Jesus is not religious!

We hear a lot today about fighting for our rights. The religious community is on fire concerning President Obama’s most recent position; the fact that religious institutions and personal business owners will be required inadvertently to provide via their insurance companies contraceptives, as well as, prenatal care to their employees. Their main contention is a violation of conscience; the secondary issue being a violation of the constitution, i.e. their 1^st amendment rights. The first issue deals with the fact that they would inadvertently be enabling abortion. The secondary issue being that of a loss of so-called God given rights.

However the bible is very clear regarding the ministry of the saints. The only right we have as Christians is to walk by faith in Christ in an expression of His love.  Jesus did not fight for His rights! In fact though He was God, He held us in greater esteem then Himself; and He went to the cross to prove it. Jesus did not come to change nations, or even people for that matter. He came to give man spiritual life!

Maybe if we got that part straight, we would affect the world around us with the love of Christ that they could turn to Him and be saved. Changed by His amazing love, rather than being beat down by our religious rules and bickering. When we are worried about our conscience being violated, who are we really concerned with? Ourselves…or the poor unsaved person we are supposed to be loving? That’s the problem with fighting for ones rights; it always points to self!

Commentary by:

G.L. Miller

Grace leads to victory!

The issue of law and grace is much more than how we live the Christian life. We can have all our ducks in a row, (or at least think we do!), living under law; yet our focus is not on the source. In other words, we are operating in the flesh. Grace purifies and bears fruit that will remain.

The law may bring about quick change, but since that change is not accomplished by the spirit of God, what little fruit it does produce will not remain. Grace purifies supernaturally via the loving hand of the Father. While the law on the other hand, works in accordance with the flesh demanding it to behave. Grace purifies with the finality and sufficiency of Christ, while the law demands harsh treatment of the body leading to condemnation.

Romans 8:1-4 says: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin. He condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.

What we learn form these passages in Romans is that to live according to the flesh is to live the christian life based on observance to the law. Jesus met the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf that it might be fully met in us. To walk according the spirit is to die to the law, and walk by faith in the finished work of Christ.

In short, grace leads to victory and the law to defeat. The law makes nothing perfect, nor will it allow man to draw near to God. It is in opposition to faith, and will not produce life.

‘Come to Me you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’ Matt. 11:28-30

Commentary by:

G.L. Miller

Authoritarian God vs. God of grace and truth!

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me, in heaven and on earth.’ (Matt. 28:18)

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, ‘Father the hour has come, glorify your Son that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh; that He should give eternal life to as many as you have given Him.’ (John 17:1-2)

‘I have finished the work.’ (John 17:4)

‘I have kept them in Your name. Those You have given Me, I have kept and none of them is lost.’ (John 17:12)

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word. (John 17:20)

Therefore when He came into the world, He said, ‘Sacrifice and burnt offerings You did not desire, but a body you have prepared for Me.’ (Hebrews 10:5)

Then I said, ‘Behold I have come, in the volume of the book it is written of Me, to do your will Oh God. (Heb. 10:7)

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Heb. 10:10)

But this Man after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. (Heb. 10:12)

For by one offering He has perfected forever them that are sanctified. (Heb. 10:14)

‘This is the covenant I will make with them after those days,’ says the Lord. (Heb 10:16)

Then He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ (Heb 10:17)

According to these passages, whose authority are we under? And by whose authority are we kept? After studying these passages, do you think it’s possible for someone to lose their salvation? According to John 1:17, what authority should we live by - the law of Moses or the grace and truth of Jesus Christ?

‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.’ (Ephesians 2:8)

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us; through the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. That having been justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy; To God our Savior who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen! (Jude 24-25)

In short, we are under the authority of Christ, kept by the will of God through grace. We do not have an authoritarian God; we have a loving Father which has secured our eternity with finality. We are saved to the utmost by the very will of God Himself.

Footnote: For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself. (Heb. 6:13)

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Heb. 10:23)

Commentary by:

G.L. Miller

There remains only truth!

From the conception of the American church our most prolific political Christian scientists have sought to deify men in power; sighting the righteous acts of man, rather than the goodness of God. Now while this approach may sound noble, it is at its core dishonest and unedifying; and in the end, gives occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme. The bible is very clear about the righteousness of man apart from the righteousness of God in Christ. When we fail to clarify this concerning leadership and men in power, we are exalting the righteousness and goodness of man. Jesus was very clear when He stated in Matthew 19:17- ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is God.’

My point is this, we live in the age of information; we have access to more information then any other time in history. We can pull up the world with the touch of a finger. We can read between the lines of history. Our youth has access to what’s been left out. We can see the motives behind past military campaigns because they are now a matter of public record. We can look into the depths of political scandal and see first hand the depravity and self-centeredness behind bad foreign policy, crimes against humanity and the like. In other words, we can see the big picture now like never before. We have the ability to see man as he is, and as he’s always been. Therefore, there is no room left for dishonesty, no margin for the proclamation of the righteousness of man; there remains only truth! Jesus said in John 14:6- ‘I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.’

