Living a Life Worthy of the Lord

"Thou Art Worthy" by C.V. Lacroix

Dear God seekers, I want to encourage you today, brethren in Christ, to live a life worthy of the Lord. The Lord has marvelously saved us by His grace, through His work of atonement on the cross.  He has called us out of darkness into His glorious light. And now we are expected as disciples of His to live up to that calling.

Once we have come to know the Lord, we must live according to heaven's standard. We need to realize once again that being a disciple of Christ is a very high and holy calling. That's why the apostle Paul said, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” (Eph 4:1).

Some people may have a high esteem for certain servants of God like missionaries or pastors, because we perceive that they live at a much higher standard of devotion to God. But the standard for simply being a Christian is much higher than we realize.  It is a holy and righteous standard. We are expected to live the same way here on earth as they do in heaven.

Our Lord Jesus has come from heaven, stripped of all His glory, appearing as a man, humble and meek. He has laid down His life willingly for us, and suffered greatly at the hands of sinful men. He became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Though He Himself knew no sin, He became a sin offering for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God. He did not do all of that for us, so that we could go on living in sin!

The apostle Paul exhorted the Colossians, “So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Col 1:10). That's my exhortation to you today. Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please Him in all respects. It will cost you everything, but He's worth it! He is worthy of our highest and best.

Don't settle for a lukewarm life of ease and pleasure that is lived only for yourself. The gospel requires total devotion to Christ. Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;” (Php 1:27). That's the message I am giving you today that you conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.  We must elevate the gospel once again to it's rightful place and then align our lives in accordance with it.

This is no easy task. That's why Paul told the Thessalonians he prayed earnestly for them, “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling…” (2Th 1:11a NASB).  In his second epistle to them, he said he was still praying for them that God would count them worthy of their calling. He also reminded them in his first epistle how he dealt with them as a father deals with his children, encouraging, comforting, and urging them,“So that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (1Th 2:12). That's my prayer for you today as well, that you would walk in a manner worthy of God. After all, He has called you into His own kingdom and glory.

We must live by kingdom standards now, not by the world's standards. That means the world is not going to accept us or our message, and that results in persecution. The Thessalonians were persecuted, and Paul encouraged them that “This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.” (2Th 1:5 NASB).  He said that because they were suffering for the kingdom, they would be considered worthy of the kingdom. Are we suffering for the kingdom today?

The Lord Jesus told His disciples the signs that would occur before He returns, and gave a clear picture of how terrible this world would become (Mt 24; Mk 13; Lk 21).  We are now living in those days, and He is coming back right away. Therefore His admonition to them then is necessary all the more for us today. He said, “Watch therefore, and pray continually, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and that ye may stand before the son of man.” (Lk 21:36, GNV). We must watch and pray continually so that we may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and that we may stand before the Son of Man when He comes in all His glory.

Putting it All Together
Therefore, walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. Live a life worthy of the kingdom of God, and walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, Who is worthy of our highest and best. 

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. "Thou Art Worthy" illustration by my seventeen-year old daughter, C.V.  You can find more of her lovely artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's note:  I invite you to visit these related articles of mine: "Called to be Blameless," "The Obedience of Faith," "Is Obedience Optional?", "Obedience by the Spirit,"  "Righteous Deeds and White Robes," "Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God," "Doing What is Right",  "Faith Works!" "Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?", "Pleasing the Lord," "The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer," "Holding Fast the Faithful Word," "Godly Attire & Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations," "Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations," "Tattoos and Body Piercing," "The Lord Will Rejoice Over You," and "The New Covenant."  You can find more articles like this on the Home Page of this blog, and you can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Who is God?

View Over Crystal Lake, C.V. Lacroix

Dear God-seekers, today I'd like to ask the question, "Who is God?" Have you ever sat and tried to answer that question? You could try it right now before you read this article. So grab a sheet of paper and a pen, or your keyboard, and attempt to define who God is. Then come and compare that with my definition based on Scripture and see how close you were. So here's Who the Word of God says God is:

God is One
“Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;” (Mar 12:29)

“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” (Jas 2:19)

God is the Only God
"Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” (Isa 45:21b-22)

God is the Great I AM
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exo 3:14)

God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (Exo 3:6) 

“God, furthermore, said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.’” (Exo 3:15)

"But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I am the God of Aabraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." (Mat 22:31-32)

Also see Gen. 31:42,53; Exo. 3:6,16; 4:5; 1Ki. 18:36; 1Ch. 29:18; 2Ch. 30:6; Psa. 47:9; Mat. 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 3:13; 7:32.

