Christ Jesus), our sins are forgiven and therefore we are set free from any condemnation. We suffer no guilt and no punishment for our sin because Jesus paid for our sins when he went to the Cross and died for our sin. Those that have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and have not repented from their sin suffer condemnation! On Judgement Day, the saved will go to heaven for eternity and the unsaved will go to hell for eternity where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

In verse 2 we are told that God sent His Son to earth in the likeness of sinful man as a sin offering for all human beings. That means that because Jesus died for us the law of the Spirit who gives us life has set us free from sin and death. Here Paul is talking about spiritual death which is eternal separation from God and the life that the Spirit gives us when we are born again is eternal life in Christ Jesus and therefore eternal life with God!

In verse 3 Paul explains that the law (the law of Moses) was unable to save us because it is weakened by the flesh of man. Here the Greek word used for flesh is ‘sarx’ and refers to the sinful state and nature of human beings and is presented as a power that is always in opposition to the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit!

In verse 4 Paul tells us that because God sent Jesus to die for our sin (he was our sacrificial sin offering sent by God), He condemned sin (for those of us who are born again in Christ Jesus) in the flesh so the righteous requirement would be fully met in us through Christ Jesus. As born again Christians we no longer live according to the flesh (sin) but according to the Spirit as we belong to Jesus and are therefore children of God.

John 1:12 (AMP) (words between asterisks are mine)

But to as many as did receive and welcome Him *Jesus*, He *Jesus* gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name *the name of Jesus*

Romans 8:5-8 (NIV) – Those living in the flesh.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

In the above four verses there is no mistaking what Paul is telling us! he gives us the distinctions between those with minds that live according to the flesh and those with minds that live according to the Spirit:

Romans 8:9-11

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

In verse 9 above we learn that we as born again Christians are in the realm of the spirit (if we are Spirit filled – See Acts 2:3 below) then God lives in us because He has given us of His Spirit in Christ Jesus and if we do not have the Spirit of Christ we do not belong to Jesus!

The below verses in Acts 2 & 8 are perfect illustrations of the Church at the time being filled with the Holy Spirit. These are examples that we today, both as individual and corporate believers need to be emulating!

Acts 2:3 (AMP)

There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit]. 4 And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].

Acts 8:14-17 (NIV)

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

In Romans 8 verse 10 Paul makes it abundantly clear that when we are born again, we have Christ in us and we have life by the Holy Spirit as it is the Spirit that gives life because we receive the righteousness of Christ when we are born again. And it is because we receive the righteousness of Christ that we are reconciled to God and God can look upon us as sinless – we receive Christ’s imputed righteousness.

And in verse 11 we are assured that because it was the Holy Spirit that resurrected the body of Christ, He will do the same for us as the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Jesus) lives in us!

Romans 8:12-13 (NIV)

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

In the above two verses Paul tells us that as born again Christians we are obligated to live according to the Spirit and not the flesh because if we live according to the flesh we will die (eternal separation from God in Hell) but if we live according to the Spirit and overcome the flesh (the misdeeds of the body and soul) we will live forever in eternity with Christ in heaven!

Romans 8:14-17 (NIV)

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

In the above four verses we see that when we receive the Holy Spirit and are led by Him alone, we:

• Become children of God.

• We are no longer slaves to sin and become adopted sons and daughters of God.

• The Holy Spirit Himself testifies that we are God’s children – we can call Him Father.

• We become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ and will receive what He has.

• We will share in Christ’s sufferings in order that we can share in His eternal glory!

John 16:33 (NIV)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:18-21 (NIV)

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

In the verse 18 above Paul gives us a futuristic glimpse or hint of what is waiting for us when the Lord returns and he assures us that our present sufferings, whatever they may be, will pale into insignificance with the glory of Christ that will be revealed in us when Christ returns for His Church.

In verse 19 Paul tells us that the whole of creation is waiting eagerly for Christ’s Church to be revealed – the children of God! All creation suffers because of the ravages of sin at the fall of man in the Garden of Eden and the curse that God placed on it because of sin.

Genesis 3:14-19 (NIV)

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock

and all wild animals!

