A HUMAN DECISION...
John 1:11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, or a husband’s will, nor of human decision, but born of God. (Will of the flesh)
John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the
Notichia - Knowledge
Assensus - Assurance
Feeduchia - Faith / Heart and Soul
Luke 10:27 "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind"
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved Mark15:16 (context) Even the demons beleive...
* Simon the sorcerer - His heart was not right
Acts 8:9-24 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” Simon never repents
Lukewarm Church.
Revelation 3:14-22 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
* Geographical Lesson: Hot & Cold Springs vs. Luke Warm Stagnant Water
* Periodical or Historical lesson: Hot & Cold Drinks at Feasts / Phys - lukewarm water to induced vomiting
Temple that bears my name (summarize)
Jeremiah 7:1:15 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and there proclaim this message:“ ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, and burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord. “ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’
Saddest and joyous chapter of the Bible.
Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God,stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Today we are covered by Grace - do not use that gift of grace as a license to sin.
Romans 6:1-10 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
Romans 10: 6-10 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” that is, to bring Christ down. “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ ”that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
If truly saved your heart should move you to obedience
Ezekiel 36:22-23. ...‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.
Root and the Fruit - Root (Faith) Fruit (obedience)
...the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes
God turns hearts toward Himself, then, through knowledge, assurance, and faith we must repent and surrender ours hearts and lives.
Ezekiel 25-28 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
1Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ...
Hebrews 5:8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered - denying the pleasure of sin. (Pornography) deny and stand firm through the sword of the Spirit.
1Peter - He has given you everything you need...
Sign of salvation - Growing in Holiness, Humility, & Obedience
Examine Yourself
Sinners Prayer Story How many times?
Have you simply made a human decision?
(half-hearted sinners prayer with no brokenness)
Quit laying again and again the foundation of repentance...
Example of surrender vs. a half hearted prayer.
Psalm 51:1-17 Have mercy on me, O God,according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdictand justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Let you desired faithfulness even in the womb;you taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God,and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presenceor take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways,so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,you who are God my Savior,and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord,and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, you God, will not despise.
Psalm 32: 3-6 When I kept silent,my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and nightyour hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said,
“I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Beatitudes:
Matthew 5:3-10
1-3 Model of finding salvation in Christ Jesus.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn,for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
4-7 Attributes of a Convert - (Impossible before conversion)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
8 Consequences of it all
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Many will say Lord Lord...many are deceived. I fear it may be in part our fault....Faith comes from hearing the word...we have not always brought the full Gospel message.
The Full Gospel Message...
For God so loved the world...
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Love, mercy, & grace
John 3:14-15 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him
Brokenness, repentance, & death
James 4:8-10 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Salvation is a gift but it will cost you
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?
Hebrews 3:15 today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart.
* Examine yourself
Q: Have you come to God through brokenness and repentance or have you simply made a human decision?
Q. Have you said the sinners prayer multiple times but nothing has changed in your life?
Q. Are you constantly laying again the foundation of repentance?
Q: Have you weighed the cost?
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