AGAIN THE QUESTION, WHAT IS YOUR ETERNAL CONDITION?

SECCIONES DE LA SERIE 'CONTENDER POR LA FE'

Partes de los Mensajes dado en Quacco Baptist Church, Savannah, GA
Julio y Agosto

Judas escribió a condenar los apóstatas e instar a los creyentes a contender por la fe. Así que el título de esta serie. La expresión poderosa contender ardientemente hace hincapié en la necesidad de defender la verdad vigorosamente (cf. 1 Tim 1:18; 6:12; 2 Tim. 4: 7.). . . .
Desde el tiempo de Judas hasta hoy, los verdaderos creyentes siempre han tenido que luchar por la pureza del evangelio salvación. . . . Hizo un llamamiento para el discernimiento por parte de la iglesia y una defensa rigurosa de la verdad bíblica. Él siguió los ejemplos anteriores de: 1) Jesús (Mateo 7: 15ss .; 16: 6-12; 24:. 11ss; Rev. 2,3); 2) Pablo (Hechos 20: 29,30; 1 Timoteo 4: 1; 2 Tim. 3: 1-5; 4:. 3,4); 3) Pedro (2 Pedro 2: 1,2; 3:. 3,4); y 4) Juan (1 Juan 4: 1-6; 2 Juan 6-11). . . .

Judas está lleno de ejemplos históricos del Antiguo Testamento, que incluyen: 1) el Éxodo (v 5);. . 2) rebelión (v de Satanás 6); . 3) Sodoma y Gomorra (v 7); . 4) Moisés la muerte (v 9); . 5) Caín (v 11); . 6) Balaam (v 11); . 7) Coré (v 11); . 8) Enoc (vs. 14,15); y 9) Adán (v. 14). . .
Jude también describe con detalle los apóstatas en cuanto a su carácter y las actividades poco éticas (. Vv 4, 8, 10, 16, 18, 19). También tomó prestado de la naturaleza para ilustrar la futilidad de su enseñanza (vv. 12, 13). Jude no comentó sobre el contenido específico de su enseñanza falsa, sino únicamente demostró que sus vidas personales degenerados y ministerios infructuosos traicionaron a sus intentos de enseñar el error como si fuera verdad. Este carácter se repite con énfasis en el tema constante en cuanto a los falsos maestros - su corrupción personal. Mientras que su enseñanza es inteligente, sutil, engañoso, tentadora, y entregado en todo tipo de formas, la manera común de reconocerlos es mirar detrás de sus frentes espirituales falsos y ver sus vidas malvadas (2 Ped. 2: 10,12,18 , 19).

‘. . . problemas doctrinales no son discutidos. . . Juda hace cita de, libros seudopigrafical no canónicos (es decir, el autor real no fue el que nombró en su título) fuentes tales como 1 Enoc (v. 14) y la Asunción de Moisés (v. 9) para apoyar sus puntos. ¿Era esto aceptable? '. . . Enque Judas estaba escribiendo bajo la inspiración del Espíritu Santo (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pedro 1:.. 20,21) y el material que era exacta y verdadera en sus afirmaciones incluido, lo hizo de manera diferente que Pablo (cf. Hch . 17:28; 1 ​​Corintios 15:33; Tito 1:12).
John Piper escribe: "Alguna controversia es crucial para el bien de la verdad que da vida. Corriendo de ella es un signo de cobardía. Pero disfrutando por lo general es un signo de orgullo. . . "La lucha por la verdad que es adoración que sostiene la verdad "será para" conocer y amar y anunciar a Jesucristo lo que Él realmente es y lo que realmente se es agradable "

'. . . los hombres de antaño como Atanasio, John Owen, J Gresham Machen, y hoy en día hombres como Ravi Zacharias, y Franklin Graham dedican sus mentes, corazones y vidas en y controversias de Cristo-definir  y Cristo-defensa. No es porque hay una insuficiencia de la oración y el Espíritu Santo, sino por el Espíritu Santo obra a través de la Palabra predicada, explicada y defendido. El Espíritu Santo hace argumento bíblico convincente en la boca del maestro y en el corazón del estudiante, el oyente.
Juda escribe: "Para aquellos que son llamados. . ".¿Qué quiere decir, "los que son llamados"? (Κλετοις kletois,) que significa una invitación, una llamada general abierto o invitación a todas las personas, para que puedan recibir su salvación. Este se centra en la llamada general de Dios. Dios desea que todas las personas llaman a Él y recibir Su salvación. Pero es lamentable que no todos eligen - pero todos pueden; todos no lo hacen, pero todos pueden llamar a Dios por su misericordia, [no sólo algunos].

 

EXCERPTS FROM THE SERIES 'CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH'

Excerpts from Message Series given at Quacco Baptist Church, Savannah, GA

July and August 2015

Jude wrote to condemn the apostates and to urge believers to contend for the faith.  So the title of this series. The powerful expression contend earnestly stresses the need to defend the truth continually and vigorously (cf. 1 Tim. 1:18; 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7).  . . .

