Are There True Believers in the Church of Rome?

I believe there are true Christians in Roman Catholicism.  I believe they have the true grace of God that St. Paul spoke of in his writings.  They repent and believe the gospel on a regular basis.  I believe the same is true for the Greek Orthodox Christians. 

I think these people are saved in spite of their Church's teachings and because of the biblical gospel.  No one was ever saved apart from the biblical gospel.  All of us have the personal responsibility to repent of our sins and embrace the gospel of forgiveness.  However, the Cross is where Jesus died for our sinful selves.   He took complete and full responsibility for our sins at the Cross. 

The Cross is the center of the Christian faith.  It is where all hope lies and we must trust Jesus who died there.  There is no hope apart from the Cross.  The centrality of the Cross is key to living an honorable Christian life.  We must repent through the Cross of Christ alone. 

We are to add nothing to it.  The Cross is all-sufficient in how we are right with God.  However, Rome says that Mary suffered redemptively at the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I think it is biblical to say she indeed suffered but to say she suffered redemptively is a far cry from the biblical picture of Christ suffering at the Cross.  I think the moment we add something to the Cross we make it a false religion.  Amen.

Christ Prayed for Peter that his Faith May Not Fail

Luke 22:32 "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 

 

Peter's faith would never fail because Jesus Christ prayed for him.  Jesus Christ is God in human flesh and He is Jehovah who became man (John 1:14).  Jesus prayed for Peter so he would never lose his faith and that he would repent and strengthen his brothers in Christ.  Jesus prayed that Peter would repent and after he repented the last time in "once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."  I suggest to you that the prayers of Jesus matter for every elect Christian.  Jesus prays for us and He is the grounds for our assurance of spiritual salvation.  After we repent of our sins, we must strengthen our brothers in Christ.  Have we have failed to do this?  If we have, simply tell a brother in Christ what Jesus means to you.  There is no Christian who is not elect.  No one can take us away from Jesus Christ.  Jesus is dear to our hearts because of the Spirit of grace and the Word of wisdom.  May we never forget about the awesome grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer!  Amen.

The "Never" Statements in the Divine Scriptures

We learn in the book of Hebrews that God never leaves us nor forsakes us:

Hebrews 13:5 KJV 
⁵ Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

If God knows you that means He will never forsake you, but if you live in self-deception He does not know you because you are a worker of iniquity but only God knows the heart:

Matthew 7:23 KJV
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

We must understand for grace to be put in its proper place that it is stronger enough to keep us from falling away in an utter sense.  We know that God does not take His free Spirit away from us but He keeps us close to Him by his keeping and preserving grace.

Let us not live in self-deception but in a good conscience before God and man.  Amen.

 

Spiritual Salvation is of God Alone not Man

We are sealed by the Holy Spirit when we first believed (Ephesians 1:13) and we were begotten not by man's doing but by God (John 1:13).  Romans 1:11, 16 teach that  spiritual salvation is by God alone and not man.  Rome teaches it is by her sacraments,

"Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration...without which no one can enter the kingdom of God."   (1213, 1215).

The Bible teaches that spiritual salvation is not by works of righteousness but it is a free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).  Amen.

Good Works Demonstrate Our Faith

Good works demonstrate our Christian faith.  We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone because of Scripture alone.  

Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV
⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

In Jesus name, amen.  

True Repentance

I think true repentance is contrite and from the whole heart.  It is not repentance for fear of punishment.  I think Judas had this kind of repentance.  No one gets forgiven because of fear of punishment.  If you think about it, why should anyone fear punishment?  Jesus alone took our punishment upon the Cross.  There is a difference between besetting sins and habitual sins.  Besetting sins means that we sin but we repent afterwards.  Habitual sins means we sin and do not repent of our commission or omission of our sins.  In my opinion, this is also a definition between a true and false instructor of the written Word of God.

The OT and NT both speak plainly of repentance.  We must repent of our sins; however, repentance does not save nor is it meritorious; that is, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saves alone.  We will all have to give an account before God in what we have done in the body.