God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1)

“May you be blessed of the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psa 115:15)

“Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever;” (Psa 146:6)

“Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.” (Isa 40:26)

“For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else.” (Isa 45:18)

“Thus says the LORD, ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD. ‘But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’” (Isa 66:1-2)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (Joh 1:1-3)

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Heb 1:1-2)

God is the Maker of All Mankind
“The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all.” (Pro 22:2)

“Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” (Psa 95:6)

"And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;" (Act 17:26-27)

God is Worthy to Receive Glory, Honor, and Power
"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." (Rev 4:11)

God is the Head of Christ
“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the Head of Christ.” (1Co 11:3)

God is a Consuming Fire, a Jealous God
“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb 12:28-29)

"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deu 4:24)

“A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.” (Nah 1:2)

God is Holy
“Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” (Psa 22:3)

“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 earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.” (Isa 6:1-4)

“The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.’"  (Rev 4:7-8)

"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, for your righteous acts have been revealed." (Rev 15:4)

God is Righteous
"Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” (Dan 9:14)

"They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.' Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.” (Isa 45:24)

“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.” (Psa 119:142)

God is Witness
“For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness.” (1Th 2:5)

"Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant." (Mal 2:14)

“If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.” (1Jn 5:9)

God is True
"He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.” (Joh 3:33)

God Knows All Things
“For God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” (1Jn 3:20b)

"Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all." (Ps 139:4)

“Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?” (Isa 40:13-14)

God is Judge
“God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day.” (Psa 7:11)

“But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.” (Psa 75:7)

"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. 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." (Rev 20:11-12)

God is Opposed to the Proud
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’" (Jas 4:6)

“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1Pe 5:5)

God is Gracious and Compassionate
"For the LORD your God is a compassionate God;” (Deu 4:31)

“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.” (Psa 116:5)

"For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."  (2Ch 30:9)

God is Love
“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1Jn 4:8)

“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1Jn 4:16)

God is Good
"And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." (Mk 10:18).

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting." (Ps 107:1)

God is the God of gods
"For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.
(Deu 10:17)

“The king answered Daniel and said, Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.’ " (Dan 2:47)

God is Eternal
"The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms; And He drove out the enemy from before you, And said, 'Destroy!'” (Deu 33:27)

"Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable.” (Job 36:26)

“Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Psa 90:2)

“But You, O LORD, abide forever, And Your name to all generations.” (Psa 102:12)

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” (Isa 40:28)

“Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One?” (Hab 1:12a)

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Rom 1:20)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Rev 1:8)

God is Great
“The LORD is great in Zion, And He is exalted above all the peoples.” (Psa 99:2)

“For I know that the LORD is great And that our Lord is above all gods.” (Psa 135:5)

"God is greater than man.”  (Job 33:12b)

“Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust…All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.” (Isa 40:15,17)

God is Mighty
"Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.” (Job 36:5)

God is Exalted
"Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him?” (Job 36:22)

"Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable.” (Job 36:26)

God is Awesome
"Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty.” (Job 37:22)

God is Glorious
"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished." (Rev 15:8)

God is the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible – the only God
“For God is the King of all the earth.” (Psa 47:7a)

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1Ti 1:17)

“To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1Pe 5:11)

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” (Psa 145:13)

“God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne.” (Psa 47:8)

“He rules by His might forever; His eyes keep watch on the nations; Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.” (Psa 66:7)

"How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation.” (Dan 4:3)

"He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes.” (Dan 5:21)

"The LORD shall reign forever and ever." (Exo 15:18)

“You, O LORD, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.” (Lam 5:19)

"And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,  '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; For all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.'" (Rev 15:3-4)

Also see Revelation 4.

God is a Victorious Warrior
"The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious Warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zep 3:17)

God is a Refuge
“God is a refuge for us.” (Psa 62:8b)

God is a God of Deliverance
“God is to us a God of deliverances; And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.”  (Psa 68:20)

God is a Sun and Shield
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psa 84:11)

God is Light
“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.” (1Jn 1:5)

God is in the Heavens
“But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psa 115:3)

The Lord is My Shepherd
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psa 23:1)

God Cares
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Pe 5:7, NIV)

God is My Helper
“Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.” (Psa 54:4)

God is Our Strength
“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” (Psa 46:1)

“The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.” (Hab 3:19)

“My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psa 73:26)

God is Salvation
"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation."  (Isa 12:2)

God is the One Who Justifies
Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;” (Rom 8:33)

"In the LORD all the offspring of Israel Will be justified and will glory." (Isa 45:25)

