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Leviticus 20:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 You shall consecrate yourselves therefor and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. (to be consecrated is to be set apart)
Disclaimer. The message of this post may not be understood by a person that has not been born again.
Consider the Holiness of God. May we never cease adoring Him and giving Him praise. May nations all around the world seek to have leaders who will follow the example of love, humility and praise for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Joshua 24:1-15).
Consider the times of worship and praise that take place in our congregations. We should also consider that when we leave those special times, that our praise must continue in our lives as we demonstrate to the world of unbelievers that we follow the teachings of God’s Holy Word, regardless of what unbelievers want to hear. As leaders of congregations, we must speak the truth of God’s Word regardless of that which the people of our congregations may want to be spoken to them. The prophet Ezekiel was commissioned by God to speak to such a congregation,”the people of Israel.”
Ezekiel 3:4-11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, 6 nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely. 11 Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’”
There are two applications that can be taken from God’s instructions to Ezekiel. First, a leader of a congregation has no choice but to speak the truth of God’s Word. Second, if a congregation has a leader who does not speak the truth of God’s Word, such a congregation should find another leader who will speak the truth of God’s Word, regardless of opposing factors. Consider a reward that comes from the truth of God’s Word, as we find in John’s Gospel: “eternal life with God, by and through Jesus, and only by and through Jesus.”
John 8:32 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 14:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
When God’s Spirit comes into someone’s spirit (takes up residence), which is the literal indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, the penalty for not having the indwelling of God’s Spirit is averted. (See Revelation 20:15, below)
Let’s discuss the born again experience; the need for it; how it happens; and the result of having the Spirit of Father, Son, Holy Spirit dwelling within someone’s own spirit. The born again experience has a result of a belief and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. It is easy to understand that if a person has been born again, that person will believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. If a person believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior, that person has been born again/born from above. It is the desire of God for all people to be saved from the eternal punishment of Hell. Such a salvation is realized through a belief/trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. A person who believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior has been born again/born from above, which is a Spiritual happening.
John 3:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:18 New King James Version (NKJV)
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Romans 8:1 New King James Version (NKJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
THE NEED FOR THE NEW BIRTH
Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, and the accompanying curse (Genesis 3:17), our spirits are unworthy of being in the presence of God or of His Kingdom. God is Light; until we are born again, we are darkness. The need is for us to be literally/spiritually residing in the Spirit of “Father, Son, Holy Spirit.”
John 3:3 New American Standard Bible
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
1 John 1:5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
God Is Light
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
John 1:1-13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Deity of Jesus Christ – He came to offer light to darkness.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
The Witness John
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
The New Birth Given Through God’s Holy Spirit. We can not cause our spirit to be born from above (be spiritually born again). Jesus relates the new birth of our spirit to the movement of the wind. We can not see the wind, and we have no control over it. However, we can see the result of the wind blowing a tree back and forth. It is the same with us after we have been born again; we can see the presence of our new-born spirit by our changed lives, which is now influenced by the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit.
John 3:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
THE RESULTS OF THE NEW BIRTH (THE BIRTH FROM ABOVE)
We are literally, spiritually, in Christ, in His Spirit. We now have a new spirit which is as pure as the Spirit of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB) Remember 1 John 1:5.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
We have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within our Spirit. Remember 1 John 1:5. We have an expectant hope of “glory” which is eternal life with Christ.
Colossians 1:27
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The Presence of God’s Holy Spirit is available only to those people whom have been born again. The “Spirit of truth” is key to the result of someone having the eternal indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit will never leave the spirit of anyone whom has been born again.
John 14:16-17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Role of the Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;17 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.
There is the inter-dwelling of Spirits of Father, Son, Holy Spirit, with the spirit of every person who has ever been born again.
John 14:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
Jesus taught His disciples when He was with them. After Jesus ascended to Heaven the Holy Spirit would continue to teach them, just as Jesus would have continued to teach. The same Holy Spirit teaches all of the people, who have been born again, the same things of truth that he He continued to teach the disciples.
John 14:26 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
God’s Holy Spirit will testify about Jesus to all of whom have been born again.
John 15:26-27 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
God’s Holy Spirit will convict the world through the knowledge and testimony of those whom have been born again. Such knowledge can also be described as spiritual wisdom. Born again believers in Christ will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to speak out to the world against sin, righteousness and judgment. The Holy Spirit of God will continue to teach born again believers in Christ all aspects of truth as it relates to sin and righteousness and judgment.