Here are some questions to think about: have you accurately repented?  Do you keep short accounts with God?  I think one step between rebellion and liberty is repentance.  If you repent of your sins, you have learned godliness and holiness; however, if you do not repent after sin you are in rebellion against God.  Here are some Scriptures on repentance:
  
Job 42:6
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Jeremiah 8:6
I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
Jeremiah 18:8
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
Jeremiah 31:19
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
Ezekiel 14:6
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Ezekiel 18:30
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Hosea 11:8
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
Matthew 3:2
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The Lamb Without Blemish

Below are verses on the sinlessness of the Lamb of God.   It means Jesus could not sin inwardly.   He was free from original sin and actual transgressions. 

1 Peter 1:19 KJV
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

John 8:46 KJV
Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Jesus died for our sins on the Cross.  He was the perfect substitute.  He became sin that we might be the righteousness of God in Him.  However, I do not think it means Jesus became an actual transgressor on the Cross.  The sin was applied to Him and that means He bore the weight of the sin of His people.  He paid their debt in full.  I believe my debt of sin was applied to Christ at Calvery.  He bore my punishment in my place and everyone else that He chose to die in their place.  If we take part in the Eucharist, we could reflect on the divine truth of God that Jesus died for us. 

Nehemiah 9:17 and Spiritual Pardon

We ought to acknowledge our sins before God; that is, that we have done wrong before God and man.  We ought to never cover up our sins.  We ought to regularly confess our sins to the Lord.  God through His Son will forgive our iniquity.  The Lord our God is ready to forgive!  He is ready to pardon!  He will surely forgive those particular people who come to Him by faith and with the grace of humility.   

CH Spurgeon wrote,

David's grief for sin was bitter. Its effects were visible on his outward frame: His bones wasted away; his strength dried up like the drought of summer. He was unable to find a remedy until he made a full confession before the throne of heavenly grace. He tells us that for a time he kept silent, and his heart was filled with grief and his lips with groaning: Like a mountain stream that is blocked, his soul was swollen with torrents of sorrow. He created excuses, he tried to divert his thoughts, but it was all to no purpose; like a festering sore his anguish gathered, and, unwilling to use the scalpel of confession, his spirit was tormented and knew no peace.

At last it came to this, that he must return to God in humble penitence or die outright; so he hurried to the mercy-seat and there unrolled the volume of his iniquities before the all-seeing God, acknowledging all the evil of his ways in the terms of the Fifty-first and other penitential Psalms. Having confessed, a task so simple and yet so hard for the proud, he immediately received the token of divine forgiveness; the bones that had been wasted were made to rejoice, and he emerged from his prayers to sing the joyful songs of the one whose transgression is forgiven.

Do you see the value of this grace-led confession of sin? It is to be prized above everything, for in every case where there is a genuine, gracious confession, mercy is freely given—not because the repentance and confession deserve mercy, but for Christ's sake. May God be praised, there is always healing for the broken heart; the fountain is ever flowing to cleanse us from our sins. Truly, O Lord, You are a God "ready to forgive."¹ Therefore will we humbly acknowledge our iniquities.

Incarnate Jehovah: Some Verses on the Deity of Jesus Christ

Here are verses that support Jesus Christ as Incarnate Jehovah.  That is, Jesus is God in human flesh (John 1:14).

John 8:58 KJV

⁵⁸ Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

^{Colossians 1:9-20 KJV  
9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
¹⁰ That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
¹¹ Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
¹² Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Philippians 2:5-11 KJV 
⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus Chose Us Before We Chose Him

Jesus Christ chose us in Him before time.  We did not chose Him but He first chose us.  We may fall into sin but Jesus is there ready to forgive.  We ought to never give up.   We ought to stand by Jesus in the gospel.  The simplicity of the gospel is that Jesus chose us first because we had moral inability to choose Him. Here is the gospel Scriptures,
 
John 13:18 
I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. 
John 15:16 
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 
John 15:19 
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20-Points On Exposing Roman Catholicism

There is a difference between what the Bible teaches and what Rome teaches.  Lets briefly look at the contrast on the doctrine of Jesus in part:

