Knowledge is recall of what God Said. Understanding is seeing the connection between that truth and ourselves. Wisdom is successfully applying knowledge and understanding to achieve the glory of God.
@Liam Smith yes. Repenting is admitting that you need change your attitude and behavior, let God say what is best and then try your hardest to do that. You don't have to be perfect but you do have to try and be committed.
I feel intense joy in hearing the voice of John Piper. I don’t think he can comprehend just how precious his ministry is to his listeners. I thank God for you!
@Liam Smith Every day. But not because I so called "have to", but because I want to. I want to walk closer to God, so I repent at least everyday. He is closer to me than I am to myself. God bless us all.
@Liam Smith I appreciate the conversation because it challenges me to think, so thank you. Eventhough I have been baptized, I don't believe it is necessary for salvation. I have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I believe he died for my sins, I believe he rose from the dead. I believe God always has my best interest at heart in all matters and in all ways. I believe that he performs works in me through the Holy Spirit. Keep well and thanks again.
@Liam Smith You seem to be asking everybody the same question. Either you already know the answer and is simply challenging people with what they know, or you want to catch people who don’t know so you can respond with a great answer. Either way, you already know. Because if you didn’t know the answer, you would have submitted it to Pastor John instead. So, to be always be ready to defend the faith, let me try to answer you with what I know and understand (May God give me knowledge, patience and strength) Firstly, God’s salvation is freely given and not because of one’s works. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one is to boast. This salvation, although is given as a gift from God as his grace, it has a condition. We must “believe” in his Son. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We must also “obey” the Son. The Son who is Jesus John the Baptist said in John 3:36 (ESV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him Jesus re-affirms this in John 3:16-21 Here in John 3, it says we must “obey” the Son, who is Jesus So, what did Jesus say regarding repentance? Let see these scriptures: A) Matthew 4:17 - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand B) Luke 5:32 - I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. C) Luke 13: 3, 5 - Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish And finally D) Matthew 12:41 - The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Conclusion: Our salvation is not due to our works of repentance but it is a freely given gift from God and it is given through “faith”. We need to believe in Jesus and obey his teachings. Jesus calls us to repentance. If you need more than this, please check out Ask Pastor John Q&A (filter repent) and also Desiring God - Thoughts on Jesus’s Demand to Repent.
@Liam Smith Regarding your question about - Does Acts 2:38 show that someone has to baptise you in order for God to save you? Here are some counter questions? Was John the Baptist saved? If so, who baptised him? Was Jesus sinful that he needed to repent and be baptised by John the Baptist? (Jesus was without sin and he explained His reason to be baptised in Matthew 3:13-17. Jesus replied, Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness) Why did Jesus say to the thief who was on the cross Luke 23:42 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise”. Did the thief get baptised in water? So, you can see. Baptism like Repentance are works. Works does not give us God’s salvation; and baptism and repentance are acts of righteousness. Firstly, God’s salvation is freely given and not because of one’s works. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one is to boast. This salvation, although is given as a gift from God as his grace, it has a condition. We must “believe” in his Son. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We must also “obey” the Son. The Son who is Jesus John the Baptist said in John 3:36 (ESV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him Jesus re-affirms this in John 3:16-21 Here in John 3, it says we must “obey” the Son, who is Jesus So, what did Jesus say regarding repentance? Let see these scriptures: A) Matthew 4:17 - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand B) Luke 5:32 - I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. C) Luke 13: 3, 5 - Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish And finally D) Matthew 12:41 - The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Conclusion: Our salvation is not due to our works of repentance but it is a freely given gift from God and it is given through “faith”. We need to believe in Jesus and obey his teachings. Jesus calls us to repentance. If you need more than this, please check out Ask Pastor John Q&A (filter repent) and also Desiring God - Thoughts on Jesus’s Demand to Repent.
@Liam Smith You seem to be asking everybody the same question. Either you already know the answer and is simply challenging people with what they know, or you want to catch people who don’t know so you can respond with a great answer. Either way, you already know. Because if you didn’t know the answer, you would have submitted it to Pastor John instead. So, to be always be ready to defend the faith, let me try to answer you with what I know and understand (May God give me knowledge, patience and strength) Firstly, God’s salvation is freely given and not because of one’s works. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one is to boast. This salvation, although is given as a gift from God as his grace, it has a condition. We must “believe” in his Son. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We must also “obey” the Son. The Son who is Jesus John the Baptist said in John 3:36 (ESV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him Jesus re-affirms this in John 3:16-21 Here in John 3, it says we must “obey” the Son, who is Jesus So, what did Jesus said regarding repentance? Let see these scriptures: A) Matthew 4:17 - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand B) Luke 5:32 - I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. C) Luke 13: 3, 5 - Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish And finally D) Matthew 12:41 - The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Conclusion: Our salvation is not due to our works of repentance but it is a freely given gift from God and it is given through “faith”. We need to believe in Jesus and obey his teachings. Jesus calls us to repentance. If you need more than this, please check out Ask Pastor John Q&A (filter repent) and also Desiring God - Thought on Jesus’s Demand to Repent.