From Jude’s day until now, true believers have always had to battle for the purity of the salvation gospel. . . .

He called for discernment on the part of the church and a rigorous defense of biblical truth. He followed the earlier examples of: 1) Jesus (Matt. 7:15ff.; 16:6–12; 24:11ff; Rev. 2,3); 2) Paul (Acts 20:29,30; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 4:3,4); 3) Peter (2 Pet. 2:1,2; 3:3,4); and 4) John (1 John 4:1–6; 2 John 6–11). . . .

Jude is filled with historical illustrations from the OT which include: 1) the Exodus (v. 5); 2) Satan’s rebellion (v. 6); 3) Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7); 4) Moses’ death (v. 9); 5) Cain (v. 11); 6) Balaam (v. 11); 7) Korah (v. 11); 8) Enoch (vv. 14,15); and 9) Adam (v. 14). . .

Jude also describes with detail the apostates in terms of their character and unethical activities (vv. 4, 8, 10, 16, 18, 19).  He also borrowed from nature to illustrate the futility of their teaching (vv. 12, 13).  Jude never commented on the specific content of their false teaching, but solely demonstrated that their degenerate personal lives and fruitless ministries betrayed their attempts to teach error as if it were truth. This emphasizing on character repeats  the constant theme as to false teachers — their personal corruption. While their teaching is clever, subtle, deceptive, enticing, and delivered in all kinds of ways, the common way to recognize them is to look behind their false spiritual fronts and see their wicked lives (2 Pet. 2:10,12,18,19).

“. . . there are no doctrinal issues discussed . . .”  Jude does quote from non-canonical, pseudepigraphical books (i.e., the actual author was not the one named in its title) sources such as 1 Enoch (v. 14) and the Assumption of Moses (v. 9) to support his points. Was this acceptable? '. . . Since Jude was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20,21) and included material that was accurate and true in its affirmations, he did no differently than Paul (cf. Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12).

John Piper writes, “Some controversy is crucial for the sake of life giving truth.  Running from it is a sign of cowardice.  But enjoying it is usually a sign of pride. . .” The fight for truth that is “worship sustaining truth” will be for “knowing and loving and proclaiming Jesus Christ for who He really is and what He really did is pleasant”

‘. . . men of yesteryear like Athanasius, John Owen, J Gresham Machen, and today men like Ravi Zacharias engage their minds, hearts and lives in Christ-defining and Christ-defending controversies.  It’s not because there is an inadequacy of prayer and Holy Spirit, but because the Holy Spirit works through the Word preached, explained and defended.  The Holy Spirit makes biblical argument compelling in the mouth of the teacher and in the heart of the student, the listener.

Jude writes, “To those who are called . . .”  What is meant by, “those who are called”? (κλετοις kletois,) meaning an invitation, an open general call or invitation to all people, so they can receive His salvation.  This is focusing on God’s general call. God desires that all people call out to Him and receive His salvation.  But it is unfortunate that not all choose to – but all can; all don’t but all can call out to God for His mercy, [not just some]. - - -





QUACCO BAPTIST CHURCH

In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.  Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, 

Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts,

The whole world is full of His glory.

Isaiah 6:1

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

This Sunday we will continue with the new series, Contending for the Faith,

The Epistle of Jude

There have been many great men of God through the ages. Men like Athanasius of the 4^th century; John Owens of the 17^th century, and Gresham Machen of the late 19^th and early 20^th century.  In their times they took on serious controversies.  This wasn’t because they was something they enjoyed, or liked, or that they were bellicose; it was all because of their love for Christ, His church, and His world required it.

 

 

CONVICTION

THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING

PODEMOS SER PERDONADOS?

Deberia haber Dios hacer una provisión para el hombre para reivindicar a sí mismo con el fin de ser capaz de volver, para estar en comunión con Dios? Sólo sería justo; ¿no? A pesar de que la naturaleza heredada del hombre es el pecado, ser nacido separado de Dios el Señor?

¿Qué dice el Señor?

Habacuc 1:13 - "Tus ojos son demasiado puros para ver el mal, y usted no puede ver el agravio".

- Isaías 59: 2, nos dice-

"Vuestras iniquidades han hecho división entre vosotros y vuestro Dios, y vuestros pecados han hecho ocultar de vosotros su rostro, para que Él no escucha".

     Apocalipsis 15: 3, 4 nos dice - "Grandes y maravillosas son tus obras, Señor Dios Todopoderoso; Justos y verdaderos son tus caminos, Rey de las naciones! "¿Quién no temerá, oh Señor, y glorificará tu nombre? Porque sólo tú eres Santo; "

     Sólo Él es independiente, infinitamente inmutable, [Nunca cambiando], santo. Él se labra con frecuencia "El Santo" en la Escritura y Él es porque la suma de todas excelencia moral se encuentra en él. Él es la pureza absoluta, inmaculado, sin mancha, sin contaminación, inmaculado, impecable, intachable, prístino, puro, incluso por la sombra del pecado. ". . . Dios es luz, y en Él no hay tiniebla alguna ". [1 Juan 1: 5].