You will crawl on your belly

and you will eat dust

all the days of your life.

15 And I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heel.”

16 To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;

with painful labor you will give birth to children.

Your desire will be for your husband,

and he will rule over you.”

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;

through painful toil you will eat food from it

all the days of your life.

18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,

and you will eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your brow

you will eat your food

until you return to the ground,

since from it you were taken;

for dust you are

and to dust you will return.”

In verses 20 and 21 we are told that the earth itself groans as if experiencing labour pains in anticipation and hope of the return of Jesus, it is waiting for the new heaven and new earth to be birthed when the Church is revealed at the second coming of Christ. All of ‘born again’ creation will be set free from sin and death. But unrepentant man, those whose names are not written in the book of life, will be cast into Hell with the devil and his fallen angels.

Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV)

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Romans 8:22-25

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In verse 22 and 23 above Paul says that the whole of creation has been groaning as if in birth pains and we are still doing so today as we are the firstfruits of the Spirit – those of as that are born again and have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour!

The Greek word for groan or groaning in these two verses is ‘sustenazó (soos-ten-ad'-zo)’ and means: to groan together, the earth for the new heaven and new earth and the Church as we as we wait for or adoption to sonship and our new, imperishable bodies!

In verses 24 and 25 we are reminded that our hope is in Christ Jesus and Him alone. It is through Him that we are saved and Him alone and we patiently wait in our hope of our own resurrection which is yet to come. But it will come when Jesus comes!

Romans 8:26-27

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

In the above two verses, Paul gives us a beautiful picture of how the Holy Spirit is working tirelessly to strengthen us in our we weaknesses. He guides us in our prayer lives especially when we do not know what to pray and like Jesus (Romans 8:34), he intercedes for us with the Father as we pray in the spirit in accordance with God’s will. It is only through the leading of the Holy Spirit that we His children and His Church can remain in God’s good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives!

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform 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 8:28-30

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

In verse 28 – 30 above we are assured that God, for those that love Him, works for our good at all times and for all things and that we, those who are His, have been called for His good purpose even before He placed us in our mothers’ wombs. We were predestined to be His from times long ago. God knows us and because we have His calling on our lives he also justifies us in Christ Jesus and we too will be glorified with new, resurrected bodies! We are glorified in this way so that our Lord Jesus will be even more glorified!

Ephesians 1:3-14 (NIV)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Romans 8:31-34

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

As Paul draws to the end of this chapter in the above four verses he issues us with these life changing realities for those of us who are born-again and living life in the Spirit:

• If God is for us – nobody can be against us – this includes the devil and his minions!

• God will graciously (through His grace alone) along with Jesus give us all things!

• Nobody will be able to bring any charge against us because God has chosen us who are in Christ Jesus and live according to the Spirit. It is God who justifies.

• Nobody can condemn us because we are His!

• Jesus himself is seated at God’s right hand interceding on our behalf. There is nothing more awesome than this!

Romans 8:35-39 (NIV)

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[Psalm 44:22]

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• And finally, dear Readers, in the last five verses (above) of the chapter we are reassured of God’s endless and abounding agapé love for us.

• Nothing can separate us from Christ’s love!

• In Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors in all things!

• And just as reinforcement for our souls – NOTHING will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

WHEN WE ARE LIVING LIFE IN THE SPIRIT, WE ARE SET FREE FROM ALL BONDAGE!

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father

In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to live my life in accordance with your will and always being led by your Holy Spirit. Lord, help me to live and walk on the path that you have willed for my life in every way and help me to serve you Lord by serving others in accordance with your Word in true love and humility, putting the needs of others before my own! Help me Lord to be worthy of my salvation in you! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

What does being a true Christian servant look like?

 

Jesus Christ – Our Example

For every born again Christian, male and female alike, the example we follow in our daily walk in everything we do and say can only be Jesus. Jesus as God’s Son as well as Jesus the Word of God and Jesus through whom all things were made!

John 1:1-3, 14 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Keeping in line with the topic of this article which is, ‘What does being a true Christian servant look like?’, let us examine His example of true servanthood in order that we may follow Him correctly!

