Transforming Power;The Work of God on Bealf of Man
Steve Lampman.com
Destination
Because man is headed to one of two destinations, Heaven or Hell (there is no third) choices must be made.
Man must choose between the narrow road or the broad road.
He must choose between two masters, Christ or Satan.
He must choose between walking in the Spirit or be led by an alienated fallen nature.
There is no halfway Point in any of these, to be a true Chrisian is to be completely committed to the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Consider for instance Jesus’ own words recorded by Luke. “25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it– 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him” (Luke 14:25-28).
The word hate in this passage does not mean hate as normally understood, it has to do with preference, preferring one over another.
In another passage Jesus said: “22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:22-23.
Lawlessness in the passage has the connotation of living by and in deceit. Being untruthful even to one’s own self. Walking in and by, great delusion.
The surety of it all is the one who believes that he or she is a Christian cannot live as they did before becoming a Christian. The apostle Paul substantiates this truth in his letter to the Galatians. Consider >
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The above is the way those of the world live. They may not commit all that is listed, but they do commit, and live to commit, many of those things. The true born Christian’s lifestyle has a different motivation. He or she is led by the Holy Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit evidences their relationship with God.
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
I do not know where you are in your consideration of what has been presented here but God knows and according to Galatians 5:16-21 the destinations of those who make and live by the wrong choices will not fare well. Consider > “16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
I do not know about you, but I do not want to miss heaven. If after reading this and you want to be assured of heaven, lets talk.
Steve
Blessings!