Insist on the "good" Good News (2)

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and BE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Col 1:23 KJV In the previous article we saw how that our message is the gospel: And the gospel means Good News. Not just any good thing you say is the gospel, we settled that: but in whatever you'll preach, you must not lose the adjective "good". It must be good! If it isn't a good news, then it can't be the gospel! You see, if our translators have helped us to keep including the word "good" in every translation of that word, maybe it would have passed the message clearer and have saved me this time of going over this topic over and over again. That's just an opinion anyway. In our reference text, Paul admonishes us not just to start up our ministry, our church, our brothers fellowship, our sister's weekly, annual, monthly ministry etc, on the Good Good News, and later begin to "hammer the bitter truth". What! Then it means you only were luring people into your ministry; it means your so-called good News is only sweet talking: since it only applies when you still needed people to come and join. But our Gospel is not sweet talk. It's real and true! There's no "bitter truth" of the gospel. Whoa! I hope you didn't misread me. I didn't say truth isn't bitter? It may be, but that can't be the gospel truth, otherwise the gospel is not a totally good news. I also didn't say we cannot speak bitter truth to ourselves in church, but please let's learn to separate when we're preaching the SAVING gospel, and when we're simply speaking common sense or general advice on life matters. "Sister, don't let any man defile you when you're not married. It has serious implications!" That's sound advice and may be bitter to hear. But the gospel will speak of how Christ destroyed both the potency and penalty of fornication for you, so shall you not commit sins because now you're born of God, and if in case any man falls into that sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ! This latter presentation of truth is the gospel! Really it's a good news. Dear Evangelist, our reference text establishes that already, there's such thing as "the hope of the gospel", let us not be moved away from the hopefulness, optimism, and joyfulness of the gospel: rather, let us CONTINUE in the faith, in how we take everything (righteousness, wisdom, sanctification, redemption) simply by responding to the faith that cometh by hearing, Hearing what? hearing what them that preach the gospel of GLAD tidings have brought to us. And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring GLAD tidings of GOOD things! Romans 10:15 KJV Romans 10:17 KJV So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Insist on the "Good" Good News

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:15 KJV The system of the law law because of it's culture, practices and weakness is called the ministration of death and of condemnation. *[[2Co 3:7]] KJV* But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones... *[[2Co 3:9]] KJV* For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. No wonder a prophet under the law can be sent to a king or to a nation just to proclaim death and condemnation; to pronounce doom on them because they have failed to keep the commandments. Never mind them, what they were doing then was bible-based. That's their ministry. However, the truth God wants you to know about His message today is that it will be wrong to try to develop another ministration of death and condemnation after God has already established a new covenant based on better promises. God does not expect you to carry a message of "you will die if you don't repent today. You will go to hell. Your sins are heavy on you". No. Where will the sinner eventually go if he doesn't repent? Sure, it's hell. What's the fate of the sinner? Death! But for your information and learning, that isn't the message you are given to proclaim, and God won't like you to change His message. But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not RECKONING TO THEM THEIR TRESPASSES, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. [2Corinthians 5:18-19] WEB You were commissioned to speak the truth, and the Gospel (Good News) is the SAVING truth. The word translated from the Greek as the Gospel is a word that means "good news". The word from which we got the English word "evangelist" is the Greek word "euaggelos" which means a messenger or angel of good news. How you'll miss your calling as an evangelist if you inadvertently turn out to be a preacher of any news that isn't good. To "do the work of an evangelist" according to Paul therefore mean to speak the Good news. Is anything good the gospel? No. But the Good news of what Christ secured eternally for us. Keep preaching it. That's the man that is fulfilling the great commission. I see you standing before the Father on the last day to say "I have fully preached the Gospel: I have fully preached the Good News". You're loved.

God does not Identify His own by Fruits

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. [Mat 7:20] Yes. Jesus said by their fruits ye shall know them and that is correct for man to man identification. But do you know it is wrong for anyone to think God knows His own by their fruits? for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. [1Samuel 16:7] The Christian should not take good works as the basis for his being a child of God. We should not be too quick to write off anyone who doesn't seem to have the fruits (by our yardstick) as not being a child of God. We should not expect that for God to know His children, He would be out checking their works: asking questions like "does he live holy or not? does he tell lies? does he love the Bible? does he miss certain church programmes? does he pay tithes?" etc., before He knows His own. That will be foolish to think so. What a useless mother He will be if He identifies His children by what they do. Then an unbeliever will manage to squeeze his way through, and the memory-troubled father will take a son of the devil for His own and vice versa. That's why some Christian single ladies who will not listen to the Spirit in choosing their life partner fall into wrong hands: because they keep looking for fruits. Fruits are of the outward appearance, anybody can cook up good works. but God looks not on the outward appearance. Glory! God looks much deeper within. God does not know you by your fruits: He knows His own by the ROOTS. It's not a sin you commit that makes you a sinner: rather, you commit sins because you first (from the roots) are a sinner. So sometimes a man who is genuinely saved may still be in the business of committing certain sins (even though this isn't encouraged), you are not seeing fruits passe, but take heed to yourself if you love to pass the condemnation verdict on people: watch it that you don't mock God's child. God is able to make him stand. He is God's own still, God's seed remains in him to get him back. *[[Rom 14:4]] KJV* Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One more word of hope concerning such weak saints: the body of a good tree cannot be so much corrupted and fruitless to the extent that it will get to its root and change it: rather, the changed root will affect the body and then the fruits. Just be patient. God does not identify by fruits but by roots.

