Why Halt ye Between Two Opinions?

There is a category of Christian today,

Just stand on pulpit and say
"We have been made righteous through Christ Jesus. Do you believe this?"

You'll hear unanimous hall-shaking "Yesssss that's true!!!"

Let another take the pulpit and say words like

"We're all sinners. There is not one righteous person among us".

You'll be amazed the same set of people who gave a hall-shaking "yes" to the first preacher will also agree with this preacher.

Hmm..

One preacher will come up and say "Christians are CITIZENS of heaven, not candidates" (Philippians 3:20). We'll agree with him.

Another will come up and say "if only we can make heaven. Let us pray that we will make heaven. Heaven should be our target". We'll also agree with him.

Elijah said in 1Kings 18:21, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.

Why have we believed incompatible doctrines? Why have we refused to see inconsistencies in these two teachings? How can we be righteous and sinful at the same time when righteous and sinful are "words and opposite"? Even 2Corinthians 6:14 says what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? How can we be citizens of heaven and also CONTESTANTS of the same heaven at the same time? Is it this language that is our problem? If Philippians 3:20 says the relationship between me and heaven is that of CITIZENSHIP, do one have to CONTEST to be a citizen? I'm a Nigerian today. Did I "make Nigeria"? How come do we try to "make heaven" if we are indeed CITIZENS of the heaven? What Concord has light with darkness? How can we be child of God and child of devil at the same time (righteous and sinful) at the same time? Do we really take heed to what we hear at all? Do we really take time to meditate on what preachers teach us at all? Or we're just too afraid to disagree with a preacher just because of "man-of-God-ism"?

Some even think one can be a child of God now. If after now he commits a sin, he'll immediately become a child of the devil. If just after, he repents, he'll again become a child of God. And the cycle continues like that. So God and the devil keeps exchanging children. And whosoever hand you end up with at death or rapture, will be your final eternal possessor. Hmm.. But the bible does not teach so! I have been a Nigerian ever since birth and have not lost my citizenship. If a Nigerian abroad commits an offence, he'll still be a Nigerian (bad example). He won't become a citizen of another place. Take heed to what you hear.

Do you really want your service to be accepted before God?

Do you really want your service to be accepted before God?
Do you want your dance, your donations to God's work, your workforce service, your evangelism, your ministry; to be acceptable before God?

See this.
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us HAVE GRACE, whereby we may serve God ACCEPTABLY with reverence and godly fear

Please note the following about that text:
1) It didn't say, "Let us have LAWS to serve God acceptably".
You don't please God by observance of LAWS. Rom 3:20 "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight". Don't expect laws from here. The man that Jesus told "keep the commandments...and thou wilt enter into life" (Matt 19:17), confessed it's not working.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what LACK I yet?

2) It didn't say "let us have 7 keys to serve God acceptably". No keys but one.

3) It didn't say "Let us have grace and then after we have secured grace, we should be trying our best to be serving God in the acceptable way, we should still be fearing Him o". No! No! No! Because grace through faith will not produce God's pleasure; Grace is God's pleasure.

It's saying Grace is that whereby we serve God acceptably. Having Grace is serving God ACCEPTABLY.

Let us have grace, WHEREBY we may serve God ACCEPTABLY with reverence and godly fear

You think grace ALONE is insufficient? Why then did Jesus say
My grace is SUFFICIENT for thee (2Cor 12:9). If it were not enough, Jesus will not have said it. Why was God pleased with Noah in his generation? "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen 6:8).

Serve God with all strength; give with a pure mind; don't be like the Pharisees; don't keep grudges; forgive others as you approach prayer; keep a good conscience void of offence; follow peace with all men: but... HAVE GRACE. That is the way to SERVE ACCEPTABLY.

People think when Bible says:
Heb 11:6 "without faith it is impossible to please him", it means, you must have, number 1 - faith; number two - this and that… then you'll please… But No: It's saying FAITH ALONE pleases God. Gather everything, without faith, God is not pleased. Faith is not first, faith is ALL. Because if you read that passage well, it said earlier,
Heb 11:2 …by it [faith] the elders obtained a good report.

"by IT", not "by them". Just by faith, the elders got a recommendation because God was pleased with them.

