Bible Studies

We have an inheritance that will never perish for we have a Saviour that ever lives. He who birth us from above also has given us a living Expectation, a living hope that is a certainty. The Resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection to a new life, and the future resurrection of a new body, (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Cor. 5:8). If you are in Christ, you are dead to sin, Rom_6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Rom_7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Col_3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. You have been born again by the Word of God, made alive, to live for Him!

the importance of

James 1:17-22

February 17, 2019

The LORD being the Author of our second birth has given us a living hope/expectation.  A purpose of trials is to refine your faith, to purify your faith and allows us to earn the Crown of Life by showing our love for Christ in taking up our cross and following Him.  "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph 2:10 

Be careful, be vigilant, be watchful, be alert to your life that you maintain good works.  Be Conscientious about your life that you have good works unto Christ.

1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  Evil springs from our lust but goodness is from the LORD.  All, our giving is flawed because we are flawed.  We are flawed people and there is no soundness in us, Romans 3:10-18.

But every gift from the LORD is perfect for there is nothing imperfect in any gift from Him.  I think the distinction between the good and the perfect is this:  The perfect Gift is Christ or Eternal Life.  God is good and He is always the same, Heb. 13:8.  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  All, His gifts are flawless and the gift of His Son is the supreme gift of perfection, the Gift of His Son is the gift of Eternal Life.

Consider His goodness, Titus 3: 4-8 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly…. What is the faithful saying?  The the truth found in verses 4-6.  And we are to affirm constantly: that we are saved by His will, by His mercy, by His work = Saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

These things are good and profitable unto men.Good works are profitable but not unto being born from above.  The truth of mercy and grace and love that has been shed on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour believed is the enablement for us to maintain good works in our life.  Believing the promise of life given to us in Christ Jesus ("And this is the promise that he hath promised us, eternal life.") provides the peace, and the freedom to serve Him, to take up our cross and follow Him. 

For a Christian to maintain good works is true godliness,  1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.  bodily exercise profiteth little = extends to a few things, is limited as compared to godliness.  The obtaining of a corruptible crown maybe a possibility to win in a contest for which you are training or the exercise of the body for health reasons but your life is but a vapor little time compared to eternity.  I believe it refers to bodily disciplines (as see 4:3 used as a means of earning God's favor).

But godliness is profitable to all things both to the physical wellbeing and to your spiritual well- being, in this life and in the world to come.  Godliness is profitable for our person, every part of our life, bodily and spiritual, temporal and eternal.

Born from above by His Will

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  We have an inheritance that will never perish for we have a Saviour that ever lives.  He who birth us from above also has given us a living Expectation, a living hope that is a certainty. The Resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection to a new life, and the future resurrection of a new body, (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Cor. 5:8). If you are in Christ, you are dead to sin, Rom_6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Rom_7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Col_3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  You have been born again by the Word of God, made alive, to live for Him!

Be Careful to Maintain Good Works

As one who is saved your life is to be consecrated to the LORD, Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  We are a sign, a glimpse of what is to come for all creation.  [1]A kind of first-fruits (?pa???? t??a). A kind of indicates the figurative nature of the term. The figure is taken from the requirement of the Jewish law that the first-born of men and cattle, and the first growth of fruits and grain should be consecrated to the Lord. The point of the illustration is that Christians, like first-fruits, should be consecrated to God. The expression "first-fruits" is common in the New Testament. See Rom. 8:23; And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 1 Cor. 15:20, But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  V 23) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

In speaking to Christians, "my beloved brethren" He is addressing all saved people;Every person is to be swift to hear.  It is imperative that you hear the LORD.  So often we hear the words and never receive from the LORD. You need to let God speak to you. 

1 ) Be sure you have received /believed the promise of life. To believe is simply this: to be convinced that He alone can give you eternal life. The LORD is not asking you to do anything but to believe Him.  He took your sin more than two thousand years ago on the cross, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."  As the Son of God, that did come into the World and finished the course set before Him, by the Father, He alone has the authority to give unto you Eternal Life and that is why He promised it to you. "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, eternal life" 1Jn2:25.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47.

2 ) One who is saved must be in fellowship with the LORD. 1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.  If there is unconfessed sin, it must be confessed. You are to confess the sin/sins (that is not just asking for forgiveness).  Forgiveness is tied to the confession of our sins.  1 John 1:9" If we confess our sins…..,"Receive the forgiveness promised you.  "….he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  

3 ) Ask God for wisdom and understanding, Luk_24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

4 ) Slow to speak, A warning about the misuse of the tongue, 1:26; 3:1–12; 4:11–12; 5:12).  You better stop criticizing and start speaking words of scripture, words, words from the mind of Christ. Pro_18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.  You will eat the fruit of your words Ecc 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 

5 ) Slow to wrath: why?  1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

6 ) Wherefore lay apart (Put away) all filthiness (Put away every form of sin – including wrath)) and superfluity of naughtiness,( abundance/overflowing of maliciousness, vile raiment of sin)  and receive with meekness (in humility as opposed to malice) the engrafted word (implanted word), which is able  (the Word is the power of God , same as Romans 1:16) to save your souls. Your soul is who you are.  In other words: you are a soul.  1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.  1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

7 ) Sin you allow in your life chokes the Word of God implanted in you. Implanted means that God put His Word in you as verses some fact gained from human reasoning.  If you ask God for forgiveness of a sin and it is a reoccurring sin and reoccurring of asking God for forgiveness. Even though you may be forgiven each time, that sin that does so easily besets is keeping you bound and robbing your life.

What is the answer: Confession of our walk with the LORD, Confession of our sin, 1 John 1:9 and receiving the Word of God.  Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Spirit of your mind is more than a change of opinion , not a superficial change,  it changes the thought process.  It changes how you see things. (4:17-24).  You put on the new man by the renewing of the spirit of your mind. Col_3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Our thought process goes from the human view point to Heaven's view point.  It is seeing as God sees!  The question is are you putting aside those sins that are keeping you from being renew in the spirit of your mind?