Jesus has a Mandate not to Lose you

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. [Joh 6:39] It's part of the anointing and commission of Jesus the Anointed One not just to save you momentarily but to save you "to the uttermost" (Heb 7:25). Jesus has a mandate of the Father to KEEP as a shepherd and not to lose any as seen in the above verse (please read again). Bible makes us see our position as simply a sheep, while He is the Shepherd. *[[Psa 95:7]] KJV* For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, *[[Psa 100:3]] KJV* Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. *[[Joh 10:14]] KJV* I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. *[[Heb 13:20]] KJV* Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, THAT GREAT SHEPHERD of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, *[[1Pe 2:25]] KJV* For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. Now it is the Shepherd's responsibility not to lose the sheep and not the other way round. Do you remember the parable of the lost sheep? Does that show you how unfulfilled the sheep owner's joy is if he loses any of his sheep even if it's just one stubborn sheep? Even if it's a sickly slow uncooperative sheep. Will the Shepherd be blameless if he loses one sheep for whatever excuse? Jesus knows He must KEEP you if He is to fulfill His assignment, the will of God for Him (just like you don't want to fail in your divine assignment) and so He does this with all diligence. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. [Psa 121:3-5] Oh dear beloved, will you from today take rest in Him who is to present you faultless before the presence of his glory? He surely won't be happy to see His love taken for granted, but He also won't leave His duty post too. Like they say, two wrongs don't make a right. To conclude with this: It's God's responsibility to save: it's man's responsibility to rest in the accomplished work. A believer is the one who has naively entrusted his eternal destiny in the hands of Christ. (Eph 1:12-13)

Who is the castaway of 1 Corinthians 9:27?