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah FOUND GRACE in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:7-8). Oh! Most other versions substituted the word "found grace" for "pleased". Looks like this:
(GNB) But the LORD was pleased with Noah.
(GW) But the LORD was pleased with Noah.
(CEV) But the LORD was pleased with Noah

Grace does not lead to pleasing God: Grace is God's pleasure. let us HAVE GRACE, whereby we may serve God ACCEPTABLY with reverence and godly fear
Do you have this grace?

PLEASE DON'T MISS HEAVEN FOR "STUPID" REASONS

PLEASE DON'T MISS HEAVEN FOR "STUPID" REASONS

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. [Hos 4:6]

Time will reveal this to you, that every reason any man will miss heaven/rapture is a stupid one.

Salvation is already DONE: it is called "FINISHED WORK". Man is not called to DO salvation: he is only called to FREELY RECEIVE and ENJOY what someone else has worked for. Yet some men will stay far from salvation for stupid reasons.

Please hear this and hear well: God requires NOTHING from the sinner to get him SALVATION
not holiness,
not righteousness,
not purification,
not even faith; otherwise man will boast.

You simply receive yours and in what you receive, you will find sanctification; you will find righteousness; you will find faith: will you just draw near and receive?

*[[1Cor 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

No reason for missing something that's so free as this!

I'm praying for you that these things that are written here, you will see it and truly understand.

That you are a drunkard is not enough reason to go to hell!
That you are confined to a religious environ that opposes faith of Christ does not mean you should go to hell!
That you "like women" is not enough reason to go to hell: there are men who "like women" in heaven today and there are men who "like women" in hell too. David was a "lover of women" that even in his old age on his dying bed, a young girl was still fetched for the 'baba'. Don't follow the Samson's style with women, but today the same Samson is among the cloud of witnesses that has encompassed us. Samson is of the triumphant SAINTS today because "who is he that overcometh the world? but he that BELIEVES...". (1John 5:5)

In the same way, "I'm a prostitute; that's how I earn a living; I've slept with countless number of men" does not mean you should go to hell. There are prostitutes in heaven already.Join them. Hell is not your place. Ask Rahab how she made it and escaped being punished for her sins. She will tell you: BY FAITH the harlot Rahab perished not with THEM THAT BELIEVED NOT, WHEN SHE HAD RECEIVED...[Heb 11:31]

Which other stupid reason again? Men that have lied have entered heaven today. It's really wrong to lie, but don't stay away from salvation because you are a liar: for the liar's sake Christ died. You need to understand that we who are in the kingdom are not there because we are perfect, but it is God who justifies everyone who believes. Stay with us and have your sin nature dealt with.

What about murderers, abortionists etc? if they will confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus and BELIEVE in their HEART (not lips) that God has heavily dealt with the same Jesus for their sins, and that Jesus is alive again having fully paid for sins; verily, they shall not miss rapture because they are saved.

Jesus truly washed away your sins

Feel free to share the message in pictures. #WordInPictures

Who is Your Saviour?

Your Saviour is anyone you have entrusted your eternal destiny and destination unto.

That is, the question of "where will you spend your eternity?" is a function of whom your Saviour is, how powerful he is, and what his terms and conditions are. He is called a SAVIOUR: HE (not you) is expected to save. You are called the "saved", you're expected to be saved. You are expected to LEAN on him; count on him to do the saving for you.
Therefore the question again: WHO IS YOUR SAVIOUR?

Before you answer that, I'll want you to know the answer to that is more of deeds and belief system than words. You'll understand what I mean now.

There are men today who have made Moses their saviour. Be not surprised to hear this.

*[[Joh 5:45]] KJV* Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even MOSES, IN WHOM YE TRUST [as your saviour]

*[[Joh 9:28-29]] KJV* Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his [Jesus] disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spake unto Moses [we believe in Moses]: as for this fellow [Jesus], we know not from whence he is.

If you also have trusted that Moses' law will justify you on the judgement day, that you will keep the commandments of Moses and hope to make heaven by it, then Moses had been your saviour hitherto. If you have no trust in the righteousness of Jesus but count on your own righteousness, Jesus isn't your saviour; it's Moses. What a pity the same Moses will accuse you because the law justifies no one. What you can have by that is what looks like "temporal salvation" because you'll break the terms and thus "lose the salvation".