In Matthew 20:25-28 Jesus is talking to His twelve disciples. He tells them that they must not want to seek to become like the Gentiles that want power over others in order to ‘Lord over them’, but to become great in the Kingdom of God, they must become the servant of others in love and humility! He goes on tell them that the reason why He came was not to be served but to serve others.

Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)

25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them [tyrannizing them]. 26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your [willing and humble] slave;

28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In Romans 8:29 below the Apostle Paul tells us that God knew us before we were born and that He predestined His children to be conformed to the image of Jesus and become the Lord’s brothers and sisters. Being ‘conformed to His image’ has nothing to do with our physical appearance, but being conformed to His character, His ways and His nature and when we do this, we take on the very attributes of God Himself!

Romans 8:29 (KJV)

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Another prime example of true servanthood that the Lord himself leaves us with to emulate is found in John 13. Let’s examine the three verses below!

John 13:3-5 (NLT)

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

Here the Apostle John tells us that Jesus, knowing that the Father has given Him authority over everything, humbled himself by taking off His outer robe and taking a servant’s bowl and towel, wrapped the towel around his waist and began to wash His disciples’ feet.

The significance of this act is not the washing of feet itself but the fact that he made himself do the work of the lowliest servant, the foot washer, in any house or establishment. Foot washing in the Jewish tradition was done for any guest that came to one’s establishment as a sign of respect and welcome. This was done as a guest that had just arrived at your house, would have dirty feet, mucky feet from the street as, in those days people only wore open sandals and not the kind of shoes or boots that we wear today!

This was Jesus, the Messiah, showing His willingness to serve others out of His genuine brotherly love for them! This is the kind of servanthood that Jesus expects His Church to show to each other at all times to this very day and beyond into eternity!

Are we doing this, Church?

The Apostle Paul in Philippians 2 exhorts us to emulate the humility of Christ by adopting His attitude and mindset and being one in spirit and of one mind in the way in which we serve each other and build each other up and encourage each other in the Spirit!

Philippians 2:1-8 (NIV)

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Jesus laid down His life for us in true humility, “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death”! This was in obedience to the will of the Father!

Luke 22:41-44 (NIV)

41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Are we doing this, Church?

The Apostle Paul in Colossians 3 encourages us to do everything with all our heart as if we were doing it for the Lord Himself and not for other humans. In other words, do everything out of love as His true servant who is obedient to His will and not obedient to our own flesh! We are serving Jesus not men when we become servants to each other!

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Are we doing this, Church?

In 1 Peter 4 the Apostle Peter says a similar thing to Paul when He encourages us to use the gifts that God freely gives us (the gifts of the Spirit) and our natural talents which also come from God, to serve others as His faithful servants.

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

James 1:17 (AMP)

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].

Are we doing this Church?

In Galatians 5, Paul reminds us that in Christ Jesus we have freedom and then warns us not to use this freedom for our own selfish needs but to humbly serve our brothers and sisters in Christ in His agapé love – His Church!

Galatians 5:13 (NIV)

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Are we doing this, Church?

The Apostle John in John 13 recounts from his first hand experience of being with Jesus, the time when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. During this humble service the Lord tells the disciples (and now us as His born again Church) to follow His example of serving each other out of love and humility – He wasn’t just referring to washing each other’s feet but to serving each other in everything we do. Putting the needs of others before our own as it is spoken in Philippians 2 above!

John 13:14-17 (NIV)

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Are we doing this, Church?

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells us about being the “servant of all”, Mark recounts how the Lord had heard the disciples arguing about which one of them was the greatest when they were on the road to Capernaum. When they arrived in Capernaum, Jesus calls the disciples to Himself and gently scolds them about this argument and makes it very clear to them that the one who wants to be known as great in the kingdom of God is the one who is willing to become the servant of all. This is a lesson we all need to embrace today!

Mark 9:33-35 (AMP)

33 They arrived at Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing and arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet, because on the road they had discussed and debated with one another which one [of them] was the greatest. 35 Sitting down [to teach], He called the twelve [disciples] and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all [in importance] and a servant of all.”