The Lord is coming, the season is now! Amen. God is merciful. He always forgives. Never be ashamed to take your failures to him. He is for you, not against you! God is with you in the storm. He knows your troubles, he hears you! He is for you, on your side, always! It may feel silent at times, but he’s holding you close! May the Lord return soon! We are drawing closer. He is coming! Believe and trust in the Lord, you will be saved. Period. May the Lord bless you all! Hang in there family. Stay strong. It is not easy following the Lord. We are scoffed at. We give up our earthly dreams, our fleshly desires. What the enemy offers is short lived, but heaven is forever! Life may seem or be unfair, but God is with you! Always remember that. Things may get better or worse for you, but a kingdom awaits you! Finish the race! Repent daily and carry your cross. This world is fading fast. Your troubles are temporary! New channel here, I’d appreciate any kind of support. Don’t give up! God loves you so much! So do I. The Lord bless you!!
@Liam Smith Absolutely. It goes hand in hand with belief in Jesus Christ. To be saved you must believe in Jesus, that in itself is a form of repentance. After that you live your life like Christ did. You will fail and sin, if one says otherwise the Bible says they are lying, you’ll never be perfect, however we are to strive for it always in all we do. To be saved believe in Jesus Christ, with that comes a new heart, new intentions, you’ll have a change of thought about sin, you will see the world and sin through the eyes of the savior. God bless you!!
@Liam Smith I really hope your heart is genuine in these questions. A lot of times people ask things to set someone up to only then say what they know, and they want to hear themselves be correct. Forgive me if that’s not the case and if you are asking genuinely from your heart I will tell you from the Father I know and my heart. A lot will say yes you must but from the God I know the answer is no you don’t have to, you absolutely should get baptized for it is an outward expression of your love for him not to mention it feels incredible, it’s always a beautiful moment for all involved. To make it clear, to be saved, you must believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ. When you do so, you have already been baptized in the spirit, like the man on the cross who didn’t have time to dip himself in water. That’s why I always say God knows our heart, he knows if we are for him or not. Be for him. Believe in Jesus and you will be saved, period. God bless you!!
@Liam Smith That’s one of my favorite verses. So simple is salvation. To answer your question, if that was the only verse I had to go by, I would personally say yes, then I read the rest of the book, not just a single line but all of the word in context, and realized quickly that is not the case. For example if I just went by one line or one verse instead of the one you posted it could also be only this Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Go read and find your Father, it’s best to search for him yourself then to ask others, that’s what I always do, I never listen to others but rather the word itself, best advice I can give you. For example if by reading that verse your heart tells you that’s what you need to do, then absolutely do what your heart tells you, and don’t listen to nobody else, but the voice in your heart when reading the word specifically. There comes a time when you realize who God is, his very nature. God bless you!
This morning reading Psalms. David said he wouldn't rest until he found a place for God's tabernacle. Should we be doing that today? Like in a metaphorical way. Should we have the same zeal about making a place in our hearts for God's tabernacle?
Yes, see Revelation 3:20: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." The Lord wants us to make room in our hearts for us to hold deep communion with Him. In other words, let us be on guard against satan, persistent in prayer for greater revelation of this communion, and not be at rest until we experience this - doing all we can to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
Knowing and following God's will - The key to knowing and following God's will is presented as having spiritual understanding and wisdom. - Three words are discussed: knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. - These terms overlap and are not precise like objects. - The passage in Colossians 1:9 is analyzed, where Paul prays for believers to be filled with the knowledge of God's will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. The idea of seeing God's glory and making choices in harmony with reality is highlighted.
As much as I love and respect him, God’s will has been the greatest weakness in Piper’s ministry. Only a few have professed God’s will: Jesus, Kierkegaard, and Buddha. There’s probably others, but few are willing to profess it. It’s very clear what God’s will is. The word said that the universe professes it. And if you know his greater will, you will understand the smaller will in your life.
I am glad to find that you have this also in your heart brother. If you font understand, trust that God will make you understand, and he won't call you a fool or slow for trusting in him to let you know.
There were two times in my younger years, from approximately 19 to 23 years of age, where I was seeking God with all of my being, was totally committed to holiness and God’s word and thought I knew 100% what God’s will was for my future and the direction He wanted me to head in life. I also had several uncanny confirmations of these two life direction promptings and guidance and in the end I was absolutely completely 180 degrees wrong on both counts of where I thought God was leading me. So what does one do with an experience like I had. Ever since then (I’m currently 44 years old) I probably never have more than 20% confidence in anything I think GOD is leading me to do so what does one do with that experience???
I am sorry to hear that, but I also have to ask, do you seek Gods will for your sake or for His sake? I believe God still speaks to you and is not dependent on how holy you are because the holiness you have is a gift given by him. Test everything up against Gods word and character, but be free to walk in faith to seek Gods will. Ask God why this experience happened, and ask God to see how Hi is good in everything he does, how He is wiser than anything you can imagine and how everything works out for His glory.
It is my understanding that what God "wants" and/or "commands" someone to do is not always what He sovereignly ordains to happen. That is *not* to say that going against what He has commanded you is not sin, but it is to say that He has a grander purpose behind every ordinance while also being sorrowful about an individual outcome. For instance someone may get cancer; that makes Him sad. But He has a reason for ordaining said cancer when looking at the grand scheme of things that only He can see, and that He *delights* in.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:35 NIV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV So sorry for your situation it can be very painful and miserable at times. We love to do God's will but we should not forget we have an adversary, the devil. He uses deception in our minds to doubt God's goodness and direction in our lives especially in difficulty. So we need to put up the shield faith! Or we will be disarmed and become ineffective. May the Lord fill your heart with joy.