God is Faithful
“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1Co 1:9)

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” (1Co 10:13)

God is Able
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, (Eph 3:20)

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;” (2Co 9:8)

God is All-Powerful
“'Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;” (Jer 32:17-19)

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?" (Jer 32:27)

"Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?" (Isa 43:13)

"For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?" (Isa 14:27)

“Then Job answered the LORD and said, ‘I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.’” (Job 42:1-2)

“There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” (Pr 21:30, NIV)

“He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.” (Heb 11:19)

"Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?” (Act 26:8)

And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Mat 19:26)

God is Spirit
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (Joh 4:24)

God is Everywhere
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psa 139:7)

God is Wise and Strong
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1Co 1:25)

God is Without Equal
“To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?” (Isa 40:18)

"’To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One.” (Isa 40:25)

Now let's see who God is not, what He is not like, and what He will never do.

God Does Not Change
“For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Mal 3:6)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (Jas 1:17, NIV)

God is Not a Man That He Should Lie
"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19)

God Cannot Be Tempted By Evil and Does Not Tempt Anyone
"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone." (Jas 1:13)

There is No Unrighteousness in God
"The Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him." (Ps 92:15b)

God Will Not Fail You
"He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.” (Deu 4:31b)

God Does Not Become Weary or Tired
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” (Isa 40:28)

“Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psa 121:4)

God Gives Endurance and Encouragement

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom 15:5-6)

God is Not Dependent on Man 
"Nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;" (Act 17:25)

God Does Not Show Partiality
“Opening his mouth, Peter said: ‘I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality…’” (Act 10:34)

“For there is no partiality with God.” (Rom 2:11)

God is Not a God of Confusion
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” (1Co 14:33)

God is Not Mocked
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Gal 6:7)

God Will Not Give His Praise to Graven Images
"Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it, I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison. I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images." (Isa 42:5-8)

God is Not Unjust
“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” (Heb 6:10)

God is Not Ashamed to Be Called Their God
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:13-16)

Putting it All Together
God is one. He is the only God, the Great “I AM Who I AM.” He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Maker of all mankind, the Head of Christ. He is a consuming Fire, a jealous God. He is holy and righteous. God is Witness, and He is True. He knows all things. God is Judge, and He is opposed to the proud. Yet He is gracious and compassionate, giving grace to the humble. He gives endurance and encouragement. God is love. He is good. He is eternal, great, mighty, exalted, awesome, immortal, and invisible. He is the King and the God of gods. He is a Victorious Warrior, a Refuge, a God of deliverance, a Sun and Shield. He is Light. He is in the Heavens. The Lord is My Shepherd. He cares. He is our Helper and our Strength. God is Salvation. He is the One who justifies. He is faithful, He is able, He is wise and strong. He is all-powerful! God is Spirit. He is everywhere. He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power.

God does not change. He is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. He  cannot be tempted by evil and does not tempt anyone. He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant. God is not one to show partiality, and there is no partiality with God. God is not a God of confusion but of peace. God is not dependent on any mortal man. He does not become weary or tired. Nothing is too difficult for Him. God is not mocked. God is not unjust. He will not give his praise to graven images. God is not ashamed to be called the God of those who live by faith in Him.

Have you put your faith in Him? Do you trust in Him with all your heart? Do you love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength? Are you holy, even as He is holy? Do you give thanks to Him in all things? Do you obey His commandments? Do you give Him the praise that is rightly due Him? Are you living according to His ways of life? Have you repented and asked Him to forgive you of all your sins? Are you prepared to meet your God? Do you know Him?

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Jn 14:6). He is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15). He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word (Heb 11:3a). I urge you to give your life to Him today, so that He may truly be your Lord and Savior.

Who is God? - Part II

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. Where note, Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®.The "View Over Crystal Lake" painting by my seventeen-year old daughter, C.V. Lacroix. You can find more of her lovely artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's note: You are invited to read Who is God? - Part II, The Loving God Who Bids Us to Come, The Bodily Form of God the Father, Is Jesus God?, God is an Awesome God, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Purge the Evil from Among You

I’d like to discuss a sensitive topic, which is purging the evil from the Church. The apostle Paul said, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” (1Co 5:13b).  He was referring to a man in the Corinthian church who had slept with his father’s wife. The woman may not have been his mother, but was still his father’s wife.   There are no New Testament verses that explicitly forbid this particular practice, but only a general prohibition against sexual immorality and adultery. Yet according to the Law, this practice is evil and forbidden. Here are the Scriptures that say so:

Sexual Morality is Based on God's Law
'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.” (Lev 18:8)

'If there is a man who lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.” (Lev 20:11)

"A man shall not take his father's wife so that he will not uncover his father's skirt.” (Deu 22:30)

“'Cursed is he who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's skirt.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'” (Deu 27:20)

God makes it clear that if anyone lies with his father’s wife, he uncovers her nakedness, and in so doing he uncovers his father’s nakedness. That is why a man is forbidden from doing so. Such a man is cursed, and God commanded that the couple that do so shall be put to death. So we see that under the New Covenant, Paul still upheld the Law, but rather than putting the brother who did this to death, he instructed the Corinthians to expel him from the church.