Are we doing this, Church?

Now, dear Readers, in finishing this article let us hold fast to the teachings of God’s Word in order to become more and more Christlike as we walk our road to Christian maturity. The Apostle Paul gives us some very good advice in the scriptures below!

Romans 12:9-11 (NIV)

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

When we, the Church as brothers and sister in Christ, are serving each other in this way, then we are truly serving Jesus our Lord, our King and our Saviour!

Are we doing this, Church?

Speaking for myself, my dear readers, I definitely need to get better in serving others in my local fellowship! There is always room for improvement in me! We all fall short of the glory of God! Sometimes I’m good at it and sometimes I’m not! I need to be evermore trying to be like Jesus the Servant King! Always consistent in the serving of my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to live my life in accordance with your will. Lord, help me to live and walk on the path that you have willed for my life always and in every way and help me to serve you Lord by serving others in accordance with your Word in true love and humility, putting the needs of others before my own! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

The Agapé Road

 

In our Christian lives and Christian walk; which begins when we become born again and have repented of our sin and have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour; from ‘babies’ to ‘maturity’, we walk a road that is ordained by God in His infinite and everlasting agapé love.

As we walk this road (God’s Road for us – what I call The Agapé Road) we often slip and go astray, we deviate from the road that God has willed for us through our sin, yes even as born again believers we still sin, I’m speaking from experience. During these times it becomes necessary for God to discipline us in love in order to bring us back into full fellowship with Him.

In this article I have attempted to show and explain, using scripture, how God’s Road, or way of agapé love leads and guides us in our walk to Christian maturity. I will also attempt to show how his love is all encompassing and is inclusive of His judgement, His justice, His discipline and the things He hates! If we don’t know what He hates, how will we know what to avoid like the plague? God is our everlasting Father, and all His ways are just! His love endures forever!

Deuteronomy 32:3-4 (AMP)

3 “For I proclaim the name [and presence] of the Lord;

Ascribe greatness and honor to our God!

4 “The Rock! His work is perfect,

For all His ways are just;

A God of faithfulness without iniquity (injustice),

Just and upright is He.

On The Agapé Road, and if we are really serious about our commitment to follow Jesus as our Lord and saviour, we will encounter with absolute certainty, all aspects of God’s love!

Only those of us that are born again in Christ Jesus are eligible to walk The Agapé Road. The prophet Isaiah describes it as ‘the Way of Holiness.’

Isaiah 35:8-10 (NIV)

8 And a highway will be there;

it will be called the Way of Holiness;

it will be for those who walk on that Way.

The unclean will not journey on it;

wicked fools will not go about on it.

9 No lion will be there,

nor any ravenous beast;

they will not be found there.

But only the redeemed will walk there,

10 and those the Lord has rescued will return.

They will enter Zion with singing;

everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,

and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Let’s examine together The Agapé Road in respect of God’s all-embracing love in its four main characteristics! His unconditional love, His discipline in love, His Judgement in Love and the antithesis of His love – what He hates!

1: God’s unconditional love – his everlasting love, grace and mercy.

John 3:16 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 

1 Peter 1:3-5 (AMP)

3 Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected and shielded by the power of God through your faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time.

Whenever the New Testament writers are referring to God’s love, they use the Greek word ‘agapē’ – pronounced ‘ag-ah-pay’ which, when expanded to its full meaning, is translated in English as ‘a love that is unconditional, benevolent, charitable and freely given’ - we don’t have to do anything to earn it or give anything in return for it, we just need to receive it.

1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)

7 Dear friends, let us love one another (our brothers and sisters in Christ), for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ in this way no matter who they are or what they have done? The love the World tends to display is love that is lustful and of the flesh. It is self-seeking and self-satisfying; in fact it is self-orientated in every way! Quite the exact opposite to the selfless love of God – the love that God expects His Church to display towards each other in Christ Jesus!

As we receive God’s agapē love, so it is our duty as God’s children to show His love to others in all we do as part of our service to Him.

The Apostle Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 14:1 (AMP)

Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].

