When You Sin....

If you sin you ought to recite Psalm 51.  Psalm 51:14 says, "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness."  You ought to cite this chapter when you commit sin or wrongdoing to God.  You can personalize the verse if you have committed sin to make it apply to you.  "Deliver me from _____________ [add your sin], O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness."  You can add your own sin in the verse and so I provide an example here.  Lets read the chapter:

51 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

² Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
¹² Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
¹⁴ Deliver me from __________[lust], O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
¹⁶ For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
¹⁸ Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Damnation and Spiritual Salvation

Sometimes we may worry about the state of our souls.  We may ponder whether we are damned or elect.  The evidences of election or being born again is faith and repentance.  There cannot be faith without repentance or repentance without faith.  I think we can increase our faith and love to God by gaining a greater knowledge of God in Jesus Christ.  No one can damn a soul and anyone who tries is out for cruelty.  To believe in a day of grace and mercy that a person with a saving knowledge of Christ can be damned is wrong in every way and a lie from the pit of hell. 

We live in a day where people condemn each other.  No one knows the heart of man, but if they did would you change your way of living?  Wouldn't you live right before God in a greater motivation?  We need motivation to live out the Christian life in Jesus Christ.  Motivation comes from grace.  How many of us have wronged our neighbor?  We have wronged our neighbor but we must repent.  Every Christian is forever and that cannot be changed.  No one can take us out of God's hand.  If we have wronged our neighbor may we find ways of amending the situation.  We may bear fruits of repentance.  This may include giving more to a cause where that person was harmed.  Those who have committed abortions may want to donate to the cause of the pro-life movement.  Those who have murdered may also want to do that.  Those who have stolen may want to give back or donate to a cause in Christian ministry.  We can't have our good and bad deeds on a balancing scale, and if our bad deeds out way our good deeds, it means we go to hell.  It does not mean that.  We are not saved by our performance but the performance of Jesus in His sinless life and death.  Its the merits of Christ alone that pardons all our sins.  

I think we need to show compassion and forgiveness for the Colorado shooter.  We ought to pray for him that God would change his heart and that he would believe the gospel and repent.  We ought to pray that God gives this man His unified imputed merit by faith alone through the spiritual application of the Holy Spirit in regeneration.  Regeneration means to be made alive or born again.  God takes out the heart of stone and gives a person a heart of flesh, and He gives that person the basis of His merit to be right with God.  We ought to pray for those he harmed that they may also believe and show compassion.  The Colorado shooter can be forgiven if he is made willing by God.  May he come to the knowledge of the divine truth of God.  We see that this man will spend time in prison for what he has done.  The truth is, that Jesus was punished in the place of the elect.  The elect do not need to punish themselves.  I understand in some religions they believe in punishment for themselves in a self-infliction.  This is unbiblical.  We ought to pray that God makes this man know that his sins were punished at the Cross; however, there is no doubt there are consequences to sin but we must never forget that Jesus alone took our redemptive punishment for our sins.  If you have done something wrong, repent of the wrongdoing and bear deeds of worthy of gospel repentance.  Amen. 

Paul's Writings and Repentance

Here are Paul's writings on repentance but I did not include the book of Hebrews.  Next session I will write on the book of Hebrews.  But the question you must ask yourself is, do you repent?  Have you found your sin and repented of it?  Do you consistently repent or is it a one time event?  I think the Bible teaches us to repent of all our sins in short accounts to God through His Son's shed blood.  There are many devils in the world who would want to undo us and cancel out our repentance.  It is because they hate God and their fellow man.  We are called to love God and our fellow man.  May everyone repent of their sins!  Moreover, we should know that it is by God's kindness that we repent.  

Romans 2:4
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Romans 11:29
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
2 Corinthians 7:8
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
2 Corinthians 7:9
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2 Corinthians 7:10
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2 Corinthians 12:21
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
2 Timothy 2:25
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

The Gospel of Repentance in the Early Church

We ought to repent of our sins.  This was the orthodox teaching of the early church.  Let’s look at what Peter and the disciples of Jesus taught on repentance.  We should not only repent but do works of repentance.

Acts 2:38 KJV
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:19 KJV
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Acts 5:31 KJV
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 8:22 KJV
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Acts 11:18 KJV
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Acts 13:24 KJV
When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Acts 17:30 KJV
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Acts 19:4 KJV
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 20:21 KJV
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:20 KJV
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Repentance and the Gospel of Luke

Here are verses on repentance in the Gospel of Luke.  Remember someone who repents cannot be damned and someone who repents is forgiven of their particular sins.

Luke 3:3 KJV
And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
Luke 3:8 KJV
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Luke 5:32 KJV
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 10:13 KJV
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Luke 11:32 KJV
The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Luke 13:3 KJV
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
 Luke 13:5 KJV
I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
 Luke 15:7 KJV
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Luke 15:10 KJV
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
 Luke 16:30 KJV
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luke 17:3 KJV
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 KJV
And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Luke 24:47 KJV
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Gospel Repentance and the Gospel of Mark

Mark 1:4 KJV
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

There is such a thing as repentance unto the remission of sins.  We ought to preach this doctrine of repentance. 

Mark 1:15 KJV
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

We ought to believe in the Jesus of the Bible.  "Repent and believe the gospel!"

Mark 2:17 KJV
When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Sinners are called to repentance.    
Mark 6:12 KJV
And they went out, and preached that men should repent.