1.  The Bible declares that Jesus alone is the Savior of all kinds of men.

2. The Bible declares that Jesus saved us not because of righteous deeds but because of His mercy.

3.  Rome teaches that Jesus merely opened heaven to us.

4.  Rome teaches that grace and good works are things to attain spiritual salvation.

5.  The Bible proclaims that Jesus alone is the sinless Redeemer.

6.  We are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ alone.

7.  Rome teaches that Mary is also a sinless co-redeemer.

8.  Rome teaches that Mary did not have a single sin to retrain her.

9.  Rome teaches she gave herself entirely to the person and work of her Son.

10.  Rome teaches she served in the mystery of redemption with her Son.

11.  Rome teaches that she was obedient she became the cause of her salvation for herself and mankind.

12.  The Bible teaches that there is one mediator between God and man.

13.   Rome teaches that Mary is our Advocate and Mediatrix.

14.  Rome teaches that she has a saving office as our Helper.

15.   The Bible teaches that Jesus expiates sin in Romans 3:25.

16.  Rome teaches that the sins of the saints are expiated in purgatory.

17.  The Bible teaches that Jesus finished the work of redemption.

18.  Rome teaches that the atonement of Jesus continues and repeated.

19.  The Bible teaches that the gospel is the life, death, burial and resurrection of Christ alone.

20.  Rome teaches that the Roman Church is a requirement for spiritual salvation. 

Are We Living A Right Life Before God?

We must ask ourselves and one another, are we living a right life before God and man?  Have we lived a life of holiness, godliness and uprightness?  Are we walking in line with Christ as we ought to walk?  Have we surrendered our lives to Christ and in submission to Him alone? 

Colossians 2:6 KJV
⁶ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
 1 Chronicles 29:17 KJV
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
 Job 1:1 KJV
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
 Job 1:8 KJV
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
 Job 2:3 KJV
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
 Psalm 7:10 KJV
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
 Galatians 2:14 KJV
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Does Jesus Cleanse Us From our Sins?

Rome speaks of purification to enter the joy of heaven,

"...all who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified...undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven."  (CCC 1030).

The Bible speaks about Jesus who cleansed us from our sins who seat down at His seat at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 1:3).  Christ also presents us holy, and without reproach and blame (Colossians 1:22). 

Being A Christian: The Elect of God

To be a Christian means you know you are forgiven.  We possess the forgiveness of sins as the elect of God.  We are assured that our sins are forgiven.  We have been chosen by God through His Son by His Spirit.  We know whom we have believed. 

Everyone who is born of God is of the elect.  We are born of God by the Spirit of God and the Word of God.  He gives us a new heart and takes out the heart of stone.  We are given a heart of glory when we die unto perfection that no longer sins. 

We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  His blood is all-sufficient, all-true, all-necessary and all-powerful to conquer sin in our lives.  We never are out of His hands.  We are securely in His hands that never breaks apart or opens up so we would be on our own.  We are the elect of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Redeemer.  Amen.

Salvation, Merit and Grace

We ought to understand that spiritual salvation is undeserved and by grace alone.  Christians are undeservedly justified by His grace (see Romans 3:24).  We are not justified by our works but by grace alone (Romans 11:6).  Rome denies that we are undeservedly justified in God's sight.  She adds personal "merit" to save the soul of a human being.

Rome denies the all-sufficiency of God's grace alone.  They speak about the graces needed to be right with God but add merit for themselves "to attain eternal life" (CCC 2027).  Eternal life is only through the life and death of Christ alone; that is, this is the all-necessary and all-sufficient merit needed to enter eternal life.  Amen.

Do You Repent of Your Sins?

We must all give an account of our lives before God in the final Day of Judgment.  We must all answer for our sins but what are we to say?  Yes, we could say we have repented of our sins, but repentance does not save.  What saves?  Spiritual salvation is in Christ alone.  He is the One that saves to the uttermost.  

We are to repent of our sins because Jesus commanded us to repent (Mark 1:15).  Repentance is not a meritorious work that saves anybody.  Only Jesus Christ can save us through His Spirit.  It is the Father's will for Jesus to save His people.  Jesus knows everyone He saves.  He will say to those that He does not know, "I never knew you.  Depart from me."  Jesus knows those who are His.

May we rejoice, bless and praise God for His dear Son.  Let us trust in Jesus' all-sufficient atonement for our sins by praying "I repent through the shed blood of Jesus Christ in whom I trust."   Amen. 