Other bible versions say, ‘follow the way of love and eagerly desire the spiritual gifts.’ Follow the way of love! Yes, indeed, but not just any kind of love, only God’s love which looks like this:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

God is love and all that He does is out of love, even His correction, discipline, judgement and what He hates is born out of His perfect agapé love! The Apostle Paul urges us as God’s Church, as His children, to let everything we do be motivated by God’s (agapé) love and if we do not have this kind of love for others then nothing we can do or say will have any kind of true spiritual meaning! We will not be true followers of Christ!

1 Corinthians 16:14 (AMP)

Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us].

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

This is the love that brought our salvation to us in Christ Jesus. This is the love that God expects us to have for each other! This is the love that Jesus talks about in Matthew 22:36-40 (AMP):

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 And Jesus replied to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ 40 The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

And if we do not love our Christian family in the way God does, we have a problem! Just have a look at what 1 John 4:20 (AMP) says about this:

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Step 2: God’s discipline

Because God is love He disciplines those He loves, those who are His children and have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and have repented from their sin!

Hebrews 12:6 (NIV)

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[Proverbs 3:11-12]

The Bible describes born-again Christians as God’s children, His sons, and daughters and so He disciplines us in love so that we do not go astray and fall into wickedness once again and to bring us back to Him when we do go astray!

Romans 8:16 (AMP)

The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God.

Proverbs 13:24 (NIV)

Whoever spares the rod hates their children,

but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

So here we see that God’s love involves discipline and, with everything that God does, it is for our benefit!

Now, why does God discipline those that are His?

The answer is quite simple, because His discipline in His love brings out the fruit of peace and righteousness in us which is right standing with God. In other words, it helps us to become more like Jesus and more conformed to the Son’s image! God’s discipline helps us to live a life worthy of our salvation and to live a life that is conformed to the teachings of His Word! God’s discipline shows us the error of sinful living and adjusts our actions back to righteousness in Christ Jesus when we do fall back into the realm of the flesh and deviate from the realm of the Spirit!

Hebrews 12:11 (AMP)

For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose].

In the verse above the writer of Hebrews uses the word ‘trained’ by God’s discipline. The Greek word for ‘trained’ here is ‘gumnazó’ (pronounced goom-nad-zo) and refers to the way in which a professional and dedicated athlete trains and is trained.

If I can use this analogy. As born again and Spirit filled Christians, we the Church, are members of God’s team. Jesus is our Captain, and the Holy Spirit is our trainer. Just as an athlete is trained according to the trainer’s rigorous programme which includes personal discipline, so too is the Christian when He is disciplined by God under the coaching of the Holy Spirit to keep us in the will of the Father. In this way we are all trained by the Holy Spirit to become an effective and powerful Spirit filled Church that brings glory, honour and praise to Jesus and light to a dark world!

Step 3: God’s judgement

All men, including born again Christians, are born once to die and once to face judgement. We will all have to stand before God and give an account of ourselves.

Hebrews 9:27 (NIV)

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

Romans 14:12 (KJV)

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV)

36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 (AMP)

For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].

Step 4: God’s hate

So, let’s look at God’s hate this way, if God is love then it stands to reason that He would hate anything that is contrary to His love. What is contrary to love? Anything or anyone that is evil and acts contrary to His Word! In this same vein God cannot love evil nor the perpetrators of evil as that would be contrary to His loving nature.

Let’s have a look at what the Psalmist says about God’s relationship with the unrepentant sinner.

Psalm 5:4-5 (AMP)

4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;

No evil [person] dwells with You.

5 The boastful and the arrogant will not stand in Your sight;

You hate all who do evil.

Psalm 5 was written by King David (the man after God’s own heart) and in it, David is praying to God and asking for his help against his (David’s) enemies, and he reminds God of who He is! Hence in verses 4 and 5 he says that God does not tolerate wickedness and He hates all those who do evil

So, the statement, “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” is not Biblical. The only sinner that God loves is the repentant sinner who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This is why mankind needs a Saviour – it’s all about Jesus! Jesus is the only name by which mankind can be saved! If God loves the unrepentant sinner, then Jesus died for nothing - there would be no need for a Saviour!