@Liam Smith For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Romans 9:15-16 NIV If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13 NIV First of all God saving you is as a result of His mercy. If God has not purposed in His providence to save you, you will never repent. The fact that a person desires to repent is even a merciful work of God. To even confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart is not an intellectual exercise. It is the working of the Holy Spirit. This is cause to be soooo grateful that your name is in the book of life. This is the good news of God's grace. In that whole process we then become aware of our sins and shortcomings so we repent and choose to follow Jesus.
I don’t think I fully understand your story without more details. But it does remind me of an experience my husband had years ago before we knew each other. He was single and looking. He liked a certain gal at church. He asked God if he could pursue her. God gave him a yes. He asked the girl out. She ultimately turned him down. He was very confused even to the point that he sought counseling. He struggled with depression. It took him a while to understand why and how God would say ‘yes’ to him asking out that girl when…she just turned him down. Perhaps you can imagine why. He came to realize that he gave his ask with an unspoken and then unmet expectation in his question. Of course, he could ask a girl out. Big deal? Does it matter that she wasn’t his wife in the long run? The experience caused him to grow, and that’s the point. It wasn’t about him getting what he wanted. It was about getting what was good for him. Growth. That reminds me of a much shorter anecdote along the same line. God put a giant boulder outside a man’s home and told the man to go outside and push the boulder every day. The man obeyed this for a year before he finally got frustrated and yelled at God about it. “You’ve been having me push this boulder for a year, but it still hasn’t budged! I cannot move this stupid boulder! Why do You have me doing this? I feel insane!” And then God answered, “I never meant for you to move that boulder. I wanted you to push on it so you would get stronger for the next task I have for you.”
"The Key to Knowing God’s Will" Kind Sir...your awesome Title...is one of THE greatest important wills; ... for pleasing God (who IS Jesus) IE: John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work (will) of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. Now in your bibles; the "will of God" is covered in a myriad number of verses; all over the bible. But the greatest "will and work" that God wants: is those who Believe IN Jesus. Who was God "manifest in the flesh" on this planet. And named Yeshua (in Hebrew, but "Jesus" in English). The most precious name ever uttered. Praise Jesus' Holy Name. 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh (Jesus), justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was within God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh (Jesus), and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. End of story and I rest me case... ...In any case kind Sir, Please Pray OFTEN and Praise Jesus OFTEN; for He is the ONLY true "God Almighty"; there will ever have been. And may Jesus bless you and yours always. AMEN!
@Liam Smith No! For did the thief on the cross repent? Huh? And Jesus told him, "You WILL be with me today, in Paradise". When the ONLY thing the thief did; was to say, "We belong here, But YOU don't" Meaning, the thief was saved! And did the rich man repent; when he said to Jesus, "All you have to do is to speak it. And it shall be done". And Jesus said, "In all of Jerusalem; I have never seen such Faith". Meaning the rich man was saved! Yet God "repented" twice; for almost annihilating every Israelite/Jew on this planet. So WHAT sin did God commit? HUH? And when did God (who IS Jesus) get saved? Pray tell! HUH?
Yes there is only one God... Hear ohh Israel the lord is one is the great command!!! The Father in creation the Son in redemption and the Spirit in sanctification ...One God three Glorious Roles... When you see Jesus you see the Father. One person not" person's " singular not plural even Job said in the book of Job will you believe His person?? There is one throne not three in heaven.. Jesus is at the right hand of God. Right hand means power so that intrepets is that Jesus is in power and on the throne... Not literally sitting next to the Father as many falsely believe. Baptize in the name Father Son Holy Ghost not literally baptize in this way ... Paul got acts 2:38 baptize only in the name Jesus His name means Salvation matt 28:19 what is the son name it's Jesus so baptize in the name of the son... If not you won't be saved or recurve His glorious spirit wake up people!!!!!!!
With an abundance of manuscripts there ought to be variants and at least one of them are verses recorded or not recorded. Other versions of bibles place a cliff note on a verse to show something is from other manuscripts recorded.
so what about perspective..I believe how we see something or someone effects everything we do, think, say . believe ... if our perspective is messed up somehow by someone or something .and makes us see something that is good as bad or vise versa ... where does the free will part play in that..cause choice requires knowledge knowing both sides of the coin. another thing is knowledge is like book smarts but wisdom is like experience . and understanding is to know it fully understanding to me is that same thing as wisdom.
Well, what you are talking about is one of the most important parts of Christianity. The idea of truth verses lies. God says thing are this way, our heart says it is this way. Fact is God is true and every man is a liar without him. So we understand that our perception is faulty as a matter of birth, not because of true information. Edit: it is then because of a lack lf knowledge that someone would choose something that is not God. Knowledge is of the Holy, it begins and ends with God.
