INSIDE OR OUTSIDE Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2 Peter 1:2, 3 KJV). Will God bring you to salvation and abandon you to your own predicaments and weakness to sort things out yourself? Salvation comes from God; it is solely Gods own doing without any input from man. Man added nothing to salvation; this is because he had been chosen before the foundation of the world - Eph. 1:4. We were not chosen because of certain good deeds or by virtue of some smartness from us, rather we were justified while we were yet sinners and ungodly - Rom. 5:6, 8. Salvation from God is not given in an erratic manner. You do not have parts of salvation in trickles; you are not saved in part to be given something else later. It does not align with the sovereignty and character of God. Peter says .....through the knowledge of God... (At salvation, when you became born again), you were given ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness. God gave you all things that are required to live a good Christian life to the glory of God.....and not only that, God gave you all things you need so as to live in godliness! God saved you and abundantly equipped you to live godly. Why has God given ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness? Why? The answer to that question is clear in that same verse.....that we can show ......LIFE AND GODLINESS........according as his divine power hath given to us all.....’ This LIFE AND GODLINESS had been ordained before the foundation of the world. Paul says ......unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Do you know ALL THINGS given to you by his divine power for life and godliness God planned for you? Are you inside or outside? Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:12, 13 KJV). One who has received salvation has been translated from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of his dear son. A Christian is a person who has been made partaker of the inheritance that other saints in Christ have received. He is not trying to be a partaker. He has been translated! A Christian is not trying to be translated......he has been translated. God made him a partaker; God translated him into his own kingdom. He is not at the gate outside of the kingdom. The Pharisees were outside yet would not allow others to enter! Matt. 23:13. A child of God is not under the power of darkness. You are not outside the gate. You are not like Lazarus who was left languishing outside the gate of the rich man! - Lk. 16:20. The writer of the book of Hebrews says it this way: But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24 KJV). A believer HAS COME to mount sion, he HAS COME into the CITY of the living God, he is NOW a member of the HEAVENLY JERUSALEM and He is part of the General Assembly. These are weighty words! A believer is NOT working so hard to get into the city of the living God! He is not working tooth and nail to be part of the heavenly Jerusalem! He is ALREADY in the city of the living God! Ah! God does not apply salvation upon a believer to leave him at the gate of his city! When salvation takes place in a person, he is not left at the gate of the heavenly Jerusalem so that he works relentlessly to enter in! The birth from above translated him INTO the kingdom of his dear son! Have you been born from above? If your answer is positive, you have entered into the church of the firstborn son. In fact, you are not just in the church of the firstborn you are in the church.....which are written in heaven! The earlier verses say: For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) (Hebrews 12:18-21 KJV). The mountain a believer comes to is not a physical mountain that burned with fire with blackness and darkness and tempest. You are not to build your life around things that are seen. Things that are seen are temporal but things that are not seen are eternal. A Christian who is recognised by the true vine has come to a spiritual mount - mount sion. Moses was terrified and quaked......people died on the spot! It is the opposite for a believer! The believer has been brought to the mediator of the new covenant. You are in the kingdom! You are not outside trying to come in and fall and try to stand up and trip over and then struggle and panting to enter into the kingdom. You have come to the city of the living God.....you have come to the innumerable company of angels. You are in the kingdom. You entered with the gift of righteousness. Look at this scripture: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9, 10 KJV). A believer is not trying to be chosen......he is already chosen! A believer is already a royal priest, a holy nation and a special person. He is not trying to be peculiar. A believer is neither making effort to be a holy nation nor is he trying to obtain mercy. Peter says .......but NOW has obtained mercy.... He says .....in time past, you were not a people, but NOW you are a people... You are a people of God! The queen of England is not trying to be a queen; she is already the queen of England. Now that I am in the kingdom and I am a member of the heavenly Jerusalem, what shall I do while I am on earth? This part of Christianity has been the most confusing part of Christian walk. Lets put it this way, you are to live a holy life to show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1Pet 2:9. It is very clear from the scriptures above. My children behave well not so that they can be in my family, they behave well because theyre already in my family. They have been born into my family. They are not trying to be in my family! You live a holy life because you are holy! A lot of people are trying to live a holy life so that they can be holy! No! Jesus puts it this way: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (Matthew 7:17, 18 KJV). A good tree can only bring forth good fruit! The fruit is good because the tree is already good! You live a life of holiness by the spirit of God because you have been born of the spirit. Gal. 5: 16, 18, 25. Jesus says Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Matt. 5:14. KJV). Your life in righteousness is a light TO THE WORLD and this is to the praise of the glory of his grace. Eph. 1: 4-6. Let me end with this scripture: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6 KJV). Are you still inside or outside?
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 09:00:09 +0000
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