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alaric_w

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alaric_w last won the day on January 27 2019

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  1. I see it this way, God gives fair standing ground to everyone. But God created time and is outside of time. So God is able to see everything that will happen from the beginning to the end. Because of this fore knowledge, God already knew who is for him and who will be against him. So God gave favor to those who will choose him. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
  2. 1) The Lord does not look at physical strength, wealth or intelligence Jacob and Esau were twin brothers. Esau was physical strong and looked manly with hair covering all over his body. An expert in hunting and was deem a better choice than Jacob in the eyes of the world. Jacob was a mild and looked weak. He does not love to do what a male was supposed to do like hunting. Instead, he loves cooking which was usually done by female. 2) The Lord favor those who seek his blessing over physical (possession of world gains) Esau regards physical pleasure, possession and current needs as more important than future promise and blessings. a) He sold his birth right to Jacob just to fill his empty stomach. (Genesis 25:29-32) b) His anger toward Jacob for stealing his firstborn blessing dissipated because Jacob left, and Esau received all his father possessions. When Jacob came back to meet Esau, Esau was no longer angry and did not kill him. (Genesis 33) Jacob seeks the Lord’s promises and blessing even though it is through the flesh (his own human effort) which is deceit and craftiness. a) He seeks the Lord’s blessing for him and his descendants through deceit by deceiving his father. (Genesis 27) b) He wrestled with God for his blessing (Genesis 32:22) Before Jacob and Esau were born, the Lord said to Isaac’s wife Rebekah: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23) One people shall be stronger (Esau) than the other (Jacob) – The descendants of Esau will be stronger And the older (Esau) shall serve the younger (Jacob) – But in the end, the descendants of Esau will serve the descendants of Jacob Therefore, final victory belongs to whom the Lord favors. To those who are weak, poor and un-intelligent. Do not lose heart, but if you seek the Lord and solely depend on him. He will surely lift you up above the strong in the world at the right time. Ecclesiastes 9:11 The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
  3. There are people who tried to use the law to earn their salvation. But God showed me this. Do you know the Litmus Test is used to identify acid (acidity) and base (alkalinity)? If the Litmus paper turn red, it is an acid. If it turn blue it is a base. The law is the same as the Litmus test. Everyone is born a sinner but they do not know it. So God put the 10 commandments as a Litmus test to show us that we are all sinners. If you break any of the 10 commandments even once in your life, then you know you are a sinner. The law is not meant to save but just as a means to identify sinners. By obeying the 10 commandments and sin lesser does NOT turn you from a sinner into a righteous saint. Just like the Litmus test, an acid is identify when it turn red. Regardless how red (very red or pinky light red) it turn the litmus paper, it is still an acid. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
  4. Written by Alaric_w as a secretary for the Holy Spirit. I did not intend to write this but this comes as a reply for a youtube video and it turned out so good even without any thinking or planning. It just flow out effortlessly. A few days later, I felt a prompting to post it online as a tread. So here it is.
  5. Repentance is to change your mind with regards to the worldly way to obtain salvation. What is the worldly way to obtain salvation? The worldly way of salvation is to stop sinning and do more good works to be qualify for God's acceptance. But according to God, no sinner can enter heaven. Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. That includes sinner who by their own definition has stopped sinning (in reality, no sinner can stop sinning in action or thought). A sinner who is able to sin less and do a lot of good works, is just a well behaved sinner. A sinner is still a sinner regardless whether he is sinning less and did a lot of good works. No amount of good works or committing less sin will change the status of a sinner into a saint. True repentance is to understand that a sinner cannot save himself because nobody can change their sinner status through good works or committing less sins. The only way to change the sinner status is to accept Jesus' payment for our sins and to be BORN AGAIN (made into a new creation). 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
  6. 1) Knowing our condition and stop pretending in front of God Matthew 21:28-31 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” The first son knows he is a rebel and does not pretend in front of his father. Because he already knows what he is and what he done is wrong, he is able to repent and do what is right. The second son believed that he can please his father by pretending to be good and obedient in front of his father. In doing so, he deceived himself lived in his own illusion thinking that his father is pleased with him (in fact, his father is not) 2) Being totally helpless gives us full access to his rest and grace If God ask you “Which part of your life and about yourself, you are think you have done well?” What would your answer be? I tithe faithfully without fail every month? I serve faithfully in the church? I have integrity as solid as a rock? I would give my life for God if he ask me to? If you see something or a part of you or your life worth mentioning to God, then you are like a Leper that has partial leprosy on his body and God declares that as unclean. But when a leper is covered with leprosy all over his skin from his head to his foot, God declares him clean. Leviticus 13 :12-13 “And if leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the one who has the sore, from his head to his foot, wherever the priest looks, then the priest shall consider; and indeed if the leprosy has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean who has the sore. It has all turned white. He is clean. The correct answer to God’s question is “There is nothing good in me that I can boost. But everything that is good in me comes from you. It is right that I gave back a tiny portion back to you as gratitude. People who truly understand and accept that they are 100% bad and helpless will receive super abounding grace and favour from God. They are also the one who find salvation first. Matthew 21:31 Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
  7. Depressed gentile: “We live in a hopeless world and I feel hopeless.” Wise man: “Yes, you are correct. You are on the losing team.” Depressed Christian: “We live in a hopeless world and I feel hopeless.” Wise man: “Yes you are correct. You have left your mind on the losing team.” Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Focus on the end where every Christian is a victor and receives rewards. Philippians 3:12-14 I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself. Of course, my friends, I really do not[a] think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above. We are already Kings and Queens who will rule with Christ forever. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
  8. We are born in a fallen body that will keep on sinning even if we do not want to. Romans 7:18-20 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Everyone is born a sinner (with compliment from Adam) and no sinner can enter heaven. It is our nature that prevent us from going to heaven, NOT what we do. We do what we do because of our nature. Romans 5:19 For as by one man's (Adam) disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous. Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. In order to enter heaven, we need to be righteous and sinless body (a new body that does not want to sin) Everyone who accepts Jesus as savior and trust in Jesus' finished work is enough to save them will receive Jesus' righteousness just as Jesus' received our sin and condemnation on the cross and paid fully for it. It is a divine exchange and a free gift for our benefit. 1 Corinthians 1:30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. As for our new and sinless body, we will receive it on the day of the rapture. 1 Corinthians 15:53-56 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. So do you still believe that a sinner can clean himself and go heaven? I do not think so. You can pretend and act like a saint but you are still a sinner by nature and nothing you do can change that. Only God can save us.
