Trodden Under Foot the Son of God

"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away." 2 Timothy 3:5

Even Jude spoke of it, and it seems to be an ever-growing epidemic in Christianity.  Many television preachers paint a false picture of grace.  If the lie stopped there, then perhaps there wouldn't be a need to address it, yet Jude addressed it then.  And the lie must be addressed today, in this age, because many have been taught and have, unfortunately, accepted a different grace.  A false grace.  A grace of lasciviousness (Jude 4).  Lasciviousness in the original Greek means "lacking legal or moral restraint, especially sexual and marked by a disregard of strict rules or correctness."

The original Greek definition of true grace is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life."

 "Wait... that doesn't sound like the grace I was taught in church or the definition that I had formed in my heart."

The grace that has been falsely taught denies the power (Greek=dunamis) of God.  False grace teaches believers that if or as they practice sin, their sins are covered under the blood.

Listen carefully:  If we profess to believe in Jesus yet we do not believe that He has the power/dunamis to help us overcome any sin birthed in our hearts, we are denying His Power.  We may "say" we believe He has the power to do so, yet when temptation to sin rises in our hearts, do we truly seek the Lord to deliver us or do we say, 'I can't help myself...'?  We must honestly ask ourselves why we do not believe that He can help us overcome every sin that presents itself in our hearts and in our flesh.  Could it be that we enjoy the sin and enjoy saying that "we are all sinners"?  Thus, we use the tried and not so true phrase of "we are all sinners" as our excuse to sin...

"We are saved by grace through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).  We do not have faith if we do not believe that Jesus through His miraculous & dynamic power can destroy all sin that we lay at His feet.  Without that kind of faith, we are not saved by grace.  Ephesians 2:8 is crystal clear.  When we hear people comfort believers IN their sin, leading them to believe that although they are practicing sin, they are still saved, faith IN THE FLESH is being demonstrated, not faith IN JESUS CHRIST! Somewhere along the way, Satan has crept into churches and done so in such a subtle way that the masses started believing a lie!  Not just the masses, but those who were truly Holy Spirit-filled followers of Christ!  I will never forget when the Lord showed me last fall how the most godly and holy followers of Him can be deceived.

Let me repeat a previous sentence:  False grace teaches believers that if or as they practice sin, their sins are covered under the blood.  Yet the Bible does not teach that willful, knowing sin is "under the blood".  The Truth of Grace, as depicted in the Holy Scriptures, does not at all condone willful sin.  To the contrary, the warning associated with willful sin toward believers is strong, fearful, and designed to quickly turn any brother or sister in Christ from the error of their ways... if they will repent.

Please carefully examine these verses below.

• First, believers IN Christ are being addressed in the verses below, not unbelievers. 
• Second, it is important to understand that the True Grace of God reveals areas of Truth to believers.  When Grace reveals Truth to a believer through the Holy Spirit of Grace, then that believer is no longer ignorant to that area of Truth.  
• Third,  when Grace teaches a believer the Truth, that believer will always have free will to either obey what Grace has taught him/her or will have the free will to disregard Grace.  
• Fourth, it is absolutely possible for a believer to trample on the sacrificial blood of Jesus by willfully sinning against the Holy Spirit of Grace.  Disregarding the Grace that the Holy Spirit has imparted to a believer is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.  Matthew 12:31

Hebrews 10:26-30
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people."

As a believer follows Jesus, the Holy Spirit will do a mighty work of transformation in the believer.  By the Spirit, the believer can overcome sin after sin after sin.  The Spirit will make the believer aware of any errors the believer is ignorantly (not knowingly) committing.  The believer will always have the free will to repent and to turn away from the sin by the Power of Jesus or to continue in that sin.  Know this: Continuing to practice a sin -that the Holy Spirit has shown you- is dangerous, and if not repented of (turned away from), insulting the Holy Spirit of God by disregarding Him will result in eternal separation from Jesus Christ.

Please study these verses on grace:  1 Peter 5:8, 5:9, 5:10, 5:11, 5:12, Titus 2:11, 2:12
Please study these verses on sinning (obeying fleshly desires): 1 Corinthians 6:9, 6:10, Galatians 5:19, 5:20, 5:21, Ephesians 5:5, 5:6,
Please study these verses on falling away from the faith:  Hebrews 6:4, 6:5, 6:6, 6:7, 6:8, 2 Peter 2:20, 2:21, 2:22, Hebrews 3:6, 3:7, 3:8, 3:9, 3:10, 3:11, 3:12, 3:13, 3:14

Brothers and sisters, we must wash away the lies we have been taught and have believed regarding grace in order to truly fall at the feet of Jesus when any sin seems to easily beset us.  Sinful thoughts can very easily creep in, but we are to bring those thoughts to the Lord and continually seek Him, for ONLY HIS POWER can set us free from the sins that attempt to destroy us and that separate us from Christ.  This warning applies to me as much as it applies to anyone who reads this.  All of us must remain at the feet of Jesus.  Only He can help us overcome sin.

