Saturday, December 30, 2017

Lessons on Faith: Part 14 of 14: Walk in the Spirit

By A. T. Jones

List of Articles


"Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Gal. 5:16.

What a blessed promise! And as sure as it is blessed, to everyone who believes.

Think of the lust of the flesh. How all-pervading it is! How stern are its dictates! How oppressive its rule! How dismal is the slavery that it lays upon man!

Everybody has experienced it -- longing to do the good that he would, yet doing only the evil that he hated; having ever a will to do better, but how to perform it, finding not; delighting in the law of God after the inward man, yet finding in his members another law, warring against the law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin which is in his members; and at last, crying out, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. 7:14-24.

Thank the Lord, there is deliverance. It is found in Christ Jesus and in the Spirit of our God. Rom. 7:25; 8:1,2. And the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus having made you free from the law of sin and death, then "walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." There is not only deliverance from the bondage of corruption; there is also the glorious liberty of the children of God for every soul who receives the Spirit and walks in the Spirit.

"Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

See the list of the workings of the lust of the flesh: "Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like." None of these shall you fulfill, over all these things you have the victory, when you walk in the Spirit. It is the faithful word of God.

Is not that a most desirable prospect? Is not such a thing as that worth having? And when it is had for the asking and the taking, then is it not worth asking for and taking?

Accept the deliverance that Christ has wrought out for you. Stand, and stand fast, in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.

"Ask, and it shall be given you." "For everyone that asketh receiveth." "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." "Be filled with the Spirit," yea, "Walk in the" "Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

RH Mar. 14, 1899 

By A. T. Jones in the Review and Herald periodical in 1899.


Blog Edited by John Foll.


List of Articles

#Faith #Walk #Spirit #Lusts #Flesh #Delight #Longing #Law #God #Death #Wretched #Sin #Free #Jesus #Blessed #Believe #Slavery #Bondage #Liberty #Holy

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Lessons on Faith: Part 13 of 14: Faith That Works By Love

By A. T. Jones

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"In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love."  Gal. 5:6.

With those who were in mind when this scripture was originally written, circumcision was everything, and it was everything simply because of what it represented.

And what circumcision represented to those people was works and works only. It was the greatest of all works -- greater than creation itself -- because, as the rabbis put it, "So great is circumcision, that but for it the Holy One, blessed be He, would not have created the world." "It is as great as all the other commandments," "equivalent to all the commandments of the law." -- Farrar's "Life of Paul," chapter 22, para. 5, note; chapter 35, para 4, note.

Yet this which to them was so great, the Lord sweeps away, as with a blast, in the words, "Circumcision is nothing," and in Christ Jesus, circumcision avails nothing. And, in view of what circumcision meant to them, this was simply to say that works are nothing and in Christ Jesus works avail nothing.

Then to all the others who, in view of this, might be inclined to boast in their lack of works and thus excuse sin, the word is given with equal force: "And uncircumcision is nothing." "In Jesus Christ neither . . . uncircumcision availeth anything," which, in its connection, was simply to say that the absence of works is nothing and in Christ Jesus the absence of works avails nothing.

So then works are nothing and the absence of works is nothing. In Christ Jesus neither works nor the lack of works avails anything.

This word of the Lord, therefore, utterly and forever excludes both classes from all merit and from all ground of merit in themselves or in anything they ever did or did not do. 

And this is all as true today as ever. Today, whether persons are out of Christ or in Christ, neither works nor no works avail anything. For it is written: "Are you in Christ? Not if you do not acknowledge yourselves erring, helpless, condemned sinners. . . . Your birth, your reputation, your wealth, your talents, your virtues, your piety, your philanthropy, or anything else in you or connected with you, will not form a bond of union between your soul and Christ."  -- Testimony for the Church, No. 31, pages 44, 45.

What then? Is everybody left in utter emptiness? No, no! Thank the Lord there is something which avails for all and avails forever. Though it be the everlasting truth that "in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, neither works nor no works avail anything; yet it is also the eternal truth that "in Jesus Christ . . . FAITH WHICH WORKETH" does avail.

Notice that it is not faith and works that avail; it is "faith WHICH worketh." It is faith which itself is able to work and does work -- it is this and this alone that avails for anybody anywhere at any time.

Faith is only of God and working; it works only the works of God. Thus he who, in Christ Jesus, has the "faith which worketh," has that which avails to show God manifest in the flesh, working the works of God. And thus "this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

And so, while you are in Christ, "if there is any good in you, it is wholly attributable to the mercy of the compassionate Saviour. . . . Your connection with the church, the manner in which your brethren regard you, will be of no avail unless you believe in Christ. It is not enough to believe about Him; you must believe in Him. You must rely wholly upon His saving grace."  -- Id., pages 44, 45.

"Hast thou faith?" Have the faith of God. "Here are they that keep . . . the faith of Jesus."

RH Mar. 28, 1899 

By A. T. Jones in the Review and Herald periodical in 1899.


Blog Edited by John Foll.



List of Articles

#Faith #Works #By #Love #Circumcision #Uncircumcision #Nothing #In #Christ #Good #Mercy #Savior #Believe #Saving #Grace #Truth #Jesus #Merit #Greatest #Law

Saturday, November 4, 2017

He is Faithful!

By John Foll
© Copyright 2017 John Foll

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"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 KJV.

The key here is that ‘He is faithful’. Who is faithful? God is faithful. Our salvation and all the good things now and forever depend on the love and faithfulness of God to keep His promises to us, to forgive us and to help cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to provide all the other gifts that He wants to give us. Yes, God is faithful and can be trusted to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, if we confess our sins! It does not depend on us, because we are not faithful by ourselves. Only God can help us to be faithful. But if we will just confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and will save us, as long as we continue to allow Him to work in our life! Yes, He is faithful! God alone is faithful and righteous. And you can have all the blessings of love and eternal life, if you will just choose to confess your sins, because He will take care of you, if you will do this and continue with Him. God always keeps His promises!

