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The Missing Cross
For if you live according to the sinful nature you will die;
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
or
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but [only] he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.
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?
And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you;
depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness [still sin] !'
Only those who do the will of the Father enter the Kingdom of heaven. . Jesus said he only did as he was commanded, not his will; Jesus only did the will of the Father. The will of the Father is obedience to his commands. You must Seek, listen, obey..seek, listen, obey.....seek, listen, obey to ever be able to do the will of the Father instead of your own will.
To confess (say) Jesus is Lord is not enough. Jesus said he would reject many who claim to be saved Christians; many who called him Lord, who had prophesied, and even performed miracles in his name. So here are people who call Jesus Lord and do miracles in his name. They claim he is their Lord and think they are in Christ.
In reply to them, Jesus said plainly:
-
I never knew you. Though they called him Lord; prophesied, drove out demons, and performed miracles in his name.
John says: we are coming to know Him: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments).
The only way you can keep his commands is to listen to his voice, hear, and obey - until the sinful
nature within you has been crucified . For you cannot love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, until you have been given a new heart and mind by the love of God, received from Him over time, as you abide in his Word and Light, with obedience.
- Depart from me, you who practic lawlessness! Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness..
Jesus rejected the people who thought they were Christians, because they still sinned. They did not obey him.
But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’
and not do the things which I say?
I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. . If we are a slave to sin, he can't be our Lord. We cannot serve two masters. . You are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness. . Jesus said these so-called-Christians with great faith to perform miracles will be rejected because they were still sinning; they had not crucified the sinful nature on the cross, which is necessary to belong to Christ Jesus.
To be in Christ is explained by Paul. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. This is not to imagine yourself a new creature; this is to experience the death of the old and the birth of the new. And death of the old is only through the cross of Christ, sharing in the suffering of Christ, sharing in the death of Christ, sharing in the burial of Christ, sharing in the resurrection of Christ - that is NEW - all else is presumption and imagination, or make-believe Christianity.
Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? . So now ask yourself: have you overcome the world? Because John has just told us who believes that Jesus is the Son of God - it is he who overcomes the world; and to overcome the world is to fight the good fight of faith, to have victory over sin, and to bring forth fruit unto perfection.
Some sects even believe: once saved, always saved, based on the scripture, My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand, The fallacy not in the scripture, but is in believing that salvation is possible without crucifixion of the sinful nature on the cross through repentance to purity. The sinner's prayer and/or water baptism is not a substitute for the cross. Wearing a jewelry cross is not a substitute for daily picking up your cross of self-denial, which is necessary to be a follower of Jesus.
You can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person..has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
All who practice lawlessness [who sin] with be gathered out of His Kingdom and cast into the fire,
where there will be great wailing and gnashing of teeth. .
Let everyone who names the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it.
Another common claim of salvation is based on Roman 10:9-10-
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
- To confess, is to acknowledge that Jesus is your Lord, who controls your words and deeds - this only happens after death of self.
- To believe in your heart God resurrected Him, is to have received this in your heart by God's revelation - not by reading or hearing about it; it must be revelation - not mental assent.
- To believe unto righteousness is to have become righteous, through death of the selfish spirit on the cross, thus receiving Christ's controlling spirit to make you righteous.
- You don't become righteous by saying that Jesus is Lord. You only become righteous when he controls your words and deeds; then and only then, can your truthfully say Jesus in Lord (of you, by your obedience to his controlling commands).
- You only experience salvation after death of your selfish spirit of flesh on the cross, and receipt of sufficient spirit of Christ to control your every word and deed. Then you confess him to be Lord.
- Salvation is not saying Jesus is Lord or pointing to scripture - it is to be experienced. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Even Adolph Hitler was a believer; he said Jesus was his Lord and Savior. Surely you don't think he was saved? The thousands of Catholic priests who slowly tortured and brutally murdered 9,000,000 people for being witches during the Middle Ages were believers too. All were baptized, took communion, prayed frequently, confessed Jesus as Lord, read the scriptures, etc. But they had never crucified their selfish nature on the inward cross of self-denial, which destroys the sinful nature, even the lure of sin. So they rationalized their mass tortures and murders were not sin; their selfish beastly nature freely participated in the torture and execution of all those with a different opinion of religion. They still sinned. But their sins were on a massive scale; our sins are easier to overlook and excuse, being indifferent to our immorality, impurities, lusts, rages, envies, jealousies, etc. Servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness.
