This here is an example of one of those passages of Scripture which must be read in its full context in order for us to get the correct understanding of what it is teaching. I know that the books of Galatians and Colossians cover the same subject. So to get a really good handle on this subject it would be good if you could read all three books in their full context. For the full context is especially critical with regard to this particular subject.

Let me summarize my understanding of what was taking place then. Then I will look at how this passage of Scripture can be applied to our lives today. For just like the word “works” is used in the Scriptures in two different ways, one in a negative sense, and one in a positive sense, so is this word “law.” But when it comes to Paul teaching on this subject he is generally using the word “law” to refer to the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, and dietary laws and restrictions, including circumcision.

So, when he said that the righteousness of God was manifested apart from the law, he is not talking about the commandments of God under the New Covenant and God’s moral laws. He is speaking of the liturgical and ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant, which were done away with when Jesus Christ died on that cross for our sins. They were all the things which were external that could be practiced without it doing anything to change the human heart or to lead anyone to repentance and obedience to God.

And the reason that Paul had to cover this subject so much was that there were Judaizers among the believers in Christ who were convincing many of them that they had to add on to their faith circumcision and some of the Old Covenant ceremonial laws and customs. But then we have people today who are distorting this subject and they are teaching a “lawless” faith in Jesus Christ which is of the flesh of humans, and not of God. But Jesus didn’t die on that cross so that we could now live in sin guilt and punishment free.

So many are teaching a faith that is of human origin and not the faith that comes from God, and is persuaded of God, and is gifted to us by God, and is not of our own doing – not of the will nor of the flesh of man. And they are diluting the meaning of faith to be some sort of words we pray or confess, or to some acknowledgement of who Jesus is and to what he did for us on that cross, or to some emotional acceptance of a false grace of God. And then they are promising them heaven, but regardless of how they live.

That is not the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is not the grace of God which is bringing us salvation, and which is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus said if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old sinful lifestyles, we will lose our lives. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, then we have the hope and the promise of eternal life.

For “faith” in Jesus Christ means “persuasion of God.” And in the Scriptures, God persuades us as to his righteousness and holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to die with him to sin and now live to him and to his righteousness in walks of obedience to him and to his commands. And we are taught that faith that is of God results in obedience to his commands and in holy living and us no longer walking in sin. And we learn that if sin is what we practice, and not obedience, that we won’t have eternal life.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2]

Yes, God’s grace to us is his gift to us, but his grace requires that we die with him to sin and now live holy lives, pleasing to him, and that we no longer walk in sin. And that is his gift to us, because we can only live like that by his grace and in the power of God, and because of what Jesus Christ did for us in dying on that cross so that we can die with him to sin and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness (Romans 6:1-23).

So, don’t buy into the lies which are telling you that the faith to believe in Jesus Christ requires nothing of you other than your profession of faith, and that no works are required of you, and that you do not have to obey the commands of our Lord. That is a man-made gospel which is not of God and is not in agreement with the gospel that Jesus and Paul and the other apostles taught. For if we continue living in sin, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

Songs in the Night

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!

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Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, Messiah and King is our sure foundation for our salvation and for the Christian life. He gives us all the strength, wisdom and understanding we need to live godly and holy lives while we wait for his return.

We turn back the battle at the gate when we use the armor of God, with which he has so amply supplied us, for combatting our enemy Satan, and for resisting the devil, and for fleeing temptation. Amen!

We can always count on our Lord. He will never fail us. He will never leave us or forsake us. We can always depend on him, no matter what we are going through, and no matter how many enemies rage against us. Our Lord is with us.

A Sure Foundation

An Original Work / May 27, 2011

Based off of Isaiah 28:5, 6, 16, 23 & 26

This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“See I lay a stone in Zion,
A precious cornerstone,
A sure foundation;
The one who trusts will ne’er be dismayed.”

This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Listen and hear my voice speaking;
Hear what I say to you;
Please pay attention;
Your God instructs, teaches the right way.”

In that day the Lord Almighty
Will be a glorious crown for
The remnant, His people;
He’s the source of strength to
Who stands against evil; turns from sin.

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Rather than go into all the history behind this and try to explain what all was taking place then, I believe the Lord Jesus would have me take from this and apply it to our lives and world and church today. So I am going to change “Jew” to Christian (or to professing Christian, more appropriately). And I, as led by the Holy Spirit, will share with you what I am getting from this passage of Scripture today which can also be applied to us today.

As best as I understand, this would be speaking of a true legalist, one who religiously goes through the motions of religious practice and all the religious rituals and customs and traditions that they were taught from early on in their lives. Like, they were baptized, and they maybe went through catechism, or some kind of religious training. Then they joined “the church,” and so they tithe their 10%, and they religiously attend Sunday morning “worship services,” and they might serve as pastor or elders or deacons, or whatever.