     La santidad es la Excelencia, la misma supremacía, eminencia, la virtud, la distinción, la arista, que es la suma de todas las grandes buenas hermosas cualidades de la naturaleza divina. Solía ​​tantos sinónimos como pude para tratar de retratar lo que para mí sigue siendo insondable. Nuestro Dios es como ningún otro - "¿Quién como tú entre los dioses, oh Señor? ¿Quién como tú, magnífico en santidad, temible en las alabanzas, haciendo maravillas? "[Éxodo 15:11]. Entonces podemos mirar de nuevo Habacuc 1:13 "Tus ojos son demasiado puros para ver el mal; Y usted no puede mirar el agravio ".

     Bueno, fue un strike y estás fuera; tolerancia cero. El Dios del universo le dijo a Moisés que El no dejará sin castigo al culpable, pero justo antes de esas palabras, como Él pasó por delante de Moisés que estuvo en la cueva de la peña El dice: "El Señor, el Señor Dios, compasivo y clemente, tardo para la ira y grande en misericordia y verdad; que guarda misericordia a millares, que perdona la iniquidad, la transgresión y el pecado; -. . . "[Éxodo 34: 6, 7].

     Dios le dijo al primer hombre Adán que no coma del arbol, que si lo haria iba a morir. Adán comió y la maldición de la muerte vino a Adán y porque ahora estaba contaminado, fue enviado lejos de Dios, y todos los que estaban por nacer de él también sería bajo la maldición.

     Entonces viene la pregunta que alguien pudiera preguntar. ¿Hay alguna manera de salir de esta situación? Uno tiene que buscar en la Escritura para encontrar la respuesta. ¿Qué pasa con el hombre primitivo? Adán y los desendientes de Adán? ¿Fueron informados de la posibilidad de redencion?

Si, podemos ser perdonados. El creador, el Señor nuestro Dios cuando Él, "En el principio. . . creó los cielos y la tierra "[Génesis 1:1] - Su plan de salvación fue ordenado en la eternidad pasada, la Escritura Sagrada nos dice en Apocalipsis 13: 8,". Todos los que moran en la tierra adorarán El, todo aquel cuyo nombre no se ha escrito desde la fundación del mundo en el libro de la vida del Cordero que fue inmolado ".

Dios es un Dios celoso es posesivo de la adoración y el servicio que pertenecen a Él, y como creador de todo, le pertenece a Él, pero Él es, como leemos en Éxodo 34: 6, 7: "compasivo y misericordioso, lento a la ira y la abundante en bondad amorosa y verdad; que guarda misericordia a millares, que perdona la iniquidad, la transgresión y el pecado; -. . ".

     La caída del hombre fue conocido por Dios;

La expiación por los elegidos de Dios fue preordenado por Dios;

[Génesis 03:15]

     Todas las personas algún día glorificar a Dios;

[Salmo 86: 9]; "Las naciones que hiciste vendrán y adorarán delante de ti, Señor, Y glorificarán tu nombre."

Y los propósitos de Dios para traer la unidad a todas las cosas bajo Cristo, [Efesios 1:10]. ". . . la plenitud de los tiempos, es decir, el resumen de todas las cosas en Cristo ", las cosas [b] en los cielos y las de la tierra.

     Podemos ser perdonados, porque ya hemos sido perdonados, como está escrito en la Biblia, Romanos 5: 8-10 -

"Mas Dios muestra su amor para con nosotros, en que siendo aún pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros. Pues mucho más, estando ya justificados en su sangre, seremos salvos de la ira de Dios por medio de Él. Porque si siendo enemigos, fuimos reconciliados con Dios por la muerte de su Hijo, mucho más, estando reconciliados, seremos salvos por su vida ".

Todo lo que hay que hacer es aceptar, creer en este regalo para nosotros. Efesios 2 nos dice -

"... Estabais muertos en vuestros delitos y pecados, 2 en los cuales anduvisteis conforme á la condición de este mundo, conforme al príncipe de la potestad del aire, el espíritu que ahora opera en los hijos de desobediencia. 3 Entre ellos también todos nosotros vivían en los deseos de nuestra carne, haciendo la voluntad de la carne y de los pensamientos, y éramos por naturaleza hijos de ira, lo mismo que los demás. 4 Pero Dios, que es rico en misericordia, por su gran amor con que nos amó, 5 aun estando nosotros muertos en pecados, nos dio vida juntamente con Cristo (por gracia sois salvos), 6 y nos levantó con Él, y asimismo nos hizo sentar en los lugares celestiales con Cristo Jesús, 7 para que en los siglos venideros podría mostrar las abundantes riquezas de su gracia en su bondad para con nosotros en Cristo Jesús. 8 Porque por gracia sois salvos por medio de la fe; y esto no de vosotros, pues es don de Dios; 9 no como resultado de las obras, para que nadie se gloríe. 10 Porque somos hechura suya, creados en Cristo Jesús para buenas obras, las cuales Dios preparó de antemano para que anduviésemos en ellas "

CAN WE BE FORGIVEN

     Should God make a provision for man to vindicate himself so as to be able to return, to be in communion with God? It would only be fair; it would only be just, right? Even though man's inherited nature is to sin, born separated from the Lord God?