I believe Piper is wrong. Those outside of Christ perceive the attributes of God as good… they are not blind to who God truly is. The difference between those who know God through creation only and those who know God spiritually, is not in how God appears to them, but in how He is responded to by them. There is no scriptural reason to believe that those outside of Christ are blind to the wonderful goodness and praiseworthiness of God. Further, it is our response to God that determines whether our hearts will be darkened, and whether or not we will be made fools. Our response is the determining factor. Choose wisely. If you respond without giving thanks, and without expressing acknowledgement, this will be multiplied in your heart. If you give thanks and acknowledge yourself in the proper place under God, you will begin to grow in wisdom and understanding. God measures to us with the measure we use to respond to what we have been shown or told.
@@HearGodsWord Romans 1:19 clearly states that what is known of God was made manifest to them (all people). This would include His goodness and praiseworthiness. There is no initial blindness to God’s goodness; quite the opposite. It goes on to say that they did not thank Him or honor Him, and therefore their hearts were darkened. There is an order of events; the darkening occurring as a response to their response to God. Mark 4:24 says that with the measure you use, God will use to measure to you. This is regarding our response to what we hear from God. Faith can be grown, and hardness/darkness of heart can be increased. These things are demonstrated throughout Scripture.
I have come to believe that this is true, though with a slight difference. People understand that the attributes of God are good, but they don't ascribe them to God. If they do, they only do it to the effect that they should recieve, not so that they might give him his measure of glory, praise, honor, or thanksgiving. What they are beholding then, if they don't see that these things belong to God, are idols, made to look like the good things of God. Love becomes a place where even the imperfect can say they love people and defile love by it. Joy becomes a way to excuse evil deeds and selfishness. Peace, in true prophetic power from the Lord, becomes about circumstance or the people in your life, rather than a heart, mind, and soul that are settles on God.
Also, if they had known him they would not have slain him, thus implying that seeing Christ for who he is, is the same as giving him due reverence and fealty. Someone in the world, who "sees" the attributes of God, only sees what they can recieve of God not God himself. Still truly blind to the goodness of God because they don't understand the holiness of God.
@@xavierthomas5835 The reason the Bible says they are “inexcusable” is because they did know what was to be known about God. “having known God they did not glorify Him as God, nor gave thanks, …” They knew God. They did not glorify God. It’s right there in Romans 1:21.
The Gospel: Plain and Simple “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” - 2 Corithians 11:3 Ask someone today if they are saved and you will most likely hear responses like these: “I have accepted Jesus into my heart.” Or “I have made him Lord of my life.” “I’ve been baptized.” “I said a prayer.” Sounds all good and churchy don’t it; but it is difficult to de-termine whether or not a person actually knows the gospel that saves them. These useless phrases don’t describe a thing about what the gospel is and has left a devastating effect of people not knowing what it is that they are saved from nor how they are saved; which leaves a more serious effect of people questioning their salvation. Let’s not muddy the simplicity of salvation that is in Christ with vague church sounding phrases that do not communicate anything. But rather present God’s word with clarity and assuredness. So here is the gospel: plain and simple. Sin was passed upon all men by one man Adam, and death is a consequence of this sin (Rom 5:12). Mankind has an eternal destiny of condemnation and wrath - Hell - because of this sin (Rom 6:23). No matter what good works one might do we are still found sinners in the sight of our Creator God. And all unrighteousness and those who follow get indignation and wrath. We cannot be found righteous for by God’s law we are found sinners (Rom 3:19-20). If we have broken even one law we are found guilty. It is for this reason of not being able to create our own righteousness and being born in a sinful flesh that we need a savior (Titus 3:5). Christ is that Savior, God manifested in the flesh, sinless, died in our place on a cross 2000 years ago. Taking upon him the wrath and judgement that was intended for us sinners. And it is through his bloodshed, burial, and resurrection on our behalf that we are able to have peace with God and forgiveness of our sins (1 Cor 15:1-4, Col 3:14). This good news is unto all but only those that believe in it are made righteous in Christ (Romans 3:22). It is then after we have heard this good news of Christ’s righteousness available to us freely, that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and we are now part of Christ’s body the church (Eph 1:13) There is nothing that we need to do, no good works that are required, and no bad works that can separate us from our new position in Christ (Romans 8:35-39). Faith and belief in this information from God’s word is the gospel. The gospel is not accepting Jesus into your heart. The gospel is not making him lord of your life, it is not saying a prayer and it is not being baptized with water. So next time someone asks you if you are saved. Give them the clear assured answer “Yes! And let me tell you why!” Find more free resources at: www.graceambassadors.com
Knowledge is recall of what God Said. Understanding is seeing the connection between that truth and ourselves. Wisdom is successfully applying knowledge and understanding to achieve the glory of God.
@Liam Smith yes. Repenting is admitting that you need change your attitude and behavior, let God say what is best and then try your hardest to do that. You don't have to be perfect but you do have to try and be committed.
I feel intense joy in hearing the voice of John Piper. I don’t think he can comprehend just how precious his ministry is to his listeners. I thank God for you!
help us to know and do your will Lord
He tells you many ways. The key, love everyone unconditionally and forgive all things forever. Main keys. ❤❤😊
I really enjoy listening to Pastor John. He makes everything so much clearer.
@Liam Smith Every day. But not because I so called "have to", but because I want to. I want to walk closer to God, so I repent at least everyday. He is closer to me than I am to myself. God bless us all.
