Jesus is saying to all Christians wherever they are in the world, "If you want to see me someday, you will obey me.”
This is not a plea...it is a command.
So many Christians today have taken grace to a whole new level, thinking they can do what the world does and escape God's punishment.
We have let many people who are not filled with the Spirit of God rise to places of leadership in the Church and many of them are leading the sheep astray.
Come back to the God of the bible and live. Get into and devour the New Testament, that is where our lives abound. That is our instruction book on how to live. This is where we find how to live the Christian life.
Many today who claim to follow the teachings of Jesus only view Him as a great teacher, or just a good moral person.
But I can testify that I know Jesus Christ is the righteous Son of God who came to earth to save us from our sins.
And unless we live for this fact and are willing to suffer and be put to death for what we believe, we are imposters only posing as followers of Christ.
Jesus is the only way,
not the fact that we are Jew or Gentile, or what church we attend, or the denomination we were baptised into. Jesus Christ is the way. There is no other.
He was, is, and forever will be the righteous Son of almighty God above.
And for us to enter God’s Kingdom above, we Must repent of our unbelief as well as our sinful life and be born again, cleansed by the blood of Jesus who died in our place.
- this is from a Christian who has met the Savior, and Knows that He is who He claimed to be.
Persecution purifies the Church --- under threat of loss or death the pretenders leave so that only pure gold remains. Those who remain are God’s chosen ones.
These are the ones who will enter His kingdom.
I would suggest that you who read this take the time --- right now --- to read all of 1 Peter.
These are the ones who will enter His kingdom.
I would suggest that you who read this take the time --- right now --- to read all of 1 Peter.
Primitive Church - not quite
In today's world with all of our so called superior knowledge we are in the habit of calling the first century Church primitive.
They were far from primitive. They were closer to Jesus than we are today because they were unencumbered by all the corruptive trappings and man made add-ons that infiltrated the Church at a later date.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters.
And yet in today's Church many Christians try to.
We are overly involved in sports, politics, television entertainment, and all kinds of worldly pursuits, mainly money.
The first Christians rejected the worlds entertainment, honors, and riches. They were citizens of God's heavenly kingdom. And as such they thought and acted accordingly.
If we are truly born again, washed in the blood of our Savior shouldn't we instead be carrying out the command to proclaim the gospel? They did.
They were far from primitive. They were closer to Jesus than we are today because they were unencumbered by all the corruptive trappings and man made add-ons that infiltrated the Church at a later date.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters.
And yet in today's Church many Christians try to.
We are overly involved in sports, politics, television entertainment, and all kinds of worldly pursuits, mainly money.
The first Christians rejected the worlds entertainment, honors, and riches. They were citizens of God's heavenly kingdom. And as such they thought and acted accordingly.
If we are truly born again, washed in the blood of our Savior shouldn't we instead be carrying out the command to proclaim the gospel? They did.
Look Beyond Self
Today’s church in America wants to be raptured from suffering and responsibility while other Christians all over the world are suffering.
Are we afraid to suffer for Christ as He suffered for us.
Read:
James 5:7-:11
1 Peter 4:12-:19
2 Timothy 3:12
Are we afraid to suffer for Christ as He suffered for us.
Read:
James 5:7-:11
1 Peter 4:12-:19
2 Timothy 3:12
The Church...
...wherever it may be in the world is called by God to be a holy entity, separated from the world and striving to shun all forms of evil. Although God will forgive sin when a person repents…that act of sin when committed is repugnant in His sight because heaven is sinless and pure.
Who is the “Church“?
All those who follow Jesus Christ? And they must separate themselves from the world system of doing things because that is idolatry and God hates idolatry.
What is idolatry?
It is hero worship, adoration (of a thing person, or place.) admiration or veneration of someone other than the God of Heaven.
Who is the “Church“?
All those who follow Jesus Christ? And they must separate themselves from the world system of doing things because that is idolatry and God hates idolatry.
What is idolatry?
It is hero worship, adoration (of a thing person, or place.) admiration or veneration of someone other than the God of Heaven.
Be Brave
- http://christianity.about.com/od/glossary/a/JZ-Persecution.htm
Christians have been persecuted all over the world. Many early Protestants who broke from the Catholic Church were imprisoned and burned at the stake. Christian missionaries have been killed in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Christians were imprisoned and killed during the reigns of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Today, the nonprofit organization Voice of the Martyrs tracks Christian persecution in China, Muslim countries, and throughout the world.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus prophesied that his followers would be attacked:
"Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:20, NIV)
We here in America have always felt very safe being so far removed from the rest of the world. But, in spite of what these feel good prosperity hucksters on TV say, these days of Church safety in this land of ours is swiftly coming to an end. The dam of persecution is ready to break.
Dear fellow believers in Christ Jesus,
If you are used to comfort, get used to hardships.
If you are used to having plenty, get used to having little.
If you are used to being first, get used to being last.
The heavenly ruler of all things, here and in the heights above, is going to sift His Church separating the true from the false.
Rejoice in what is coming. Our heavenly home is nearer now than ever before.
Christians have been persecuted all over the world. Many early Protestants who broke from the Catholic Church were imprisoned and burned at the stake. Christian missionaries have been killed in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Christians were imprisoned and killed during the reigns of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Today, the nonprofit organization Voice of the Martyrs tracks Christian persecution in China, Muslim countries, and throughout the world.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus prophesied that his followers would be attacked:
"Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:20, NIV)
We here in America have always felt very safe being so far removed from the rest of the world. But, in spite of what these feel good prosperity hucksters on TV say, these days of Church safety in this land of ours is swiftly coming to an end. The dam of persecution is ready to break.
Dear fellow believers in Christ Jesus,
If you are used to comfort, get used to hardships.
If you are used to having plenty, get used to having little.
If you are used to being first, get used to being last.
The heavenly ruler of all things, here and in the heights above, is going to sift His Church separating the true from the false.
Rejoice in what is coming. Our heavenly home is nearer now than ever before.
Discernment
If we are a discerning Spirit filled Christian we will not have to only go to “our church” to hear the correct word of God.
We should never fear fellowshipping with other Christians simply because they do not go to the same “building” we always go to.
But, whenever we go somewhere else and the truth is not spoken we will instantly know it. That is when we leave.
And if your pastor tells you other Christians are not right because they don't think exactly like he does and he is the only one who knows the truth---
---Leave that place of meeting or get rid of the pastor.
We should never fear fellowshipping with other Christians simply because they do not go to the same “building” we always go to.
But, whenever we go somewhere else and the truth is not spoken we will instantly know it. That is when we leave.
And if your pastor tells you other Christians are not right because they don't think exactly like he does and he is the only one who knows the truth---
---Leave that place of meeting or get rid of the pastor.
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