Faith Cometh by Hearing...

No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ ~ Romans 10:17.

Galatians 3:2
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Galatians 3:5
Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the Law, or because you hear and believe?
 
1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we continually thank God that in receiving the word of God from us, you did not accept it as the word of men, but as the true word of God. And this is the word which is now at work in you who believe.

The Trinity and The Great Commission...

What is the Great Commission? 

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  ~ Matthew 28:18-20.

What is the Trinity? = Father/Son/Holy Spirit!

"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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son". ~ John 3:16-18.

"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful or the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them". ~  John 3:31-36.

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24.

“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him" ~. John 5:19-23.

Train up a Child in the Way He/She Should Go!

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it ~ Proverbs 22:6.

What does that mean? First, let us remind ourselves that this advice is found in the Bible not in a new age philosophy book. So, what does it mean? Does it mean that if our child feels like they are something other than how God made them that we should let them continue in that way? Does it mean if they think or feel being like being a bully or cruel to animals or disobedient to parents as their way to go that they should be encouraged? No, it does not.

So, Neither should we let them think that being a girl when they are a boy is their way; its not God's. But, some argue that the proverb does mean that. If it did, then why point it out, right? It would not have to be said/instructed at all ....it would not matter if a child is reprobate or disobedient if its 'their way'. Arguing that their way is the right way for them because they are that kind of child is unwise; and so, why make a proverb of it if a child's way in God's eyes is their way and not His?

Where the fear of God is, there will be humility. And much is to be enjoyed by it; spiritual riches, and eternal life at last. The way of sin is vexatious and dangerous. But the way of duty is safe and easy. Train children, not in the way they would go, that of their corrupt hearts, but in the way they should go; in which, if you love them, you would have them go. As soon as possible every child should be led to the knowledge of the Savior!~ Matthew Henry...

A child trained in the way of the Lord will be stronger in character, able to discern God's truth (that which is good from evil) as clearly instructed in His Word the Bible which is for man on earth who waits in joyful hope of His Kingdom Come; and thus make him/her a comforter to those in need of His Word. 

As soon as possible every child should be led to the knowledge of the Savior! Therefore, train up our child/children in His ways for that is our Great Commission - make disciples, baptize in the name of the Father/Son/Holy Spirit, and teach them ways of the Lord! ~ Matthew 28:19.

Understanding Sin and Death and what Jesus Did for us...

When we read the Old Testament in comparison to the New Testament; we sometimes just don't get it. That's because, we really don't understand just how 'fallen' we are. God is Pure and Holy and we have fallen far from Him but not so far that He can't save us from the condition of this fallen world- sin and death. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ as a means 'the way' out.

The Old Testament was a way for God to communicate with man before He sent His Son. It was His way of revealing to us His ultimate battle plan (His Son - Jesus Christ) for redemption. To better imagine His battle plan, we first have to know that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and in that realization accept that God's timing is not our timing.

In the Old Testament, we read about generations of numerous wars and conflicts and many strange procedures for being clean whenever there was an unclean event/experience or circumstances which involved the shedding of blood - life.

That is why, when we read in the Old Testament about God's strict instructions, we should not be surprised. There were many things including places/people, that were embedded in sin and death. And, thus only God's battle plan and His strict disciplines with regard to all that and including who/what was clean and unclean, could deliver us into eternal life.

For instance, reading Joshua 8, we can even be shocked that the Lord commanded Joshua to kill all the people of Ai, or in Leviticus, where we read about all those disciplines or necessary practices for someone to become clean from being unclean; such 'cleansings' were reminders of the graveness of sin and death, a reminder of being outside the Presence of God and outside His Will for us...the greatest tragedy of all as devised by Satan.

The Ten Commandments given to Moses by God and all instructions for avoiding sin and death including those instructions for living a Christian life found in the New Testament, are meant to steer you/us away from sin and death, from becoming embedded in it. You see, those things named 'as sin' bring death. Its not about man's attempts to understand 'right from wrong'. Its about avoiding all sin (s) which leads to death; which causes us to be outside of the Presence of God.

God never intended for man to die or to live outside of Him in sin and death. He did not intend for us to die. His sole intention for us was always to live with Him and to live forever! We fell into sin and death. But, thanks be to God that He loved us so much that He sent His Son so that we may escape this looping cycle of sin and death in order that we live forever; by His stripes we are healed.

The Gospel, the New Testament, is God revealing His final battle plan. God enters in, God in the flesh is Jesus Christ, who was always meant to be our way out... God's final plan for us to overcome sin and death forever. Jesus (God) entered into this world and He went after sin and death on our behalf!

We no longer need the disciplines of the Old Testament; we have been redeemed through the  birth of Jesus Christ, His death, burial and resurrection. That is what Jesus did for us. And, what we do for Him is to avoid sin and death by renewing our mind - repenting and giving thanks and praise!

Alive with Christ
Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus... Ephesians 2: 4-6.