Acts 4:11-12 (AMP)

11 This Jesus is the stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief Cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].”

In Proverbs 6 the author, King Solomon, tells us about the things that God hates. There are seven things he mentions that God hates and that are an abomination to Him.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (AMP)

16 These six things the Lord hates;

Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him:

17 A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue,

And hands that shed innocent blood,

18 A heart that creates wicked plans,

Feet that run swiftly to evil,

19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths],

And one who spreads discord (rumours) among brothers.

When we look carefully at the seven things mentioned we see that they all stem from one source, the father of sin who is Satan himself!

Proverbs 6 Verse 17

1. Pride:
Satan’s pride was his downfall and the reason why he was expelled from heaven.

Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV)

13 For thou (Satan) hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

God opposes the proud and gives abundant grace to the humble!

James 4:6 (AMP)

But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].”

1 Peter 5:6 (NIV)

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

2. Lying:
One of the titles that the Bible ascribes to Satan is that he is the father of lies. Anybody that lies is not a son of God but the son of the devil!

John 8:44 (NIV)

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Do Christians still lie? Yes, I’m afraid we do! Even telling someone you will pray for them, and you don’t, is telling a lie. The Church needs to be very careful in our dealings with each other as well as those outside the Church! It is interesting to note from the above verse that God considers lying to be much the same as committing murder!

Ephesians 4:6 (AMP)

Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].

We need to pray the words spoken by David in the verse below and include our own lying lips as well when we slip!

Psalm 102:2 (NIV) brackets are mine.

Save me, Lord,

from lying lips (including my own)

and from deceitful tongues (including my own).

3. Shedding innocent blood (Heartless and needless cruelty to others)
Remember the heartless murder by Cain in the Old Testament and Herod in the New Testament.

Genesis 4:8-10 (AMP)

8 Cain talked with Abel his brother [about what God had said]. And when they were [alone, working] in the field, Cain attacked Abel his brother and killed him.

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he [lied and] said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s [innocent] blood is crying out to Me from the ground [for justice].

Matthew 2:16-18 (NIV)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more.”[Jeremiah 31:15]

The account found in Matthew is the fulfilment of a prophecy made by the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 31 and verse 15!

Proverbs 6 Verse 18

4. Vicious plotting and scheming – ‘a heart that creates wicked plans.’
The prime example of this Judas Iscariot when the Devil enters him, and he plots and schemes with the Pharisees and other religious leaders to betray Jesus with a kiss on the cheek for thirty pieces of silver! The spirit of Judas is still very much alive to this day – the kiss of the Devil is found in lying lips that plot evil!

Luke 22:3-6 (NIV)

3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

5. Being eager to do evil - feet that rush to do evil
This is someone who is always looking to do evil things rather than good things. Someone who has an evil disposition! This is from the Devil!

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Proverbs 6 Verse 19

6. A False Witness and slanderer
Look what happened to Korah and his followers when he made false statements against Moses and slandered him in front of the Israelites. God brought a swift and terrible retribution and judgement upon them! Who is the father of lies? Satan!

Numbers 16:31-35 (NIV)

31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

35 And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

Psalm 101:5 (AMP)

Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will silence;

The one who has a haughty look and a proud (arrogant) heart I will not tolerate.

7. A divisive person – “a man who stirs up dissension among brothers”
Look how Satan came between God and man in the Garden of Eden by using a snake as his mouthpiece.

Genesis 3:1 (AMP)

Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

A divisive person sows doubt in others about the truth of the Bible and its teachings. The Bible clearly warns us to stay away from such people!

Titus 3:10-11 (AMP)

10 After a first and second warning reject a divisive man [who promotes heresy and causes dissension—ban him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him], 11 well aware that such a person is twisted and is sinning; he is convicted and self-condemned [and is gratified by causing confusion among believers].

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to live my life in accordance with your will. Lord, help me to live and walk on the path that you have willed for my life always and in every way! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

The Age of Lawlessness

 What does the Age of Lawlessness look like?

What is Lawlessness?

