Tag: Received

  • Put Away the Old

    Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

    Philippians 4:9

    Remember in the New Testament when Paul was preaching Jesus to those in Ephesus. For two years they won many to Jesus, and many miracles were done (many people were healed and evil spirits were cast out). However, along with that came some who were not Christians yet tried to do the works Paul had done (cast out evil spirits). When they tried, they were worse off than before because the evil spirits they had tried to cast out, instead came upon them (Acts 19:13–16). The new Christians in Ephesus recognized those who were not truly Christians and the results of falsely declaring so. One who trusts in Christ (becomes a Christian) has a nature change – becoming a new creature. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

    Read what happened next: “17. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 19:17–20). Because the people recognized the difference between true salvation and a false practice, notice something very important. These people did not add Jesus to their other things (practices); they took their old things (curious arts means “black arts; or magic”) and burned them before all — it did not matter the financial loss. They destroyed them so that those things would not be a part of their lives anymore.

    Understanding that there is a choice to be made by each individual (believe the Gospel message or reject it), it is important for that person who believes to have a nature change. Why?  “21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:21–22). When one chooses to disregard God’s Word, refusing the gift of Salvation by faith in Jesus, thereby ignoring the warnings of the consequences for sin (eternal death, see Romans 6:23), it reveals the nature of the heart. Just as the dog had the same nature of a dog and the pig the same nature of a pig, it reveals there was no nature change. It is the choice of any who hear the truth of the Gospel message to decide for themselves. “9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). Believe in Jesus for salvation, thereby having a change of heart. Or, do not believe, remaining in that old nature. However, read the following warning: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12).

    Christians are taught in God’s Word to put the old things of our former life to death (see Colossians 3:5). Instead, we are to think upon good and right things (see Philippians 4:8). These things are taught in the Bible. “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9). Understand that while thinking on these things is very good, there is another step that must be taken. Christians must do these things. We find an important warning to all Christians who know what we are to do: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

    Many events in the Old Testament are instances for us to recognize when one makes a right choice, and when one makes a bad choice. King Jehu did many great works (including the removing of Baal worship, see 2 Kings 9-10) in Israel, the Northern Kingdom. However, we also saw his great failure. “But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 10:31). His heart did not change which was revealed in his not walking in the “law of the LORD God of Israel”. For that, Jehu was not considered a good king. Just think what kind of a king Jehu would have been if he had sought God’s commands and changed his heart, and then led the nation to do the same.

    Have you chosen to remain in that old nature, departing not from your sin?

    Or

    Have you had a change of heart, believing and confessing Jesus, and then doing what the Bible teaches?

    http://biblicalpath.com/index.php/how-to-be-saved/

  • Christmas Time

    And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
    Luke 2:10

    This has been another crazy year. Many things continue to feel uncertain. So much has changed. It is hard to believe that the year 2021 is almost over. Does it feel like Christmas time?

    Have you ever watched A Charlie Brown Christmas? As it opens, Charlie Brown is declaring to Linus, “I think there must be something wrong with me. Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel. I just don’t understand Christmas, I guess.” He then continues by telling Linus all of the things he likes about the Christmas season, but that he still isn’t happy. “I always end up feeling depressed,” declares Charlie Brown. Linus tells Charlie Brown that only he could turn a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem.

    If you remember how the show progresses, Charlie Brown is in charge of the Christmas program. He finds that everything he does turns into a disaster. In the midst of it all, he declares that he really doesn’t know what Christmas is all about. He then cries out, “Isn’t there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?!”

    Linus steps up declaring that he knows what Christmas is all about. One should remember what Linus quotes to everyone who is there: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:8-14).

    Most people in the world today seem to forget: What Christmas is all about. In the cartoon A Charlie Brown Christmas, the point is made. It is not the giving and receiving of Christmas gifts, the sending of Christmas cards, the commercialism that Christmas has become, and not even the Christmas programs that people try to make happen. The simplicity of the Christmas message is lost on the masses. It is purely what the angels told the shepherds in the field that night so long ago: “For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ” The good tiding of great joy was the birth of Jesus, the Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. One must understand that Christmas is about the greatest gift ever given: Jesus. God so loved us that He sent His only Son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God revealed His love for us by sending His only Son to die for our sin. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Then one must believe that Jesus did die to pay the penalty for our sin. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). He came to die (because of our sin), so that we could have life (because we cannot pay the penalty for our sin). Whoever will believe in Him, though they were dead in their sins and trespasses, yet shall he live. (Remember what Jesus declared to Martha, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” John 11:25.) Each person must understand that Christmas is remembering the giving of the greatest gift. God gave His only Son, Jesus. What is one to do with that important information? “9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). This message of Jesus is the tidings of great joy! To all people!

    This gift is available to anyone. But this gift must be received by one who would only believe.

    Do you know what Christmas is all about?

    Have you received God’s gift (Jesus) into your heart and life?