This is taken from my book: Love of God, God’s Plan To Save You – How to Have Righteousness By Faith, in the Chapter: Become White as Snow: Confession and Forgiveness. In this book we show how to get closer to God, how to get the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of the Spirit. We will show you in this book how to have righteousness by faith. We think that you would be blessed if you would read this book. http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/love-of-god-part-1

May the grace of God be with you.

List of Articles

#Faith #Faithful #God #Confess #Sins #Just #Forgive #Cleanse #Unrighteousness #Trust #Blessings #Holy #Spirit #Promises #Promise #Grace #Love #Choose #Sin #Clean

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Many will not be able to enter the Heavenly Canaan because of unbelief

By John Foll, finished writing 9/30/2017.
© Copyright 2017 John Foll

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Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:12-19 KJV.

So what is the cure for unbelief? Faith. Faith is the opposite of doubt or unbelief. Unbelief in what? Unbelief in the promises of God. The children of Israel had been given a promise by God that He would give them the land of Canaan and help them to possess it, if they would follow His lead. Caleb and Joshua told the children of Israel that they were well able to enter the Promised Land, that God would open the way for them and give it to them. But the 10 other unfaithful spies lied to the children of Israel about this, saying many discouraging things to them, so that they did not believe the promise of the Lord.

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us." So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." Numbers 13:30-33 NASB. “Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?’ So they said to one another, ‘Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, ‘The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us — a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them. But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.” Numbers 14:1-10 NASB. Read the rest of this passage and beyond for this sad account; for their punishment for unbelief and rebellion against God. Unbelief and rebellion are close cousins.

Who did the children of Israel believe? Caleb and Joshua or the 10 unfaithful spies? There were two reports, a good report and a bad report. Which report do you want to hear? The good report or the bad report? What do you want to believe, the promise of God to save you and take you to the Heavenly Canaan, or the lying report that says that God is not able to save you, or that you must try to find out how to save yourself? No, those who will enter the Heavenly Canaan will enter in only by belief and faith in God’s mighty power to save; they will believe the good report of God’s love, might and power, and reject all lying reports.

What did Jesus say regarding unbelief and faith and the ability of doing the work He gave His disciples to do? (This includes His modern day disciples too, which can be you too if you want this!)

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, ‘Why could not we cast him out?’ And Jesus said unto them, ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.’” Matthew 17:19-20 KJV.

Is there a connection between faith and the Holy Spirit? If you have a lack of faith or have unbelief you can ask God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not (James 1:5) and He will give you all the faith you need by giving you the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:13 NASB. This is a most beautiful promise that Jesus and His Father want to give you. Ask for it, believe it and receive it. Dwell on the rich promises of God and of His love for you until you believe. Put away all doubt and discouragement. You may have to pray much, and keep confessing and yielding yourself to God, until you receive this for yourself.

The answer to the question ‘is there a connection between faith and the Holy Spirit’ is yes! One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is faith. Whenever someone has great faith, it has always been given to them by the Holy Spirit, but they must choose to exercise this faith, or they will lose it. Human belief is of no value, only the faith given by God will save you, but you must choose to exercise it. That is why it is so important to get the Holy Spirit in full, who will give you much faith, hope and joy! See Galatians 5:22-23 for the list of the fruits of the Spirit that God wants to give you. So if you want to have faith, and not be shut out of Heaven because of unbelief, you must get the Holy Spirit.

Many don’t see the necessity of having the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit or don’t know that they can get this for themselves. They think that what happened in the book of Acts with the early Christians only happened in the book of Acts and that it can’t happen in our day anymore or the like. And others think that they have the Holy Spirit, when they do not have Him in full if at all. There is a change in someone’s life that is impossible to hide whenever someone receives this most precious of gifts that God wants to give all who want to be Jesus’ disciple! There is much love and a gentleness that is imparted to them by God, and they will be given the victory over their bad habits and sins (or will be gaining victory by victory, day by day – not always all at once). Many do not know of their greatest need of having the fruits of the Holy Spirit in their life in full in order to help make their calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10), and to be happy in their love for God. This is what God wants to do for all of His people if they would seek after Him with all their heart (Jeremiah 29:13), to help them be all that they can be for Him. It is dangerous to go it alone without the aid that God wants to give you.

Those who wish to enter the Heavenly Canaan must believe in His many precious promises because they have learned to love Him and that He is to be trusted.Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4 KJV. “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NASB. Paul tells us here that God gave us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. Pledge of what? Pledge of the many promises of God, as Paul said at the beginning of this passage.

Therefore the connection between the faith to believe the promises of God to take you to the Heavenly Canaan depends on whether you will receive the Holy Spirit fully into your heart or not, and whether you will willingly do all that God wants you to do, because the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God. Acts 5:32. Therefore this is how you can be an overcomer and have the faith to please God and not be kept out of Heaven because of unbelief. God will make this easy for you if you will just cooperate with Him willingly. If you know that you need help in this area just pray to God, ‘Be merciful to me a sinner’, and He will help you! Amen.  Luke 18:13-14.