This entire blog is written to edify those who are the brethren IN Christ Jesus.  The Lord has repeatedly told me over the years to speak on this issue to those who profess to be IN the Faith.  He has repeatedly said, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." Isaiah 58:1

Other posts that may be helpful:
Budding
The Olive Branch
Being Led of the Spirit
Chastisement
Harden Not Your Heart
Stand in the Gap
Prodigal Son
Statement of Faith
Ichabod

Vine of Sodom

Make no mistake:  The Rock of Salvation is not the same as the rock that opposes the very God Who is Salvation.  Does that sound confusing... Read on.

There is a distinction made between these two separate rocks in the Word of God.

"For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges." Deuteronomy 32:31

Just as the Rock of Salvation is associated with a Vine (See John 15:1-10), so is the rock that opposes Truth.

The verses immediately following Deuteronomy 32:31 read:

"For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:  their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps." (Deuteronomy 32:32-33)

Most who have relatively little contact with the Holy Bible are at least aware of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and are also aware of the story in Genesis 19.  Most can summarize that God destroyed these cities for their sinful ways.  Most understand that the men of Sodom sought to "know" (have sex with) the men who visited Lot.  It is important to recall these events in Genesis to understand that anything that springs forth from or abides in the vine of Sodom is absolutely and diabolically against the God of creation.

The God of creation destroyed Sodom for its ungodly lusts and sinful actions.  Period.  This is the God who professes to be "the same yesterday, and to day, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  Let us not attempt to change the personality of God Almighty to appease angry mobs and to appease those residing inside church buildings who still love sin or are afraid to speak against sin.

Isaiah 1:10-13

"Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? . . . Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting."

No amount of vain "works" will make those who are practicing sin acceptable to God.  In fact, He is insulted by such vanities and such filthy rags.  Practicing sin and professing to love the Lord have absolutely no value in God's eyes.  No matter the sin that is being practiced, God won't share His Throne with sin.  You must either choose Him alone or don't bother at all.  Practicing sin today, praying tonight, and practicing sin tomorrow is hypocrisy in the eyes of God.

He says this of such "prayers":

"Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth." (John 9:31)

"The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous." (Proverbs 15:29)

"And when ye spread forth your hands, I [God] will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood." Isaiah 1:15

This is not a blog that is picking on any particular sin; to the contrary, it is being written to say shame on every sin that is practiced.  When a nation reaches a level of "accepting" homosexual behavior and recognizing it as normal, we can be sure that the acceptance of such an abomination is a clear indicator that countless other sins have already been accepted by that same society.  Look at America right now.  What other sins have been accepted over the decades? The path is long and wide that has led to this detestable time in our nation:

• Pre-marital Sex    
• Drug Abuse and Addiction
• Divorce
• Adultery
• Profanity
• Abortion
• Ungodly music
• Immodest dress codes 
• Disrespectful attitudes
• Partying
• Atheism   
• Lying
• Pornography
• Lustful Behavior
• Narcissism 

There isn't enough room to add in all the sins that we, as a people of this nation, have gradually accepted as normal over the decades.  

Make no mistake, the vine of Sodom is heavy laden with the fruit of many, many sins - including homosexuality, but not limited to homosexuality.  It is a dangerous thing to point fingers at one sin, thinking the other sins you practice are excusable to God.  Satan would also have people "feel" secure in their sin because "Well, at least it is not that sin."

Don't fall for Satan's deception.

Review the following verses:

1 Corinthians 6:9,6:10

Galatians 5:19, 5:20, 5:21

Ephesians 5:3, 5:4, 5:5

Revelation 21:8

Isaiah 1 continues with advice & warning for the sin-filled Sodom.  This, too, is advice for all who are sinning against God.

"Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;  Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers." (Isaiah 1:16-21)

Can you see how the Lord is pleading with the people to turn from their wicked ways?  What a God of mercy, what a long-suffering God whose hand is extended to the people!  And what a just & righteous God who promises a severe consequence to those who refuse to turn from their sin and to those who choose to continue in rebellion!

When people refuse to follow Jesus Christ, they are in rebellion.  Let me clarify:  Following Jesus means repenting, turning from sin and turning to Christ.  Christians are to abide in the Vine of Jesus Christ.  There is a life-giving process that takes place for those who abide in Christ.  Read a previous blog on this topic if you so desire:  The Budding.  (Simply click.)