Jesus said: If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. . He doesn't want us to maim ourselves. He is only illustrating how serious sin is.
Jesus is desperately trying to tell us that to enter the Kingdom and escape hell, sin is not allowed, period. But he has given us the way of grace to crucify the sinful nature, removing the source of sin from our hearts, one defect at a time. He knew false prophets with false gospels promising freedom to continue to sin would arise after he left. Changes in our heart through the missing cross to purity can take away the desire of the hand, foot, and eye to cause us to sin.
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).
Jesus came so he could destroy the devil and his works [sin] in us.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, [in us] that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Repentance is necessary for salvation and the Kingdom. Going to Jesus, to know him and be known by Him, and die to self through repentance to purity on the missing inward cross is the only way. Until we put to death the selfish, sinful nature, we are unruly and incapable of being subject to a Lord or King. We make Him our Lord by putting to death our sinful nature through the aid of the Spirit, thereby becoming governable and subject to Him. For the world would have a Christ to excuse continuing to live in their passions and pleasures, but those committed to truth would have a Christ to change them to live pleasing to God, whatever the price.
If you want to skip the scriptures, invalidating instant salvation by saying you believe or baptism, proving the cross necessary, click here to go to how to crucify the sinful nature.
Jesus said, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God.., because that is why I was sent." And Paul tells us no immoral, impure, or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Eph 5:5. So, Jesus came so that we can enter the Kingdom of God, (which arrives with salvation's completion), first having been set free from sin, purified, and made moral through repentance; no instant salvation, instead a process of purification through the inward cross of self-denial. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
In John 1:12, he says that as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Receiving him or just believing in His name gives us the power to become a son of god, not to automatically be a son because we believe he was the son of God. We have the power to become a son of God, but that power must be exercised by us, not just assumed as already having occurred, while continuing to live in our sinful nature. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Rom 8:8. The mind of the sinful nature is hostile to God. Rom 8:7.
Even the demons called Jesus 'Son of the Most High God,' falling down at his feet, begging him to have mercy. Luke 8:28,4:41,Mark 5:7,3:11,Mat 8:29. So 'believing' that Jesus is the Son of God, or 'saying' he is the Son of God, does not result in salvation. James said: You say you believe in one God, you do well, even the demons believe and they tremble.
Notice Jesus in John 3:16 doesn't say if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, he says if you believe in him, (or simply believe him). There is a big difference: 1) mental assents to Jesus being the Son vs. 2) to believe what he commands and advises - enough to obey Him. He commands us to seek with our highest priority in life the Kingdom of God and His righteousness - to be perfect - to turn the other cheek, to come to him, listen to him, and obey him- to deny yourself and pick up your cross daily and to repent or perish. The demons believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but they don't obey him - they disobey him. The Amplified Bible gives us further understanding: whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him. Do you obey Jesus' commands, or are you like the demons, who believe him to be the Son of God raised from the dead, but who disobey his commands?
The Bible even shows us examples where believing that Jesus is Lord and being baptised does not result in salvation, or even the assurance of salvation:
Acts 8:13- 22
Simon the magician believed and was baptised. He tried to buy the power of laying on of hands. Acts 8:13-18
Peter said to him, "Repent therefore of your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity." Acts 8:22
Does this sound like a man saved by believing or baptism?
You can't be 'saved' and still be in bitterness and the bond of iniquity!
So believing and being baptized don't save you.
Peter said "perhaps" he could be forgiven, if he repented and prayed for forgiveness.
But forgiven is not saved. He was forgiven before.
and:
And although the Corinthians had eaten the bread and wine, and had been baptized in water, Paul told them they were "reprobates, [rejected, lost to sin] if Christ was not in them;" and bid them "examine themselves."
and: (describing the early church in Jerusalem)
And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. This clearly shows that being saved is not instantaneous with believing, baptizing, and joining the church; no, they were described as should be saved - as in the future, at the death of their selfish spirit on the cross. Further evidence of being saved is not instant, but a process of carrying your cross is: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
and Paul to the Phillipians:
continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
The work is carrying the inward cross of self-denial over time. To seek, listen, hear, and obey - is part of the cross.