We are now very near the end of time. The times ahead will be very difficult. In fact, it will be impossible for anyone to make it through these times without being lost, unless they yield their heart completely to God (no one can ever save themselves, it is always by the grace of God). But God will give the needed grace and help to those who love and trust Him, like He always does, while the fearful and the doubting will be shut out forever from the gates of Heaven (shut out with all the liars, murderers, sorcerers, idolaters and the like.) – shut out because of unbelief. Therefore cast out all fear and unbelief and love God with all of your heart and mind and soul (Matthew 22:37; Deuteronomy 11:13-15), and accept His promised blessings that He wants to bless His people with. He will help all to overcome who want help and give them all the gifts that they need to serve Him with. He will help them to be successful and to be an overcomer. He will give them a heart to love Him all the way with (Ezekiel 11:19; 18:31; 36:26) and to love their neighbor as themselves with. Matthew 22:39. This is what God wants to do for His people, if they will let Him.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-8 KJV.  

Don’t be shut out of Heaven because of unbelief. God loves you and will give you all the faith you need to get rid of your unbelief, if you will accept it. Amen.

May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!



List of Articles


#Unbelief #Faith #Heaven #Believe #Promise #God #Evil #Heart #Good #Bad #Report #HolySpirit #Pledge #Obey #Yield #Overcome #Fear #EndTime #Shut #Out

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Lessons on Faith: Part 12 of 14: The Righteousness of God is Revealed to Faith

By A. T. Jones

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The righteousness of God is revealed to faith. Rom. 1:17.

Faith is complete dependence upon the word of God, expecting that word to do what the word itself says. Is there, then, righteousness spoken by the word of God, so that people can depend completely upon that word, that the word shall accomplish what the word says?

There is. Indeed, that is the very object of the gift of Christ. For him "God hath set forth . . . to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Rom. 3:25.

Seeing then that God hath set forth Christ expressly to declare, to speak, the righteousness of God, it is certain that the word of God has been spoken, upon which there can be complete dependence, expecting that word to do what that word says. In other words, there is righteousness that can be received by faith.

Wherein is this word spoken? It is spoken in the word "forgiveness." "He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins"; "there is forgiveness with thee."

Now what is the meaning of “forgive"? The word "forgive" is composed of "for" and "give," which otherwise is give for. To forgive, therefore, is simply to give for. For the Lord to forgive sin is to give for sin. But what does the Lord give for sin? He declares "his righteousness for the remission of sins."

Therefore when the Lord forgives--gives for--sin, He gives righteousness for sin. And as the only righteousness that the Lord has is his own, it follows that the only righteousness that God gives, or can give, for sin is the righteousness of God.

This is the righteousness of God as a gift. As all men have only sinned and if they are ever clear must have forgiveness entirely free, and as the forgiveness of sin -- the righteousness of God given for sin -- is entirely free -- this is the righteousness of God as a free gift "upon all men unto justification of life." Rom. 5:18.

Every soul, therefore, who ever asks God for forgiveness of sin, in that very thing asks God to give him righteousness for sin. Every soul who asks God for forgiveness asks it solely upon the word of God, which speaks forgiveness. And faith is entire dependence upon the word for what the word speaks. Thus righteousness is altogether of faith.

"Every one that asketh receiveth." You have asked the Lord many a time to forgive your sins; that is, you have asked him to give for your sin. But when you ask the Lord to give for your sin, in that you ask him to give the only thing that He does or can give for sin, which is righteousness. That is what it is to ask forgiveness of the Lord.

And He does forgive -- He does give for -- your sins when you ask Him. He says He does, and He does. "He is faithful" -- that is, He will never fail -- "and just to forgive us our sins." And the only thing He gives for sins is His righteousness.

Then why not thank Him for the righteousness that He freely gives for your sins when you ask Him to? Do you not see that righteousness by faith is just as plain and simple as the asking God for forgiveness of sin? Indeed, it is just that.

To believe that righteousness is given for your sin, when you ask forgiveness, and thankfully to receive that righteousness as the gift of God -- this is what it is to exercise faith. 

Yet how true it is that "we suffer much trouble and grief because of our unbelief and of our ignorance of how to exercise faith." 

"Hast thou faith?" Have the faith of God. "Here are they that keep . . . the faith of Jesus." 

RH Mar. 14, 1899

By A. T. Jones in the Review and Herald periodical in 1899.

Blog Edited by John Foll.




List of Articles

#Faith #Forgiveness #Righteousness #God #Complete #Dependence #Word #Ask #Receive #Remission #Sin #Give #Gift #Free #Grace #Faithful #Cleanse #Unbelief #Grief #Exercise

Saturday, September 9, 2017

How To Please God?

By John Foll, written 9/9/2017.
© Copyright 2017 John Foll

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“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NASB.

Why is it impossible to please God without faith? Because you must believe that He is and that He rewards those who seek Him. How will He reward you? By giving you the help that you need to be faithful to Him and listen to and hear His voice. “But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD." Jonah 2:9 NASB.

To look at this deeper, look at the verse that comes before Hebrews 11:6: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.” Hebrews 11:5 NASB. Now how did Enoch obtain this witness that before he was taken up that he was pleasing to God? Hebrews 11:6 gives us a clue: Enoch had faith in God and sought after Him with his whole heart. But what more does the Bible say about Enoch and how Enoch could have pleased God? “And *about these also Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’” Jude 1:14-15 NASB77. So how did Enoch please God? He warned sinners in the world that God was going to bring down His judgements on them for their sins. God is merciful and compassionate and desires that all men come to a knowledge of Him and obey Him. That is why Enoch pleased God, because he had faith in Him, sought after Him with his whole heart, and proclaimed His love to the world, warning them to repent of their ‘ungodliness’.

* See Jude 1:10-13: ‘Men who revile the things which they do not understand’ verse 10; those whom ‘the black darkness has been reserved’. Jude also talks about Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed as well. So the phrase ‘about these’ is referring to wicked people whom God’s judgement would fall on.