Now none of that alone is wrong, mind you, as long as it is being done biblically and under the direction of the Holy Spirit. But it can be similar to the Jews following all the liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, and dietary laws and restrictions, including circumcision. They are all things which can be outward and performance only, and they can have nothing to do with heart change, attitude change, and behavior change, nor with true faith in practice in obeying the Lord’s moral and righteous requirements.

And there are many within the gatherings of the church who pride themselves in their religious performances and in the following of a bunch of religious rules, many or all of which may be created in the minds of human beings and have nothing to do with surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ in submission to his will and purpose for our lives in dying with him daily to sin and now walking with him in holiness and in righteousness – in the power and working of God’s Spirit now living within us who are his by faith in him.

Like many people are baptized as a religious rite, or in order to join “the church” (institutional churches), but they may not have ever believed in Jesus Christ with genuine faith which dies with Christ to sin and now lives to him and to his righteousness. And many attend religious services once a week (or more), but not all of them are there out of desire to follow Jesus with their lives, and to minister to the body of Christ in the ways that are of God. But many are there more as a social gathering with their friends.

And so we have many professers of faith in Jesus Christ who go through the motions of religious practice, but it does nothing to change their hearts and to turn them from sin to now follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands (New Covenant). They appear religious, and some may appear righteous, but many of them are hypocrites who put on an outward appearance of being religious but who do not live what the Scriptures teach. And some of them may teach what is right, but not live it themselves.

Now not everyone is like this, but there are those who “play religion,” while Jesus Christ is not truly their Lord (Owner-Master), for they do not submit to him and to his Lordship, and they have not surrendered their lives to Christ, but they are still living according to the flesh. And so outwardly they may appear religious, and they may even be teaching what is right to others, although not many do, it seems. But they do not practice what they teach to others and so they are hypocrites. And that is the message here.

We can’t just go through the motions of religious practice, and do all the “right things” in the eyes of other humans, according to religious rituals and traditions, and consider that we are Christians in the eyes of the Lord. For Jesus taught that if we want to come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, we have eternal life.

[Luke 9:23-26; c.f. Romans 6:1-23; Ephesians 4:17-24; Titus 2:11-14]

Just a Closer Walk with Thee

Hymn lyrics by Anonymous/Unknown
Music by American Melody

“For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you” (2 Co. 13:4 NASB).

I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

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Clare73 said:

I know exactly what you mean.

However, your use and meaning of "holy mystery" has no biblical warrant.

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Most folks miss out on the gems of scripture because they don't commit the time to prayerfully study for themselves.

It is much easier to get the 'good' oil from the Pastor/teacher.

There are gems but you have to personally dig for them.

Nothing is hidden or 'secret' to those who seek.

The messenger Paul, chosen by YHVH, taught by Yahshua,
is still a light in the world; a small light next to Jesus, but a huge light next to religious darkness today.

eleos1954 said:

Angels don't mate with humans ... never have. There are no "trans humans"

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Thank YHVH for a Truth Revealed Once for all time, simply, to His sheep/ children.

Apple Sky said:

But somehow they did it

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Rumor , or as they might say in worldly court - "a claim without evidence", period. It was all made up to deceive billions and destroy as many souls by deception as possible, leading them astray.

Main point to remember - the corruption on earth is real, but cannot come in a way of direct contradiction (fairy tales) of His Own Word. The enemy has had thousands of years to deceive, and has succeeded over most of the world.

Do not trust anything dna related. Trusting such brings a curse directly from the Creator.

Ignatius the Kiwi said:

You're assuming that the Russians have been incapable of learning things throughout this war or that there has been no mobilization since those retreats or that Ukraine has been unable to defend its towns and settlements in the Donbass.

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I'm not assuming that. I'm just noting some observable facts. The war has been going on nearly 3 years now and weaknesses are still being observed today. Ukraine walking into Kursk is a fine example of that.

Ignatius the Kiwi said:

Do you expecr Russia to run out of men before Ukraine does?

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You know full well that wars aren't won strictly by how many soldiers a nation has.

Ignatius the Kiwi said:

If it's not about US hegemony why didn't Ukraine choose neutrality which is what Russia offered because it feared Ukraine joining NATO?

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Like most other Baltic states, many of these nations underwent decades of control under the Soviet Union. Part of the reason is simply a desire to be free and sovereign from that past. Something these nations reiterate at some frequency.

Neutrality does not guarantee safety or sovereignty. The annexing of crimea is a demonstration of that.

Or look at Finland and Sweden. Notice how quickly they moved to NATO in recent years despite longstanding forms of neutrality. The reason is not because of "US hegemony", rather the reason is that Russia is sowing fear in its neighbors with its military aggression. Annexing Crimea, funding militants in the Donbas, the invasion of Georgia, the invasion of Ukraine, its well known discontent with Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania (which also may be invaded by Russia in our lifetime), among other issues.