To say that Jesus is Lord does not save us. To be baptized does not save us. Nor does a touch of the Spirit, (the call of God only), touted as the baptism of Holy Spirit, save us. They do not guarantee that we will live forever or make us a son of God. Salvation is not instant. Salvation is a process. To be reborn, we first have to die. You have to lose you life to save it. The true baptism of the Holy Spirit, the only one needed, circumcises the heart, by plunging down sin and iniquity, and puts off the body of death and sins of the flesh so that we are without sin; a baptism into the death of Christ.
Note: In the beginning of the early Church, they (Peter particularly) maintained Jewish circumcision, dietary law, and the Jewish custom of water purification rites - known by Christians as John's water baptism. Peter even forced these practices on the Gentiles, until: the Holy Spirit corrected him on food, Paul corrected him, and the Apostles Council issued different guideline for Gentiles. Since both Christ and John the Baptist spoke of a better baptism, this baptism was later eliminated from Christian practice and the faith maintained one baptism, the baptism of fire or of the Holy Spirit.
John said: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Mat 3:11
Jesus said: For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Paul said: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Clearly, just as there are no multiple Lords, there are no multiple baptisms.
Paul again said, I thank God that I baptized none of youbut Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
For Christbut to preach the gospel1 Cor 1:14-17So in Paul is not happy that he even water baptized the handful that he did. Clearly the one baptism needed is the fire of the Holy Ghost, which circumcises the heart, by plunging down sin and iniquity, and puts off the body of death and sins of the flesh so that we are without sin; "..baptized into Jesus Christ .. his death, buried with him by baptism into death, that they should walk in newness of life." Although to be avoided as an unnecessary ritual, water baptism is not harmful, unless you think it somehow makes you righteous, thereby being prevented from your seeking righteousness, which is Christ's top priority command " Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness."
Jesus said he would reject many, who thought themselves sure to be Christians, but who stilled sinned. They had not made him their Lord in practice, who controls their lives in their actions and words; he doesn't know them to be his subjects as their ruling Lord. They say Jesus is Lord with their lips, but keep him far removed from their hearts to really be their Lord and King. To make him Lord, he has to first cleanse us of our sinful nature that is unruly; until he cleanses us, we are a slave to sin, (Away from me, you evildoers!), and incapable of being subject to him as your Lord or King.
Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, who stand forth without repentance!
Your covenant with death will be annulled,
and your agreement with hell will not stand.
I declared.. that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
So he has to purify us, destroying our selfish, unruly, sinful nature; we have to sit quietly so that he, the Light and the Word, can teach us about himself and search our heart to show us our condition; lead us to repent, and then cleanse us to be governable by him as our King and Lord. We don't know Him, and he doesn't know us, until we have spent time together in our closet. We, by ourselves, have to meet him, talk to him, watch for him, and listen for him, accept him, and obey him. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Sitting quietly while thinking on his name is how we learn from Him, get cleansed by Him, be led by Him, and come to know Him. 'Hearing his voice' s does not come from reading the Bible. To hear someone, we have to listen; to listen we have to stop talking, reading, and racing our mind. Christ in you, the hope of glory.
For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [hear him speak, not read the Bible] and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock. Luke 6:47-8
He can't make it any plainer! He said: come to me, listen to My words (him speaking, not the Bible), and do them.
If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:22-3
The above two teachings of Jesus are the core message of this web site:
1) Come to him, Listen to his spoken words to you, Do the words he gives you - obey his commands by repentance.
2) If you obey what Jesus tells you to do, the Father then loves you; the Father and Jesus in his glory come to you
and make their home with you;
and the home they make is the Kingdom of Heaven.
For unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Heb 9:28
So, seek, listen, obey. Seek, listen, obey. Persevere, and Christ will lead you through repentance to union and the Kingdom of Heaven.
As we wait on him, watch for him, and listen to him - we abide in Him. To abide in his living Light and Word is to find life.
He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him !
(Diligence is defined as continually attending to and striving to achieve a goal; laboring; persevering.)
To be assured of salvation, we put to death the evil deeds prompted by the body ; by daily seeking Christ's direction and following his commands - repenting. Jesus said, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent, For if you live according to the flesh (the sinful nature), you will surely die. But if through the power of the Spirit you are putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the deeds prompted by the body, you shall live forever. Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
To be Spirit Led is the first assurance of salvation to come.
Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
When you bear (produce) much fruit,
My Father is honored and glorified,
and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
He has defined the acid test of a true believer, a true follower of Christ, to produce fruit, and much fruit!
Perhaps more important, if you love God, this is the way to honor and glorify the Father!