What does Jesus say regarding how you can please God? He told Nicodemus: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18 NASB. Jesus said that God sent His Son Jesus into the world to save it, not condemn it; so God wants you to believe in Jesus His Son. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.” John 14:23-24 KJV. To put it all together, Jesus is saying that if anyone wants to please God, they will keep all of Jesus’ words and obey them, which were given to Him by His Father (God), since God wants everyone to believe in Jesus His Son. Jesus also promises to those that do this, that He and His Father will come dwell in their heart! This is through the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. What a precious promise! Do you want Jesus and His Father to come dwell in your heart? Then keep all of Jesus’ commandments (which are the same thing as God’s commandments, since Jesus said ‘the word ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me’).

Jesus addressed both of these passages to His *disciples. So God would be pleased if everyone would become Jesus’ disciple.My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”  John 15:8-11 NASB. Dear reader, if you would have your joy made full, oh so full, believe what Jesus has spoken here! You can be Jesus disciple too! God would be glorified, dear reader, if you would become Jesus’ disciple and bear much fruit for Him. How do you bear much fruit for Him? By telling others of His wonderful love, so that they can be saved like you! And also by helping others in any way that God has opened up for you to do. ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.’ Ecclesiastes 9:10 NASB. See also Matthew 25:31-45 for more on how you can please Jesus, by having love and compassion for others. You can only do these things that glorify Jesus and His Father if you are born again or born from above (John 3:3, 5), and have Jesus and His Father dwelling in your heart, through the presence of the Holy Spirit. And you can only have these blessings if you believe in Jesus and obey His commandments.

* Although Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night in John 3:1-2 who was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, wasn’t part of Jesus’ original 12 disciples, he later became a disciple too. John 19:28-40. See also John 7:45-52 where he defended Jesus to the other rulers he was meeting with. They also implied or accused him of being Jesus’ disciple when they said ‘Art thou also of Galilee?’ John 7:52.

Jesus promised:If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17 NASB. So dear reader, if you would have this promise for yourself, keep Jesus’ commandments, and He will ask His Father to give you another Helper, which is the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Truth, that He may abide with you forever! And what are Jesus’ commandments? One of them is: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:34-35 KJV. But this is not the only commandment that Jesus gave: you are to follow everything that Jesus said to do, if you would be His disciple and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart. Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27 NASB. If you would please God become Jesus’ disciple, and listen to and act on every word that Jesus said, and bear much fruit for God! This is our prayer for you! If this is your desire, study and restudy all of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, over and over again, with much prayer to learn all that would please God, because your salvation is granted to you on the condition that you believe in Jesus His Son, and love and obey Him. John 3:16.

Paul also tells us how we can please God: we are to walk in the Spirit: “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” Romans 8:5-9 NASB. Dear reader, if you walk in the flesh you cannot please God and will die, but if you walk by His Spirit you will have life and peace. If you have ‘the Spirit of Christ’ dwelling in you, then you belong to Him, that is if you have received the Helper or the Spirit of Truth, which is the Holy Spirit into your heart. When this happens you will be born from above and born again and have life and peace and belong to Jesus! This is what would greatly please God!

In conclusion, how do you please God? By faith and by believing in Jesus, by obeying Him and Jesus and becoming Jesus’ disciple and bearing much fruit for God. (Everything that Jesus spoke were the words of God.)  And God would also be greatly pleased if you would seek after Him with all your heart, and warn the wicked to turn from their wicked ways and turn back to God like Enoch did, who pleased God and was taken to Heaven without seeing death. God would also be greatly pleased if you would walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh and have life and peace, having ‘the Spirit of Christ’ dwelling in your heart, so that you belong to Him. God would be pleased if you would be born again!

May the grace of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!


For more on how to please God please see our new blog: How to Please GodWhiteraimentEvangelismObey.blogspot.com, where we will go into the details on how you can please God, so that you can be happy and receive the Holy Spirit, since the Holy Spirit is given to all who obey God. Acts 5:32. We believe that you will be greatly blessed if you would continue to study all that would please God, and ask Him to help you to please Him in prayer.



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#Faith #Obey #God #Jesus #Believe #Please #HolySpirit #Disciple #Bear #Fruit #Enoch #Warn #Wicked #BornAgain #Life #Peace #Reward #Seek #Witness #Commandments

Monday, August 14, 2017

A Letter to a Friend: How to Overcome Doubt and Discouragement

Dear Friend:

I see you have had a lot of trouble since you became a Christian. You have had great trouble and were wondering why God wasn’t helping you. You haven’t had an easy life, and the enemy of humanity has been greatly troubling you and trying to put you down, and to steal your new life away from you. You don’t know why you can’t have an easier time, and not have so many problems.

I would like to tell you about my special friend whom you are starting to get to know. His name is Jesus. He knows what you are going through, the problems you inherited, and knows the battles that you are fighting. But He has won the battle for you at the cross and has been given all power and authority. Matthew 28:18. Just let Him fight your battles for you and rest in His strength. He is pleading on your behalf to the Father.

Sometimes you have felt like you were ready to give up. Are you ready to give up yet? Then let God take care of you. Then allow Him to save you from your doubts and fears. Are you ready to let Him do this? Believe it or not your life will get better when you totally give up, and fall into the loving hands of God. Giving up is not such a bad thing, if you will just rest totally in God’s love. In fact, giving up is the best thing you could ever do! Providing you trust in God totally. There is no room for doubts or fears when you give up and fall into His hands! When you fall into His loving hands, He will then take care of you, no more fear.

