By the grace of God may we choose holiness
1 Thess. {4:7} For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness{4:8} He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
Is it true? Can it be true? Do we despise God? I think it is true. I think we sometimes rail against God in many ways. We rebel against Him, we reject Him and why? Really, why do we despise God? Do we blame Him for getting us into this fix that we call life? It's easy to do, blame God for everything and you know He is the Creator so who better to despise, right? If you were never created you would never be in the situation you are in now and therefore never have to despise God. So, yes you could despise God for all and even in despising man you are despising what God has created.
God has given to us his holy Spirit. God has given us all we need to be holy, sanctified made holy for Him. We are called to be holy. We have to make every conscious effort to do that which Jesus would have us to do, to do any less would mean we aren't living up to our potential. And before you get all up in arms about that statement, only God knows what that potential is and I don't presume to know what it is at all. I only know that God knows and if crying out to Him for help is the limit of your potential while you consistently backslide into sin then He knows that too. We can't hold ones potential up for another, we each have our own and God alone can help us, and keep us in Him, sanctifying us to His holiness. All holiness and all sanctification comes through the grace and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ.
God has called us to holiness. We despise God and yet God has given us His Holy Spirit, God has given us every gift, every help we need to be His should we choose to be His.
By the grace of God may we choose holiness, not despising God, accepting His Holy Spirit now and forever.
All Glory to God!
Amen.
4/26/10
1Co 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
*******
The dead do rise, when?
Every man in his own order- Christ, the first fruits, then they that are Christ's at His coming.
Yes, the dead to rise, but they don't rise immediately upon dying as some believe. You hear all the time about friends and loved one going to heaven and seeing you from heaven as if they live on right after death. The mainstream belief is that loved ones KNOW you love them, see you, and understand everything going on in your life. This isn't true.
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
The dead know not any thing. This is a far cry from the belief the dead know everything, the complete opposite in fact. We try to placate our own grief, or guilt, by believing the dead know we love them and miss them and are sorry for anything we did to hurt them in any way. The belief is a selfish belief because truthfully if the dead have risen and know everything going on in our lives can they be happy? Think about it truthfully. Can a loved one alive and well in heaven look down upon our grief, upon our sicknesses, our tragedies and be happy? Yet we believe they are up there in heaven where there is only happiness. Do you see the great contradiction. We make up this fantasy to appease ourselves and who cares about the contradictions. The truth is this...
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
Fallen asleep.
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Of them that slept.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Lazarus sleeps and Jesus will go to wake him, yet his disciples questioned by he would wake a sick man when sleep is good for the sick. Jesus then made it clear that the sleep Lazarus was experience was death's sleep.
Death's sleep. People will believe what they want to irregardless of Scripture. People will believe in traditions of men and fables of men and not care about Scripture facts and there is nothing anyone can do about this. But truthfully if a person stopped and thought about death as a temporary sleep- temporary meaning that when Christ returns the dead in Him will rise up to new life in Him- it's so much more comforting to believe rather then a loved one witnessing the suffering of life and loved ones and believing they are somehow happy no matter what they see and know.
My father sleeps in Christ and has slept for 25 years now. It's comforting to me to know that he is not witnessing any of the suffering our family has experienced. It's comforting knowing his trials are over and he has been resting in true peace of nothingness, the same peace we have with a dreamless, wonderful, very restful night's sleep. The next thing my father will know is Jesus at His coming when He shall rise in Christ to live with Him forevermore.
The dead do rise, but not until Jesus returns.
May we all find comfort in the knowledge the Bible provides to us, the truth in Christ now and forever. By the love, by the grace, by the mercy and forgiveness of our Lord and Savior, always.
Amen.
4/26/11