For a born again Christian this question is easy to answer. If we just look at the above scripture (1 John 3:4) we see that “sin is lawlessness.”

The Greek word for lawlessness here is ‘anomia’ (Strong’s 458) which is pronounced ‘an-om-ee-ah’ and its expanded meaning is: lawlessness, iniquity, disobedience (to God’s Word) and sin which is also disobedience to God’s Word. Anomía ("lawlessness") for all mankind includes the end-impact of law breaking – i.e. its negative influence on a person's soul (man’s status before God).

Lawlessness in man, Biblically speaking, is the showing of complete contempt for God and His law (the Bible) and the rejection of His Son, Jesus, as his Lord and Saviour. Man doing his own ‘thing’ with complete disregard and contempt for all things Godly and other men!

In the book of James, the Lord’s brother gives a strong message to us all, even to us who profess to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour, concerning how careful we should be in the way we conduct ourselves and remain obedient to God’s Word and thus the faith we profess!

James 4:17 (NLT)

Remember, it is sin (lawlessness) to know what you (including me and you) ought to do and then not do it.

The above verse is all about born again Christians being obedient and faithful to all aspects of God's Word! 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us always be quick to repent when we slip, say sorry to the Father. Just because we know Jesus as Lord and Saviour doesn’t mean we can continue to sin (willfully) as if we had never known Christ!

Romans 6:1-2 (AMP)

What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that [God’s gift of] grace may increase and overflow? 2 Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer?

Hebrews 6:4-6 (NLT)

4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

The Apostle Paul instructs us as born again Christians to have nothing to do with sin but to rather expose it – even more so if it is still in us!

Ephesians 5:11 (NIV)

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

To learn more about what happens when a Christian sins read my blog, 'What happens when born again Christians sin?', published on 4 September 2021. Follow the ling below:

https://rayskilton.blogspot.com/2021/09/what-happens-when-born-again-christians.html

How did Jesus describe this lawless age?

In Matthew 24 (Dear Readers, I encourage you to read and study this chapter for yourselves in conjunction with reading this article) Jesus is talking to His disciples on the Mount of Olives and is telling them in detail what the end times will look like. The age of lawlessness is synonymous with the end times.

Before I examine this chapter with you, let me first quote to you some of the sub-headings for the chapter that are found in different Bible versions just to highlight the topic’s intensity.

The NIV has: “The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times.”

The AMP has: “Signs of Christ’s Return.”

And the NLT has: “Jesus Speaks about the Future.”

From these sub-headings we can see that Matthew 24 is a chapter that speaks about the future degeneration of humankind from the time Jesus spoke these words right through to today and tomorrow’s tomorrow – the future until He returns!

Let’s now read, digest and keep in our hearts what our Lord (in the power of the Holy Spirit) says in this chapter from verses 1 – 14, this is expounded up to His words, “then the end will come” so that we will not be deceived in any way by any human pretensions and dispensations both now and in the future!

Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives when His disciples approach Him privately and ask Him what the signs will be for His second coming and of the end of the age? Jesus answers them in some detail which I suspect would have taken the disciples quite by surprise at the seriousness of His response.

This is what he tells them at the time and us today in point form, please do not forget to read and study the chapter for yourselves!

• Verse 4 & 5: Don’t be deceived by those that come claiming to be Him (Jesus).

• Verse 6: We will hear of wars rumours of war – we must not be afraid by this as these things will happen before the end comes – God has ordained it!

• Verse 7: Nation will rise against nation. There will be famines and earthquakes.

• Verse 8: These signs are just the beginning - birth pains as it were!

• Verse 9: Christians will be hated, persecuted, and put to death because of their faith in Jesus. This happened from the time of the Lord’s death on the cross right up until 313 CE when the Edict of Milan put an end to the Roman persecution of Christians. But even up to today Christians are still being persecuted and put to death by the opposers of Christianity in many Islamic and other non-Christian countries and areas!

• Verse 10: Many Christians will turn away from the faith. The great falling away – the Apostasy.

• Verse 11: Many false prophets and teachers will appear.

• Verse 12: Wickedness will increase and the love of many will grow cold.

• Verse 13: If you stand firm to the end, you will be saved.