  9. Because of Adam's disobedience, we are born in Adam's fallen image and everyone is born a sinner. Evil is inside everyone. That is why a sinner can never save himself because a sinner cannot remove the "sinner status" by doing good works and we can only be save by Jesus' obedience. We did not earn condemnation by sinning, we sin because we are born sinners and we cannot earn salvation because our salvation is paid by Jesus and given to us as a free gift. Romans 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. God condemns the wick and help the righteous. Therefore, God cannot help us without dealing with our sin problem. That is why Jesus has to died for our sins in order to deal with the sin problem. With our sin problem out of the way, God is able to make us righteous. We cannot earn righteous, it is a gift from God. Romans 5:17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the FREE GIFT of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. With the sin problem out of the way, God is able to re-create us into a new creature without sin. Unless we are born again, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
  10. For a christian, there are two natures within them (The spiritual nature and the flesh nature). If you operate in the flesh, you will always be conscious about the DOs and DONT'S which is the law. The flesh itself is capable of doing good which can be seen in the charity work of non-Christians. If you use the flesh (human-willpower, determination, human endurance and perseverance) to fight the sinful desires of the flesh, you will always end up losing. As written in the bible about the flesh is nothing good comes from it. Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. But if a Christian operates in the spiritual nature which is the Holy Spirit, a Christian will not break any law even WITHOUT the conscious about the DOs and DONT'S which is the law. When Jesus said it is finished on the cross, he has put an end to the law to anyone who put his faith in Jesus and his finished work. Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Jesus has set us free from the law so that we can have a new nature which is of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. How to operate in the spirit? According to the bible, it is simply to walk in the Spirit. Which is to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and fill yourself with the love of God. Galatians 5:16-18 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
  11. Yes, i agree that even those who claim to be able to keep God's law cannot keep it at all. In my posting, I am referring to keeping God's law to earn salvation which is not possible because if it is possible then Jesus died in vain. Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
  12. God expect us to live a holy life through the Holy Spirit. But it can be imitated using human efforts which is temporary and after some time those who used human efforts will revert back to their sinful nature. Well, it is not our part to judge when we do not know what they really believed in.
  13. Hm...What is it about Methodist? I do not know much about them.
  14. Most Christians have this wrong understanding and believed that God gave the Law for us to follow. Before the death and resurrection of Jesus, everyone is living in the flesh and dead spiritually. Therefore, there is only one nature which man lived by which is the flesh. Man not knowing that they are sinful and can never please God, tried to perform good works to earn God's favor. Therefore God gave the Law and said: "Anyone who desire earn my favor and enter heaven must obey the Law without breaking any of the commandments." Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Galatians 5:3 If anyone wants to be righteous through the law, they have to obey the entire law James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. But God's true intention for giving the Law is to show man that they cannot keep his law because of their sinful nature. It is liken to God saying to a dead corpse "If you want to live, then show me that you can breathe." But it is impossible for a dead corpse to breathe. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, everyone who accepted Jesus is born again, filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit and made alive spiritually. At this point, a Christian has two natures. The nature of the sinful flesh that is the old man and nature of the Holy Spirit that is God's nature. If you know the flesh, you will know that it is capable of performing good works and evil desires. In the non-Christian community, do we not see people who contributed much to the society and others? However, God compare all the righteousness of sinful man as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. The other nature of a Christian is the nature the Holy Spirit that is God's nature which cannot sin. These two different nature within a Christian is constantly at war. Therefore Paul wrote that he discipline his body and bring it into subjection. 1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. How to know stop operating in the flesh? Step 1: Stop focusing on the Law and do not be sin conscious. Remember that God did not gave the Law for anyone to follow but rather to make all sinners aware that of their sinful nature and cannot save themselves by their own human effort or good works. If you continue to focus on the Law, you will strengthen the flesh to perform and more sins will be committed. 1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. Galatians 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. Step 2: Live in freedom from the Law and act according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If you believe that God cannot sin, what made you think you will commit sin when you are flowing with the Holy Spirit? Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Anyone who is alive will naturally breathe without being told to do so. Therefore if a Christian flows with the spirit, they live out the nature of God which is free from the Law and Sin. Therefore, I believe this is the reason why God do not want Christians to be conscious of the Law and Sin. A born again Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit will naturally obey the Law without effort or mindful of not breaking it.
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