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; love, peace, joy, patience, gentleness, kindness, etc.
for without Me you can do nothing. Works without God's Love in us count for nothing.
To produce fruit, is to possess God's love; then your works are faith expressing itself through love. Gal 5:6
Studying the Bible only tells us what we must achieve and avoid.
To know the truth, you have to be taught by Jesus himself, personally, about himself. His living words must abide in you.
To abide in Christ, is to abide in his Light, in his presence, in his living word, (not read the Bible).
To abide is "to remain." We go to him and quietly sit waiting on him; and then we listen for him to speak to us and watch for what he shows us. When the Light appears, we spend time in the Light. His living Word penetrates us, separating spirit from soul, and the Light purifies us by the blood of Jesus. As we repent, we are purified and receive more of His Spirit. As we receive more of his Spirit, he abides or remains in us too. We become the possessors of Christ, not just professors. This is part of the cross.
Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
You can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person..has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
Jesus said: He that overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son."
And John said, "I have written unto you, young men because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one." So we must overcome sin and the devil.
For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes...You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline.Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons.
To be scourged and disciplined by God the second assurance of salvation to come.
In 1 Peter 1:5-7 he says: [you] "who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Salvation after grief and trials that is at the last moment of fleshly life vs. instant salvation? Which do you claim?
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Scarcely be saved, means it happens after much suffering, barely escaping destruction!
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 1 Thes 5:8 Even those who already have the gift of love are to hope for salvation! Does this sound like instant salvation? Remember love is last in the process of Christian growth: make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. Paul is saying salvation comes after the gift of love which is the last step in Christian growth according to Peter.
From George Fox's Journal:
You must have fellowship with Christ in his sufferings;
if you will reign with him, you must suffer with him;
if you will live with him, you must die with him;
and if you die with him, you must be buried with him;
and being buried with him in the true baptism, you also rise with him.
There must be "a coming into his death, a suffering with Christ;" and this is of necessity to salvation; and not temporarily, but continually: there must be a "dying daily."
The bad news is we have something else to do. We've been lied to. The more times a lie is told, the easier it is to believe the lie. It started being told 2000 years ago in the early church; Jude wrote in 1:4, For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in [false christians with false formulas for salvation] among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality. It's very lulling to think that all we have to do is believe or get baptised. We didn't know any better. But trust in God. He provides a way for those who want to please him and find his will for them. For more on this read Fox's letter 306.
The good news is that we can hear, learn, be taught, and be cleansed by Jesus personally through the Holy Spirit.
We can listen to the personalized teachings of Christ directly.
If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:20
The other good news is that we don't have to physically die to be in UNION with God. We don't have to physically die to be in heaven. The Kingdom of heaven is within you, and the inward cross with cleansing to purity not only leads to being a Son of God, but it leads to living forever with Christ as our King, being filled with Love, having fellowship with Christ and the Father, and living in paradise while on earth with everlasting peace and joy. Following Christ and bearing your cross, leads to everything we dared to hope for and far more besides. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
He is extraordinarily patient toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
For eye has not seen and ear has not heard of the things God has prepared for those who wait on him.
Waiting is most of the cross.
The Missing Cross
Sitting quietly while thinking on his name is how we learn from Him, get cleansed by Him, be led by Him, and come to know Him. Sitting, thinking on the name of Jesus and waiting quietly on the Lord to speak to us, by his living Word, or reveal to us, by his Light, what is in our heart is not what our flesh wants to do. Instead of sitting quietly each day waiting on the Lord, our flesh wants to sleep, or worry, or plan our day, or think about something, or do something, - anything. Our mind will race through many subjects in desperation to save itself, (he who loses his life, finds it). The following is the missing cross:
- seeking the Kingdom of God, as your first priority, is an act of repentance - a cross to your selfish will
- turning away from evil, as you understand it, is an act of repentance - a cross to your selfish will
- you don't want to sit quietly every day to listen and watch, but you repent and do - a cross to your selfish will
if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:20
- you don't want to obey his commands that you hear, but if you repent- it is a cross to your selfish will
- you don't want to forgive injustices done to you, but you repent and forgive - a cross to your angry self
- you don't want to admit and regret what the Light shows your condition to be, but if you repent - it is a cross to your will
(this is the place where you get changed, where your peace increases; in the Light)
- you don't want to give to others from your excess, but if you repent from your selfishness and give- it is a cross to your will
- you don't want to defer (deny self) to others, rather than insist on your way, but if you repent and defer - it is a cross to your will
This is the Inward Cross of Self-Denial
If any will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
This is how to kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God). .