Removing the Wicked Man is Based on God's Law
When Paul told them to “remove the wicked man from among yourselves”, he was citing and upholding the Law, which says, we must purge the evil from among us.  There are many verses in which God commands us to purge the evil from among us.  Here they are:

"But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 13:5)

"The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.” (Deu 17:7)

"The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.” (Deu 17:12)

“Then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 19:19)

“Then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father's house; thus you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 22:21)

"If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.” (Deu 22:22)

“Then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor's wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 22:24)

"If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 24:7)

Two or Three Witnesses Based on God's Law
None of this was to be done based on the testimony of one person, but on the testimony of two or three witnesses everything was established.  "A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.” (Deu 19:15).  Both the Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul quoted this verse in Mat. 18:16; 2Co. 13:1; and 1Ti. 5:19.

In the book of Hebrews, Paul elaborates further on this verse from Deuteronomy and how it applies to the New Testament believer:

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb 10:26-31)

So as you can see, the will of God is still to purge the evil from among us, even in the New Testament.   In fact the punishment is more severe, according to Hebrews 10:29. The stakes are much higher now than they were under the Law of Moses.

It has always been the Lord’s will to uphold His holy standard among His chosen people. And those who do not live according to that standard perish unless they repent. The Lord used His appointed priests and judges to carry out the judgment in such cases. "The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again.” (Deu 17:12-13)

Under the New Covenant, He has appointed elders over the churches to judge such cases, as in the example of Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11). “And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things” (Act 5:11). The same happened likewise the case of the sexual immoral man in the Corinthian church.  The apostle Paul judged him and expected the church to execute that judgment. He said, “For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1Co 5:3-5)

The Corinthian church did obey Paul’s instructions on this matter and expelled the immoral man from their midst. We are not to associate with immoral people who call themselves brothers or sisters. Later after the man was punished, he repented, and Paul instructed them to forgive him and love him (2Co 2:6-11). 

While God’s plan is still to use the elders in the churches to carry out His judgments, how many pastors, elders, and apostles are actually doing so? Is it because they don’t have the courage? Is it because they don’t know God’s standard of holiness? Is it because they fail to realize that this is their duty? Whatever the reason is for the laxness in this area among the church authorities, it is clear from Scripture that this process requires the cooperation of the whole church.  For when you see your brother in sin, you are supposed to take action. This is where the two or three witnesses do their duty to God. Let’s look at those passages:

"So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Mat 18:14-20)

Notice the power of two or three! When two or three are gathered together in His name, He is there with them in their midst. When two or three agree about anything they ask, the heavenly Father shall do it for them. Likewise, every fact shall be confirmed by the mouth of two or three witnesses. And whatever they bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, including these judgments upon immoral brethren in their midst. But it all begins with a single brother who sees his brother sin.  The Lord said, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private…” You must go to him and speak to him about it.  It may not need to go any further than that. If he listens and repents, then you have won your brother.  If not, then you take the extra steps of taking two or three others with you to address the issue with him. That way the matter will be confirmed by the proper quorum. If the errant one refuses to listen to them, then the matter must be brought to the church authorities. And at that point, if the sinful brother refuses to listen, the Lord commanded that he be expelled, as Paul also taught.

This is the due process afforded to everyone who practices sin in the church. This is justice. It’s quite fair and merciful, as there are plenty of opportunities for repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.  But when the wicked person has no respect for the presence of the Lord in this process, he or she deserves to be expelled, because we must purge the evil from our midst. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. Therefore, the process is designed to uphold God’s holy standard in the Church to keep it from becoming compromised.  This is gospel severity and is not inconsistent with evangelical life.

For the apostle John said:

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.” (1Jn 5:16-17)

The only point I want to make from this passage is that if the person’s sin is “unto death”, there is no Scriptural basis to pray for life for that person, but even if you do pray for life, there is no basis for assurance or faith that your prayer will be answered.  His sin may still lead to physical death, and God may still punish him with eternal death, if it is in fact a sin unto death, as with Ananias and Saphira.  This also happened with those in the Corinthian church who partook of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner (1 Co 11:30). 

