SALVATION
Aloha Saints, Family & Friends, Beloved of Jesus and me, John 3:16-18
SALVATION: “WORTH CONSIDERING” 12/22/20 From Ken Smith<><
Personally I can not remember how many times in church services I have been reminded that we are created in the image and likeness of GOD? Then why all the fuss about salvation, heaven, hell and such things. If I am truly created in the Image of God then is should be easy to find my way home. So many do not get to energized as supposed Christians to think much more about it. And in fact why be concerned about any one else as they do have the genes of God. So why should I try to interfere with their lives about doing any thing? Just let God do what HE made us to do. So we have a great number of Christians so called, that church is only a club gathering.
With the Virus Pandemic I have place an ad in the West Hawaii Today Church pages for now coming on 12 times with one more to go with help on setting up a local family house church like in the Early Church which was very effective. So far not one contact: www.OhanaChurch.Life
So what is the Truth of the matter? The Truth is that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God to become in HIS likeness. But they ditched school and became disobedient and spiritually died. And all of the generations that they produced were formed in the spiritually dead likeness. So Jesus tell us very clearly that we were born spiritually dead and need a new birth from above to start back to school and to learn to become in the likeness of God. Jesus was the first one to complete the course and now is in the image and likeness of GOD. John 3:16:
“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([ d] unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation—he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name.]” So our Grand Daddy Adam brought us into a world that was sold into rebellion, pride and selfishness. And as we grew up as children, that is what we inherited. So we were not born in the Image of God but in the Image of Adam in his pride and rebellion. And we grow up having the same problems that Adam did only instead of one NO tree in a big garden of YES trees we now have a YES tree (the cross of Christ Jesus) in a world full of NO trees. So we find ourselves in a world full of evil that mostly hates the light.
But our Loving Creator knew, that it was not our choice to be brought up in an evil world. So HE made a way for us to have the opportunity to make our own personal choice for Light or Darkness in and through Christ Jesus. So here are some Bible scriptures to consider about your choice.
My favorite for a clear picture of how to abandon living in Adam and in Joining Christ Jesus:
Rom. 10:8-13, “8 But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, 9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation. 11 The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed. 12 [No one] for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. The same Lord is Lord over all [of us] and He generously bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him [in faith]. 13 For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [ invoking Him as Lord] will be saved.
The key word in this invitation by Apostle Paul is LORD which means Master, King, Ruler and not just savior as in a get out of hell free card. It means to really make Jesus LORD and find out in the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit how HE commands us to live our lives for HIM, John 12:24-26, “ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.25 Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.] 26 If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [[b] to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Vision of Isaiah 35:7-9 “And the burning sand and the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk on it.” And: Rev. 22:16-17: “I, Jesus, have sent My messenger (angel) to you to witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches (assemblies). I am the Root (the Source) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and brilliant Morning Star. 17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need [d] of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost. Amplified
And for me it has not been easy in trying to bring my every thought into the captivity of the mind of Christ Jesus. Perhaps that is why I have enjoyed more years than most. And it not easy to die to the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life even at 88. So I need all the help from prayers and the Grace of God that I can get. I still tend to think I am 40 and quickly find that I am not.. But Jude tells it the way that it is, ( Jude 20-21) “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit, 21 and keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously and looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ [which will bring you ] to eternal life.”
Yours, In HIS great LOVE and wonderful Grace and Mercy, Ken<>< www.trinity-aloha.org
(Add / Delete, ken@trinity-aloha.org “Worth Considering” Library, link on our Homepage.
SALVATION: “WORTH CONSIDERING” 12/22/20 From Ken Smith<><
Personally I can not remember how many times in church services I have been reminded that we are created in the image and likeness of GOD? Then why all the fuss about salvation, heaven, hell and such things. If I am truly created in the Image of God then is should be easy to find my way home. So many do not get to energized as supposed Christians to think much more about it. And in fact why be concerned about any one else as they do have the genes of God. So why should I try to interfere with their lives about doing any thing? Just let God do what HE made us to do. So we have a great number of Christians so called, that church is only a club gathering.
With the Virus Pandemic I have place an ad in the West Hawaii Today Church pages for now coming on 12 times with one more to go with help on setting up a local family house church like in the Early Church which was very effective. So far not one contact: www.OhanaChurch.Life
So what is the Truth of the matter? The Truth is that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God to become in HIS likeness. But they ditched school and became disobedient and spiritually died. And all of the generations that they produced were formed in the spiritually dead likeness. So Jesus tell us very clearly that we were born spiritually dead and need a new birth from above to start back to school and to learn to become in the likeness of God. Jesus was the first one to complete the course and now is in the image and likeness of GOD. John 3:16:
“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([ d] unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation—he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name.]” So our Grand Daddy Adam brought us into a world that was sold into rebellion, pride and selfishness. And as we grew up as children, that is what we inherited. So we were not born in the Image of God but in the Image of Adam in his pride and rebellion. And we grow up having the same problems that Adam did only instead of one NO tree in a big garden of YES trees we now have a YES tree (the cross of Christ Jesus) in a world full of NO trees. So we find ourselves in a world full of evil that mostly hates the light.
But our Loving Creator knew, that it was not our choice to be brought up in an evil world. So HE made a way for us to have the opportunity to make our own personal choice for Light or Darkness in and through Christ Jesus. So here are some Bible scriptures to consider about your choice.
My favorite for a clear picture of how to abandon living in Adam and in Joining Christ Jesus:
Rom. 10:8-13, “8 But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach, 9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation. 11 The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed. 12 [No one] for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. The same Lord is Lord over all [of us] and He generously bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him [in faith]. 13 For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [ invoking Him as Lord] will be saved.
The key word in this invitation by Apostle Paul is LORD which means Master, King, Ruler and not just savior as in a get out of hell free card. It means to really make Jesus LORD and find out in the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit how HE commands us to live our lives for HIM, John 12:24-26, “ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.25 Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.] 26 If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [[b] to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Vision of Isaiah 35:7-9 “And the burning sand and the mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lay resting, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk on it.” And: Rev. 22:16-17: “I, Jesus, have sent My messenger (angel) to you to witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches (assemblies). I am the Root (the Source) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and brilliant Morning Star. 17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need [d] of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost. Amplified
And for me it has not been easy in trying to bring my every thought into the captivity of the mind of Christ Jesus. Perhaps that is why I have enjoyed more years than most. And it not easy to die to the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life even at 88. So I need all the help from prayers and the Grace of God that I can get. I still tend to think I am 40 and quickly find that I am not.. But Jude tells it the way that it is, ( Jude 20-21) “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit, 21 and keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously and looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ [which will bring you ] to eternal life.”
Yours, In HIS great LOVE and wonderful Grace and Mercy, Ken<>< www.trinity-aloha.org
(Add / Delete, ken@trinity-aloha.org “Worth Considering” Library, link on our Homepage.
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