What does the Lord have to say?

Habakkuk 1:13 - “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look on wickedness with favor.”

- Isaiah 59: 2, tells us-

“Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear”.

     Revelation 15: 3, 4 tells us – “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are Holy;”

     Only HE is independently, infinitely, immutably, [never changing] holy. He is frequently styled "The Holy One" in Scripture and He is because the sum of all moral excellency is found in Him. He is absolute purity, unsullied, unblemished, unpolluted, undefiled, unsoiled, spotless, untarnished, pristine, pure, even by the shadow of sin. “. . . God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” [1 John 1:5].

     Holiness is the very Excellency, the very supremacy, eminence, virtue, distinction, the arête, which is the aggregate of all the great good beautiful qualities of the divine nature. I used as many synonyms as I could to try to portray what to me is still unfathomable. Our God is like no other - “Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?” [Exodus 15:11]. We can then look again at Habakkuk 1:13 “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil; And You cannot look on wickedness with favor.”

     Well, it was one strike and you’re out; zero tolerance. The GOD of the universe said to Moses that HE will not leave the guilty unpunished but just before those words, as He passed by in front of Moses who was in the cleft of the rock He says, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth; who keeps loving-kindness for thousands, Who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; - . . .” [Exodus 34: 6, 7].

     GOD told the first man, Adam that is he so much as eats from that tree which GOD said don’t eat, that he would die. Adam ate and the curse of death came on Adam and because he was now contaminated, sent away from GOD, all who were to be born of him would also be under the curse.

     So comes the question that anyone would ask. Is there any way out of this predicament? One has to search the Scripture to find the answer. What about early man? Adam and those immediately after Adam? Were they told of a chance of redYes, we can be forgiven. The creator, the Lord our God when He, “In the beginning . . . created the heavens and the earth.” [Genesis 1:1] – His plan of salvation was ordained in eternity past, whenever and however that is determined, Scripture tells us in Revelation 13:8, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.”

God is a jealous God is possessive of the worship and service that belong to Him, and as creator all belongs to Him, yet He is, as we read in Exodus 34: 6, 7: “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth; who keeps loving-kindness for thousands, Who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; - . . .”

     The fall of man was foreknown by GOD;

The atonement for God’s elect was foreordained by God;

[Genesis 3:15]

     All people will one day glorify God;

[Psalm 86:9]; “nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And they shall glorify Your name.”

And God’s purposes to bring unity to all things under Christ, [Ephesians 1:10]. “. . . the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things ^[b]in the heavens and things on the earth.”

     We can be forgiven, because we have  already been forgiven, as it is written in Scripture, Romans 5: 8-10 -

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

All one has to do is accept, believe in this free gift to us. Ephesians 2 tells us –

“… you were dead in your trespasses and sins, ² in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. ³ Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

YO SOY EL, EL QUE VIVE

El escéptico  pregunta cual es propósito Jesús resucitar de entre los muertos?

La respuesta, para demostrar el poder de Dios sobre la muerte.
 La resurrección de Jesús era necesario, como Tomás de Aquino dice:1 - Hacer suya la justicia de Dios, que "pone a los poderosos de sus tronos y exalta a los humildes." Lucas 01:52;2 - Para confirmar nuestra fe en la divinidad de Cristo; [Cristo es totalmente hombre y totalmente Dios]3 - Para levantar nuestra esperanza de nuestra propia resurrección a seguir;4 - Reformar nuestras vidas: <"sabiendo que Cristo, habiendo resucitado de entre los muertos, no es nunca volver a morir; la muerte ya no tiene dominio sobre Él.  Por la muerte que Él murió, al pecado murió una vez por todas; pero la vida que Él vive, para Dios lo vive.  Así también vosotros consideraos muertos al pecado, pero vivos para Dios en Cristo Jesús "> Romanos 6:. 9.11;5 - Para traer la salvación a la terminación: <". El cual fue entregado por causa de nuestras transgresiones y resucitado para nuestra justificación"> Romanos 4: 25.i
 La resurrección de Jesús es sin duda la verdad más fundamental de la fe cristiana! Es la esperanza de que tenemos lo que tenemos que esperar. Jesús resucitó a sí mismo de la tumba, y por encima de los cielos por su propio poder. "En el principio era el Verbo, y el Verbo era con Dios, y la Palabra de Dios." Juan 1: 1. Antes de todas las otras cosas, antes de que existiera cualquier otra cosa,   había Dios, y   era Su Palabra, que era God.ii
 Pablo nos da en Romanos 1: 4, "... que fue declarado Hijo de Dios con poder por la resurrección de entre los muertos", y en 1ª Corintios 15: 17-20 deja claro - "Y si Cristo no ha resucitado , vuestra fe es vana; aún estáis en vuestros pecados. Entonces también los que durmieron en Cristo perecieron. Si en esta vida solamente esperamos en Cristo, somos los más dignos de conmiseración de todos los hombres ".

