Character in a Saint Means The

Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested. Oswald Chambers

Breaks the Bridge Over Which

“He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass!” — Scott Nicholson

Christian Perfection (2)

It is true that we will never be perfect in this life, but the perfections outlined by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount are still those for which we should aim and that we should increasingly attain by God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We are to aim at Christ-like character.  Jesus said, “Therefore you are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

How good must a person be to stay saved?

I am a sinner.  Nothing I will do will ever be perfect.  What can I do to be saved and to keep saved?  Since self-efforts will not save us, we must receive the perfect righteousness that God has provided in the atoning substitutionary death of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).

Only the LORD God is perfect, and He works to perfect sinful man.

How does God work to perfect sinners?  There are three Biblical facts we must keep clearly in mind.

1.  We are sinners, and there is no denying that fact.  Sin is an offense against God, and He cannot ignore it.  Sin has to be dealt with completely according to His just standards.  This is why God the Father sent God the Son to die for our sins. Jesus bore the penalty for our sins in full, and canceled all claims of God’s justice against the believing sinner forever. God punished our sins on the cross of Jesus.  “By one sacrifice Christ has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 10:14).  Have you believed on Jesus Christ as your Savior?

How perfect must a Christian be?  The Christian believer must guide his life by the perfect, ethical standard of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “You are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).

2.  The second principle we must keep in mind is that from the moment we believe on Jesus Christ as our Savior, God begins a work in us to perfect us in this life.  At the new birth, we are given a perfect standing before God in one sense, but it is also true that we are far from perfect in our daily life.

The apostle Paul distinguishes between two ways the word “perfect” is used in the New Testament.  In Philippians 3:12 he writes, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12).  Paul has in mind here absolute perfection – God’s perfect standard, absolute spiritual maturity, fully-grown just like Jesus Christ.  It is the same idea that Jesus Christ spoke of in Matt. 5:48, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

In the next sentence Paul tells us that even though he has already been declared acquitted before God on the basis of his faith in the atoning sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, he is still in the need of practical daily work of being perfected in Jesus Christ.  “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained” (Philippians 3:13-16).

“Perfect” in verse fifteen is a relative, spiritual maturity, indicating the stages of growth, hence, perfect in growth at certain stages.  Even as an elderly Christian, Paul had not arrived to sinless perfection, but he did not give up, and make excuses for sins.  All of his guilt is covered by the payment of Christ on the cross.  The penalty has been removed, but God is still at work in his daily practice of holiness.  Paul is not getting better and better so that one day he can say he is without sin in his daily life.  God has provided for us in His saving grace a provision for cleansing of sin and restoration of fellowship in the Christian’s life (I John 1:8).

3.  Our ultimate sanctification or what the Bible calls glorification will take place when we are presented perfect just like Jesus Christ, and it will take place in the moment of our death.  God’s work of perfecting the saints will take place when we see Jesus in glory and not before then.  At that moment we will be presented to God the Father sinless and complete (1 John 3:1-3).  We never know that perfection in this life.  We will in the likeness of Christ be pure and holy in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, wisdom, humility, obedience, etc.

What God began in your new birth, He will continue to work on throughout this life until He has perfected us and presents us perfect to the Father.  What God begins, He always finishes (Phil. 1:6; Rom. 8:24-29).  God will not give up on any born again believer.  He will keep on perfecting us until the day when Christ comes for us.

May you have a grateful heart towards He who has given so much to you.

indeovi vas ( may you live with Jesus in Latin )

Seleh- stop and think about it.

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

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I Hate it When They

I hate it when they preach that satanic lie of Gods unconditional love. It encourages others to continue to dance with satan all the to Hell instead of repent and avoid eternal damnation. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah

But am Ever More Grateful That

I am grateful for the Lords discipline but am ever more grateful that I do not experience His anger. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah

I Care About What I

The best way to guide somebody to Christ is to live the Christian walk. I do not care what you say. I care about what I see. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah

We Can Never Be

We can never be cleansed until we confess we are dirty. Max Lucado

Flee From Those That

[We must] pray constantly for His enabling grace to say no to temptation, of choosing to take all practical steps to avoid known areas of temptation and flee from those that surprise us.
Jerry Bridges

For Good or For Bad.

Our life is the greatest testimony we give the world whether for good or for bad. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah

Christians Cannot Be

Lord, I have many enemies! Many people have turned against me. Psalms 3:1 The Holy Bible The New Century Version

Christians cannot be friends with the worldly because we live in different worlds. Christians walk the difficult Road to Heaven while the wicked dance with the devil on The Highway to Hell.

Because we shine like the morning sun we expose the wicked nefarious ways to them. This convicts them so they hate us.

There is more of them than there is of us. It has always been that way and will continue to be that way until Christ returns to make things right.

So yes, we have many enemies who would love to destroy us.

Indeed we are constantly surrounded by them.

Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid. Psalms 3:6 The Holy Bible The New Century Version

But, as numerous as they are and as well armed as they are, they will not hurt us.

But, Lord, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. Psalms 3:4-5 The Holy Bible The New Century Version

When we walk in harmony with Jesus, He protects us from the degenerates that are out to destroy us.

As well, He destroys them, many time by having the fools turn against each other and demolish each other while Jesus laughs at the fools.

Lord, rise up! My God, come save me! You have struck my enemies on the cheek; you have broken the teeth of the wicked. The Lord can save his people. Lord, bless your people. Psalms 3:7-8 The Holy Bible The New Century Version

Only a fool would make war against a Christian and expect to win. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah

Prayer: Thank you Jehovah Maginnenu (Psalms 89:18 The LORD Our Defence ) for putting up an impenetrable wall around me when the wicked do attack me. May the angels strike them down to Hell where they belong before they can attack any more of You cherished children. I the name of the unbeatable Warrior King Jesus Christ. Amen

This photo and article @ Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah 2022