Spiritual Salvation Is In the Gospel

Spiritual redemption is in the gospel or the good news of Jesus Christ.  It is the power of God unto spiritual salvation (Romans 1:16).  It is about the life, death and resurrection of Christ alone.  The Bible says if someone preaches a different gospel let him be accursed (Galatians 1:9). 

We need the life and death of Christ alone for our spiritual salvation.  How do we know if we should accept the life and death of Christ alone?  It is because of Jesus' resurrection.  We have a sign from the Lord Christ that His unified merit is good for us to trust.  There is no accomplishment like the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  There is no other human accomplishment that equals it in any way.  There is no miracle done by mere saints that could equal Jesus' bodily resurrection.  This is why Jesus' unified merit is enough for how we are right with a holy God.

Rome preaches a different gospel.  She demands additional requirements to spiritual salvation.  She requires the church membership (CCC 846), purgatory (CCC 1030), sacraments (CCC 1129), baptism (CCC 1256), meritorious masses (CCC 1405) and indulgences (CCC 1498).

There essentially two religions in the world; that is, there is the self-religion that relies on ourselves and there is the true religion of Christ alone.  If we rely on ourselves, we will not achieve spiritual salvation.  Grace is free and never to be worked for.  Grace is the work of Christ alone; that is, it is all-sufficient, all-appeasing, and all-necessary for how we are right with God.  We do not need our works to save us. 

He Will Never Forsake Us and His Love Is Eternal

The love of Jesus Christ is eternal.  That is, there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer.  If we disown Him, He will not disown us.  If we fail to seek His love, He will pour out His love upon us. 

He will never forsake us.  That is, He will never leave us.  He loves us with an everlasting love.  He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west.  We ought to dwell upon God's forgiveness through Christ our Redeemer.  He alone is our Redeemer and not another!

Hebrews 13:5 KJV
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
 Jeremiah 31:3 KJV
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
 John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 2 Thessalonians 2:16 KJV
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
Romans 8: 1-39 KJV
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
⁵ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
¹¹ But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
¹³ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
¹⁵ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
¹⁶ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
¹⁷ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
¹⁸ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
²⁰ For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
²¹ Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
²² For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
²³ And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
²⁴ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
²⁵ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love and Forgiveness

We are called to love our neighbors and we are called to love our enemies.  The Jews would forgive in ancient times up to three times but Jesus says up to seventy times seven.  The teaching of Jesus is radical.  Some say that we should wait for their repentance but Jesus forgave the sinners who crucified Him before they repented.  The sinners who crucified Jesus repented after Jesus said "Father forgive them" in the book of Acts.  Let us look at the Scriptures,

Matthew 5:44 KJV
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
 Matthew 18:21-23 KJV
²¹ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
²³ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
 Luke 6:27 KJV
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
 Luke 6:35 KJV
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

John 13:34-35 KJV
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
 John 15:12 KJV
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
 John 15:17 KJV
These things I command you, that ye love one another.
 Romans 12:10 KJV
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
 Romans 13:8 KJV
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
 Galatians 5:13 KJV
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
 Ephesians 4:2 KJV
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
 1 Thessalonians 3:12 KJV
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
 1 Thessalonians 4:9 KJV
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

God Gives Us A New Heart

We all need a new heart before God.  He actually provides us with a new heart by His Spirit.  The Spirit and the Word of God comes to us and He gives us a new heart of flesh.  He takes out the heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh.  This new heart has the ability to believe and repent.  We also need to transform our minds by renewing our minds.  Here are some Scriptures that speak to what Jesus referred to as being "born again" in John 3:

Ezekiel 11:19
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
Ezekiel 36:26
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 44:7
In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.
Ezekiel 44:9
Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.
John 3 KJV
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
2 Corinthians 3:3
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables ofstone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Ephesians 6:5
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Free Mercy, Free Grace, Free Love, Free Compassion

The nature of the gospel is that it is free.  It is free mercy; that is, God saves us not on the basis of our effort or works or sacraments, but He saves us on the basis of His free mercy.  Many think in our day that we must earn our way to heaven, but such would cancel out free grace.