We ought to repent unto the remission of sins.  This means we are forgiven of everything.  We are forgiven when we repent.  That is, if we repent unto contrition, i.e., that we have offended God and injured His tender heart.  God calls sinners to repent.  People that think they are righteous do not seek repentance.  However, people who are in sin and know it, repent of everything.  God grants repentance and faith in the gospel by his Spirit and Word.  This happens in regeneration.  God gives us a new heart to repent.  No one can undo repentance and no angel can take it from us.  God help us to find sin in our lives and repent.  Amen.

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity

"IS THERE A TRINITY?...The doctrine, in brief, is that there are three gods in one: 'God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost,' all three equal in power, substance and eternity" (Let God Be True, 1946 [1952 rev.] p. 100).

The Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Christians worship a three-headed God.  Such is a misrepresentation of the Trinitarian doctrine.  We worship the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity.  There are three distinct Persons in one essence: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  (Matthew 28:19, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost...").  We should all pray for the Jehovah's Witnesses that they may embrace the teaching of the Trinity.  I challenge any Jehovah's Witness to debate this teaching on the Trinity.

A Defense of Special Revelation from Scripture

In biblical Christianity there are not four standards of authority, but the written Word of God alone.  The Word of God is the Old and New Testaments.   This is that which is God-breathed.  

2 Timothy 3:14-17 KJV
¹⁴ But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The 39 books of the Old Testament are inspired, inerrant and infallible.  Jesus quotes from the Old Testament (Mt. 5:27; Lk 23:30; John 13:18).  The New Testament is from those who were with Christ, and those who were authorities by the apostles.  Nothing after the first century A.D.  The Bible has been given to us by God and everything that opposes it is contrary to it and must be rejected.  Other revelations of the Divine Word is not acceptable because they contradict each other.

The King James Version of the Bible is accurate but it should not be esteemed over other translations of the Bible, because other translations like the NKJV, NASB, and ESV reflect translations close to the original manuscripts.  


The Bible is trustworthy and it is without error.  It is God-breathed and essential for spiritual salvation.   It has all we need to be right with God.  The standards of authority in Mormonism open a door to false views because the authority is different.  There are certain problems with the standards when compared to the Bible.  We shall go over the different doctrines held in Mormonism. 

A Study of Mormonism on Special Revelation

There are four standards of works in Mormonism:

"By the standard works of the Church is meant the following four volumes of scripture: The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price...These four volumes of scripture are standards, the measuring rods, the gauges by which all things are judged.  Since they are the will, mind, word and voice of the Lord...they are true...When the living oracles speak in the name of the Lord or as moved upon by the Holy Ghost, however, their utterances are then binding upon all who hear..."  (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., pp. 764-65).

 The King James Version of the Bible is considered the most accurate:

"...the King James Version is by all odds the greatest of the completed English translations...It is no wonder that the King James Version has been and remains the official version of the Church..."  (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., pp. 422-23).

The Bible is full of errors:

"...acceptance of the Bible is coupled with a reservation that it is true only insofar as translated correctly...The other three, having been revealed in modern times in English, are accepted without qualification" (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., p. 764).

"As all informed persons know, the versions of the Bible do not accurately record or perfectly preserve the words, thoughts, and intents of the original inspired authors" (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., p. 383).

The sound doctrine of sola scriptura is foolish:

"...many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible!  A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible...Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible...because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written" (BOM, 2 Nephi 29:3, 6, 10).

 The Four Standards of Mormonism restore many facts that were taken away from the Bible:

"BOOK OF MORMON: One of the standard works of the church that has an account of God's dealings with the people of the American continents from about 2200 [B.C.]...to 421 [A.D.]...It was translated from gold plates by Joseph Smith and contains the fulness of the gospel" (Gospel Principles, 1992, p. 375).

The only right interpretation of the Bible is in light of Mormon teaching:

"When the Bible is read under the guidance of the Spirit, and in harmony with the many latter-day revelations which interpret and make plain its more mysterious parts, it becomes one of the most priceless volumes known to man" (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., p. 83).

 In the next session we shall study how these doctrines of special revelation in Mormonism contradict the Holy Scriptures, for its in the Divine Word that we find the knowledge of eternal life.

An Apologetic for the Bible

"...one could set his mind to remember, in times of stress, the faith of others in distress...for this purpose the study of the Bible was man's best resource, though every great life or biography might carry assurances--as the Cayce readings often referred to Woodrow Wilson, and at other times to such figures as Buddha, Lao Tse, Swedenborg, or the founder of Zoroastrianism" (Edgar Cayce on Religion and Psychic Experience, pp. 115-16).

The Bible speaks about itself as the only infallible, inspired, inerrant authoritative book in all the world.  It has recorded 300 prophecies about the coming of Jesus.  Let's look at some of the verses that speak of its authority:

The God-Breathed Scriptures are infallible, inspired, inerrant:
2 Timothy 3:15-17 NIV
¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

Scripture cannot be broken and it is infallible:
John 10:35 KJV
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

Scripture is sufficient:
 Numbers 22:18 KJV
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

Is God a man? A Simple Bible Study

Alamo Christian Ministries say God is a man,

"God is a man.  We look like him..." (4/5/94 interview with Alamo Christian Ministries representative)  (This reference is from House, Charts, Sects and Religious Movements, pg. 13).

This is like the teaching of Mormonism; however, the Bible says that God is not a man (Numbers 23:19).  That is, Jesus says that God is a spirit (John 4:24) and Jesus says that a spirit does not have flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).  The Scripture refers to God's body parts but this is a human expression or an anthropomorphism.  God is put in human terms so we can understand Him as human beings.  Let us understand from this that truth and sound theology matters!