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Christian blog devotionals encouraging Christian living and spiritual growth. An open bible study and interpretation of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

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What is sin? According to the New Agreement between God and creation…

Writer: Ben StewartBen Stewart
13 hours ago3 min read

What is sin according to the New Agreement between God and creation…

 

1Jn 3:4 KJV  Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

What is a law from God…a direct command…sin is a command broken found in the New Testament. The two greatest Laws are as Jesus said…Mar 12:29-31 KJV  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:  30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

 

1Jn 5:17 KJV  All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

Anything you consider to not right…if it is wrong by God or fellow man then it is sin…Jesus said…Mat 5:6 KJV  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled…it is always wrong to do wrong and right to do right.

 

Rom 14:23 KJV  And he that doubts is damned if he eats, because he eats not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

If you do not believe it is allowable by faith then it is sin, or breaks your conscience towards God thus offending Him…if you think God does not want this…then do it anyway…you have offended God, unless you can believe it is God’s will then you best not do it. Jesus said we can know the truth and the truth sets us free from doubt and lies by reading His word we develop godly character like His thus not offending Him…Joh 8:31-32 KJV  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

Jas 4:17 KJV  Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

The parable of the good Samaritan or the good neighbor…who was the one without sin…the Levite…the Priest…anyone else…or Just the Samaritan who fulfilled God’s will and helped a helpless man with the means God had provided? Jesus said…Mat 12:49-50 KJV  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

 

Remember your conscience is only a guide that must yield to the word of God. In other words if you think it wrong and God says it right then you have to yield judgement according to the word of God. Do not make personal judgements unless you be held to the same judgement. If you condemn someone for drinking wine… did you not condemned Jesus too, thus denying your Lord?

Although wine is allowable…it is your personal preference to have no drink of wine. Jesus had to practice the minimum requirements of the Old Testament and fulfill the righteous  demands of the Law having never broken one of the Ten Commandments. Jesus exceeded the demands of law but drank wine because the drinking of wine was very common in His day…in order to present God’s love as approachable…God…Jesus did not walk around saying I am Holy bow down and worship me…instead He became us so we could see God as approachable…He drank wine to convert sinners not to get drunk…be careful how you judge even Jesus said…Mat 7:1-5 KJV  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  3  And why behold thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in thine own eye?  4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

 

Father please create what we need to have a godly character which chooses not to sin against you in our hearts, minds, souls, spirits and with our strength…in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen.

 

Try…A…Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend




What is sin?

Do you worry? Worry is the darkroom where negatives are developed…

Writer: Ben StewartBen Stewart
2 days ago3 min read

Do you worry…then listen…

The devil would have you live in the future or the past instead of the now present moment…You ever notice when you worry about the future…you think about today what could happen tomorrow…then on the next the day…you think it will happen…then it does or does not…by worrying about the future you experience anxiety the day before…the day of…then afterwards wonder if you could improve? By worrying and not trusting our Good Shepherd…you create doubt and fear…listen to what Jesus said…

 

Mat 6:25-34 ASV  Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?

26  Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not ye of much more value than they?  

27  And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?  28  And why are ye anxious concerning raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  29  yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  

30  But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  

 

Jesus asks three questions and summarizes with this final question…31  Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  

32  For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things.  33  But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  34  Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

 

Jesus said the cure to worry…is to seek first His Kingdom and righteousness (right doing) and we will have all we need today…Jesus also said…Mat 5:6 ESV  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied…Do you want to be right with God and fellow man? Yes or no…If you seek first God and His Kingdom…then Jesus said you will have what you need…so seek first today the kingdom of God and do what is right by God and fellow creation.

 

 

Listen to instructions given to Christian in the New Testament of Christ…which is the new agreement between God and creation…

As it is written…Php 4:6-7 ASV  In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  7  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus… Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;  7  casting all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you.  8  Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour 1Pe 5:6-8 ASV…1Jn 5:14-15 ASV  And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:  15  and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

 

 

So are you full of worry about the past…worrying today about what you cannot change in the past? Rather…learn from yesterday because you cannot change the past…Are you worried about tomorrow today? Trying to change tomorrow today? Rather…will you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness by doing what is right by God and creation today? Yes or no?

 

 

Father please help us be faithful today and supply our daily bread of life as we change and seek Your kingdom and righteousness…In Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen.

 

Try…A…Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend



Why worry?

Baptism is a submissive act...not a work…

Writer: Ben StewartBen Stewart
3 days ago3 min read

Baptism is a submissive act...not a work…

I have a questions for my evangelical friends...How can you condemn baptism as essential for salvation...when you have never been baptized in full surrender to the obedience of Jesus...how can you condemn it if you never done it? After all did Jesus say...He that believes and is baptized will be saved? Yes or no? Mar 16:16 KJV He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 

Baptism is where God cleanses you in full surrender to obedience of Jesus Christ. It is where you become a New Creature (2 Cor 5:7) being born of the water and the Spirit (John 3:5) it is how we are added into Christ (Gal 3:27) it where our sins go into remission (Acts 2:38-39)...it is where we can receive the promise of the Holy Spirit to any whom God calls (Eph 1:13-14)...it by being or allowing God to wash and regenerate you...it is not something you are doing it is a work of God cleansing you...besides the work of your lips is a prayer if you still do not accept baptism as essential for salvation ( 1 Pet 3:20-21)...Christians have to have the witness of the Blood, of the Spirit, and of the water (1 John 5:8). When Jesus was on the earth He said you could get the Spirit by asking the Father (Luke 11:13), if you find Jesus forgiveness then you have the blood (Mat 26:28) but there is only one way to get the water (Baptism Mark 16:16; John 3:3-5). So you can have the Holy Spirit without baptism...you can find Jesus blood without baptism, but you cannot get the water without baptism. Baptism is a work of God where the sinner is surrendering His life to Jesus and God cleans and regenerates us with the Holy Spirit (Col 2:12).

 

Jesus who was also baptized for the remission of sins by John the Baptist (Mark 1:4)...Jesus needed no repentance or forgiveness but obeyed John's command...repent and be baptized for the remission of sin? If you have never tried Jesus words in faithful obedience then how do you know you are right? Even Jesus obeyed John's message when He needed no repentance...You were changed the day you understood there was God and Jesus made a way so you could never choose wrong again...and a way for you to be forgiven...Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be filled...Jesus will reveal the truth to anyone...and this changes people behavior causing rejoicing (Luke 15:10)...if you think discovering the truth is great imagine how much better baptism will be?

 

Do you not believe God forgives those who repent or forsake evil? Those who repent when they hear the truth find God's forgiveness not salvation...they have to continue to obey Jesus unto full surrender in baptism where we are given the Holy Spirit as a seal of redemption (Eph 1:13-14; Mark 16:16; John 3:3-5; Gal 3:27; Acts 2:38-39)

 

Father please confirm this truth to those who hear in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen.

 

Try…A…Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend




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