2 Corinthians 13:5 (Amplified Bible)
5Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [[a]not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?
Luke 6:46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
I wanted to take a little more time with these two scriptures. I have been studying the scriptures to see what they say about those who call Him Lord in vain. This is a very heavy topic and one that should not be taken lightly. Jesus is very clear in what he says to us throughout the scriptures about loving Him and abiding or remaining in Him and His love. I do not believe that what he has asked us to do is merely to boost His ego. Nor do I believe that it is open for discussion as to "did He really mean what He said?" He is the Way and He is telling us the Way and showing us the Way. We have a choice to make.
If we are doing what He says then He is our Lord. However if we are not doing what He says then He is not our Lord. Therefor we are calling Him Lord in vain. Here in 2 Corinthians 13:5 we are told to examine ourselves to see if we are Holding to our faith and showing the proper fruits of it.
Well the fruit only comes if you are abiding in Christ and Christ in you. So then the fruit is a direct result of you being in Christ and Christ being in you. And so we are told to examine ourselves to see if we are producing the fruit that proves He is in us. You cannot remain in Christ and not produce fruit (John 15:4-5). That is why we call it the fruit of the Spirit. It is a direct result of the Holy Spirit living in you and your obedience to the Spirit. The Spirit produces the fruit your faith keeps you obedient (Romans 1:5). It takes time for this fruit to come to maturity but there should be ever increasing evidence of the work of the Spirit in our lives as we are being formed into the image of Christ.
If we call Jesus Christ our Lord and claim to be a Christian but nothing is changing then we should re-examine our faith and see if it is real. Real faith is character changing, life altering, good fruit producing faith. All else is vanity.
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
A humble look in the mirror.
James 1:21 So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls.
22But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].
23For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror;
24For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.
25But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).
I cannot forget what Jesus said in Luke 6:46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" That is a loaded scripture to meditate on. We are told to examine ourselves in 2 Corinthians 13:5...
5Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [[a]not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?
If we are going to grow in the Lord we have to be willing to come under His authority. We cannot look through the eyes of pride and see truth. Have you ever tried to share with someone who thought they already knew the answer? They were puffed up with knowledge but knew nothing. Have fun with that one. There is no room for God when we are full of ourselves. We must be willing to take an honest look at ourselves by seeing if we are truly changing.
We are to get ourselves in line with Gods Word. He does not step into our will, we step into His. However we cannot know His will if we do not know His Word. We cannot know the Word if we do not become a student of the Word. Study His Word as if you are studying your image in a mirror. Keeping His Word ever before you. Seeking His face.
We must not look into this mirror and see how much of a mess we are and simply turn away. He does not want to leave you where you are. He wants to lift you up. To show you that abundant life that He promised. Are you following Him? Are you submitting to His authority? Is He really your Lord? Make sure that you are not calling Him Lord in vain. Do what He says. Will you?
22But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].
23For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror;
24For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.
25But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).
I cannot forget what Jesus said in Luke 6:46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" That is a loaded scripture to meditate on. We are told to examine ourselves in 2 Corinthians 13:5...
5Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [[a]not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?
If we are going to grow in the Lord we have to be willing to come under His authority. We cannot look through the eyes of pride and see truth. Have you ever tried to share with someone who thought they already knew the answer? They were puffed up with knowledge but knew nothing. Have fun with that one. There is no room for God when we are full of ourselves. We must be willing to take an honest look at ourselves by seeing if we are truly changing.
We are to get ourselves in line with Gods Word. He does not step into our will, we step into His. However we cannot know His will if we do not know His Word. We cannot know the Word if we do not become a student of the Word. Study His Word as if you are studying your image in a mirror. Keeping His Word ever before you. Seeking His face.
We must not look into this mirror and see how much of a mess we are and simply turn away. He does not want to leave you where you are. He wants to lift you up. To show you that abundant life that He promised. Are you following Him? Are you submitting to His authority? Is He really your Lord? Make sure that you are not calling Him Lord in vain. Do what He says. Will you?
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