By Mark Pierson (reprinted from Bluecollar blog)
We can not approach scripture without seeing that those who truely come to Christ in faith experience conversion, a changed life. We can not approach scripture without seeing that those who come to Christ in faith also enter into a relationship of obedience to Him. See 1 Peter1:2 "for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ". The sprinkling of blood in this verse not only speaks of giving believers perfect atonement for sin, but also is speaking of entering into a relationship of obedience to Christ as Lord and Master. The language here of "sprinkling blood" brings to mind Exodous 24:3-8 where the people promised to do all that the LORD had commanded. Then Moses sprinkled them with blood - they were now in covenant to obey God.
No where in scripture does one come to Christ without coming into a place of obeying Him-Nowhere! The calls to salvation and to disciplship are one. Nowhere in scripture is there a division. Such a view is unscriptural and deadly. That view is 1 part exegetical and 99 parts logic. Logic is a great mistress, but a terrible slave owner.
One should be able to lead a person to Christ in Matthew, Mark and Luke just as easily as they can through John. How did the "synoptics" present the message of salvation? Merely by Jesus saying "Follow Me".As someone else has said, " no repentance = no faith = no salvation"!
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7 comments:
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love Me, does not keep My words." John 14:23-24
The Lord manifests, or reveals Himself to us, but not to the world, because we love Him, and because the world hates Him.
We love Him, only because He first loved us. he loved us before the universe was created, and with an eternal love (Jer. 31:3).
God's love is perfect. he loves us with a perfect love, and infinite love. How amazing is that love. It's an undeserved love for sure. But He loves rebels, and seeks them out and saves them.
He cleanses them from their sin in his own blood, and pours His omnipotent Spirit into them, into their heart and soul.
The Holy Spirit resides in every child of God, and through the Spirit, the Father & the Son make their abode with us.
Amazing!
Nice post. Solid to the core truth.
We surely shall sin as born again Christians. Even grievous sins. But our hearts will not be content. Our minds will suffer. And not for ourselves only, but because we sinned against Christ our Savior and Lord.
Peter wept bitterly when he looked toward Jesus, and his eyes met the Lord's eyes on the first Good Friday.
Peter was a child of God. Judas went and hung himself, and he would have been better off never being born.
Sorry for such a long comment.
Don,
Good points. God changes and sanctifies those whom he regenerates!
I Hope to hear from you via e-mail.
wayne
I just added you guys to my blog's displayed RSS feeds. You da man. Or, da cat, as da case may be.
Gordon,
Thank you. Mark (Bluecollar) is taking a break from blogging but I am sure he will be pleased as I am for your visit and action on the feeds.
wayne (da cat)
Ezekiel 36...verse 24, “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.” This is foundational to self denial. Now verses 25-27 and I want to emphasize “I”. “Then “I” will sprinkle clean water on you, and YOU WILL BE CLEAN; “I” will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from your idols. Moreover, “I” will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and “I” will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I” will put My Spirit within you and CAUSE you to walk in My statutes, and YOU WILL be careful to observe My ordinances. Do recognize the pattern there? Salvation is all about the work of God demonstrating the glory of God. And that is why we should guard it so severely and preach it so carefully. It’s all about God and His name, that His name would be great among the nations! “Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done”! It’s all about God. When you no longer have regeneration in preaching you have NOTHING! (27:49)
ike,
So true! God does it all, all to him I owe......
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