• Verse 14: Regardless of this the gospel of the kingdom will still be preached to the world – then the end will come!

Now from verses 15 through to the end of the chapter, which is verse 51, Jesus continues his discourse of what the age of lawlessness or the end times will look like with phrases like these:

• ‘the abomination that causes desolation’

• ‘How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!’

• ‘For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.’

•  ‘If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.’ Time is passing quickly!

• ‘For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.’

• ‘For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ‘

• ‘‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky,

• and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

• ‘the Son of Man will come on the clouds.’

• ‘angels will gather His elect.’

• ‘the day and the hour is unknown.’ Only the Father knows.’

• ‘it will be as in the days of Noah.’

• ‘we must be ready now because His coming will be unexpected.’

• ‘there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

So, in Matthew 24, our Lord paints us a very vivid and unmistakable picture of what the age of lawlessness will look like. He shows us clearly how wicked men will behave and how the whole world and even the sun, moon and stars, will be seriously affected!

I don’t know about you, dear Reader, but when I look at this picture and I look at what is happening in the world today, it’s almost like a mirror image.

I would urge you to be ready for Jesus now, for he will come like a thief in the night and without warning! Keep your lamp burning and your oil full! Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

To learn more about working out your salvation please read my blog published on 7 November 2022. Just click on this link:

https://rayskilton.blogspot.com/2022/11/work-out-your-salvation-with-fear-and.html

The Great Falling Away – The Apostasy

During this time, the age of lawlessness, the Lord tells us in the below three verses, that many people professing to be Christians will turn their backs on the faith and wickedness will increase and the love of most will grow cold but those of us that stand firm to the end will be saved! Work out your salvation with fear and trembling!

Matthew 24:10-13 (NIV)

10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

The Apostle Paul tells us a similar thing in the verse below, only this time it has been confirmed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit tells us that the teachings man will follow during these times are the teachings of demons and evil spirits!

Beware, my precious brothers and sisters in Christ, do not be deceived!

1 Timothy 4:1 (NIV)

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3 confirms what the Lord tells us about the age of lawlessness and the manner in which people will behave and the devilish characteristics they will display in the below verses:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (AMP)

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, 3 [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.

In verse five above, Paul is very clear in his instruction to us as born again Christians about associating with lawless people, “Avoid such people and keep far away from them.”

What does light have to do with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (NIV)

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

The name Belial comes from the Hebrew word bel'yya'al which means "destruction," and literally "worthless." Bel'yya'al is formed from two Hebrew words b'li "without" + ya'al "use", without any usefulness, wickedness or vile. The Old Testament uses it to describe wickedness as an evil force (Deuteronomy 13:13); later in the New Testament Belial is treated as being a proper name of Satan (2 Corinthians 6:15). There is no harmony between Christ and Satan, Christ and wicked men, Christ and evildoers!

Deuteronomy 13:13 (KJV)

Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;

The Man of Lawlessness

The Apostle Paul also tells us in his second letter to the Thessalonians in the two verses below that the apostasy or the great falling away and the revealing of the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist, the son of destruction) will come first and only then will the Lord return! He also gives us a very clear picture of what the Antichrist will do and how he will influence both believers and unbelievers into more and more wickedness! The verses below from the Amplified Bible say it all!

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (AMP)

3 Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed], 4 who opposes and exalts himself [so proudly and so insolently] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he [actually enters and] takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly proclaiming that he himself is God.

So, my dear Readers, my question right at the beginning of this article was, “What Does the Age of Lawlessness Look Like?” 

Well, I’m of the opinion that it looks very much like today – the age we are living in right now! And the days are definitely getting increasingly darker and man more and more depraved and lawless!

What do you think?

Are you ready for Jesus?

Are you living in a manner worthy of the gospel?

Philippians 1:27a (NLT)

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

Are you working out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Are you quick to repent when you slip, or do you carry on willfully sinning?


Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to live my life steadfastly in accordance with your will and your Word so that I can live in a manner worthy of my salvation in Christ Jesus. Help me Lord to willfully sin less and less and be quick to repent. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!