For those who prefer that which is unrighteous and that which is sinful, there is another promise in the Word of God that coincides with Isaiah 1.  Let this be a clear warning to anyone who continues to either dabble in that which is sin or continues to support those who are practicing sin:

"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 
(2 Thessalonians 11-12)

There is no toying around with God, friends.  A person will either bow at His Throne, or a person will bow at the throne of sin.  There are no two ways about it.   Choose now.

 "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Romans 1:24-32)

 When you are not in DISagreement with those who are bearing fruit on the vine of Sodom, you are in AGREEment with those who are a part of the vine of Sodom.

Even if you once genuinely followed the Lord and were abiding in the Vine of Christ, make no mistake - because the Bible is without confusion, those who do not continue in Jesus' goodness will be removed from His Vine.  Evil will not be permitted to spring forth from that which is Good.  That is confusion.  And God is not a God of confusion. Romans 11:22

If you love others, tell them the Truth.

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)

I'll repeat the original statement:  The Rock of Salvation is not the same as the rock that opposes the very God Who is Salvation.

If you profess to stand for and on the Rock of Salvation, yet you are practicing sin or you are in support of that which is sin, you are standing on "THEIR rock" which would make it "your" rock.  

Shake It Off

The TRUTH has a way of being accepted and embraced by those who are in search of it.  Those who are not in search of THE TRUTH tend to reject it, speak against it, pretend not to hear it, and/or twist it.  

The LORD, in Matthew 10:11-39, told His disciples to perform and to say all that He had given them.  He did not say that everyone would accept the TRUTH.  In fact, Jesus indicated that there would be those who would outright reject the Truth. In fact, He even details family members who will rise against family members in such cases (Matthew 10:21).  There will be times when disciples are to speak in front of and against those that are deemed superior by society's standards (Matthew 10:18).

To those who reject the Truth, He told His disciples to do the following:

"And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."  Matthew 10:14

In Acts 13:50-52, the disciples are rejected by a group of people, even though the disciples were speaking that which was True.  What did Paul and Barnabus do?  Did they stay and plead with those who were not willing to hear the Truth?  Did they wallow in the people's rejection of the Truth they had shared?

No.   They did precisely what the Lord said to do in such circumstances:

"But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." Acts 13:51-52

They continued in their specific calling, their ministry.  The Truth continued to be spread in word and in signs & wonders, and "with joy".

We are told in Romans 12:1-2 to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord.  We are to allow Him to use us as He sees fit, not as man deems acceptable.  Our calling in the Lord must always be taken seriously, and with humble submission we are to obey His every command for us within that calling.   When opposition arises, we are to continue in the calling, being led of the Holy Spirit.

Sacrificing our lives, our comfort, our desires for the Lord's work is reasonable and expected in the eyes of God.  Let that be our only focus.

Will everyone receive your calling in and your yielding to the Lord, even if it is designed to edify them?  No.

Rest in knowing that you have delivered the Truth to them, even though it was rejected.  Then, move on.  Don't allow their rejection to stop you in the calling God has given you.  Period.

Never be ashamed of obeying the Lord.  Shake off the dust of their rejection, and shake off the dust that has settled on your feet as you attempted to share the Truth with them.  Move on.

Continue on your God-directed journey.  There are ears that will hear the Truth.

Dead Men Walking

Genesis 3:1, 3:2, 3:3, 3:4

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Satan whispered his poison to Eve.

Do you not think he has whispered lies to you?

When the serpent has spoken to you (and he has), did you believe him?  Did you think those thoughts were your own - and that there was no changing your thoughts? Did you proceed to do what he said, all the while believing those were your feelings and your thoughts and that you had no control over such thoughts?  

If mankind would only understand that Jesus came to set men free - fully and completely.  Mankind’s Redemption has a name:  JESUS.  He has the power to forgive & readily wants to forgive all of your past sins when you repent . . . and here is the often UNpreached part -- Jesus has power to deliver you from any sin that plagues your minds.  Your mind can only be changed by Jesus Christ.  When He transforms your mind, you will no longer desire to commit the sins you were in bondage to commit.

1 Timothy 2:3, 2:4, 2 Timothy 1:7, Revelation 21:6, 21:7, Mark 16:15, 16:16, Romans 6:7, 6:8, 6:9, 6:10, 6:11, 6:12, 6:13, 6:14, 6:15, 6:16.  

Do you struggle with homosexual thoughts and actions?  

Do you struggle with lying?  

Do you struggle with stealing?  

Do you or have you committed adultery?  

Are you lusting in your hearts for someone else?  

Do you struggle with thoughts of murder?  Have you murdered?

Are you living with or having sexual relations with someone you are not married to in the eyes of God (1 man & 1 woman, an official covenant for all people to hear and see)?  

