Qualified to use the Sword of the Spirit

Qualified to use the Sword of the Spirit

The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, can save a man, Rom.1:16, but it can also kill a man, 2Cor.3:6. If a believer does not use the sword correctly, it can do great harm to those on the receiving end.

Did you notice that in Eph.6:13-18, the sword is the sixth item on the list for a soldier to take up. It is the offensive weapon in the midst of the defensive armour, which is to be put on first. In context and in application, the believer is to be familiar with his armour first, before he goes for the sword. Before he wields the swords, he is to first gird himself with truth, which is the knowledge of the Word. Thereafter, he is to stand straight with righteousness, which is to apply that truth, resulting in a proclamation of the gospel, the exercising of faith, and abiding in that hope of salvation. It is only then, when that soldier is fully prepared, fully qualified, and thoroughly furnished, that the sword should be picked up. 

Study to show yourself approved

Study to show yourself approved

Paul tells Timothy that there's something required in a workman, and it’s not optional. It is a requirement of God. Look what he tells Timothy in 2 Timothy,

2Tim.2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

He said study to show thyself approved! This is a personal responsibility between an individual and God. It doesn't matter if you've got an ordination paper from whatever denominational church, and it doesn't matter if you've got a seven-year degree from a theological seminary or bible institute. This verse speaks of a personal, individual responsibility, between that man and God. He is showing himself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of truth is not something you do as a hobby or secondary activity. It is the very skill required to approve yourself unto God. When God's looking at a workman, and He is judging whether that workman is approved unto Him or not, the very skill He is looking for is whether that man rightly divides the word of truth.

The paradox in the cross of Christ

The paradox in the cross of Christ

In reference to this post:

• https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/08/as-simple-as-that.html

Somone asked the following question(s) in response to the above post. I wanted to share the answer I gave into this space for the encouragement and edification of people that peruse here.
God bless. 🙌

QUESTIONS ASKED:

• Do you believe in Satan? Do you believe a serpent can talk? Do you believe serpent can be smarter than humans? Do you think that God was so stupid to create Satan who will deceive Eve, and then god will dump curses on Eve, and say nothing to Satan. There are numerous problems in my mind about is in Bible.
• Why god kept quite when children were eaten? Why god allowed pagan women to be raped.
• Why god changed Lot’s wife to a pillar of salt, but said nothing to Lot who gulped alcohol and did sex with his daughters.
• Why god told Moses to kill all women who have seen men, and spare others and Moses gave them to his soldiers. Boys with pubic hair were beheaded.
• Why God did not punish David for raping Hittite woman?

MY ANSWER:

As simple as that

The simplicity that is in Christ

Gen.2:16  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God gave Adam and Eve only one command to adhere to. Other than this one command, they could enjoy the garden and all of creation. When the serpent came along, it homed in on God’s one command and subtly twisted its truth to deceive them.

Similarly, in our dispensation of grace, God gave us only one instruction,

Act.16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Learning and adapting your life to the advice in Romans 5-8

Below is a comment from a reader based on the following post: 

• https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/08/stop-clinging-to-law-and-get-filled.html

The message of God’s tremendous grace is easy to confuse with a gospel that allows sin without consequences. I must struggle with sin as Paul describes in Rom 7, to try to live holy within the guard rails, not swerving toward either a gospel that allows sin, nor a gospel of salvation by works.

My Supportive Comment:

If you read Rom 5–8 slowly and in one sitting, you will find that is summarizes like this:

Rom 5 - We are justified (declared innocent) freely by the blood of Jesus Christ (Rom.5:1) when we believe in Jesus, trusting in the cross work for our salvation. This salvation is unconditional and permanent. Trusting in Christ saves you instantaneously and absolutely. Why? Because our innocence is declared by God through the righteousness of His Son, and not by our righteousness. We are saved by the obedience of Christ, not by our own.

A Sobering Thought of Gratefulness

A Sobering Thought of Gratefulness

God is all powerful and all wise. God knows everything there is to know. In the scope of His righteousness and holiness, He can choose how to manage a scenario according to His influence and design.

With this said, consider the following,

When the Son of God went to the garden that night and bowed his head and said, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:”, do you know what that means?

In all of God’s knowledge, and in everything that there is to know, God determined that there was ONLY ONE WAY He could justify sinners, and it was that his Son had to drink that cup, bear our sins in His body, and die on the cross.

In all of wisdom, creation, and time, that was the only way that God could remain just, but also be the justifier of the ungodly.

Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

What a sobering thought.
Oh Father, how grateful I am for your grace and wisdom.