We are our brother’s keeper and when we see him sin, we must do what is necessary to show him his fault, following the church discipline method the Lord commanded.  If the sin is not unto death, there is the hope that if we do so obediently, he will eventually repent and be restored.

Doing It the Right Way
Any time you approach someone about a sin in their lives, first make sure you have checked yourself and taken the log out of your own eye. Jesus said, "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Mat 7:4-5)

In other words, if you yourself are practicing sin, you must repent before you go and speak to your brother about his sin. If any man thinks he stands, let him take heed that he doesn't fall (1 Co 10:12). Make sure your conscience is clear and you walk in humility. Ask the Lord for the humility of Christ. Restore the person in a spirit of gentleness.

The apostle Paul wrote: "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." (Gal 6:1)

And you are not to treat the erring brother as an enemy.  If he doesn't listen and he has been expelled from the Church, don't associate with him, but warn him as a brother.

For Paul wrote: "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." (2Th 3:14-15)

Turning a Sinner from the Error of His Way
Finally I would like to mention what James said in closing his epistle. He wrote: “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (Jas 5:19-20). Doesn’t that encourage you to follow through with the due process laid down in Scripture, in order to save a soul from death? Let's rescue souls! You are not doing your brother a favor by looking the other way, pretending not to see his sin, or acting as if it is acceptable.

Putting it All Together
We as a Church must once again realize the severity of sin.  There are many Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven. God still requires holiness, blamelessness, and purity.  He does not allow compromise in His Church. The punishment now is more severe than it was under the Law of Moses.  And we must still purge the evil from our midst. Jesus commanded it, the apostles obeyed Him, and they taught it, too! Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. This begins with preachers upholding God’s righteous standard (Rom 3:31), preaching the whole counsel of God (Ac 20:27), and the Church obeying it. Come let us return to the Lord, Church (Hos 6:1)! Let us confess our sin to the Lord, and He will heal us.

The Lord is coming back right away, and there will be no more delay!  But He is only coming for the holy ones. His Church must be pure.  He is coming for a holy and blameless Bride, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing (Eph 5:27).  That's why many will be left behind in the rapture to undergo the horrors of the tribulation.

If you are a preacher that has not taught or upheld God’s standard, you need to repent and begin to do so. If you are a member of the Church and you have not obeyed the Lord in this area, then you also need to repent. If you are a Christian, who is living in sin, you too need to repent with all your heart and ask the Lord to forgive you.  Let’s return to the standard of God’s Holy Word. Ask for the Ancient Paths once again!

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Ultimate Accountability, Separation from the World, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Garments of Godliness, Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy, Keeping Sundays Holy,  Faith Works!, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Two Divine Revelations, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Tattoos and Body Piercing, Zipporah Mushala’s Third Testimony of Hell, The Straight and Narrow Path, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, The Judgment Seat of Christ, and Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian. I highly recommend reading, Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies and Holy Fire Baptism. You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Avoiding Worldly Worship

Dear God-seekers,

Today I'd like to discuss a very pertinent topic for this time that we live in, which is avoiding worldly worship. These days, the seeker-friendly movement and churches consider it very important to make church services relevant to the world.  It's as if relevance were a biblical mandate to them, as if it were a necessary means of winning souls. But that's because men think they are saviors, and they think they must attract the lost by being like them.

However, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Savior. We cannot save souls, but He can and does. His Holy Spirit brings the conviction for sin and people come to know the Lord through the Scriptural approach. The Scriptural approach is the gospel, which Paul called the power of God unto salvation.  The Lord will never condone worldly practices. He will never bless evil, nor will he anoint evil behavior in order to bring souls into His kingdom.

Yet these days it's common for churches to have what amounts to a rock band that plays rock music for worship. These people are often dressed in a worldly manner, playing their instruments in the worldly way, and playing songs with a worldly style. Some churches even have the sanctuary darkened, and have various multi-colored stage lights shining on the band, fog machines running, LCD screens flashing multimedia images, and the music turned up very loudly. Some have invested a lot of money for such state-of-the-art systems.  It all resembles the rock concerts I used to attend when I was in the world. I read of one famous pastor of a mega-church in Washington, who enjoys so-called Christian punk rock worship music. Remember Lot’s wife, who looked back and became a pillar of salt.