@Liam Smith Not sure. I wouldn't think so.
@Liam Smith I appreciate the conversation because it challenges me to think, so thank you. Eventhough I have been baptized, I don't believe it is necessary for salvation. I have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I believe he died for my sins, I believe he rose from the dead. I believe God always has my best interest at heart in all matters and in all ways. I believe that he performs works in me through the Holy Spirit. Keep well and thanks again.
@Liam Smith
You seem to be asking everybody the same question.
Either you already know the answer and is simply challenging people with what they know, or you want to catch people who don’t know so you can respond with a great answer. Either way, you already know.
Because if you didn’t know the answer, you would have submitted it to Pastor John instead.
So, to be always be ready to defend the faith, let me try to answer you with what I know and understand
(May God give me knowledge, patience and strength)
Firstly, God’s salvation is freely given and not because of one’s works.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one is to boast.
This salvation, although is given as a gift from God as his grace, it has a condition. We must “believe” in his Son.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
We must also “obey” the Son. The Son who is Jesus
John the Baptist said in
John 3:36 (ESV)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him
Jesus re-affirms this in John 3:16-21
Here in John 3, it says we must “obey” the Son, who is Jesus
So, what did Jesus say regarding repentance? Let see these scriptures:
A) Matthew 4:17 - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand
B) Luke 5:32 - I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
C) Luke 13: 3, 5 - Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish
And finally
D) Matthew 12:41 - The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Conclusion: Our salvation is not due to our works of repentance but it is a freely given gift from God and it is given through “faith”. We need to believe in Jesus and obey his teachings. Jesus calls us to repentance.
If you need more than this, please check out Ask Pastor John Q&A (filter repent) and also Desiring God - Thoughts on Jesus’s Demand to Repent.
@Liam Smith
Regarding your question about - Does Acts 2:38 show that someone has to baptise you in order for God to save you?
Here are some counter questions?
Was John the Baptist saved? If so, who baptised him?
Was Jesus sinful that he needed to repent and be baptised by John the Baptist?
(Jesus was without sin and he explained His reason to be baptised in Matthew 3:13-17. Jesus replied, Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness)
Why did Jesus say to the thief who was on the cross Luke 23:42 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise”. Did the thief get baptised in water?
So, you can see. Baptism like Repentance are works. Works does not give us God’s salvation; and baptism and repentance are acts of righteousness.
Firstly, God’s salvation is freely given and not because of one’s works.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one is to boast.
This salvation, although is given as a gift from God as his grace, it has a condition. We must “believe” in his Son.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
We must also “obey” the Son. The Son who is Jesus
John the Baptist said in
John 3:36 (ESV)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him
Jesus re-affirms this in John 3:16-21
Here in John 3, it says we must “obey” the Son, who is Jesus
So, what did Jesus say regarding repentance? Let see these scriptures:
A) Matthew 4:17 - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand
B) Luke 5:32 - I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
C) Luke 13: 3, 5 - Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish
And finally
D) Matthew 12:41 - The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Conclusion: Our salvation is not due to our works of repentance but it is a freely given gift from God and it is given through “faith”. We need to believe in Jesus and obey his teachings. Jesus calls us to repentance.
If you need more than this, please check out Ask Pastor John Q&A (filter repent) and also Desiring God - Thoughts on Jesus’s Demand to Repent.
Wonderful and beautiful break down of the verses. Blessed Love and Peace.
Thank you Lord for this lesson. 😇🙏
@Liam Smith
You seem to be asking everybody the same question.
Either you already know the answer and is simply challenging people with what they know, or you want to catch people who don’t know so you can respond with a great answer. Either way, you already know.
Because if you didn’t know the answer, you would have submitted it to Pastor John instead.
So, to be always be ready to defend the faith, let me try to answer you with what I know and understand
(May God give me knowledge, patience and strength)
Firstly, God’s salvation is freely given and not because of one’s works.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one is to boast.
This salvation, although is given as a gift from God as his grace, it has a condition. We must “believe” in his Son.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
We must also “obey” the Son. The Son who is Jesus
John the Baptist said in
John 3:36 (ESV)
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him
Jesus re-affirms this in John 3:16-21
Here in John 3, it says we must “obey” the Son, who is Jesus
So, what did Jesus said regarding repentance? Let see these scriptures:
A) Matthew 4:17 - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand
B) Luke 5:32 - I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
C) Luke 13: 3, 5 - Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish
And finally
D) Matthew 12:41 - The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Conclusion: Our salvation is not due to our works of repentance but it is a freely given gift from God and it is given through “faith”. We need to believe in Jesus and obey his teachings. Jesus calls us to repentance.
If you need more than this, please check out Ask Pastor John Q&A (filter repent) and also Desiring God - Thought on Jesus’s Demand to Repent.
The Lord is coming, the season is now! Amen. God is merciful. He always forgives. Never be ashamed to take your failures to him. He is for you, not against you! God is with you in the storm. He knows your troubles, he hears you! He is for you, on your side, always! It may feel silent at times, but he’s holding you close! May the Lord return soon! We are drawing closer. He is coming! Believe and trust in the Lord, you will be saved. Period. May the Lord bless you all! Hang in there family. Stay strong. It is not easy following the Lord. We are scoffed at. We give up our earthly dreams, our fleshly desires. What the enemy offers is short lived, but heaven is forever! Life may seem or be unfair, but God is with you! Always remember that. Things may get better or worse for you, but a kingdom awaits you! Finish the race! Repent daily and carry your cross. This world is fading fast. Your troubles are temporary! New channel here, I’d appreciate any kind of support. Don’t give up! God loves you so much! So do I. The Lord bless you!!