Gather up the fragments that remain of the good things and blessings God has given you. John 6:12. Don’t talk through your doubts, fears and mistakes, or the mistakes of others. Don’t dwell on them either. If you mention them aloud your ears hear them, reinforcing them in your brain. Don’t gather up all of your problems, doubts and fears and dwell on them or present them to others. Instead, gather up what Jesus and His Father have done for you, and do not lose any of these blessings. Think about what God has done for you, and the joy you felt when you were baptized and gave your heart to the Lord. Think about how far God has taken you from where you were, and the battles He has helped you to win! Think of all the changes for the better that God has helped you to do. Think about all the blessings you have received, and all the knowledge about God and the truth that you have acquired. Instead of thinking of all of your troubles, trials and fears, think about what God wants to do for you and for all the blessings He is giving you and wants to give you. Gather all of these up and thank Him for it! Gather up all of these and praise Him to others of what He has done for you. The antidote to doubt is to praise God and thank Him for all of His marvelous works.

How do you get rid of doubt or discouragement you may ask? You must get faith. How? Do what Paul declares here: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 KJV. Where does faith come from? It comes from hearing. Hearing what? The word of God. What does it mean to hear the word of God? It means to read it, listen to it, receive it into your heart, and to do it by His grace. It means you don’t turn away from what God is telling you to do in the Bible. Is it really that simple to get faith? Is it really that simple to get rid of doubt? Yes! It really is that simple! There is power in the word of God. When God spoke and said, ‘Let there be light’, there was light. Genesis 1:3. And for each day of the week when God spoke and said something, His word created what He said. Genesis chapter 1. So how do you get faith? By hearing the words of God that He speaks, believing them and doing them. In God’s word is contained the power to perform what He asks, this is how you get faith.

But how this and how that? Stop asking how and start hearing His voice. Stop asking how, and start reading His word and believing. Stop asking how, and start really listening to His word and desire to keep it. I know that you want to keep His word, but listening to His word is the secret to how you can get rid of doubt and discouragement and to have faith! The power to get rid of all your doubts are contained in His words.

It is impossible for God to lie, therefore we have a strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:18. If you want to be happy and get rid of doubt study the many precious promises of God for you to claim, and ask Him to help you meet their requirements so that they become yours. Peter says, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4 KJV. Peter ought to know about these things since he had walked and talked with Jesus, and been changed by His love. He had denied His Savior when Jesus was arrested and taken away to the priest’s house where Jesus was being accused, but Jesus forgave him. Luke 22:54-62. After the cross Jesus told him to feed His lambs, letting him know that he had been forgiven. John 21:15. Peter died as an overcomer. He personally knew of Jesus saving grace, and the many precious promises for the believer. Peter had had such a change from his impetuous and bragging nature before the cross, to the kind and humble evangelist, taking care of Jesus’ sheep. If Jesus can help the apostle Peter, He can help you too.

Keep reading and studying the faith building stories throughout the Bible and make them your own. These stories can be your life story in some ways too, did you know that? When you read these exciting stories of people who were faithful to God and served Him with joy and delight, this story of faithfulness can be yours too. The life of the faithful person in the Bible days doesn’t have to be something you just read about, it can be your story too! If you would want to take part in God’s plan of Salvation, He would be delighted to share a peace of the kingdom with you (Luke 12:32). When you give yourself to God, and hear His word and receive it into your heart, this will produce faith in your heart and help you get rid of doubt, because this is the power of God! Just believe it. It is not really as hard as many people want to make it, it is really quite easy! How can that be true? People say that it is hard. But it is not only hard, it is impossible for anyone to become a new creature, which is to live a righteous life, by themselves. But it is easy when you let God, who is mighty to save, do it for you! It is hard and impossible for you to do it, but easy if you let God do it for you.

Continue to yield yourself to your Heavenly Father, until you yield completely. Obey Him in all things; pray for the ability of obeying Him all the way. When this happens you will be given great joy, which will help you to win this battle against discouragement and doubt. When this happens you will know that He loves you and that your salvation is secure with Him, because you kept confessing your sins and have received His Spirit, who will help keep you from falling. And then your whole life will change for the better, and you will devote yourself to Him, the one you love.


The conclusion my dear friend:

Great and marvelous are the works of God! Make Him your focus, and give Him the praise of your voice and heart, and receive great joy in your heart, then you will not worry about discouragement anymore, because God will be your fortress and your strength, and enable you to become an overcomer. 

And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.’” Revelation 15:2-4 NASB.
By John Foll, written between 8/11/2017 and 8/13/2017.
© Copyright 2017 John Foll
 
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#Doubt #Discouragement #Overcomer #Christian #GiveUp #Faith #Trust #Believe #God #NoFear #Blessings #Fight #Hearing #Impossible #Lie #Hope #Yield #Obey #Confess #Love

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Lessons on Faith: Part 11 of 14: The Just Shall Live by Faith

By A. T. Jones

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"The just shall live by faith." 

Who are the just? -- They are only those who are of faith, because men are justified only by faith.

For though we all "have sinned and come short of the glory of God," yet we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

For "to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Those who are of faith and those alone are the just in the earth.

Now faith is entire dependence on the word of God, that that word shall accomplish what that word says. "It shall accomplish that which I please." Isa. 55:11.

To be justified by faith, then, is to be justified by entire dependence upon the word of God. The just are those who are of the word of God. This is how men become just.

Men must not only become just by faith -- by dependence upon the word of God -- but being just, we must live by faith. The just man lives in precisely the same way and by precisely the same thing that he becomes just.

We become just by faith; faith is entire dependence on the word of God. We, being just, must live by precisely the same thing by which we become just; that is, by entire dependence upon the word of God.

And this is exactly what Jesus said: Man shall live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."  When Jesus said that, it is perfectly plain that He simply said, in other words, Man shall live by faith.

There is no other way truly to live than by faith, which is simply living by the word of God. Without faith, without the word of God, men only die.