When you choose your clothing everyday, do you think about how “good” you look in the clothing and how many people will find you attractive?    

Do you hunger for the next pill or the next drink or the next food item more than you hunger for the Lord?

Do you long to listen to the music that is filled with hate, pornography, and all that is against God?  

Do you want to speak up for the Lord’s Truth, but you find yourself being fearful of what man will do to you?

Do you hold hate in your heart against others?  

Do you think about killing yourself?

Are you consumed with pride?

Do you brag about yourself?

Do you love material wealth?

Do you view pornography?

Are you practicing anything that is against God?

God can deliver you from any sinful act you have committed and are committing.  

You see, Jesus has the power to transform your mind. Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23.

But you must want Him to change you.  You must want to die to the desires of your flesh.

Where do I begin if I want to change?  

You start in the Word of God, The Holy Bible.  Read John 3.  

Jesus said in John 3:5:  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Let Him know that you have read this Truth & this Promise in His infallible (incapable of being wrong) Word.  Let Him know you want to be born again.  Let Him know you are sickened by your sin and by your thoughts and by your actions.  God moves when we are moved by His power!  This is not simply a confession with your mouths, it must be a change of heart - a change of mind.  Do not stop seeking God on this until He moves in your life.  So many people will tell you to speak a few words and will say you are “good to go.”  Those are lies.  

You must diligently seek the Lord with all that you are.  The word diligent means “constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything.”  This type of diligence cannot span 1 day, 1 moment, 1 year, 30 years.  No, it is a lifelong journey of seeking the face of God.  There will be many issues and struggles that arise in your lives, but in all of them, you are to diligently seek the LORD and the LORD alone.  Every single day is the day of salvation - every obstacle, every sin - beckons all of mankind to fall at the feet of the Jesus and stay there until He helps you overcome the sin, no matter the sin.

Proverbs 7:15

Proverbs 11:27

Luke 15:8

Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews 3:7, 3:8, 3:9, 3:10, 3:11, 3:12, 3:13, 3:14

Psalm 95:7, 95:8

I will offer you a word of caution:  Never seek God in a way that you want Him to condone your sin - to understand your sin - to acknowledge that you just can’t overcome your sin.  If that is your heart, make no mistake, God won’t speak & God won’t help you, for God is Holy.  He won’t change His mind regarding sin. He won’t be enticed by a weeping person who pleads that he or she can’t overcome their sin.  In and through Jesus, you can overcome that sin, no matter the sin.  Even if you have been practicing a particular sin for many years, God is bigger than any sin.  Put your faith in HIS ability to transform who you were into who HE wants you to be.

If a person has prayed without humility, without a broken spirit, and instead prayed seeking permission to continue in sin, there will, in all likelihood, be manifestations of that which is a lying spirit.  If you believe the Lord has approved your sin or that God has acknowledged that you can’t overcome this sin, then know this, the serpent has spoken.  Not God Almighty.  The Lord will never contradict His Word.  Never.  

1 Peter 1:16, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 6:10, Ephesians 5:3, 5:4, 5:5, 5:6, 5:7, Galatians 5:19, 5:20, 5:21, Revelation 21:8, Matthew 18:8, 18:9, Revelation chapter 2 & 3, 1 Corinthians 10:21.

A lying spirit can present in many forms:  lying prophets, lying friends, lying family, lying teachers, lying co-workers, supernatural lies, wolves in sheep’s clothing.  If there is an inclination in you to continue to commit that sin, you will most certainly believe the lying spirit.  You may even tell others that God has told you … what God has not really told you.  This is a warning to save you from Satan’s manipulative ways!  Click on Counterfeit Deception for a previous blog article on this topic.

You must detest that sin nature in you, and you must detest the serpent who spews his venom your way!    

There is hope and power in the name of Jesus Christ, but you must want Him more than you want the sin that clings to your flesh.  There are no two ways about it.  If you are attending a church that condones sin or tells you that God’s grace covers the sin that you are practicing, know this:  that church is a synagogue of Satan.  Get away from anything and anyone who attempts to make what is Holy into that which is profane.  

Jude 4, Ezekiel Chapter 22 (all of it)

You will never know the Truth unless you read and study the Bible in obedience and humility.

Revelation 21:6, 21:7

The Lord Jesus Christ has the ability to forgive sins, and He has the transforming power to deliver us from committing willful sin. However, there is a condition: We must want His forgiveness & His deliverance from practicing sin. We must want it.

When a person is on death row and his time of execution has arrived, he is called a "dead man walking." The dictionary actually defines this phrase as "a condemned man walking from his prison cell to a place of execution."

If we don't diligently seek the Lord all of our days, then we are all "Dead Men Walking."

God help us.