@Liam Smith Absolutely. It goes hand in hand with belief in Jesus Christ. To be saved you must believe in Jesus, that in itself is a form of repentance. After that you live your life like Christ did. You will fail and sin, if one says otherwise the Bible says they are lying, you’ll never be perfect, however we are to strive for it always in all we do. To be saved believe in Jesus Christ, with that comes a new heart, new intentions, you’ll have a change of thought about sin, you will see the world and sin through the eyes of the savior. God bless you!!
@Liam Smith I really hope your heart is genuine in these questions. A lot of times people ask things to set someone up to only then say what they know, and they want to hear themselves be correct. Forgive me if that’s not the case and if you are asking genuinely from your heart I will tell you from the Father I know and my heart. A lot will say yes you must but from the God I know the answer is no you don’t have to, you absolutely should get baptized for it is an outward expression of your love for him not to mention it feels incredible, it’s always a beautiful moment for all involved. To make it clear, to be saved, you must believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ. When you do so, you have already been baptized in the spirit, like the man on the cross who didn’t have time to dip himself in water. That’s why I always say God knows our heart, he knows if we are for him or not. Be for him. Believe in Jesus and you will be saved, period. God bless you!!
@Liam Smith That’s one of my favorite verses. So simple is salvation. To answer your question, if that was the only verse I had to go by, I would personally say yes, then I read the rest of the book, not just a single line but all of the word in context, and realized quickly that is not the case. For example if I just went by one line or one verse instead of the one you posted it could also be only this
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Go read and find your Father, it’s best to search for him yourself then to ask others, that’s what I always do, I never listen to others but rather the word itself, best advice I can give you. For example if by reading that verse your heart tells you that’s what you need to do, then absolutely do what your heart tells you, and don’t listen to nobody else, but the voice in your heart when reading the word specifically. There comes a time when you realize who God is, his very nature. God bless you!
God bless you so much
This morning reading Psalms. David said he wouldn't rest until he found a place for God's tabernacle. Should we be doing that today? Like in a metaphorical way. Should we have the same zeal about making a place in our hearts for God's tabernacle?
Yes, see Revelation 3:20:
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
The Lord wants us to make room in our hearts for us to hold deep communion with Him. In other words, let us be on guard against satan, persistent in prayer for greater revelation of this communion, and not be at rest until we experience this - doing all we can to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
@Liam Smith yup
Awesomeness
@Liam Smith yes
I will be join tomorrow
Knowing and following God's will
- The key to knowing and following God's will is presented as having spiritual understanding and wisdom.
- Three words are discussed: knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
- These terms overlap and are not precise like objects.
- The passage in Colossians 1:9 is analyzed, where Paul prays for believers to be filled with the knowledge of God's will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. The idea of seeing God's glory and making choices in harmony with reality is highlighted.
As much as I love and respect him, God’s will has been the greatest weakness in Piper’s ministry. Only a few have professed God’s will: Jesus, Kierkegaard, and Buddha. There’s probably others, but few are willing to profess it. It’s very clear what God’s will is. The word said that the universe professes it. And if you know his greater will, you will understand the smaller will in your life.
I am glad to find that you have this also in your heart brother. If you font understand, trust that God will make you understand, and he won't call you a fool or slow for trusting in him to let you know.
@@xavierthomas5835 The Spirit has certainly revealed to me his will. Living out that will fully day to day is the greater challenge.
@@astheskylarksings I have it on good authority that knowing is the entire battle. And ye shall k lw the truth and the truth shall set you free.
@@xavierthomas5835 amen 🙏
I’m looking to know God’s will firmly. I believe it is in the area of God’s glory. Please correct me if I am wrong.
There were two times in my younger years, from approximately 19 to 23 years of age, where I was seeking God with all of my being, was totally committed to holiness and God’s word and thought I knew 100% what God’s will was for my future and the direction He wanted me to head in life. I also had several uncanny confirmations of these two life direction promptings and guidance and in the end I was absolutely completely 180 degrees wrong on both counts of where I thought God was leading me. So what does one do with an experience like I had. Ever since then (I’m currently 44 years old) I probably never have more than 20% confidence in anything I think GOD is leading me to do so what does one do with that experience???
I am sorry to hear that, but I also have to ask, do you seek Gods will for your sake or for His sake? I believe God still speaks to you and is not dependent on how holy you are because the holiness you have is a gift given by him. Test everything up against Gods word and character, but be free to walk in faith to seek Gods will. Ask God why this experience happened, and ask God to see how Hi is good in everything he does, how He is wiser than anything you can imagine and how everything works out for His glory.
It is my understanding that what God "wants" and/or "commands" someone to do is not always what He sovereignly ordains to happen.
That is *not* to say that going against what He has commanded you is not sin, but it is to say that He has a grander purpose behind every ordinance while also being sorrowful about an individual outcome.