Someone might argue that Paul said he became all things to all men so that he might win some. That may be true that he related to people for the sake of the gospel, but he did not become sinful, evil, or worldly in the process of becoming all things to them. We are not supposed to conform to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  The apostle Paul wrote about true spiritual worship:

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:1-2)

True spiritual worship begins by offering your body as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God. It does not include conforming to the world in any manner.

"Yes" in concert

Jesus said, "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (Joh 4:23-24)

Be careful what you call worship in truth.  Jesus Christ is the Truth (Jn 14:6).  True worship is defined by Him in the Word of God, not by the latest styles. And be careful what you define as "worship in spirit", only the Holy Spirit can properly direct us in worship, and obviously He is holy.

One of the warnings God gave to the Israelites through Moses was to avoid worldly worship. He said, "When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?' "You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods." (Deu 12:29-31)

Moses warned them not to inquire after the gods of the nations to learn how they served their gods, so that they might do likewise. He explained that the world had done every sort of detestable, despicable act for their gods in worship, including human sacrifice of their own children.  All these practices are repulsive to God, and He did not want His people to behave that way toward Him. He did not want His people following the world in the way they worshiped Him, because He hates those practices. He is a jealous God!

We would do well to heed this same warning and not copy the world in our worship. Don't worship the Lord according to worldly patterns.  The Lord is coming back right away, Church! And He is only coming for the holy ones. It's high time we sought holiness and consecration, and repent of these evil practices in our worship.  Come, let us return to the Lord. Confess our sin to the Lord and He will restore us. Seek His face always. Worship Him with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Photo of Yes concert, Indianapolis, August 30, 1977, by Rick Dikeman, courtesy Wikimedia.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Is Secular Music for Christians?, Black and White, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Separation from the World, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Two Divine Revelations, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Popularity of the Gospel, Come Out of Her, Garments of Godliness, Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy, Keeping Sundays Holy, Tattoos and Body Piercing, Faith Works!, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, The Straight and Narrow Path, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Remember Lot’s Wife, The Rise of Antichrists, and One Thing. I highly recommend reading, Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies and Holy Fire Baptism. You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

God Forgives and Forgets

It’s important to know and accept God’s forgiveness when you repent and ask God to forgive you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Otherwise, you can come under condemnation from the devil, who is always accusing us.  Rest assured that when you repent of your sins, the Lord forgives you completely and forgets your sins.

“He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Mic 7:19). Some call this “the sea of forgetfulness,” although that term is not found in the Bible.

Perhaps it is sometimes called that because God says that when He forgives our sin, He remembers it no more. The Lord declares, "..."for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jer 31:34b)

God will make our sin-stained hearts as white as wool. "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.” (Isa 1:18)

“Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases… As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”  (Psa 103:3,12)

When God forgives us, He destroys the record, wiping out our transgressions, and He does not remember our sins. "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.” (Isa 43:25; cf. Ez 18:22).  Isn’t it wonderful to know that when He destroys the record of our sins, He will no longer remember them? He will never think of them again.

"If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared." (Ps 130:3, NIV).

When He forgives us, He cleanses or purifies our conscience by the blood of Jesus Christ. “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14).

He actually purges our conscience, so that all the acts we have committed that lead to death are removed from us. The King James Version says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14, KJV).

That is why there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, as long as we walk by the Spirit and not according to the flesh. Paul said, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:1, KJV)

“It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lam 3:22-23, KJV)

This is why it’s so important to repent of all sin in your life when you give your life to Jesus Christ. To repent is to change your mind about your sin and turn from it. Jesus told people, "Go and sin no more." This is the life we are called to when we come to Christ. But then once you are walking with Jesus, any time you do commit a sin, you need to repent and ask Him to forgive you. Otherwise your sins will pile up.

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1Jn 1:6-9)

A daily life of repentance is the shortest path to God’s mercy.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Washed by the Blood" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. 

Author's note: You are invited to read Covenant Prayer, Costly Grace, The Love of Jesus, Never Forsaken, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, The Obedience of Faith, Separation from the World, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, The Lord Healed My Backsliding, Who intercedes for us?, Keeping Power of God, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Having a Servant's Heart

"Thou Art Worthy" by C.V. Lacroix

Some people react to the messages of holiness, righteousness, and truth, arguing that these are taking us into bondage.  They claim that since we are free in Christ, we have to resist all forms of bondage.

Slaves of Christ
However, the Bible says that we are bond-servants of Christ.  The actual Greek word is "doulos", which means "a slave (literally or figuratively, involuntarily or voluntarily; frequently therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): - bond (-man), servant." (Strongs). This word is used all throughout the New Testament.