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
This is how to produce fruit: to crucify the sinful nature, to become a true Christian.
When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified,
and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.
Jesus said, Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more;
whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.
Be still, and know that I am God.
Be silent, oh all flesh before the Lord.
For more understanding on the necessity of learning in silence,
see George Fox's outstanding writing on Why Silence? (also on the side bar)
See How to Benefit from the Changing Power of God for more. (also on the side bar)
The cross (denying yourself) must be taken up daily to succeed; the cross that is the power of God to you, and the cross that is foolishness to others. The cross is the power of God. Belief in the true gospel is the power of God. Belief in the true gospel, and the cross to realize the promise, releases the power of God to purify you and make you one with Him. He will change you gradually, but you will change. You will gradually become less angry, less addicted to the things of the world, more settled, less emotional, more loving, more patient, kinder, gentler, and happier. You will be thrilled to hear his voice. You will be thrilled to have him teach you about himself. You will hear his soft voice of kindness encourage you. And as he shows you the condition of your heart, you will be changed. We testify to this power that changes. See How to Benefit from the Changing Power of God for more detail.
Here is what George Fox says about the missing cross in his letter #262.
The true hope, the true cross, the true faith,
the true worship, the true religion,
the true way, true image,
and true fellowship have been lost since the apostles' days,
among those called christians, who are out of the life.
And they that have lost the cross of Christ, which is the power of God,
in which is the true fellowship,
they have set up a wooden or a stone cross,
so false crosses, false christians.
They that have lost the true hope, which purifies, as he is pure,
they have set up a purgatory to cleanse them when they are dead.
And others cry up a body of sin and death on this side of the grave,
with their hypocrite's hope;
and they have lost the true ministry,
and set up a false one, to preach up imperfection.
And people were imperfect in old Adam before Christ came;
for the law made nothing perfect;
but the true minister, Christ in you, the hope of glory.
does make perfect,
both in the Apostles' days and now.
'Christ in you, the hope of glory,' said the apostle, whom we preach,
'warning every man, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.'
So the perfection is in Christ Jesus; the imperfection is in old Adam.
So this is the true hope that purifies,
which everyone that has it purifies himself, even as he is pure.
And everyone that has not a possession of this hope,
pleads for impurity and imperfection,
and a body of sin and a body of death unto their grave,
and a purgatory when they are dead.
Such have a profession of the scriptures, like the Pharisees;
and the hypocrite's hope which shall perish.
John Richardson, an early Quaker minister visiting the United States, was inspired to say in a meeting of the Protestant believers in Nantucket, but unconvinced of the Quaker faith:
"Except a man is born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God." No, the natural and unregenerate
man cannot so much as see the heavenly and
spiritual kingdom of Christ, which stands not only
in power, but also in righteousness, joy and peace in
the Holy Spirit; and to be born again is not to be
done imperceptibly, no more than the natural birth
can be brought forth without trouble; and to pretend
to be in Christ and not to be new creatures, is preposterous; and to pretend to be new creatures and
yet not able to render any account how it was performed,
is unreasonable; for it could not be without our knowledge; for to be born
again signifies to be quickened and raised into a spiritual
and new life, by which the body of the sins of
the flesh is mortified and we come to live a self-denying
life. Those who are crucified with Christ are
crucified to their sins, that as he died for sin, we
ought to die to sin. In that state we live not after
the flesh, although we live, as the apostle said, in the
flesh; but the life which these live is through faith
in the Son of God. And to supposedly have all this, and much
more wrought in us, and we know nothing of it, is
unaccountable. . [Presumption, instead of experiential reality, is make-believe Christianity].
This so affected his listeners, that the leader of the group, Mary Starbuck, stood and said in tears: "All that ever we have been building,
and all that ever we have done, is pulled down this
day; and this is the everlasting truth."
Some say we are advocating salvation by "works," implying Jesus's command to deny yourself and pick up your cross daily is "works." Some even say repentance is "works," even though Jesus said, "Repent or Perish." They want to argue that since grace is free, there is nothing to do. They are right, grace is free; but grace is not salvation, grace brings salvation. James said, "faith without works is dead." Paul further said, "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." In Titus 2:14, Paul said grace results in a people zealous for good works. The workings of grace to teach us how to live are a process; grace is not instant; the process produces purity and the fruit of love. The typical definition of instant grace/salvation taught in the deficit sects, and the Apostle Paul's definition of grace, are radically different. Grace is not salvation. Grace brings salvation. Grace is free, salvation is not.
