Charity, the labour of love

Charity, the labour of love

1Tim.1:3-5 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, (4) Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. (5) Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

The word "charity" in the context of this passage is not you loving with natural affection. This is a supernatural love that comes from God. This charity is brought about by faith. Paul says in 1Thess. 1:3, “remembering without ceasing your work of faith.” What is the work of faith? Godly edifying. What is the end of that godly edifying? Charity. Thus, charity, which is this outward display of a labour of love, is formed in you, and increases in you based on your faithfulness in godly edification.

From Faith to Faith

From Faith to Faith

Imagine yourself in a small boat in the very middle of the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles away from land and people. How will you survive this ordeal? What can save you and what can benefit your salvation? Well, putting your faith in random chance that some ship will cross your path is not going to help. What you need is some form of knowledge that you can trust, that is credible and true and can be actioned out to aid your chances of survival. So, let's say you can draw from this knowledge set. You can navigate by the stars. You can read the nautical charts and understand global coordinates. You can fabricate a rod and hook to catch fish, and you can set up a sail and understand how to use the winds. In this regard, this knowledge can save you and greatly increase the reality of you getting home.

Now let's bring this little analogy into our spiritual lesson. Ignorance is not going to get you far in spiritual matters concerning God and heavenly things. The way to know God, to know His salvation plan, to walk after the Spirit, and to be confident in faith and in the substance of unseen things, is to gain in knowledge of the truth of these matters, to the point of confidence in applying that truth to your life. Having faith in the written Word of God is the only way to get you home in the ages to come.  

Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth

Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth

2Thess.2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation is more than just God forgiving you your sins. Don't get me wrong. Forgiveness of sins is the first step in our salvation, but it's not only that. The salvation that Paul is referring to in the verse above, is more than just forgiveness of sins. There appears to be more information here than what many believers actually know about. What does it mean that it comes through sanctification of the Spirit.

People still remain confused or very negligent about this. Paul said in Ephesians, “Be ye filled with the Spirit.” Look at that statement carefully. That is your command and your responsibility, not God’s. God has already given us His Spirit. In 1Thess.4:8, Paul writes, “Who hath also given unto us His Holy Spirit.” God has already given us His Spirit and tells us to be filled with the Spirit. This means that we need to act upon it. OK. But how? By getting into the written Word. The Word of God is Spirit and life, Jn.6:63. If we want to get the Spirit into us and be filled with it, we must partake of the Word of God. Unfortunately, this is not a priority for many. People don’t want to gather where the Bible is being taught. They don’t want to gather where doctrine is being presented. They don’t want to read their Bible at home, and then they wonder why they 'feel' so far from God, and they pray, “God, fill me with Your Spirit.” But it does not work that way! Our doctrine tells us how to be filled with the Spirit, and it's not at the church alter, nor by the laying on of hands, nor by various activities that make us feel good. The only place to find the Spirit and get filled by it is in the written Word.

What is the explanation on Ephesian 2:10?

What is the explanation on Ephesian 2:10?

This is the verse you reference: 

Eph.2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

There are three key points in this verse: God’s workmanship, good works, and before ordained that we should walk in them. Let me clarify each of these three statements to fully explain this verse.

God’s workmanship 

When we hear and respond in faith to the grace gospel, we are redeemed back to God through the payment (sacrifice) of Jesus Christ. Our regeneration and redemption translate us from the kingdom of darkness into God’s kingdom, Col.1:13, and exposes us to righteousness through His spirit and word, Rom.5:21; Rom.6:11; 1Co 2:11-12.

It is this very exposure to God’s spirit and word that begins His workmanship within us. It is HIS workmanship, not ours. Let me make this clear by reminding you of a seed planted in the ground. You can water the seed, but it is outside of your power to make it grow. Similarly, the growth and transformation within a believer is God working in them, through His written word, to will and do according to His good pleasure. The good works that are produced in the life of a believer is a result of this transformation. A believer cannot generate these works by willpower. They are the result of the spiritual fruits that increase in a believer as they grow in knowledge of the word of God, and exercise obedience unto righteousness from a renewed mind, Rom.6:16-17; Rom.12:1-2.

Reconciled AND saved by his life are different parts of God's salvation

Reconciled AND saved by his life are different parts of God's salvation

Read this verse in Romans chapter 5 and take special note of the tenses used to describe reconciliation and salvation by his life.

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Let's take a deeper look at what it is saying:

--being reconciled

Reconciliation is the first part of our salvation. It is the part that the majority of believers understand and relate to. Reconciliation comes about by being justified through the hearing and believing of the grace gospel. In simple terms, Romans chapters 1 to 4 educate us on God's righteousness, man's unrighteousness and ungodliness, God's wrath upon those who reject Him, and God's grace upon those who believe in His Son. It is through this grace of God, by means of the cross of Christ and His resurrection, that God can be just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus, Rom 3:26. 

This justification was settled 2000-years ago at the cross. God's decree is that those who believe on the cross work of His Son freely receive this justification. This is already done, hence it being past tense. We are given confirmation of this fact in chapter 5, which is the conclusion of chapters 1 to 4. Chapter 5 and verse 1 starts with the word, "Therefore...", which means that we take into account all that was said in chapters 1 to 4, and then we conclude with this:

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  (2)  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

What's in your mind? The key to faith and Christian living

What's in your mind? The key to faith and Christian living.

The core of your faith and of Christian living is based upon what's in your mind. Are you operating in a mind that is renewed by the Word of God and based on the principles of spiritual wisdom and truth or are you still functioning with a darkened mind that is based upon worldly knowledge and vanity? That's quite a contrasting picture, not so. Well, let me confirm this with two contrasting scriptures in the epistle of Ephesians that says the same thing.

Eph 4:17-20  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in THE VANITY OF THEIR MIND,  (18)  Having the understanding DARKENED, being alienated from the life of God through the IGNORANCE that is in them, because of the BLINDNESS of their heart:  (19)  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  (20)  But ye have not so learned Christ;

Paul writes, but you have not so learned Christ. What is it to learn Christ? Well, if the above statement is being without Christ in edification, then what is it to learn Christ? Paul already provided the answer to this question in chapter 1:

Eph 1:17-19  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the KNOWLEDGE of him:  (18)  The eyes of your UNDERSTANDING being ENLIGHTENED; that ye MAY KNOW what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  (19)  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Fellowship and friendship are good. Praise and worship are important. Prayer and intercession are of great value. But there is something that far exceeds the scope of these activities. It is reading and studying the Word of God. To gain in knowledge of the rightly divided Word is the core of your life and strength. It increases faith, it feeds you with truth, it fills you with God's Spirit, it empowers you to walk worthy of the Lord, it's the armour to war against the enemy. Increasing in knowledge of spiritual truth is the most important, yet the most undervalued activity in most Christian's lives. Let's see what value the Bible places upon this.

The epistle of Romans is the foundation of our faith. Several times in chapters 6 to 8, Paul asks the reader if they know certain things:

• Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
• Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
• Rom 6:9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
• Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
• Rom 7:1  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
• Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
• Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Until you know these things, you are not educated or walking in the principles that stablish your faith and empower you to yield in obedience unto righteousness, delivering you from sin and fruitlessness, Rom 6:16-17.