 [I] Santo Tomás de Aquino, Suma Theologia, Christian Classics, 2008, pp. 535-537
 [Ii] Michael Reeves, Regocijo en Cristo, IVP, 2015

I AM HE THAT LIVES

The skeptic will ask for what purpose  did Jesus rise from the dead?

To prove the power of GOD over death. 

Jesus’ resurrection was necessary, as Thomas Aquinas puts it:

1 – To endorse GOD’s justice that “puts down the mighty from their thrones, and exalts the lowly.” Luke 1:52;

2 – To confirm our faith in the divinity of Christ; [Christ is fully man and fully GOD]

3 – To lift up our hope for our own resurrection to follow;

4 – To reform our lives: <”knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. ¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹ Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”> Romans 6:9-11;

5 – To bring our salvation to completion: <”He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”> Romans 4:25.i

The resurrection of Jesus is without question the most pivotal truth to the Christian faith!  It is the hope that we have what we have to look forward to.  Jesus raised Himself from the grave, to and above the heavens by His own power.  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word God." John 1:1.  Before all other things, before anything else existed, there  was God, and there was His Word, who was God.ii

Paul gives us in Romans 1:4, “…who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead,” and in 1st Corinthians 15:17-20 he makes it clear – “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

---

[i] St. Thomas Aquinas, Suma Theologia, Christian Classics, 2008, pp. 535-537

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[ii] Michael Reeves, Rejoicing in Christ, IVP, 2015

  

AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT, THESE ARE THE SONS OF GOD

The plan of God is to take corrupt humanity, sinners who cannot glory Him, who don’t have the capacity, who come short of being able to do that, in whom the divine image has been marred.  His image is marred to such an extent that apart from regeneration all are useless to Him, to God for the purpose for which He made man.  So useless that He throws them in the trash heap of the universe, an everlasting burning pit named after the trash heap in Jerusalem called Gehenna.  They will burn for everlasting because they are useless.  Just how severe is this marring of the image of God the Creator; severe enough to throw all of humanity into the burning dump as useless trash.  Let the useless trash be everlastingly consumed.

• Matthew 5:29: "....it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into, 'Gehenna.'"
• Matthew 5:30: "....better for you that one of the paTo create a humanity that is like Christ. rts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into, 'Gehenna.'"
• Matthew 10:28: "....rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in, 'Gehenna.'
• • Mark 9:47: "It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into, 'Gehenna.'"
• Luke 12:5: "....fear the One who, after He has killed has authority to cast into, 'Gehenna;' yes, I tell you, fear Him."

But we have been redeemed, justified, and the purpose of redemption is to create a humanity that is like Christ. The Holy Spirit who raises us to glory and in the end makes us like Jesus Christ.  The work of the Spirit is the restoration on the image of God in man. when you look at Christ do you understand what godliness, holiness, sanctification is and as you gaze at that perfection in human form that is the model and standard to which God forms you.

 

SER GUIADO POR EL ESPIRITU SANTO

La Escritura es la Palabra de Dios y tenemos que buscar en la Escritura, la Biblia y meditar en la Palabra de Dios. Es la "espada del Espíritu" y el Espíritu Santo a través de la Biblia se revelan la voluntad de Dios para nuestras vidas.

LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Scripture is the Word of God and we are to search the Scripture, the Bible and meditate on the Word of God. It is the 'sword of the Spirit' and the Holy Spirit through the Bible will reveal the will of God for our lives.

WHO IS ANTI-CHRIST

The spirit of Antichrist has ways been in this world. It has shown itself in open opposition to Jesus Cbrist and also in very subtle ways to even replace Christ. It is an anti-God force lead by Satan. He works through leaders who are simply manifestations of the spirit Satan.
The term Antichrist applies basically to one man but has a broader principle and can be manifest in men, this which has occurred in every generation. These individuals have either been blatante opponents of God and Christ, or have tried with their own form of deception to replace the truth of God.  There are cults which superficially claim Christianity, yet doctrinally deny the truth. 

‘THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’ Sermon given at Quacco Baptist Garden City GA 2/15/2015

‘THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’

PREVIOUS I SPOKE THAT JESUS HAD GIVEN A CLEAR COMMAND TO HIS DISCIPLES AS WRITTEN IN THE 28^TH CHAPTER OF MATTHEW. TO GO TO ALL THE NATIONS AND MAKE DISCIPLES AND TO TEACH THEM TO OBSERVE EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS COMMANDED THEM.