Salvation requires everything, even your fleshly life.
For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsake not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.
He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.
And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Per Paul, true grace is not salvation, but instead brings salvation as defined in his letter to Titus as follows:
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world,
looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed ,
and purify for himself his own special people, zealous for good works.
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
One who still sins might mistakenly argue they are redeemed from every lawless deed, but not that grace has purified them!
So grace and salvation are not the same; grace only leads to salvation, attained by essential actions of repentance.
Repentance is sorrow about your condition, changing your mind to be different, and then conducting yourself differently.
Grace brings salvation by teaching us what to deny, leading us to repent. By grace, we are shown our sin.
We repent by denying ungodliness and lusts, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
We seek righteousness to please Him and in expectation of the glorious appearing of God and Jesus - the Kingdom of Heaven.
So by grace we see a problem in our heart. We repent. Then by grace, we get strength to be different - the cleansing of our heart.
By this process, we are redeemed from all iniquity and purified by Jesus to become enthusiastic workers of good.
Grace is unmerited and free, salvation is not free.
Salvation's price is sacrifice of self, the death of your sinful nature;
and our death is not evidence of being worthy of God's gifts - no, just the shame of being so unworthy.
See True Grace vs. False Grace for more.
It is by grace, and grace only through our faith in Jesus Christ that we attain salvation; but salvation, means to become purified and die to the flesh and live to Christ - not by make-believe, but in reality. When you go to the cross in the Light, and He shows you what is in your heart; then you will know what grace really is: that only God can change you - you are helpless in your deplorable state- only the unmerited favor of God can rid you of your condition. You must share his "death" and share his resurrection; Fox clarifies to include suffering, death, burial, and resurrection. The cross is the beginning. The cross is not trying to be saved by "works" alone; it is only evidence of your faith by obedience; and to those who oppose the cross, they are headed for destruction, for their god is their belly, [their lusts and affections for the world], and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things, [the love of the world].
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Jesus expects works, perfect works! Works are evidence of your faith.
James said: You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Paul said: works energized by faith is the only thing that counts.
I declared.. that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
Don't stop until you know he controls you totally; until you have sat down in Jesus Christ in Heaven. He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it. If you loose your fleshly life on the cross, you will save your spiritual life in Him. This is His will for you, and following his example to the death of flesh yields an everlasting happiness that is full of peace, love, and joy. Your cross is nothing compared to his; his burden for you is light, his yoke for you is easy, so cast all your worries and fears on God - Trust the Wonderful God who created you to give you his greatest gift - himself, providing you seek him and obey his commands.
Christ's return, entering the Kingdom, and the completion of salvation are simultaneous, when he is revealed within you. Even so it is that Christ, having been offered to take upon Himself and bear as a burden the sins of many once and once for all, will appear a second time, not to carry any burden of sin nor to deal with sin, but to bring to full salvation those who are [eagerly, constantly, and patiently] waiting for and expecting Him. Heb 9:28. Do you really think this is a particular generation? If so, how could God be so unfair to all the other generations? Since every eye is supposed to witness the second appearance of Christ, then if Christ returns to the earth in a physical body, how could every man see this physical occurrence? The common saying in Christendom today is: keep looking up. But to see the return of Christ, you must keep looking within, watching, watching, watching. For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God has shown it to them. Rom 1:19. The mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations, but is now revealed to His holy people (the saints), to whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of glory. Col 1:26-27
The Holy Way.. the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way.
From A Guide to True Peace
If any other way but bearing the cross, and dying to his own will, could have redeemed man from a fallen and corrupt state, Jesus would have taught it, and established it by his example. But of all that desire to follow him, he has required the bearing of the cross; and without exception has said to all; "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." Why then do you fear to take up the cross, which will direct you to the path which leads to the kingdom of God?
From the cross are derived heavenly meekness, true fortitude, the joys of the spirit, the conquest of self, the perfection of holiness! There is no redemption, no hope of the continuation of the divine life in us, but by our taking up the cross to our carnal appetites and inclinations: for all consists in the death of self, and there is no means to obtain life and peace, but by thus dying to corruption.