Jesus took upon Himself the form of a doulos, or slave (Phil 2:7). We as disciples are slaves of Christ and of God. Whenever Jesus wanted to emphasize discipleship and learning from Him, He used the term "disciple." But whenever He wanted to emphasize His Lordship as our Master. He would refer to us as "slaves."  In fact, all throughout the gospels, Jesus uses this word repeatedly (Mat. 10:24,25; 13:27,28; 18:23,26,27,28,32; 20:27; 21:34,35,36; 22:3,4,6,8,10; 24:45,46,48,50; 25:14,19,21,23,26,30; Mark 10:44; 12:2,4; 13:34; Luke 12:37,43,45,46,47; 14:17,21,22,23; 17:7,9,10; 19:13,15,17,22; 20:10,11; John 8:35; 13:16; 15:15,20).  Please take the time to look up those verses.  You will be very edified and instructed.

Near the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus told His disciples, "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you." (Joh 15:15).  So some may interpret this to mean that we are not slaves of His.  However, that's not true. The Lord was simply emphasizing His friendship with His disciples and that their relationship went beyond that of slaves only. He wanted to emphasize His full disclosure to them of all that the Father had revealed to Him. However, Jesus still refers to us as His slaves (Rev 2:20; 22:6). The angels refer to us as slaves of God (Rev 7:3). The hosts of heaven refer to us as the slaves of God (Rev 19:1-2).  In fact, all throughout eternity, the disciples of Christ will always be His slaves who will serve Him.

"There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;" (Rev 22:3)

The apostle Paul referred to himself as the doulos, or slave of Christ (Rom 1:1; Gal 1:10; Phil 1:1; Tit 1:1). Epaphras was a slave of Christ (Col 4:12). Timothy was a slave of Christ (Phil 1:1). James was a slave of Christ (Js 1:1).  The apostle Peter was a slave of Christ (2 Pe 1:1). And Jude was a slave of Christ (Jude 1).

In none of these passages did anyone refer to himself or anyone else using big titles like Bishop or Reverend, etc. They all referred to themselves and one another as servants or slaves of Christ. You cannot be a slave of Christ and answer to big titles. And if you are going to be a man-pleaser, you cannot be a servant of Christ either (Gal 1:10).  Being a man-pleaser and being a servant of Christ are mutually exclusive. Moreover, you cannot use your freedom as a cover up for evil to indulge the sinful nature, and still be a slave of Christ. Indulging the sinful nature and being a slave of Christ are also mutually exclusive.

The apostle Peter exhorted us, "Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God." (1Pe 2:16; cf., Gal 5:13).  A slave says to his master, "Your wish is my command."

As the Scripture says, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go."  (Jos 1:16). Just as the Israelites pledged their obedience to Joshua this way, so should we offer ourselves to the Lord.

 The apostle Paul said, "...the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave." (1 Cor 7:22b, NIV).  

Jesus instructed us, "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'" (Luk 17:10)

The term "slave" as it is used of Christ and His disciples is definitely a New Testament term, carried over from the Old Testament.  The prophets were called the Lord's servants (Rev 10:7; 11:18).  Moses was the servant or slave (doulos) of God (Rev 15:3; Josh 8:31,33; 9:24; 11:12,15; 12:6; 13:8; 14:7; 18:7; 22:2,4,5; 2 King 18:12; 2 Chr 1:3; 24:6,9; Neh 9:14; Mal 4:4). Joshua was a servant of the Lord (Josh 24:29). David was a servant of the Lord (1Sa 23:10; 2 King 19:34; 1 Chr 17:24; 2 Chr 6:17,42; Ps 89:3,20; Is 37:35). Nehemiah was a servant of the Lord (Neh 1:6). Job was a servant of the Lord (Job 1:8; 2:3; 42:7,8).  Isaiah was a servant of the Lord (Is 20:3). Daniel was a servant of the Lord (Dan 6:20).  Jesus was referred to prophetically as the servant of the Lord (Is 42:1,19; 43:10; 49:5,6; 52:13; 53:11; Ez 34:23,24; Zec 3:8).

Slaves of Righteousness
It is in this context that I would like to point out that the apostle Paul taught us to become slaves of righteousness.  He said:

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." (Rom 6:12-18)

It is true that we were once slaves of sin.  As Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin...So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (Joh 8:34-36).  We are free indeed!  We are free to serve Him.  We are free to do His will. We are free to obey Him. We are free to live as slaves of righteousness.  We are not free to do whatever we want! Having been freed from sin, we became slaves of righteousness!