There is only one hope for man, and God is the glory of man. We need to start telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We need to stop creating historical fairy tales based on the righteousness of man; which in the end only seek to discredit us as Christians and to undermine the core teachings of the bible regarding mans need of redemption; the fact that our righteousness can only be found in God through Christ, ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’

John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:9- That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:13- Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved!

Commentary by:

G.L. Miller

True or False!

I’m going to ask a series of true or false questions. These questions are based on current church teachings. Please mark your answer in the space provided beside each paragraph. I have marked my answers as an example. Yours may differ. However please search your soul, and ask God for wisdom before you give your answers.

­­__F__  To walk in the light: Light refers to Gods moral standards or character. When a Christian’s conduct reflects God’s moral character, then real fellowship is possible. Our fellowship with God is dependant on walking in God’s light.

__F__ To walk in darkness means to live contrary to the moral character of God; to live a sinful life. To claim fellowship with God without living a moral life or practicing the truth is to live a lie.

(Note: The reference to Gods moral standards and character are a direct reference to the law.)

__T__ Our fellowship is not dependant on walking in the light of Gods moral standards. Our fellowship with God is dependant upon walking in the light of Jesus Christ. Since God could not compromise His holiness to accommodate sin, He sent His only begotten Son, that He might become sin for us, that in Him we may become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21)

__F__ A believer must confess his or her specific sins to God in order to be cleansed or forgiven. Continual confession of sin characterizes genuine Christians, and God continually cleanses those who are confessing.

__T__ Our sins and lawless deeds have been dealt with by the one time sacrifice of Christ. Jesus Himself paid the penalty for our sins, once and for all. We have been cleansed, and perfected forever by that one sacrifice. After this sacrifice was made, there is no longer an offering for sin. (Heb. 10:17-18)

__F__ You can’t trust your heart. Your heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; who can know it? You have two natures, a sin nature and a Christ nature.

__T__ You can trust your heart. You have a new heart! God has sent forth the spirit of His Son into your heart; you have the mind of Christ; you are a new creation; you have a new identity; you are the righteousness of God. (Eze. 11:19; Gal. 4:6; 1 Cor. 2:16; 2 Cor. 5:17-21)

__F__ Your sin separates you from God. God does not hear you when you sin. You are out of fellowship with Him when you sin.

__T__ Nothing can separate you from the love of God. He sees and hears you whether your sinning or not. And if you are in Christ, you are in fellowship; you are married; joined to Him in spirit for eternity. Fellowship with God is not a human relationship; it is a spiritual covenant based on the promises of God Himself. This relationship is not contingent on our behavior; the only condition being faith in Christ. (Rom. 8:31-39; Eph. 5:29-30; Heb. 6:17-18; Titus 3:5-7; Eph. 2:8-9)

When something is not true, it is called what? Hence the word false teaching! False teaching is not only expressed in highly controversial or cultish practices or doctrines, it’s expressed in the everyday erroneous teachings we have come to accept as the norm. Satan is the master of truth manipulation. He always inserts enough truth to make the lie stick.

Questionnaire by: G.L. Miller

Sign of the times!

What I see today is a massive deprogramming in the body of Christ. Men and women everywhere are reaching out to one another in an attempt to escape the legalistic teachings of the institutional church. Seeking desperately to unite and rekindle the flames of God’s amazing grace, that they may find rest for their overburdened souls. Pushing back the thoughts and ideologies which tradition has bred, ultimately robbing them of their freedom in Christ.

God is pouring revelation into the saints through revealing the signs of the times. Breaking the bonds of traditionalism by unfolding the pages of history, that the faithful may overcome the trappings of dogmatic and bias religiosity; freeing them to think for themselves and to operate in the power of the spirit. Empowering them to rise above the status quo that they may walk in the liberty by which they were called; enabling them to enter His rest by realizing their full potential in Him.

The economic, political and religious structure we see today is as it was in Jesus’ day. The church is co-opted with the civil government and high finance; mixing the old wine with the new; teaching law, traditionalism, nationalism, patriotism, dominionism. All sprinkled with a hint of Christ. The people are in unrest, looking for the real Messiah, but the church for the most part is unable to deliver. The wine skin is about to burst! But those who are truly His have been given ears to hear and eyes to see. Amen

Matt. 16:1-3: Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, 'When it is evening you say, 'it will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; and in the morning, 'it will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.'

Commentary by:

G.L. Miller

Commentary-Hebrews 10:5-31-Thomas Nelson refuted

Here are some highlights from Heb. 10:5-22:

(Italics are mine)

V5: Therefore when He came into the world He said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me.’

V7: Behold I have come in the volume of this book, it is written of Me, to do your will oh God.’

V9: ‘Behold I have come to do your will oh God.’

V10: By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ, once for all.

V12: But this man after He offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.