Why do you seek any other path to glory, but that in which you are called to follow the "Captain of your Salvation?" His life was a continual cross, and do you desire a perpetuity of repose and joy? The more perfectly you die to yourselves, the more truly will you begin to live to God; if you would then enjoy true peace here, and obtain hereafter the unfading crown of glory, it is necessary that in every place, and in all events, you should bear the cross willingly. To suffer, therefore, is your portion; and to suffer patiently, and willingly, is the great testimony of your love and allegiance to your Lord.
The patient enduring of the cross, and the death of self upon it, are the indispensable duty of fallen man; and it is thus only he can be delivered from his darkness, corruption and misery, and be restored to the possession of life, light, and peace.
You can memorize the entire Bible, but what he really wants is for you seek Him of whom the scriptures testify. The Bible is good to maintain and increase hope, but salvation is not found by reading or searching the scriptures; as Christ said to the Pharisees, "you search the scriptures in hope of finding eternal life, but you will not come to me that you might have life." John 5:39-40 The Bible is good for building hope, but not for finding Him; you must go to Him. He said, come and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. Come means to Him, not read the Bible, not to a deficit sect's meeting, not to Bible study - to Him!
So, go to Him, the living Word and Spirit of Life. And when going to Him while believing in his name with hope of purity you have the power to change.It is his name that is the power to get you started. Believing that his name is the power to change you is the power of the gospel; change that takes place by you taking up your cross daily; the cross is the power of god - the dying of self, the denial of self, the repenting of self, the death of sin. We can testify to this power. When I sit quietly, and I think of the name Jesus; I can feel the power. We both can testify to the power of God to purify. You may not feel this at first, but in time you will too. And when you commit to change by daily seeking him to hear his commands and understandings, (you have to be quiet to hear his soft voice), while obeying what you know to be right, you have made him your Lord; you will be on the path and under his protection as long as you keep seeking. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:20. He will tell you things about himself. He will clear up your misunderstandings. He will give you tons of encouragement. He will always forgive your failures. He will show you things about yourself. He will show you from what to repent. You will be thrilled to be in communication with God; you will be full of thanksgiving and praise. Your faith will grow by leaps and bounds because, "Faith comes by hearing the Word of God," Jesus himself. You will have more love for others. You are on the narrow way that leads to life, which few will find. See How to Benefit from the Changing Power of God for more.
from George Fox's Letters:
51. - To Friends, concerning the cross of Christ,
the power of God,
that leads out of the world,
to the world that is without end.
The cross is to the carnal part, which is the ground of images,
the ground of the seducers, and the ground of the false prophet and antichrist;
the cross is to that ground, to the root and life of it.
This being minded, which is pure and eternal,
it makes a separation from all other lovers, and brings to God,
and the ground of evil thoughts comes to be opened,
and the cross is to that ground;
which cross overturns the world in the heart.
Which cross must be taken up by all who follow Jesus Christ
out of the world which has an end, into the world which is without end;
and all the evil things of the world must be denied.
For 'who loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him';
but where the world is standing, the cross is not lived in.
But dwelling in the cross to the world,
here the love of God is shed abroad in the heart,
and the way is opened into the inheritance which fades not away;
where nothing shall enter which is defiled.
For God is not seen but in the eternal light where all pure wisdom comes.
This treasure is not seen but with the spiritual eye;
nor received but with the pure in heart,
and by those who dwell and abide in the eternal light.
But the carnal heart may get the words from them who had received the wisdom,
who dwelt in the fear of the Lord;
but they who live without the fear, may get their words,
and yet know not wisdom's gate, where those words proceeded, having the old bottle.
Watch all, therefore, and see what you possess.
For all who gave forth the Holy Scripture, who dwelt in the fear of God,
they possessed the life which those words proceeded from;
and the secrets of the Lord were with them.
Therefore, all in your measure, which is of God, wait,
that it may guide your minds up to God,
and follow it, and not your evil desires,
nor the lust of the world; for the fear of the Lord will keep your hearts clean,
and the true wisdom will be with you in the pure heart.
And everyone that has this light, which Christ has enlightened them withal,
the deeds that are evil, you know to be so by the light;
and this light will be their condemnation, you know it.
And all who witness this light, and love it, their eye is in their head,
which is Christ, if they be ten thousands.
