Ability > Failure > Progress > Success

 ~ Four States of Mankind Regarding Sin ~ 

 

Innocent Man (before The Fall)  ~  “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.  And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:15-17).  God gave man clear instructions of what to do and what not to do. 

Adam had the ability to sin, but more importantly the ability not to sin! 

 

Natural Man (after The Fall)  ~  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  The Apostle Paul explained it this way, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.  For what I am doing, I do not understand.  For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.  If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.  But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.  Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Romans 7:14-20).  Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden we are not able to not sin!  Fortunately, the believer who is experiencing normal (not average) spiritual growth is sinning less and less as they are in the process of becoming transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  

 

Regenerated Man  ~  “Put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:9b-10).  “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).  The Christian is a “new creation” in Christ – not a “makeover.”  As a believer with the indwelling Holy Spirit we are able to not sin!

 

Glorified Man  ~  “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).  Our final stage will be when we are transformed and no longer able to sin! 

 

Comment  ~  These four categorizations are from Augustine of Hippo in “The Bondage of the Will.”  

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Sabbath, 1of9

 ~ The Reason for The Sabbath ~

 

Introduction  ~  In the Old Testament the Sabbath was established as part of The Law.  The Sabbath is observed from sundown Friday evening through sundown Saturday evening.  In the New Testament the law of God is written on believers’ hearts (Romans 2:12-16) rather than on tablets of stone.  It is the heart’s attitude which now supersedes outward obedience (Romans 10:10).  Following Christ’s resurrection, which occurred on the first day of the week, the Disciples and later the Church have observed their day of rest on Sunday in remembrance of Christ’s resurrection (Acts 20:7). 

 

Passage  ~  “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.  For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11). 

 

Comment  ~  God set the pattern for us.  We are made in His image. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Spiritual Gifts, 37

 ~ The Spiritual Gift of Interpreting Tongues ~

 

Opening Comment  ~  “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18). 

 

Category  ~  The sign gift of interpreting an unlearned language.

 

Purpose  ~  There is significant division within Christianity regarding tongues and specifically the role of tongues in the Church today. 

 

The purpose of tongues is an extremely important in discussing the subject of Biblical tongues.  A careful examination of the New Testament passages dealing with tongues clearly reveals that tongues were a sign not for believers but for unbelievers.  In fact there is one undeniable statement to this effect: “Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe” (1 Corinthians 14:22).

 

Scripture  ~  “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues [unlearned languages].  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). 

This passage clearly denotes that those who were given the grace gift of interpreting in an unknown language were not spiritually superior to those with other gifts.

 

“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.  Are all apostles?  Are all prophets?  Are all teachers?  Are all workers of miracles?  Do all have gifts of healings?  Do all speak with tongues?  Do all interpret?  But earnestly desire the best gifts.  And yet I show you a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:28-31).

This chapter ends with the “more excellent way” explained: “and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

 

Scripture  ~  As we come to the conclusion of our discussion of tongues it is appropriate to consider the following passage – which clearly shows those speaking in tongues were not speaking in some new unknown language.  Rather, the Spirit of God enabled them to speak in an existing language which they had never learned. 

 

“And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.  And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.  Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?  And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?  Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs — we hear them speaking in our own tongues [languages] the wonderful works of God.’  So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘Whatever could this mean?’  Others mocking said, ‘They are full of new wine’ (Acts 2:5-12).

 

Closing Comments  ~  “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

 

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

 

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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·         Be an insider!  Sign up for his Author Newsletter and receive occasional news and special offers.  His books have won national and international literary awards.  Subscribe today and receive a welcome gift.  Your email will never be sold, given, or used in any other way.  You can easily unsubscribe at any time.  https://www.subscribepage.com/rlr 

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