Indeed, without the word of God everything only dies, for in the beginning everything came by the word of God.  The word of God is the origin and life of everything, for, "He spake, and it was."

All things animate and inanimate -- sun, moon, and stars, animals and men -- all are entirely dependent upon the word of God for existence. Only in the case of men God has bestowed upon them the wondrous gift of choice as to whether they will do so or not. This gift opens the door of faith. And when a man does choose to live by the word of God, which is the only means of life, faith -- entire dependence upon the word of God -- is the means by which he lays hold on the means of life.

Thus "the just shall live by faith," and thus "whatsoever is not of faith is sin," which is simply to say, The just must live by the word of God, and whatsoever is not of the word of God is sin.

"We cannot have a healthy Christian experience, we cannot obey the gospel unto salvation until the science of faith is better understood and until more faith is exercised." 

"Hast thou faith?" Have the faith of God. Here are they that keep "the faith of Jesus." 

RH Mar. 7, 1899    

By A. T. Jones in the Review and Herald periodical in 1899.

Blog Edited by John Foll.


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#Faith #Just #Righteous #Word #God #Dependence #Believe #Redemption #Live #NewLife #Sin #Christian #Experience #Gospel #Obey #Peace #Joy #Happiness #Exercise #Keep

Sunday, July 16, 2017

For We are His Workmanship, Created in Christ Jesus For Good Works

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB. Not only are we saved by grace, but we were also created in Christ Jesus for good works. According to Paul it’s not one way or the other it’s both: We are saved by grace AND created in Christ Jesus for good works.

'Wait a minute', you may say, ‘I heard that works are bad from a preacher or a book’. Are they really? Many of those who say good works are bad and think that Paul teaches this, apparently have not read the entire passage of Ephesians 2:8-10. To deny that we do not need to have good works is to deny what Paul is declaring here! Are we saying that you can be saved by your good works? Absolutely not. We have all alike sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), all we like sheep have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6) and are unable to save ourselves. It is the gift of God as Paul says above. But Paul also said that ‘we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works’. The key to what Paul is saying here is that ‘we are His workmanship’. Unless we have allowed God to fully recreate us, we are not yet fully ‘created in Christ Jesus for good works.’ Unless we are renewed by God’s grace and saved through faith, we can never consistently produce good works that are free from the taint of human pride, boasting, and selfishness that are true goodness. Some works may appear to be good to us, we can only see the outside of others, and sometimes we don’t fully comprehend the problems within ourselves as well, but God looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7. Only God can perfectly weigh both the actions, words, thoughts, and motives. “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10 KJV. Unless someone has a vital connection with Jesus they can do nothing that is good. Jesus said, ‘Without me ye can do nothing’. John 15:5 KJV.

Let’s now focus on the last part of what Paul said in our theme text:  ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 NASB. Walk in what? God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in the path of good works. Much difficulty and error would be avoided by God’s people if they would read the Bible in context, taking the meaning as it reads, and not taking an interpretation that contradicts other Bible passages, especially when they are clear. The Bible explains itself. How has God prepared beforehand ‘that we should walk in’ [good works]? By the death of His Son Jesus for our sins, and by the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us live holy lives and perform good works, with unselfish motives. This is the very heart of Christianity, the basics! To be a Christian is to confess your sins (1 John 1:9), believe in Jesus (John 3:16-17), and become born again. John 3:3, 5. Every Christian should know these things and do them; it is what is taught by the Bible, particularly in the New Testament, by Jesus in the Gospels and by the Apostles from Acts to Revelation. There shouldn’t be any question about this in Christianity. But Christianity in many cases has drifted far from the pure and holy teaching of the Apostles in the book of Acts and the teaching of Jesus, and need to be taught again the fundamentals of the truth. We believe that many in their heart who have read the Bible know the truth of this, but have allowed the voice of error to drown out this simple truth that is taught by the Bible. If people would just listen to the voice of God in the Bible, instead of listening to the clamor of men, then they would know the truth and not be deceived. Paul also said, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV. So the scriptures help you to become perfect and thoroughly furnished with the power and the gifts to perform good works, if you believe what you read and ask God for the power to be His son or daughter! What Paul is teaching here contradicts what is taught and believed by many people today. If you want to be furnished for all good works, believe what the Bible says and study it, and put what it teaches into practice, by God’s power. As you learn to love God more and more, and yield to His love, studying and performing all of His commands in the Bible will become a delight to you, and all of the Bible will then be joyous words of life to your soul, that you will greatly treasure above everything else in this life, because they are the words of God, whom you adore. God’s messages in the Bible will be a well of water inside of you springing up unto eternal life! John 4:14.

The truth is that doing good works can never be wrong, if you have given yourself to God, and have His Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart; this is the way you should live. Having good works in your life (that God helps you to do) is necessary for you to have, it shows God’s power in your life and brings honor and glory to His name; good works can only be done by you if you have Him dwelling in your heart. He helps you to carry out His will for your life and to serve Him and to help others to the kingdom too. You are saved by the merits of Jesus, but you must cooperate with God and allow Him to change you, then it becomes natural for you to do good works; as long as He dwells in you. The attempt to do good works by yourself will never save you, and it is utterly impossible that you can do good works without Him, without any taint of sin or selfishness, etc. But if someone doesn’t have good works in their life, that means they haven’t allowed God to change them and give them this power yet; this is an indicator that something is wrong in that person’s life or they haven’t learned enough of His love yet, or are still growing in grace, only God knows for sure. God gives us time to repent and yield ourselves to Him, that is what this life is for.