George Fox
Read the Bible for Hope - the hopeful parts, like John and the Psalms
And to keep your hopes high while seeking, keep reading the Bible and George Fox's writings. Now, when you read the Bible, you'll see not just the old quoted phrases of the false gospels, but those phrases that really speak to being righteous, perfect, holy, pure, and sinless; and you will know what you have to do to please God. You can rejoice in the true hope and in your calling.
Matthew defines the requirements; be perfect, turn the other cheek, love you enemies, etc.
John defines the reward: Make them one with us; I want them with me to see my glory; Make them holy; give them my love, etc.
1 John defines the test: Whoever has been born of God does not sin; Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him, etc.
The Real Gospel?
It is written by Paul in Galatians,1:9, "cursed is anyone who brings you a different gospel;" a gospel and Jesus different from the gospel he preached. The gospel within this site argues for purity and sinless state. Does not the gospel you have heard excuse sin, immorality, impurity, and ungodliness? Which gospel seems more godly? Which gospel seems like the narrow way of which few will find? Which gospel seems like the broad way where the many go, for it is easy? Can you see Christ arguing for sin, imperfection, impurity, and unholiness? So which gospel is the true one; the one promising freedom from sin, or the one that offers freedom to sin without guilt, but which says that you have to carry your "sin to the grave?" Isn't this just making grace a license to sin? Isn't the gospel of "freedom to sin" robbing you of the chance for a much better life on earth, as well as after you die? Don't be cheated of life's greatest opportunity. If you still have doubts, read the first section of George Fox's Journal, and then remember that thousands of early Quakers came into the fullness of Christ (perfection, purity, sinless, holiness, the resurrected Christ in them) as described in the rest of the Journal. It can be done!
Walk the Line
So when you have seized the true hope, the challenge is to "walk the line" between:
1)
presumption (I have made it already, I have everything there is to get), or
2) despair (I am so full of sin, I am beyond hope, I can't get there).
Regarding presumption
There is little He can do for you if you think you are already righteous. As Jesus said, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Remember, when Jesus said this, there was not a single other person in all of Israel who was righteous, only the hypocrites, who thought they were righteous). Recall the prayer of the pharisee vs. the prayer of the publican; which do you choose? To quote the section in :
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself; 'God I thank you that I am not like all other men - robbers, evil doers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God have mercy on me a sinner.'
I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself, will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted."
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Who can say they are filled until they are in His arms, and hear him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant?"
Regarding Despair
First of all, you can't purify yourself; Christ is the one who removes the sin. And no one is too difficult for Him. All you do is sit there seeking, be sorry for what he shows you, and follow his commands. Second, there is no one so full of sin that he cannot repair them; being your creator, he understands you beyond even yourself. As your creator, he can shape you any way he pleases. And he is pleased to shape you as himself by removing your problems - the more removed, the greater the glory to Him. For when you are restored, it is to His glory; and to both of your joys; and when you bring glory to him, he brings glory to the Father.
And, never, never, believe that your mistakes along the way disqualify you from further seeking - only death is final. Forgiveness is not a "one time occurrence." Until you have become so pure that you have looked him in the face and then returned to sin, as long as you are really sorry for any mistakes and sincerely apologize to Him, requesting his forgiveness and asking him to help you avoid making the same mistakes again, he will still be there as your advocate, friend, helper, and source of strength to keep on seeking. We speak from experience. Our mistakes have been colossal; but each time he has forgiven us, and eventually rewarded us with more of Him and less of us as proof. We can testify to the above process working, thanks be and glory to Jesus Christ and the Father.
Listen to and obey My voice,
and I will be your God and you will be My people.
(not what someone reads out of the Bible, but from the Living Word, hear his voice- speaking to you from heaven.)
You have to keep his personal commands, spoken to you, for Him to come to you. Jesus said unto him, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: (the personal words that you hear from his lips, not the dead letter words of the Bible) and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." He making his abode in us and us being His and him being OUR GOD, He wants you to not only "call" him Lord with you lips, but to "make" him Lord of your life - with his spirit, (instead of your selfish spirit of Satan), controlling your words and actions; so that you can say in truth that he is the Lord whom you obey and follow: doing your Father's will, not yours.
Jesus said: He that overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son."
What About the Thief on the Cross?
Many people justify all instant salvations on the basis of the Thief on the Cross, next to Jesus as he was crucified, taking comfort in Jesus saying to him, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
Of course the thief's circumstances were exceptional. Consider these:
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