But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:27 KJV) So many off-context interpretation of the above verse exist today in church. Well if you care to know what the writer (Paul) is saying, I welcome you. The first misinterpretation you’re likely to make as you read as it is often preached is that Paul constantly had to battle with one "Mr Flesh" so-called, when he says “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection” You just missed it if you have thought that way brother. For God sake, your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost! In case you don't know, "body" does not necessarily connote the sinful, evil "flesh". (Joh_6:51-63, Mat 19:5, Mat 24:22, Luk 3:6, Joh 1:14, Rom 1:3, 2Co 7:5, 1Pe 3:18, 1Jn 4:2). Jesus was said to have “come in the flesh”, yet Jesus didn’t sin (Rom 1:3, 1John 4:1-2, Heb 4:15). Besides, no believer is called to do any battle with any Mr Flesh whatsoever. The Bible makes it clear that to be Christ's is to have crucified the flesh; not to start to "die to the flesh" And they that are Christ's HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH with the affections and lusts. *[[Gal 5:24]] KJV* We know that our OLD NATURES WERE CRUCIFIED with him so that our SIN-LADEN BODIES might be rendered powerless and we might no longer be slaves to sin. *[[Rom 6:6]] ISV* So you don't have a living "sinful nature" anymore. Okay? Paul the brilliant apostle taught us this. So he could not have been caught "dying to sin" or “battling with flesh” as it were. “I keep under my body”, therefore is not Mr Paul "dealing with Mr Flesh". Clear? The study on Flesh and Spirit and the new Creation be reserved for another time. The other part of the sentence is “lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” Please read IN CONTEXT. Be carried along with the message pattern flow and be not lost. Take the message from the verse he started it. It didn't start his message in verse 27. No. Read the previous verses. 1 Corinthians 9:20-27 KJV And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; [21] To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. [22] To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men , that I might by all means save some. [23] And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you . [24] Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. [25] And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. [26] I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: [27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. When he says "castaway", does he mean cast away of God? Don't forget it's in this write-up Paul said: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. [14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 KJV Take note that it’s in this singular sermon that Paul wrote the two, so he could not have been contradicting himself. He says, If any man's work (preaching to the Jews, to the Gentiles, etc) burns, Paul says God will not CAST AWAY for that, because by grace are ye saved, not of (burnt or unburnt) WORKS. That already defeats the notion that Paul meant God might still reject him because of one body. Come on! Should we be undisciplined in our conduct then? No. But we are not saved by our disciplined lifestyle. Ohhh. It's so funny to believe an active minister who is carrying out the great commission with all his life whereas there are other mute Christians, but this enduring persecutions and trials: and after all these, God will cast away. Very silly belief! Come on let's see truth But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: ... By doing what? What are the things Paul said here that he does? The word "castaway" was used to contrast the word "partaker" in a preceding verse *[[1Co 9:23]] KJV* And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be PARTAKER thereof with you. That if he doesn't do “this”, he will not be PARTAKER with and thus will be a word that is an antonym to the word - partaker, which is – CASTAWAY. Now we know from the verse 23 where he uses the word "partaker", that he wasn't referring to a partaking with God. “This I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be PARTAKER thereof with you”. Partaking with men or God? that I might be PARTAKER thereof WITH YOU. So it’s with you (Corinthian Church). Now is this partaking in heaven? Surely not! Rather it’s of an earthly life. *[[1Co 9:13]] KJV* Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? *[[1Co 9:14]] KJV* Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should LIVE OF the gospel. Is that an heavenly living? No. Can you see? So, what “castaway” was Paul Saying? I submit to you that the castaway he wanted to avoid is by the Corinthian church. He says “when I have preached to OTHERS”. Which “others”? Other churches he has preached at. When I have preached to other churches, just because of finances which Paul calls "carnal things" in verse 11, ooooooooh! I mustn't expound this more than this so that you will read it by yourself and not gullibly sit on my word or just say “it’s a lie”. See it. Paul decided to free the Corinthian church of the "carnal things" (honorarium) he ought to get from them in return for the "spiritual things" he had ministered to them, but so as not to "hinder the gospel", he made the gospel of Christ "without charge" (verse 18). So he calls this practice of his by a language – “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law...To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men , that I might by all means save some.” (v20-22) It was a strategy he constantly employs that he "might save some". In verses 24-27, we see his motivation for doing this. He draws his motivation from the incorruptible nature of the believers crown as better and better-to-be-fought-for than that of the athletes and boxers (v24-26). So the "castaway" is not a rejection by God. It's not an unsaving of a man because salvation is by grace through faith and has nothing to do with works. (Eph 2:8-9) It's a rejection by men: the Corinthian Church in particular. See the way the chapter opened. You surely can sense a rejection in it. Am I not a free man? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus our Lord? And aren't you the result of my work for the Lord? Even if others do not ACCEPT me as an apostle, surely you do! Because of your life in union with the Lord you yourselves are proof of the fact that I am an apostle. When people CRITICIZE me, this is how I defend myself: (1 Corinthians 9:1-3 GNB) Because Paul waved his right to take “carnal things” from these people, they almost began to feel Paul isn’t a genuine “man of God” and Paul simply explained he did not want to “hinder the gospel” so he did this. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though [I be] rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages [of them], to do you service. (2 Corinthians 11:5-8 KJV) Jesus already promised: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will IN NO WISE cast out.” (John 6:37 KJV). Jesus is saying here that the ones the Father gives Him will come, and that refers to all of us who have come today. He also goes further to assure this set of people that are come to him, they will not for any reason be cast out. What a promise! Do whatever you want to do today for the Lord’s sake. Win souls now without fear. Go all out for the kingdom sake, knowing the integrity of Him that says “I will NEVER leave thee, nor FORSAKE thee.” (Hebrews 13:5 KJV).