THE COMMISSION GIVEN TO THAT FIRST GENERATION OF BELIEVERS AND EXTENDS BEYOND THEIR TIME, IT IS GIVEN TO ALL GENERATIONS OF BELIEVERS. AND I SAY, IS GIVEN, BECAUSE GOD’S WORD IS ALIVE, IT IS, AS WRITTEN IN HEBREWS 4:12> “ALIVE AND ACTIVE. . .” – ALWAYS IN THE PRESENT.   THE VERY SAME CHARGE GIVEN TO THE FIRST DISCIPLES IS IMPLICITLY GIVEN TO US AND TO THOSE WHO COME AFTER US. 

IF YOU RECALL I SAID THAT IT IS MY VIEW THAT THIS IS ONE, OF THE MANY, CRUCIAL VERSES IN THE BIBLE. OUR LORD JESUS SAID ‘GO THERFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS; HE WAS GIVING THE METHOD TO USE, A SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW IN EVANGELIZING THE WORLD.  THE SAME METHOD HE USED.  AND TO WHOM DO WE GO? WE GO TO THE UNBELIEVERS; TO THE LOST. RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

 WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WHETHER ONE GOES BY THEMSELVES, OR WHETHER THERE OR TWO OR MORE, REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING AT IT ALONE. JESUS PROMISED TO BE WITH HIS FOLLOWERS- ALWAYS.  LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS IN MATTHEW 28:20, 

“TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.” 

JESUS WAS EMPHATIC! HE DIDN’T SAY, “I WILL BE WITH YOU.” BUT, “I AM WITH YOU…” JESUS USED ‘I’, THE SINGULAR PERSONAL PRONOUN; AND ‘AM’, WHICH IS GIVEN IN THE PRESENT INDICATIVE- A FACT HAPPENING AT THE TIME AND CONTINUING TO HAPPEN. IT WASN’T SAID IN THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD, SOMETHING THAT WILL OCCURE IF. JESUS DID NOT SAY GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES, AND WHEN YOU GO THEN I WILL GO AND BE WITH YOU.

THERE IS NOT A MOMENT WHEN JESUS IS NOT WITH THE BELIEVER TO HELP HIM WITNESS OR WHEN HE IS NOT WITNESSING.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:5-6).

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?  REMEMBER IN JOHN CHAPTER 14 VERSES 15-17 JESUS SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, “If you love Me you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

NOTE THE LAST FIVE WORDS, “AND WILL BE IN YOU”. THE COMFORTOR, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WILL BE INSIDE OF THE DISCIPLES, INSIDE OF ALL TRUE BELIEVERS.

 PAUL IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS WRITES, “. . . Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? . . . the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. . . do you not know that your body is a *temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (6: 15 – 19).

IN ACTS 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” 

THE BELIEVERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH POWER, THAT POWER IS THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF. THE DISCIPLES POWER, AND OUR POWER TODSY WAS, AND IS SUPERNATURAL AND SPIRITUAL. THE VERY POWER OF GOD HIMSELF; OF THE SUPREME BEING OF THE UNIVERSE; OF HIS PRESENCE; OF HIS SPIRIT.  GOD’S VERY OWN SPIRIT DWELLS IN THE HEART AND LIFE OF EACH BELIEVER. THERE IS NO GREATER POWER THAT COULD EVER BE POSSESSED BY ANYONE.

THE BELIEVER IS GIVEN A TASK TO CARRY OUT. WE, THAT IS, THE BELIEVERS, DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO CARRY OUT THIS TASK ON OUR OWN. THE POWER OF GOD HIMSELF, THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS NEEDED.  THAT IS WHY JESUS PROMISED, “YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS COME UPON YOU” (ACTS 1:8). THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES AND EQUIPS THE BELIEVER TO CARRY OUT THE TASK FOR GOD.

AND THAT TASK IS TO BE WITNESSING JESUS CHRIST, SHARING THE GLORIOUS SALVATION WE HAVE IN HIM. NO GREATER TRUTH BUT JESUS CHRIST.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER. “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (LUKE 24:49).

 SO BACK THEN THE DISCIPLES STAYED IN JERUSALEM AND ON THE FEAST   PENTECOST, “suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them CLOVEN tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and IT SAT on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, DIALECTS as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” (ACTS 2:1-4).

CLOVEN TONGUES APPEARED AND EACH TONGUE RESTED UPON EACH OF THE DISCIPLES; SYMBOLIZING THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL DWELL IN EACH BELIEVER. THE WORD SAYS “IT” [KJV] SAT ON EACH BELIEVER. THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF DESCENDED ON EACH ONE. THEY RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF GOD. TODAY EACH PERSON WHEN BORN FROM ABOVE, RECEIVES THE HOLY SPIRIT, AT THAT PERCISE MOMENT, SOMETHING OCCURS THAT THE BELIEVER HAS NO DOING IN.