V14: For by one offering, He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

V17: Sins and lawless deeds remembered no more.

V18: Where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

By now it should be pretty clear that Christ came to do the will of God; that we have been sanctified by the very will of God, once for all; perfected forever; sins and lawless deeds remembered no more; that after Christ’s sacrifice, there is no longer an offering for sin. Here are Thomas Nelson’s commentaries up to this point. Mind you I’m just giving you highlights on the main points.

V10: Sanctified means set apart- Believers have been separated from their sins, and set apart to God by the once and for all sacrifice of Christ. This is good.

V14: The finished work of Christ in dying for sin once and for all has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. This is good.

V16-18: If full and final forgiveness has been achieved, so that God does not remember sin any longer, then no further sacrifice for sin is necessary. This is good.

V22: Draw near, full assurance, our hearts sprinkled, our bodies washed. Our conscience can be cleansed through the blood of Christ, so believers are cleansed before they come before the Holy One. This is good, there is no other way.

Ok, up to this point, Nelson’s commentaries are accurate. However, from here on out it begins to change course and to contradict, ending in outright absurdity. Pay close attention for contradictions. Nelson’s commentaries continued:

V26: To sin willfully: The reference here is not to occasional sin, (which can be confessed and forgiven), of course they list 1 John 1:9, but to a conscious rejection of God. The Old Testament speaks in Numb. 15:30-31 of committing willful sin. To sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of truth is apostasy, now listen to this one, if a Christian rejects God’s provision for his or her salvation, there is no other remedy for sin. My question is: how can you be Christian if you’ve rejected God’s provision for salvation? Either you have received Christ or you have not! You are either lost or you are saved!

V27: Now here is where it gets really good. The specific sin in the Old Testament that required two or three witnesses was idolatry. The judgment for idolatry was stoning. If idolatry was punished with physical death, how much worse punishment should someone receive who treats the word of Christ with disrespect or disdain. Counting the blood a common thing- means the blood of Christ is treated as no different from the blood of an ordinary man or the blood of an animal sacrifice. Insulted the spirit of grace- Is a reference to the Holy Spirit, the agent of God’s gift of salvation. Now watch this one, here we go again. A believer who commits these offenses will be judged with a punishment worse then physical death. Wrong, wrong, wrong!

To start with, these commentaries are very confusing, and are based at least in part, on the assumption that to sin willfully means to sin after receiving Christ. However, to throw the Christian into the fray at this point is neither healthy nor wise; for to be sure, to sin willfully in this context is a direct reference to the sin of unbelief. For the Jews this meant rejecting the truth of Christ for the law in returning to the sacrificial system. For the Gentile it meant you’ve received all the truth you’re going to get, and still you’ve rejected Christ. In short, to sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth is to remain in unbelief.

Nelson’s commentary continued:

V30-31: The author quotes 2 passages from Duet. 32 to support his claim that judgment belongs to the Lord, and that God’s people are not excused from God’s judgment; ‘It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’

Now while this is true, there is a terrible slight of hand going on here based on the last few erroneous comments. Number one: Nelson stating: ‘A believer who commits these offenses will be judged with a punishment worse then physical death.’ Remember, though judgment does belong to the Lord, we as believers have already been judged. Go back now and read what Nelson said in his commentaries from 10:5-22. Read the highlighted passages as well. Seems contradictory doesn’t it? Well that’s because it is. The reference to the Lord will judge His people in this context means this: All people are the Lord’s people, His creation, which includes the lost and the saved. If you are in Christ, you have already been judged and have been declared righteous. If you are not in Christ, you will be condemned.

In conclusion, these commentators are double-tongued, and do not understand this book, nor the gospel of Christ. Their work in 10:26-31 actually refute everything they commented on in 10:5-22. Not to mention refuting the finished work of Christ! Take a good long look at both scripture and commentary from 10:5-22, then consider how they are using 1 John 1:9. How in the world can you spin that one?

Here are some verses concerning what Christ has accomplished in us; I’ll start with a few verses from 1 John to refute its outright abuse:

1 John 2:12-Our sins have been forgiven for His Name sake.

2 John v.2- ‘Because of the truth which abides in us, and will be with us forever.’

Heb. 10:9-We have been sanctified by the very will of God.

Heb. 10:10- We have been sanctified once for all.

Heb. 10:14- We have been perfected forever.

Heb. 10:17-18- Sins and lawless deeds remembered no more; No longer an offering for sin.

Heb. 10:22-23- That we may draw near to God, free of a guilty conscience, washed with pure water, holding fast the confession of our hope, for He who promised is faithful.

Notice it doesn’t say because Bob has kept up with his confessions, and has sinned less than others, he is faithful; it says but He, God is faithful.

Footnote: 1 Tim. 3:8a- Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double tongued.

Titus 2:7-8- In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned; that one who is an opponent may be ashamed having nothing evil to say of you.

Commentary by:

G.L. Miller