What Does Hebrews 10 Teach About Conscience, confession, and offering for sins

If you live everyday of your life by confession of sins: morning, afternoon, and evening; do you know you are not walking in faith? You're living as though under the law, do you know? It means you don't believe 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. It means you have never believed Romans 8:1 since you've been reading it There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Rom 5:1) Surely, shall [one] say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: [even] to him shall [men] come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. (Isaiah 45:24 KJV) You had a righteousness that's of God the day you believed! That's why Romans 10:10 explains salvation as …with the heart man believeth unto RIGHTEOUSNESS; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom 10:10 It is God's righteousness, remember! It’s not about you! Now, God's righteousness, to say is eternal, is surely not an overstatement. I mean, God cannot have a moment of unrighteousness. Always and forever will He be righteous. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness ENDURETH FOR EVER; his horn shall be exalted with honour. (Psa 112:9) Don't forget He is called Yahweh Tsidkenu; Meaning: the Lord our righteousness Now the good news is that this righteousness that endureth forever is now ours! Don’t forget I just said Yahweh Tsidkenu is “the Lord OUR righteousness”. So it is not righteousness for Himself, but a righteousness that has been imputed to us. Thanks be to God we are always in this righteousness because who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:35) So... Daily confession of sins and seeking for forgiveness is ESSENTIAL but only under the law. Let me show you why it's done that way. Hebrews explains the reason behind the perpetual, ritualistic confession and offering for sins as instituted and practised by the law. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. *[[Heb 10:2]] KJV* If English language is understood, the above statement "Would they not have ceased to be offered.." means ORIGINALLY it’s supposed to be a once and for all offering for sins, but for some reasons, that was not possible then. For then would they not have ceased to be offered So he explains why offering for sins was a perpetual ritual and ordinance. He already with this explained why Job was offering for sins daily, like some other men in the old testament. That was why all Israel often gather to confess sins and make sin offerings. Oh sorry, sin offering is what they do: confession of sins is a part of the process of sin offering. Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin. [Lev 5:4-6] KJV And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and CONFESS OVER HIM ALL THE INIQUITIES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: [Lev 16:21] KJV Hebrews 10:2 tells us things were never intended to be that way, where you come in the morning, in the evening to deal with sins. Let's read on.. . But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. [Heb 10:3] KJV So there was not supposed to be a "remembrance again made of sins" Now you can understand what God meant when He says "their sins and iniquities will I REMEMBER no more"(Hebrews 8:12). He is saying such "remembrance again made of sins every year" will cease to be operative when the time comes. Let's read on For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. [Heb 10:4] KJV Reason stated expressly! Why that remembrance and perpetual confession of sins come up every now and then is because "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." So it means if those men could get a bull or goat or whatever that could TAKE AWAY sins, they would have lived restfully in grace, and not keep coming back for confession and offering for sins. Hmmmmm… Let's read on.. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: [Heb 10:5] KJV He says that's why when he (Jesus) comes into the world, he says, sacrifice and offering thou (God) would not. “Would” means "will". Sacrifice and offering God will not. It’s not God’s will. Standing in once for all forgiveness is God's will. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. [Heb 10:6] KJV Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. *[[Heb 10:7]] KJV* So the "once for all" redemption Jesus came to do is called "thy will O God"; not the "would they not have ceased to be offered" Now see verse 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE AND FOR ALL. [Heb 10:10] KJV Once for all! So, that "will" got us sanctified. Now what is sanctification? Holiness! We are made holy, not by our works (good, fair or bad), but by the "lo I come to do thy will". Any attitude of one Christian to seem to have attain more holiness than another Christian is what is called "holier-than-thou". What are we aiming at when we go to God to confess sins? Isn't it sanctification? By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Jesus did the confession of sins and EVERYTHING needed for forgiveness once for ALL OF US. That's why under grace (New testament), we are not asked to do anything if/when we sin, except that we discontinue the sin immediately. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1 KJV) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [1John 2:1] KJV Nothing save an admonition to stop sinning is said to the man in Christ! He already has the propitiation he is supposed to go and look for when he sins. What else needs he? You may read up the remaining verses on your own. We hope for the concluding part of this chapter in subsequent times. The Christian life is a walk of faith from start to finish, for the just shall live by faith. If God says your sins and iniquities will not be REMEMBERED anymore, remember Abraham BELIEVED God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Peace with you in Christ.

God loves that you call Him your righteousness

*[[Jer 23:6]] KJV* In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

It has pleased our Lord that Him alone should be our righteousness. It is not a pain to Him that you are "lazily" resting in His righteousness and that alone is enough for you. He is pleased that you have decided you're not going to hold on to your good works to be saved on that day.

...that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
*[[Col 1:18-19]] KJV*

That you brought nothing in your hand but simply clinging to His cross. That you decide to know nothing save Jesus and Him crucified. God is so pleased with this. He isn't seeing it as weakness on your side, no! It's pride to Him to be our righteousness. That you've decided to approach the Father in the name, authority and person of Jesus' accomplished righteousness and that alone is all you'll trust; that you make no boast of yourself but to glory in the Lord

*[[Isa 45:24]] KJV* Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed

*[[1Co 1:30]] KJV* But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

God wants you to rest carelessly on Jesus. He wants all your thoughts, belief and confession of our faith henceforth continually be about His extravagant love for you.

Now what can happen if you adopt this lifestyle?
His purchased work becomes real on you. Healing for your body, provision for your needs, wealth etc.

Have a Christ-consciousness today and see how enjoyable life can be in Christ.

Therefore, through him let us always bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess his name. *[[Heb 13:15]] ISV