For instance someone may get cancer; that makes Him sad. But He has a reason for ordaining said cancer when looking at the grand scheme of things that only He can see, and that He *delights* in.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Romans 8:35 NIV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV
So sorry for your situation it can be very painful and miserable at times. We love to do God's will but we should not forget we have an adversary, the devil. He uses deception in our minds to doubt God's goodness and direction in our lives especially in difficulty. So we need to put up the shield faith! Or we will be disarmed and become ineffective. May the Lord fill your heart with joy.
@Liam Smith
For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Romans 9:15-16 NIV
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:9-13 NIV
First of all God saving you is as a result of His mercy. If God has not purposed in His providence to save you, you will never repent. The fact that a person desires to repent is even a merciful work of God. To even confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart is not an intellectual exercise. It is the working of the Holy Spirit. This is cause to be soooo grateful that your name is in the book of life. This is the good news of God's grace. In that whole process we then become aware of our sins and shortcomings so we repent and choose to follow Jesus.
I don’t think I fully understand your story without more details. But it does remind me of an experience my husband had years ago before we knew each other. He was single and looking. He liked a certain gal at church. He asked God if he could pursue her. God gave him a yes. He asked the girl out. She ultimately turned him down. He was very confused even to the point that he sought counseling. He struggled with depression. It took him a while to understand why and how God would say ‘yes’ to him asking out that girl when…she just turned him down. Perhaps you can imagine why. He came to realize that he gave his ask with an unspoken and then unmet expectation in his question. Of course, he could ask a girl out. Big deal? Does it matter that she wasn’t his wife in the long run? The experience caused him to grow, and that’s the point. It wasn’t about him getting what he wanted. It was about getting what was good for him. Growth.
That reminds me of a much shorter anecdote along the same line. God put a giant boulder outside a man’s home and told the man to go outside and push the boulder every day. The man obeyed this for a year before he finally got frustrated and yelled at God about it. “You’ve been having me push this boulder for a year, but it still hasn’t budged! I cannot move this stupid boulder! Why do You have me doing this? I feel insane!” And then God answered, “I never meant for you to move that boulder. I wanted you to push on it so you would get stronger for the next task I have for you.”
"The Key to Knowing God’s Will"
Kind Sir...your awesome Title...is one of THE greatest important wills; ...
for pleasing God (who IS Jesus) IE: John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work (will) of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Now in your bibles; the "will of God" is covered in a myriad number of verses; all over the bible. But the greatest "will and work" that God wants: is those who Believe IN Jesus. Who was God "manifest in the flesh" on this planet. And named Yeshua (in Hebrew, but "Jesus" in English). The most precious name ever uttered. Praise Jesus' Holy Name.
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh (Jesus), justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was within God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh (Jesus), and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
End of story and I rest me case...
...In any case kind Sir, Please Pray OFTEN and Praise Jesus OFTEN; for He is the ONLY true "God Almighty"; there will ever have been. And may Jesus bless you and yours always. AMEN!
@Liam Smith No! For did the thief on the cross repent? Huh? And Jesus told him, "You WILL be with me today, in Paradise". When the ONLY thing the thief did; was to say, "We belong here, But YOU don't"
Meaning, the thief was saved!
And did the rich man repent; when he said to Jesus, "All you have to do is to speak it. And it shall be done".
And Jesus said, "In all of Jerusalem; I have never seen such Faith". Meaning the rich man was saved!
Yet God "repented" twice; for almost annihilating every Israelite/Jew on this planet. So WHAT sin did God commit? HUH?
And when did God (who IS Jesus) get saved? Pray tell!
HUH?
Heretic
Yes there is only one God... Hear ohh Israel the lord is one is the great command!!! The Father in creation the Son in redemption and the Spirit in sanctification ...One God three Glorious Roles... When you see Jesus you see the Father. One person not" person's " singular not plural even Job said in the book of Job will you believe His person?? There is one throne not three in heaven.. Jesus is at the right hand of God. Right hand means power so that intrepets is that Jesus is in power and on the throne... Not literally sitting next to the Father as many falsely believe. Baptize in the name Father Son Holy Ghost not literally baptize in this way ... Paul got acts 2:38 baptize only in the name Jesus His name means Salvation matt 28:19 what is the son name it's Jesus so baptize in the name of the son... If not you won't be saved or recurve His glorious spirit wake up people!!!!!!!
The only way to know God and His will is to read His mind.
❤️❤️❤️
Can you explain why there are verses missing in different versions of the Bible? Like Matthew 23: 14
With an abundance of manuscripts there ought to be variants and at least one of them are verses recorded or not recorded. Other versions of bibles place a cliff note on a verse to show something is from other manuscripts recorded.
so what about perspective..I believe how we see something or someone effects everything we do, think, say . believe ...
if our perspective is messed up somehow by someone or something .and makes us see something that is good as bad or vise versa ... where does the free will part play in that..cause choice requires knowledge knowing both sides of the coin.
another thing is knowledge is like book smarts but wisdom is like experience .
and understanding is to know it fully understanding to me is that same thing as wisdom.
Well, what you are talking about is one of the most important parts of Christianity. The idea of truth verses lies. God says thing are this way, our heart says it is this way. Fact is God is true and every man is a liar without him. So we understand that our perception is faulty as a matter of birth, not because of true information.