People simply don't trust Putin. And accepting neutrality on his terms, is a compromise of Ukraine's sovereignty.

Putins recent invasion of Georgia is another example of this. Russia stepping in militarily to manipulate a nations sovereignty, particularly of pre-soviet union nations. These military adventures of course are sowing distrust among all of these Baltic nations.

Roman57 said:

Back in the 1950-s one of the ways of treating mental illness was a lobotomy. Since they didn't know how to cure the brain, and they wanted to "get rid" of the problem, they decided to destroy the brain instead.

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Reading through and many books (way way way too many) , bibliographies from b4 1950, non-fiction and fiction, it was discovered that they did know how to cure the brain, but it was not as profitable as making all things worse; so greed won, and they made/make all things that are in their control or influence worse, as possible.
Only by the Creator's Grace were a few humans saved and spared, along with many who suffered but because of His Grace and Sovereignty and they trust Him ......

i.e. remember nothing we were taught growing up in the world is what it seems.

Roman57 said:

So in this article

MSN

it gives contradictory information as to who leads NC based on the following two quotes. Was it a typo, or different polls, or what happened?

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It's a typo. THe first paragraph said 3 of the 4 sunbelt states. SO they just accidentally added NC to the end.

No. Not at all right. Totally wrong direction.

Where there are a multitude of threads and posts, sin is not lacking.

Getting Right with YHVH is His to do or not to do. Ask Him.

The Creator laughs at the plans and designs of men.... and HIDES JESUS from them.

The Creator is well pleased to REVEAL JESUS to infants/ little children, for THUS it is HIS GOOD PLEASURE so to do.

Hammster said:

So you’d watch a news show that reported the same story night after night?

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Like reading the Frostbite Falls Picayune Intelligence.

tonychanyt said:

according to Jesus' logic

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Huge Epic Fail.

Not by logic, nor by math, not by strength, nor by flesh.....

but by the Breath of YHVH Sayeth Himself.

The IbanezerScrooge said:

IDK, that outfit the woman in the wheelchair is wearing seems to symbolize being covered in blood. And the guys suit makes him look like depictions of Satan I've seen in some movies.

Feels kind of... shall we say... demonic ...to me...

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Haha, good one brother.

You almost sound like a fundamentalist right there. I am not a fundamentalist (more of a moderate Christian) but only had a bit of an issue with the regular opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in July. The Paralympics one was perfect. The suit actually looked snazzy. I'd wear a suit, but am only 5'4", so a suit would not suit a short man such as myself. Plus, suits are kinda uncomfortable.

tonychanyt said:

King James Bible, Ac 26:


New King James Version:


The Greek ἐν ὀλίγῳ was ambiguous.

NASB never translated G3641 to "almost":


English Standard Version translated it into a question:


On Biblehub only 3 out of 23 used "almost".

The same word appeared in the next verse, NKJ:


Young's Literal Translation:


I think Agrippa was being sarcastically ambiguous and Paul continued that ambiguity.

ESV:


Agrippa no longer wanted to discuss it with Paul.


Agrippa did not consider Paul negatively. He believed him to some extent.

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I agree. There was a time when I thought it indicated that Agrippa told Paul that he almost persuaded him to be a Christian, but I no longer see it that way. I agree that he was just being sarcastic and kind of mocking the idea that Paul could convince him to become a Christian in such a short amount of time. That makes sense because convincing someone like that to become a Christian would take more than just a short amount of time. Not that he didn't find Paul to be convincing at all. As you said, he did believe him to some extent. But, it wasn't enough time to fully convince him and then he ended the discussion and did not allow for more time to be convinced.

Good topic. It's interesting to think about. Paul was not afraid to witness to anyone and we should be like that as well. Anyone can potentially be convinced to become a Christian. We shouldn't think that anyone is without hope of being saved since God wants all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-6).

NBB said:

So sorry for your loss, it must be very hard to lose a parent.

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It was tough,lost my dad 8 years ago as well.Told my brothers I do want to keep her car,they agreed with me due to I need something good on gas going back and forth to work

essentialsaltes said:

Off-topic, but: “I do not believe you are a racist.”

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You're resorting to facts again...

JosephZ said:

Breaking the law and assaulting a female is more than a "little dust up."

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According to the families and witnesses, that is not really what happened.
They said, "The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost dignity and respect for all of our Servicemembers and especially our children."

Mark Zuckerberg admitted something which a lot of us already knew.

Vambram said:

Hallelujah!!!!!!

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Amen brother. We will always both worship God, even in the best of times, and the darkest of times.

The Barbarian said:

Yep. Sorry.

I thought it was...

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Haha, good one. I love those memes, as I found those when putting up the meme in my previous post

I don’t know how I feel about AI. It’s not exactly very advanced yet.