God offers His pre-converted elect people His love through Jesus Christ.  God offers His people free compassion and loving-kindnesses which is the basis for repentance.  That is, it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.  Amen.

Repentance Is Spiritually Acceptable

As Christians, we ought to know that repentance is spiritually acceptable before God; however, many religions do not practice repentance toward the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  For example, Scientology rejects repentance and says there is no need for such a thing.

With no offense intended, many homosexuals will not repent of their sexual sin because they view it as an acceptable life-style.  Also, many heterosexuals will not repent of causal fornication.  

Many Catholics never hear of the word "repentance."  I never heard of "repentance" save five or more times in the Roman Catholic Church.  I gave out a tract to a Catholic and it had the word "repentance" on it.  The priest appeared bewildered and said "is this Catholic?"  I was shocked that he would object to a gospel tract on repentance, but they also view it as additional merit in the confessional before a priest.  

I suggest to you that the priest cannot be "another Christ" or "in the place of Christ" because there is only one Christ who can remit or forgive sin.  I am saddened by Rome's view of merit and pray for them to repent and believe the gospel.  Amen.

A True Call vs. A False Call

We are told in the Bible that men are to call upon the name of the Lord to be saved; however, there is a true call and a false call.  A true call comes from the heart, but a false call does not come from the heart.  

Jesus will say to those who called upon Him in a way devoid of the heart, "I never knew you.  Please leave."  Jesus will say to those who called upon Him in truth and in spirit, "Welcome my beloved. Enter into everlasting joy, the place prepared for you."  

We should seek to grow in wisdom and knowledge by His grace alone through His Spirit by His Word.  This is how we gain a greater love of God, a greater faith of God, a greater focus of God.  Let us look at what the Bible says,

Genesis 4:26 KJV
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos:then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 12:8 KJV
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 26:25 KJV
And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.

Psalm 116:4 KJV
Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

Psalm 116:17 KJV
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name ofthe LORD.

Isaiah 48:2 KJV
For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God ofIsrael; The LORD of hosts is his name.

Acts 15:17 KJV
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, uponwhom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Acts 19:13 KJV
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

Romans 10:13 KJV
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name ofJesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:

Obedience and Faithfulness and Love

We ought to be obedient and faithful.  But why?  Very simply, to honor our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is true that God's faithfulness is greater than our faithfulness to Him.  It is true that the active and passive obedience of Christ is greater than our obedience or performance.  We must rest on the active and passive obedience of Christ alone that will take us to heaven.  Our performance will not take us to heaven but only trusting in the sinless performance of Jesus and His perfect death will take us to heaven.

We ought to be faithful in repentance, faith, focus, wisdom and knowledge in our Savior Jesus Christ.  God is the only one who can forgive sins and He is faithful to forgive.  We ought to be obedient because we should follow in the footsteps of Christ because of His obedience.  The world, the flesh and the devil will battle with us.  We may fall into grievous and tormenting sin and scandalize others, but the Lord is faithful to us through His Son.

We will all have to give an account of ourselves before God.  It means judgment is coming; however, for the believer in Christ there is no judgment but fellowship and friendship with God in heaven.  The only hope we have is Jesus Christ.  We should not put our trust in someone else.  We ought to keep our trust on Christ alone because He will see us through.  He is true and faithful.  We may fall into great sin along the way; however, the consequence because of sin does not mean He does not love us.  He always loves us because we are in Christ!  We may struggle with unbelief but the Savior is aware of our struggles.  I am convinced that nothing can take us away from God's love in and through the Savior.  May we ponder deeply what this means.  Amen.

Peter, Apostasy, Forgiveness and Sin

^{Galatians 2:14-21 KJV}

¹⁴ But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

¹⁷ But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

¹⁸ For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

¹⁹ For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Peter committed apostasy on "the truth of the gospel."  He added to the work of Christ alone.  Faith alone means justification through Christ alone.  Faith is the sole instrument for how we are right with God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Justification is a once and for all act and legal declaration of God through Christ alone.  Christ is the Father's only beloved Son.  Peter was without doubt forgiven of his sin of apostasy.  We should realize that those who have converted from the Reformed faith could still be forgiven if they come back like Peter did in faith and repentance.  Amen.