Paul said, "For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification." (Rom 6:19b).  There is a cause-effect relationship here.  You present yourself as a slave to righteousness and it results in holiness.  This makes my point perfectly regarding those who say that the teaching of holiness and righteousness is bondage or leads to bondage. Paul says it plainly, "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life." (Rom 6:22).  It could not be more plain.  We are enslaved to God.  Slavery is a form of bondage, and we love being bond-slaves of God.  There is a cause-effect relationship here in this verse.  We have been freed from sin and the effect is that we have become enslaved to God. Our slavery to God results in holiness.  And our holiness results in eternal life.

Our Bodies As Our Slaves
The apostle Paul practiced strict discipline on himself in order to make his body to be his slave.  He said, "Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." (1Co 9:26-27).

The NIV translates the phrase, "I discipline my body" as "I strike a blow to my body." The original Greek is "hupopiazo" meaning "to hit under the eye, as an antagonist, to keep under, or to subdue." (Strongs). This shows that it is very important to subdue our bodies through self-discipline. While God is looking on the heart, he also cares about what we do with our bodies.  Therefore, since Paul made his body his slave, then so must we.

A Slave to All
In fact, Paul said that being a slave of Christ meant that he not only had to make his own body his slave, but he made himself a slave to all. He wrote, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more." (1Co 9:19).  This is the kind of person whom Christ said is the greatest of all, because he becomes the slave of all.

Paul's attitude in this was to please all men in all things. He said, "Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved." (1Co 10:33). This was not men-pleasing, but (as he defined it) becoming all things to all men.

"To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." (1Co 9:20-23).

You may be thinking, "Well, that was fine for Paul, but I don't feel I can do that. It's not for me."  But it was in the context of his being a slave to all that Paul said, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Cor 11:1). In being a slave to all, Paul was following Christ's example, and he said that we should follow his example in doing so. Each of us must take this before the Lord to see whether we have this same attitude toward all. It will affect every area of our lives, including what we say and do, as well as our motives, our attitudes, and even how we dress.

More Than Slaves

"Never Alone" by C.V. Lacroix

The beauty of all this is that we are not just slaves of mere men, but of Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe. And we are more than slaves.  I have already mentioned that Jesus said we are His friends, which means He freely discloses to us everything He receives from the Father (Jn 15:15).

In addition to that, God is not only our Master, He is our Father. If we have put our faith in Christ, then we are sons of God.  According to the apostle John, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." (Jn 1:12).  He also said, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 Jn 3:1). And the apostle Paul said, "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Rom 8:14; cf., Gal 3:26). 

It's wonderful to know that we can call God -- the Creator of the Universe, who is our Maker -- "Abba."  We can call Him "Abba", because He is our Father, if we know Jesus, His holy Son.  The Lord said, "Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever." (Jn 8:35).  That means that all who are truly sons of God belong to His family forever. We have a permanent place in the family. As the apostle Paul said, "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'” (Rom 8:15; cf., Gal 4:5-7). He said this in the same epistle to the Romans in which he said that we are slaves of God (Rom 6:22).  Paul here was not contradicting what he wrote to the Romans in chapter 6 verse 22, or what he wrote to the Corinthians and Ephesians saying that we are "slaves of Christ." (1 Cor 7:22b; Eph 6:6).  He was saying that we are more than slaves, we are sons and daughters of God.

Summing it Up
I hope that this article has helped to disprove what some people think about the teachings of holiness, righteousness, and truth that I present here on Seeking the Lord, as well as on Eternal Destinations and Working God's Way. The enemy hates these messages and wants to brand them as bondage, as if they are some sort of dreary thing that will make you miserable. That's because the devil wants to keep people in bondage to sin and to himself. Don't be deceived by the devil. God says that this is the true bondage of the servant of the Lord.  This is slavery to righteousness -- the highest form of slavery. It's the highest and purest form of bondage -- divine bondage. It's a life of holiness. It's the Truth that sets you free! This is love slavery, and those who live like this in Christ will inherit eternal life.

"Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked." (Ps 84:10)

We serve because He served us first!  Now go and offer yourself as a slave to righteousness.  Offer the members of your body as instruments of righteousness, and use your freedom, not as a cover up for evil, but as bond-slaves of God.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."Thou Art Worthy" and "Never Alone" Illustrations by my sixteen-year old daughter C.V. Lacroix.  You can find these and more of her lovely artwork at A Brush With Life.

Author's note: You are invited to read Compelled by Love, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, The Obedience of Faith, Separation from the World, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Seeking Glory from God, Servants and Slaves in God's Kingdom, and Pleasing the Lord. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

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Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.