Some may think that we are contradicting ‘sound doctrine’ here that some teachers have supposedly ‘proven’ from the Bible. But any teaching that ignores parts (especially large parts of the Bible) is wrong. The fact that Paul’s says above in Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace (or as some say by grace alone) in no way contradicts what we have stated in this article. But the belief that ‘all attempts to try to do good works’, and ‘obeying God is wrong’ are not. The belief that we have no part to play in our salvation is a lie. They say ‘by Christ alone’, and yes it is by Christ alone, but they fail to realize that it is also by ‘Christ alone’ that any can live a good Christian life. Their understanding of ‘by Christ alone’ completely ignores very many clear passages in many places of the Bible. It is by ‘Christ alone’ that we can be forgiven, and it is by ‘Christ alone’ that we can do good works. Some say it is not faith + works, it is by faith alone. This argument seems good on the surface but is not completely correct, it is omitting the truth if it is taken too far and used to put down or alter other clear truths in the Bible. The argument we are making is not ‘your faith in God’ + ‘your works’ equals being saved, not true. Our argument is that your salvation from beginning to end is from God: Your faith is from God, as well as your good works are from God. If it has any element of your human nature in it, it is unfit to be called totally good.

Some people’s idea of faith is really works. They have too much faith in themselves or in their own ability and willpower to do what is right, but it is worthless, human, self-righteousness and “filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6 KJV. Faith can be from God or from yourself. True faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. If you haven’t been born from above, you cannot have true faith in its fullness, but if you decide to believe what God is telling you and it develops into true faith in God, you are becoming born again. You can bring nothing good into being by yourself, and since faith is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and allows you to get answers to your prayers and the victory, you can have none of these good things apart from God or apart from the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” John 16:7-11 KJV. So the Holy Spirit will reprove the world of sin and righteousness. We would not even know that we needed to change if it wasn’t for His voice whispering to our heart!

Some people’s idea of faith is really just belief, the belief that demons have that fear and tremble. James says, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19-20 KJV. If you tremble because of your guilt, perhaps brought on by an endless cycle of sinning and feeling bad about it, then your faith is the same ‘belief’ that the devils have. If you have love for God and are clear before Him you will not have guilt or be afraid of Him. What you need is ‘saving faith’. See Hebrews 11:7 KJV for an example of saving faith. As a Christian you should not have any guilt, because God has made provision for it, all you have to do to get rid of the guilt is to humble your heart before God and confess yours sins to Him, then you will be cleared of them. And if you let God cleanse you from all unrighteousness, then He will help you break that cycle of endless sinning and feeling bad about it. (You may have to make something right in addition to confessing your sins.) If you have saving faith, you will have the power from God to overcome your sins, and He will help you break out of that endless cycle of sinning and sinful habits and give you a better attitude and take away your tendency to sin. The only part that you play is your choice to have faith, and your choice to love and obey God, but God supplies the power and the ability, by giving you the Holy Spirit. When you learn to love God all the way, and learn to trust Him completely to guide your life and protect you from all harm, this is saving faith! God will never violate your choice, but He may allow circumstances to happen to you, troubles and trials, to help you decide whether you will Have His salvation or not. If you will humble your heart before Him and repent from your sins, salvation will be yours.

The real truth does not contradict any portion of the Bible. The fact that Paul stated that we are saved by grace alone, and not by works, in no way negates any other passage of the Bible. The teachings of Jesus are the very pinnacle of what the Bible teaches, not some people’s misunderstanding of what Paul taught. There cannot be any authority higher than Jesus on this earth. Any idea that people think the Bible teaches which disagrees with anything Jesus clearly taught cannot be right. Later in this article we will share some of the statements of Jesus that clearly contradict the idea that you do not need to have good works to be saved, and that you can live a bad life and be saved without anything done by you on your part. Paul’s writings, when they are perfectly understood, read in their context, reading the whole verse and the whole section, not just one verse or one word, perfectly agrees with the rest of the Bible. You need to read everything Paul has to say on what you think he is teaching to understand what he really means, and compare it carefully with the rest of the Bible. His writings can help all know the important truths of God’s grace perhaps more clearly than some other places in the Bible. Paul’s writings can also help you to understand other parts of the Bible, when they are put together. There is a real harmony between all of the Bible, if people would only see it. Paul himself in Ephesians 2:8-10 contradicts this idea that people cannot be saved if they have good works, he says that we are created for good works, which means we should have good worksthis is the path that God has laid out for His people. You need to read the whole passage in its context.

Our faith in God is necessary because it shows our choice to believe that God will save us. Our good works that we do, by living righteously and treating God and others with love can never be done in our own strength and power.

What are good works? What are bad works?
Good works are doing the right thing at the right time; living by all of the words of God in the Bible. I.e. righteousness. Bad works are works of sin, selfishness, or doing or saying any hurtful things to yourself, others or God; these are all violations of God’s Law of Love. Or trying to do ‘good works’ without completely consecrating yourself to God and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce these good works within you. Being good and doing good works are a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and proof that God is dwelling in your heart. Good works equals righteousness.

John gives us an important clue to the righteousness that God wants us to have:Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:7-8 NASB. Those who “practice” righteousness are righteous. Those whose ‘custom’ or ‘habit’ is to do the right thing are righteous. Those who ‘practice’ unrighteousness or sin are unrighteous. Those whose ‘custom’ or ‘habit’ is to do the wrong thing are unrighteous. Paul tells us: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 KJV. We all were unrighteous and sinners before we met God, but if we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and cleansed from all unrighteousness, then we are now sanctified for God’s glory and are being saved by Him.