THEN WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO WHEN HE INDWELLS THE BELIEVER? FOR NOW LET’S LOOK AT WHAT I’LL CALL AN INTRO TO THE GUIDING, THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

JOHN 16:13 “WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH IS COME, HE SHALL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL THE TRUTH: FOR HE SHALL NOT SPEAK FROM HIMSELF; BUT WHAT THINGS SOEVER HE SHALL HEAR, THIS SHALL HE SPEAK: AND HE SHALL DECLARE UNTO YOU THE THINGS THAT ARE TO COME.”

BEING LED OF GOD IS ONE OF THE GRANDEST REALITIES. THE TRUE BELIEVER MAY BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO PATHS CHOSEN BY THE INFINITE LOVE, THE INFINITE POWER, AND THE INFINITE WISDOM OF GOD.  WE HUMANS ARE SO DESIGNED BY GOD HIMSELF IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CANNOT GUIDE OURSELVES. JEREMIAH STATES IN 10:23, “O LORD, I KNOW THAT THE WAY OF A MAN IS NOT IN HIMSELF: IT IS NOT IN MAN TO DIRECT HIS [OWN] STEPS.”

LOOK AT THE EXPRESSED HELPLESSNESS OF DAVID IN NEED OF DIVINE GUIDANCE; LOOK AT PSALM 5:8: “LEAD ME, O LORD, IN THY RIGHTEOUSNESS BECAUSE MINE ENEMIES; MAKE YOUR WAY STRAIGHT BEFORE MY FACE”;

PSALM 31:3. “FOR YOU ARE MY ROCK AND FORTRESS; THEREFORE FOR YOUR NAMES SAKE LEAD ME, AND GUIDE ME”

NOW I DON’T THINK THAT THERE IS A COMMAND RECORDED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WHICH DIRECTS A BELIEVER TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT; HOWEVER, IT IS ASSUMED AND A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT APART FROM THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT NO ONE, NO BODY CAN FOLLOW THE PATH OF GOD’S OWN CHOOSING. 

ROMANS 8:14 TELLS US. “AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.”  THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE ‘CHILD’ OF GOD (TEKNON IN THE GREEK) AND THE MATURE SON (HUIOS), THIS IMPLIES, THAT EVENTHOUGH ALL THOSE WHO ARE BORN FROM ABOVE ARE UNIFORMALY CHILDREN OF GOD, NOT ALL ARE MANIFESTING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE GROWN TO MATURITY.  

IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT’S NOT WISE TO SUBSTITUTE INFINITE WISDOM FOR FINITE GUESSING. YOU CAN’T OVERESTIMATE THIS FACT. FOR EXAMPLE, GOD’S PURPOSE IS FOR A CHILD INSIDE A HOME, THROUGH OBEDIENCE, AVAIL HIMSELF AND LEARN FROM THE WISDOM OF HIS PARENTS. IN THE SAME WAY, GOD WANTS HIS OWN CHILDREN, THOSE BORN FROM ABOVE, TO BE GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO AVAIL THEMSELVES TO THE INIFINTE WISDOM OF GOD, TO COME TO KNOW HIS WILL.  

AND THE MANNER IN WHICH WE CAN KNOW THE WILL OF GOD TODAY? AS I SEE IT, IT IS MUCH GREATER THAN AND MORE ADVANTAGEOUS THAN THE METHOD OF GUIDANCE USED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; I AM SPEAKING WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF BEING THIS SIDE OF THE CROSS

 WE AS TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD CAN’T MAGNIFY TOO MUCH THE TRUTH, THAT FOR US IN THIS RELATIONSHIP OF GRACE WE LIVE AND SERVE IN SUCH AN EXTREME CLOSENESS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND THINK, THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WE OCCUPY THE SAME BODY, THE SAME PHYSICAL BODY, AND AS PARTNERS WE ENTER INTO THE SAME ENTERPRISES THAT GOD THE FATHER MAY APPOINT.

IN A VERY LARGE DEGREE THIS IS SUPERNATURAL; AND NO CHILD OF GOD, ONE BORN FROM ABOVE, SHOULD BE AFRAID OF THINGS SUPERNATURAL.

CAUTION -

1 JOHN 4:1 TELLS US TO “TEST EACH SPIRIT TO SEE IF THEY ARE OF GOD…”  EACH OCASSION OF THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOULD BE EXAMINED.  THERE ARE THREE WAYS; BEFORE THE EXPERIENCE, AT THE TIME OF THE EXPERIENCE AND AFTER THE EXPERIENCE WHICH CAN BE DESCRIBED AS REVIEWING THE EXPERIENCE ITSELF. SO, A SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVER IS ALWAYS PREPARING FOR THE EXPERIENCE, ALWAYS BEING LED, AND ALWAYS LOOKING BACK UPON GOD’S FAITHFUL DEALING.