John 16:7-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He,the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
Consider those people who have not been born again. They do not have the prompting God’s Holy Spirit within their spirits. In essence, those people lack Godly wisdom. Nothing of spiritual understanding is part of the thinking and reasoning processes of unbelievers, those of whom have not been born again.
1 Corinthians 1:18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Wisdom of God
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
In 2009, we had a crew of unbelievers that began leading our country. From the white house, down, (President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Senate Majority Leader, Speaker of the House Of Representatives, and other leaders of the Democrat party), we were led by people who showed no evidence of having God’s Holy Spirit indwelling and convicting them of sin. In essence, our country was led by people who had no Godly Wisdom guiding them; they showed no evidence of “being set apart and being holy.” For a person to support abortion on demand, same-sex marriage, men in womens’ restrooms, etc., such a mindset is evidence of the lack of the indwelling Presence of God’s Holy Spirit, and not being set apart and holy. For people who continue to vote for the people who support abortion on demand, same-sex marriage, men in womens’ restrooms, etc., such a mindset is evidence of the lack of the indwelling Presence of God’s Holy Spirit, and of not being set apart and holy.
Consider this statement of truth. No democrat who is holding elected office, or who is seeking elected office, has spoken out against the perverted order of our President to allow men to go into the rest rooms of women. No democrat, male or female, father or mother, has said that it is wrong to allow a man to go into a restroom where “their daughter or granddaughter” may be molested by a man “who says that he is a woman.” Considering this action of the President, I didn’t think that our nation is ruled by a king.
Any person can make a mistake, but when decisions and acts of sinful recourse continue, such as taking the life of an unborn child, up until the moment of birth, there is no way that such people can truly say that they have been born again, and are set apart and are holy. Such people, politicians and voters, need to get serious about the subject of eternal life. Such people may fool others, but there is no way that they will fool God. For such a person who reads this post, I encourage you to get right with God and His Holy Word, and flee the sinful life that is evidence of your lack of the Presence of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within your spirit. Don’t take the truth of this post lightly. You can’t mock God. If you live the live of one that has not been born again, such a reward is waiting for you.
Galatians 6:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
The reward of not being born again is the Great White Throne Judgment and the Lake Of Fire, which are places that only those whom have not been born again will find their place.
Revelation 20:10-13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Great White Throne Judgment
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Commentary vs 10-13
vs 10. The devil, beat (anti-christ), and false prophet were into the lake of fire.
vs 11. The Great White Throne Judgment is the place where those who never were born again will have to pay the debt penalty for their works in life. Those which had been born again, and had the Spirit of Father, Son and Holy Spirit living within their spirit, had their sin debt paid by Jesus when He was crucified.
vs 12 The “dead” are those which did not have God’s Spirit living within them prior to their natural death. 1 Thes 4:16-17, the “dead in Christ,” are those which had been “born again” and had the Spirit of God living within them prior to their natural death.
vs 13. There was no escaping the Great White Throne Judgment, regardless of where and how an unbeliever may have died.
The place of eternal judgment for unbelievers, those whom had not been born again is shown, as follows.
Revelation 20:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
The Great White Throne Judgment and the Lake Of Fire, are the horrible places where those who have not been born again will find “staring them in the face.” Very simply stated, “if you have not been born again, born from above (John 3:3/John 3:8), you will, without fail, stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment, and you will, without fail, be thrown into the Lake of Fire, and will be tormented “day and night” forever and ever. An eternity in Hell is nothing to be taken take lightly; please don’t!
It is no my purpose to tell anyone how they should vote. It is however, the responsibility of any believer in Christ to warn others of the reality of not being born again. As was stated earlier in this post, anyone who has a lifestyle of: supporting the killing of unborn babies, or supporting men marrying men and women marrying women, or supporting men being allowed to use the restrooms of women, has a lifestyle that is in direct opposition to the teachings of God’s Holy Word. Such people who continue in such a lifestyle show the lack of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within their spirit with clear evidence of the prompting of a lifestyle of righteousness by the Holy Spirit. Such people will find their eternal place of residence being in the lake of fire unless they repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and show works that represent such a saving relationship and their being born again/from above.
Consider the eternal Godly penalties that relate to personal lifestyles that show an absence of the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Consider the eternal Godly reward that is promised to those that have come out of sinful lifestyles.
1 Corinthians 6:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
But, make such a change in lifestyle true.
Matthew 3:8 New Living Translation (NLT)
8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
Unfortunately some people may not understand the spiritual truth of God’s scripture as it relates to living a holy life.
1 Corinthians 2:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (A natural man is one who does not have the Spirit of God dwelling within him)
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
Watch for 3:19
Eternity 