Edit: it is then because of a lack lf knowledge that someone would choose something that is not God. Knowledge is of the Holy, it begins and ends with God.
I believe Piper is wrong. Those outside of Christ perceive the attributes of God as good… they are not blind to who God truly is. The difference between those who know God through creation only and those who know God spiritually, is not in how God appears to them, but in how He is responded to by them. There is no scriptural reason to believe that those outside of Christ are blind to the wonderful goodness and praiseworthiness of God.
Further, it is our response to God that determines whether our hearts will be darkened, and whether or not we will be made fools. Our response is the determining factor. Choose wisely. If you respond without giving thanks, and without expressing acknowledgement, this will be multiplied in your heart. If you give thanks and acknowledge yourself in the proper place under God, you will begin to grow in wisdom and understanding. God measures to us with the measure we use to respond to what we have been shown or told.
What scriptures support that opinion though?
@@HearGodsWord Romans 1:19 clearly states that what is known of God was made manifest to them (all people). This would include His goodness and praiseworthiness. There is no initial blindness to God’s goodness; quite the opposite. It goes on to say that they did not thank Him or honor Him, and therefore their hearts were darkened. There is an order of events; the darkening occurring as a response to their response to God.
Mark 4:24 says that with the measure you use, God will use to measure to you. This is regarding our response to what we hear from God. Faith can be grown, and hardness/darkness of heart can be increased. These things are demonstrated throughout Scripture.
I have come to believe that this is true, though with a slight difference. People understand that the attributes of God are good, but they don't ascribe them to God. If they do, they only do it to the effect that they should recieve, not so that they might give him his measure of glory, praise, honor, or thanksgiving. What they are beholding then, if they don't see that these things belong to God, are idols, made to look like the good things of God. Love becomes a place where even the imperfect can say they love people and defile love by it. Joy becomes a way to excuse evil deeds and selfishness. Peace, in true prophetic power from the Lord, becomes about circumstance or the people in your life, rather than a heart, mind, and soul that are settles on God.
Also, if they had known him they would not have slain him, thus implying that seeing Christ for who he is, is the same as giving him due reverence and fealty. Someone in the world, who "sees" the attributes of God, only sees what they can recieve of God not God himself. Still truly blind to the goodness of God because they don't understand the holiness of God.
@@xavierthomas5835 The reason the Bible says they are “inexcusable” is because they did know what was to be known about God. “having known God they did not glorify Him as God, nor gave thanks, …”
They knew God. They did not glorify God. It’s right there in Romans 1:21.
Why does he always beat around the bush so much and take so long to get to the point? He does this in his sermons alot as well.
He likes to obfuscate.
We have need to be patient then, if we desire to hear the end of his conversation.
The Gospel:
Plain and
Simple
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent
beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your
minds should be corrupted from the simplicity
that is in Christ.” - 2 Corithians 11:3
Ask someone today if they are saved and
you will most likely hear responses like these:
“I have accepted Jesus into my heart.” Or “I
have made him Lord of my life.” “I’ve been
baptized.” “I said a prayer.” Sounds all good
and churchy don’t it; but it is difficult to de-termine whether or not a person actually
knows the gospel that saves them. These useless phrases don’t describe a thing about what
the gospel is and has left a devastating effect
of people not knowing what it is that they are
saved from nor how they are saved; which
leaves a more serious effect of people questioning their salvation.
Let’s not muddy the simplicity of salvation that is in Christ with vague church
sounding phrases that do not communicate
anything. But rather present God’s word with
clarity and assuredness. So here is the gospel:
plain and simple.
Sin was passed upon all men by one man
Adam, and death is a consequence of this sin
(Rom 5:12). Mankind has an eternal destiny of
condemnation and wrath - Hell - because of
this sin (Rom 6:23). No matter what good
works one might do we are still found sinners
in the sight of our Creator God. And all unrighteousness and those who follow get indignation and wrath. We cannot be found
righteous for by God’s law we are found sinners (Rom 3:19-20). If we have broken even
one law we are found guilty.
It is for this reason of not being able to
create our own righteousness and being born
in a sinful flesh that we need a savior (Titus
3:5). Christ is that Savior, God manifested in
the flesh, sinless, died in our place on a cross
2000 years ago. Taking upon him the wrath
and judgement that was intended for us sinners. And it is through his bloodshed, burial,
and resurrection on our behalf that we are
able to have peace with God and forgiveness
of our sins (1 Cor 15:1-4, Col 3:14). This good
news is unto all but only those that believe in
it are made righteous in Christ (Romans
3:22).
It is then after we have heard this good
news of Christ’s righteousness available to us freely, that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit
and we are now part of Christ’s body the
church (Eph 1:13)
There is nothing that we need to do, no
good works that are required, and no bad
works that can separate us from our new position in Christ (Romans 8:35-39).
Faith and belief in this information from
God’s word is the gospel.
The gospel is not accepting Jesus into your
heart. The gospel is not making him lord of
your life, it is not saying a prayer and it is not
being baptized with water.
So next time someone asks you if you are
saved. Give them the clear assured answer
“Yes! And let me tell you why!”
Find more free resources at:
www.graceambassadors.com
Thank you!