2 BUT go over to Calneh and see what happened there. Then go to the great city of Hamath and down to the Philistine city of Gath. YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN THEY WERE, AND LOOK AT HOW THEY WERE DESTROYED.
3 YOU PUSH AWAY EVERY THOUGHT OF COMING DISASTER, BUT YOUR ACTIONS ONLY BRING THE DAY OF JUDGMENT CLOSER."
Amos 6:2,3 (NLT)
• If you are alive, you are not better than those who are dead, It was the mercy of God that made you to be alive.
- Some people who claimed to be Christians still wallow; indulge and luxuriate, in Sin, thinking they are safe or secure; protected or preserved, in the church.
- You cannot be pretentious, be wallowing in Sin, and wanted to show yourself as a saint, whilst you are not clean At all.
- Have you not read that the judgement of God would start right in the church:
17 FOR IT IS TIME FOR JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH GOD'S HOUSEHOLD; And IF IT BEGINS WITH US, WHAT WILL THE OUTCOME BE FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF GOD? 18 And, “IF IT IS HARD FOR THE RIGHTEOUS TO BE SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER?” (1 Peter 4:17,18 NKJV). - You cannot continue in Sin and say grace should abound:
1 WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND? 2 CERTAINLY NOT! HOW SHALL WE WHO DIED TO SIN LIVE ANY LONGER IN IT?" (Romans 6:1,2 NKJV).
• The Israelites were living in fool's paradise, they would not want to hear or welcome the thought of God's Judgement, thus they continued in their Sin.
- They did not know that their evil Actions were bringing the Day of judgement closer and faster.
- You professed to be a believer but your conduct, way and manner of life, denies what you professed to be: "THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD, BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, DISOBEDIENT, AND DISQUALIFIED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK" (Titus 1:16 NKJV).
READ: 2 Timothy 3:5 - You may not need to tell people that you are a Christian or a Believer in Christ Jesus, before they know you are one; your actions and ways of life should show it.
- Some had the notions that God is too merciful to judge someone for Minor Sins; thus they continue deceiving themselves.
- They had forgotten, although God is a God of mercy, but He is God of Justice also. In fact, In another passage of the the Bible, He was called a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).
- The God we serve is a many sided God, His wisdom is infinite varieties, and variegated, and in the innumerable aspects (Ephesians 3:10).
• The key to eternal life is the Salvation of your soul—being born again.
- Without new birth, being reborn, no one can see God (John 3:3).
- New birth is being repentant of your Sin, and believing in your heart, and confessing Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
- The process is, you believe in your Heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus died for your Sins and resurrected that you might be justified or made right with God (Romans 4:25; 10:9,10).
THE Step is about being reconciled back to God through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).
IF the step is taken and the prayer is sincerely prayed, you have become a Believer in Christ Jesus. You are born again. You are a new creation, and all the old things about your life are gone, they have passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• Some claimed to be born again yet they drink Sin, as If they are drinking water. And not only that they drink Sin, they are literally swimming in it. Yet they are called believers.
- Whoever genuinely accepted Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Saviour would have a distaste for Sin: "THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BORN INTO GOD'S FAMILY DO NOT MAKE A PRACTICE OF SINNING, BECAUSE GOD'S LIFE* IS IN THEM. SO THEY CAN'T KEEP ON SINNING, BECAUSE THEY ARE CHILDREN OF GOD" (1 John 3:9 NLT).
- Someone who wallows in Sin yet claiming to be born-again must have something wrong about his or her Salvation—the Christian life.
BECAUSE what such professed to be, is not consistent with his or her character—the way and manner of their lives:
"HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER. And FROM SUCH PEOPLE TURN AWAY!" (2 Timothy 3:5 NKJV). - How would someone who claimed to be born-again be committing Sin, living habitually in it, and without any remorse. Some even boast in their Sins. They could not see any wrong in what they are doing.
• May be or probably in the church you attend, you were taught that one cannot completely or totally free from Sin, that God also understands our shortcomings. If you are hearing or being taught such messages or teachings, they are setting your feet or leading you on a path to destruction or perdition—hell fire.
- When you are genuinely saved, you have the power through the help of the Holy Spirit to mortify or subdue your human nature or soul to live above Sin.
- Someone said a pastor preaches that whoever is bound in a particular sinful habit could be free from it, or stop the habit, gradually.
- He uses smoking of cigarettes as an example. That the person who is bound by smoking should start by dropping or reducing the number of sticks he smokes per day, until he could get over it completely.
- That, If he usually smokes seven sticks of cigarettes in a day; such should reduce it to six, after some time, he should reduce it to five, and continues until he comes over the habit completely.
- This is an erroneous teaching and it is not consistent with the Word of God—the Bible. If the person died, or the rapture takes place, in the process of quitting the Sin gradually; Where would such spend the eternity?
- The Minister who preaches or teaches that, Does he believe in the second coming of Christ at all? In the process of dropping or quitting the smoking of cigarettes monthly or bimonthly, and Jesus comes, would such be raptured?
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- Should there any sickness in your body, I declare your healing now in Jesus' name.
- Whatever is not planted in your life that is working against your health and wellness such is cursed and completely uprooted in Jesus' name.
Peace!
TO BE CONTINUED
STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).
- If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!