But the believer is one who has entrusted ALL HIS ENTIRETY to Christ Jesus.

*[[Eph 1:12-13]] KJV* That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first TRUSTED IN CHRIST. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

His righteousness, his sanctification (1Cor1:30), his reason and access and right to sit in the heavenly places (Eph 2:18, 3:12) and in fact, his praise is Christ. (Heb 13:15). That is the Christian!

Jesus will account for every soul that have trusted in Him for their eternal destiny as a faithful steward because it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. He won't fail. He has this to say:

John 10:27-29 KJV
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. [29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

So,  may I ask you again. Who is your saviour?

Independent Forgiveness

As we forgive those who sin against us...

Matthew 6:12, 14-15 KJV
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
[14] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Dearly beloved, when we read the Bible, it is highly IMPORTANT that we "rightly divide". If you carefully examine this statement of Jesus, it expresses an effort based forgiveness from God. Simply put - LAW. The law was still very effective at this time and this is why this came up.

However today, it will be foolish for any man to think God's forgiveness is based on his self effort. God's forgiveness is independent of you or your actions. It is purely an act of grace and not by how well you have been forgiving others but because of Christ.

Everything changed when Jesus resurrected! This is what our Lord said about God's forgiveness after resurrection (the law having been done away with)

Luke 24:46-47 KJV
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

After resurrection, God had already FORGIVEN ALL SINS (remission) of ALL men without first giving them a test to see if they will forgive those who sin against them or not. He forgave us independent of us.

God's forgiveness had now become something preached, not demanded anymore. To preach means to announce, to proclaim the news of what happened somewhere. Jesus after resurrection said, God's forgiveness will now be an announcement among all nations. We are therefore to go and bear witness of the news of the forgiven world; of how that all sins have been paid for by Christ Jesus.

See what the apostles said after resurrection,

*[[Col 3:13]] KJV* Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

*[[Eph 4:32]] KJV* And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you [not will forgive you, but has already forgiven].

Note that they didn't preach Matthew 6:14,15. They didn't preach that "forgiving one another so that God can forgive you" rather, it is "even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" You're not sent to preach Matthew 6:14,15, you're sent to preach Luke 24:47, to announce "how that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them" (2Cor5:19)

*[[2Co 5:19]] KJV* To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

It is no more "if thou will forgive us our trespasses as we forgive..." because today, God is not imputing their trespasses unto them, another word for complete forgiveness we have. A knowledge of this we make us know we have no option but to forgive our brothers when they offend, whether they acknowledge their sins or not; whether they apologise or not. Christ did not negotiate with us before dealing with our sins for us. We love Him!
Alleluia!

"Once Purged" Should be Enough

The word "once purged" is a phrase that can be found in Hebrews 10 and it gives a picture worth paying attention to.

*[[Heb 10:2]] KJV* ...the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Did you see anything in that? Or you want to read again?

worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins

Let me put it this way for better picture.

worshippers once purged should [be enough to remain purged for all times and] have had no more conscience of sins [for ever and ever and ever]

Hmm...
So it means the proper, normal thing should be "once purged, always purged" and always without "conscience of sins".

It means it is actually ABNORMAL and IMPROPER a situation where "once purged is NOT always purged"; a situation where you must be forgiven as it were "daily" or as time call for it. Hmmm...

Please let this sink if you believe the bible. Or would some other versions of the bible help?

New Living Translation
If they could have provided PERFECT cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified ONCE FOR ALL TIME, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared

ISV Otherwise, would they not have stopped offering them, because the worshipers, cleansed ONCE FOR ALL, would no longer be aware of any sins?

Lay your hands on other versions that may be of help: the language is the same: ONCE FOR ALL.

It simply means the pattern of perpetual "confess your sins" as established by the law (or even "The Lord's Prayer which came under the law and not grace) was to God abnormal and due to something that was MISSING. What was missing? "the perfect" had not come! (Hebrews 10:1). But if the "imperfect" be so effective as to keep millions in the world away from wrath, how much more when the perfect and normal has come!

Dearly beloved, God wants you to live holy but not by neglecting or reducing what Christ did for you. Those worshippers were right to have keep coming annually to seek forgiveness of sins because what they had was only a shadow of things to come. But for us today, the very image has come. Why then should we prefer the shadow of things to come to the real thing to come?