The deacon Stephen also gives us a definition of bad works: “At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.” Acts 7:41 NASB. Those who set up idols in their heart, or think that they are able to take care of themselves or feed themselves by the work of their hands apart from God, or put anything before God are doing bad works. But Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, so He wants to help you to practice good works, if you will let Him. The prophet Jeremiah gives us a message from God that we should not worship other gods or the works of our hands. God told His people: “And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.” Jeremiah 25:6-7 KJV. So if you are setting up idols of your own ability to help yourself, or idols of sin, you are hurting God and are hurting yourself, because this will eventually cut you off from eternal life if you continue doing this. But why hurt yourself when God wants to help you and give you eternal life?

How can you do good works? “Then said they unto Him [Jesus], ‘What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.’” John 6:28-29 KJV. The answer to how you can do good works is by believing in Jesus and His Father. You must believe in Jesus and His Father. See also John 3:16, 17 which teaches that you can only be saved if you believe in Jesus. What Paul said about good works fits perfectly with what Jesus said. It is by God alone that you can be forgiven and saved! It is by God alone that you can truly perform good works! (With pure, unselfish motives.) Being good or doing good is not within your ability to do; it is outside of your ability. Solomon also declared this truth when he said, “Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3 NASB. So it is only by God that you can have good works! So commit your plans, ways, dreams and life to Him and salvation will be yours!

Your good works cannot save you, but you will be lost without them:
Paul tells us that those who do the works of the flesh shall not inherit the kingdom of God:Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery [or witchcraft in the KJV], enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 NASB. Paul also tells us that the end of the wicked will be according to their works: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 KJV. The end of the wicked will be according to their works as Paul declared, but the salvation of the saved will be by the works of God; they will have good works. Jesus said, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27 KJV. Everyone will be rewarded according to their works, as Jesus plainly stated. Jesus also said, “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 7:16-19 NASB. What makes someone’s works good or bad depends on which spirit is dwelling in them. If they have the Spirit of God, then their tree will be good and their works will be good, but if they haven’t given themselves totally to God, if at all, then their tree will be bad and their works will be bad. Jesus plainly declares here that all who do not bear good fruit for God will be cut down and thrown into the fire. This is pretty serious. Jesus also declares in Matthew that all the stumbling blocks, i.e. those that have bad works and mislead others will be lost: “So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:40-42 NASB.

Therefore the only question that remains is whether you or I will be a stumbling block or a tare? Or will we bear good fruit for the Master? See also Revelation 2:19, 23; 3:1-2 for more texts on the importance of works in our salvation, as given by Jesus.

Still believe that you can be saved and not have any good works?
Jesus said in Matthew 7:16-19 that you can only bear good fruit if your tree is good. A bad tree bears bad fruit and a good tree bears good fruit. Jesus also tells us that ‘only God is good.’ Jesus said, ‘No one is good except God alone.’ Luke 11:18 NASB. Therefore no one can have good works unless God gives it to them. We also know from a statement by Jesus that the Father wants to give us good gifts (Matthew 7:11) – He wants to give us the Holy Spirit, if we will ask! Luke 11:13. And under the power of the Holy Spirit we will gain the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), which enable us to bear good fruit for God! God really does supply all of our needs!But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 KJV. He will not only forgive you, but enable you to live a righteous life for Him, and have all the good works that you need, if you will continue to go to Him to get a fresh supply of His grace every day!

So do not believe preachers or others who try to tell you that you don’t need to have good works to be saved or that it is wrong to do good works. This is a lie! The very fact that it is necessary to write on this subject is ridiculous, considering that it should be common sense what we are writing about. But some have been so deceived nowadays that they seem to have lost all common sense about right and wrong. But if you ask some in the world, especially those that left the church, many will tell you why they left, ‘because of the hypocrites.’ So the devil deceives people into thinking that the way they live doesn’t matter, and then when they get totally discouraged, get tired and disgusted with it all, they leave the church, and start to say that the church is filled with hypocrites. But wisdom is vindicated by her children. Luke 7:35 NASB. They should have thought about themselves as being hypocrites before they left the church, then there would have been hope for them, because then they could have turned and repented, instead of being blind to their sins. And then they would have stopped being a stumbling block to others. There is no harm in admitting to God and to yourself that you are a hypocrite and have not always done what is right! Probably everyone has been a hypocrite at one time in their life. When you find out that you are a hypocrite, just turn to God and beg for mercy, and He will heal you. God will always listen to you if you admit that you are a sinner, confess, and plead with Him for His mercy!

Jesus dispels all these myths that you don’t need to be good or to do good works when He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 KJV. If Jesus is your Master, you will be the salt of the earth and let your light shine for the world to see, to glorify His Father! Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” Matthew 5:13-15 KJV. Likewise, if Jesus is your Master, you can’t help but love Him and let your light shine for all the world to see; you will be unable to hide the light that He has given you, and will joyously declare His and His Father’s love to a dying world!

How many good things must you do to be saved? This is the wrong question to ask. You are saved by grace as Paul declares in our theme text, not by any of your good works or anything you have done. If you truly love Jesus your heart will be overflowing with His love and joy, and will long to do everything that you can to help people make their way to the kingdom, or to help them with their needs, and will not ask how much you need to do to be saved, for we are saved by grace, not by works. But the desire to do good things for God and others is a change that only God can bring about when you cooperate with Him, and it will be only natural, once His love takes possession of your heart, to lay everything on the alter and serve Him with all of your heart, and mind and soul! It will be no burden to you to do this! It will bring you much joy! Amen!

Let’s close with a blessing that God pronounces on all who rest from their labours, whose good works follow them to Heaven:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Revelation 14:13 KJV.

My prayer for you dear reader is that you will consecrate and devote yourself completely to God; that your works will follow you on your way to Heaven, that your life will be a pleasing aroma to God. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good worksEphesians 2: 10 NASB. Amen.

May the grace of God be with you all!

By John Foll, finished 7/9/2017 to 7/16/2017.
© Copyright 2017 John Foll



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