AS FOR THE PREPARATION LET’S LOOK AT TWO VERSES THAT I THINK COULD GIVE ALL THE NEEDED INSTRUCTION: -

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING” [PROVERBS 3:5]; THE SECOND FROM ROMANS 12:1-2: “AND SO, DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I PLEAD WITH YOU TO GIVE YOUR BODIES TO GOD BECAUSE OF ALL HE HAS DONE FOR YOU. LET THEM BE A HOLY AND LIVING SACRIFICE—THE KIND HE WILL FIND ACCEPTABLE. THIS IS TRULY THE WAY TO WORSHIP HIM.  DON’T COPY THE BEHAVIOR AND CUSTOM OF THIS WORLD, BUT LET GOD TRANSFORM YOU INTO A NEW PERSON BY CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK. THEN YOU WILL GET TO KNOW GOD’S WILL FOR YOU, WHICH IS GOOD AND PERFECT.

IT IS ALSO NECESSARY, THAT ONE WHO IS BEING LED NOT ONLY POSITIVELY BE DEPENDING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR LEADING BUT TO BE AT ALL TIMES WILLING TO BE LED. 

THE QUESTION CAN BE ASKED, HOW IS ONE TO REALLY KNOW OR BE CONSCIOUS OF THE THING, WHAT IT IS, THAT GOD WILLS?  PHILIPIANS 2:13 ANSWERS THIS QUESTION: “IT IS GOD WHICH WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE”.  GOD WORKS, [THE GREEK “ENERGON” MEANING TO ENERGIZE], GOD HIMSELF AROUSES, STIRS-UP, MOTIVATES AND ENERGIZES THE HEART, OUR INNER BEING, US, THE BELIEVERS, TO DO HIS WILL.  THESE STIRRINGS ARE OF GOD – GOD WORKING WITHIN US – GIVING US BOTH THE WILL AND POWER TO DO WHAT PLEASES HIM!

THIS COULD BE BY SOME ACTION THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED BY YOU AND IT IS CONCEDED, OR THERE IS A DELAY PUT ON, OR GOD MAY SPEAK HIS WILL THROUGH PROVIDENCE OR CIRCUMSTANCE; YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON ONE THING: HE WILL WORK WITHIN YOU AND IN THE END THE LEADING WILL CREATE A CONVINCED MIND THAT ALL OUTSIDE INFLUENCES HAVE ALL BUT STOPPED, CEASED TO EXIST.  IN OTHER WORDS, YOU AND YOU ALONE WILL KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU KNOW. THERE IS SOMETHING INSIDE YOU THAT TELLS YOU. YOU JUST KNOW. I REALLY HAVE NOT FOUND ANOTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN IT.  

GEORGE MULLER, WHO IN THE MID 1800’S ENGLAND, CARED FOR OVER 10,024 ORPHANS, WHOSE FAITH IN GOD I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS AWESOME.  MAYBE YOU HAVE HEARD THAT ON ONE WELL-DOCUMENTED OCCASSION IN WHICH THEY GAVE THANKS FOR BREAKFAST WHEN ALL THE CHILDREN WERE SITTING AT THE TABLE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING TO EAT IN THE HOUSE. AS THEY FINISHED PRAYING, THE BAKER HAD LEFT OVER BREAD KNOCKED ON THE DOOR WITH SUFFICIENT BREAD TO FEED EVERY ONE, AND THE MILKMAN GAVE THEM PLENTY OF FRESH MILK BECAUSE HIS CART BROKE DOWN IN FRONT OF THE ORPHANAGE. MULLER WAS KNOWN TO NEVER ASK FOR ANY KIND OF MONETARY HELP.

HE WROTE "THAT THE WORD ALONE IS OUR STANDARD OF JUDGMENT IN SPIRITUAL THINGS; THAT IT BE EXPLAINED ONLY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT; AND THAT IN OUR DAY, AS WELL AS IN FORMER TIMES, HE IS THE TEACHER OF HIS PEOPLE”.

HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT GOD LEADS NOT WITH SIGNS OR OUTWARD THINGS, BUT BY MEANS OF THE WILLING, AND EXPECTANT MIND.  GOD CONTROLS THE JUDGMENT, THE DECISION ITSELF OF A PERSON, AND THEN ONE BECOMES CLEAR AND CONVINCED ABOUT THE COURSE GOD WOULD INDICATE.

JOHN 6:45, JESUS SAID, “IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PROPHETS, AND THEY WILL ALL BE TAUGHT BY GOD.”

THE PROPHETS WERE:  ISAIAH, FOUND IN 54:13 – “AND ALL THEY CHILDRE SHALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD; AND GREAT SHALL BE THE PEACE OF THY CHILDREN.” AND JEREMIAH 31:31-34 – “

³¹ Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
³² not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah.
³³ But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:
³⁴ and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

LET US PRAY – “OH LORD OUR GOD, GUIDE US, LEAD US, TEACH US OH LORD.  BLESS US WITH A RENEWING OF OUR MINDS; SEND US OUT IN YOUR STRENGTH AND POWER. WE BOLDLY ASK IN THE NAME OF JESUS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR WHO REIGNS WITH YOU FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN.

 MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU;

MAY THE LORD SHINE HIS FACE ON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU;

MAY THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARDS YOU NAD GIVE YOU PEACE.