“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Galatians 5:16-17 ESV
Those who are truly born again will not seek to conform the Word to suit their needs. Rather, they will seek to conform themselves to the full Truth of God’s Word.
The Spirit and flesh are constantly at war. Forever in this life, we will fight the desires of the flesh. Those who have truly been born again will take the Word of God in its entirety. They will not seek to conform the Word to suit their needs. Rather, they will seek to conform themselves to the full Truth of God’s Word.
Many are carnal who carry the name of Christian, but do not carry a crucified Savior and risen Lord in their heart.
The world mocks Christians and calls us hypocrites. The sad reality is that they are right. Without knowing or understanding, they are seeing the hypocrisy of those who call themselves Christians who are not truly born again. For many are carnal who carry the name of Christian, but do not carry a crucified Savior and risen Lord in their heart. They are those who are still of the world, yet desire to appear righteous and good before others - all while wanting the blessings of God.
Why might this be the case? Many do not want to walk away from the world or selfish inclinations. This, therefore, has led to a catastrophically misled generation. Christianity is no longer about Christ, but rather about self.
Many who profess, fail to possess. Many who hold their lusts, ambitions, and sin over Christ fail to do what is right. Their speech is many times right, but their actions are corrupted when looking at a truly Biblical life. For the pollution of the world has infected their soul, and they themselves have become blind. The scales that have yet to fall remain over their eyes. This is especially seen in what I shall refer to as the “political Christian”.
God has helped me to discern a fundamental phrase that usually distinguishes between the mature born again believer and the counterfeit self-proclaimed Christian. Though the two can be easily discerned based upon other factors, it comes down to this:
Those who are self-proclaimed, counterfeit Christians will always say “but Jesus”.
Those who are mature and born again will say “God’s Word says.”
It is amazing the pushback that many political Christians will give to those who are truly born again. When those who are born again call sin, sin (just as Christ, the Prophets, and the Disciples did and God’s Word does), they receive tremendous backlash. Many times the born again believer is called a bigot. The name calling and labeling does not merely come from the world, but the counterfeit, political Christians!
They say, “but Jesus (fill in the blank).” They go against God’s Word in an attempt to uplift the phrases and actions of Christ over God’s Word. This can be easily discerned in regards to discussions on homosexuality, the meaning of a true family, and other aspects of life.
The immaturity and lack of spending time in the Scriptures is clearly revealed when someone desires to combat all of God’s Word with “but Jesus”.
The immaturity and lack of spending time in the Scriptures is clearly revealed when someone desires to combat all of God’s Word with “but Jesus”. They are seekers who desire to divorce Jesus from God’s Word. They believe that Jesus is uplifted above the Word of God, and therefore all other aspects of Scripture are not as important or Divinely inspired.
Jesus Christ is the Word, and the Word is the Logos. Christ is the Logos. Therefore, Christ and God's Word are one and the same.
The irony is in the fact that Jesus Christ is God’s Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 ESV). Jesus Christ is the Word, and the Word is the Logos. Christ is the Logos. Before Jesus became the God-man, He was the Logos. His nature was entirely God and did not involve man. He was invisible, incorporeal, immaterial, and did not dwell within time and space.
Those who desire to divorce Christ from God’s Word are attempting to split the one and the same Person - namely, God.
It was not until the Virgin Birth, when the Logos entered into time and space as Jesus Christ. Both post and pre-incarnate Christ was and is God’s Word in its entirety. Those who desire to divorce Christ from God’s Word are attempting to split the one and the same Person - namely, God.
The political "Christian" desires nothing but to liberalize and say, “that was for back then! Today is a new day!”
The lack of maturity and Biblical understanding of Who God is is what has led to political Christians. It has led to self-proclaimed Christians always striving to press past what God’s Word clearly says. They desire nothing but to liberalize and say, “that was for back then! Today is a new day!”
Those who truly know God know that “God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19 ESV). Those who are born again know that it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18). For it is God’s Word that says ““Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV). ““For I am the Lord, I do not change”” (Malachi 3:6 NKJV). Both God’s Word and God Himself clearly reveal that He is immutable.
As God is immutable (unchanging), therefore, every word of His Holy Book is immutable.
As God is immutable (unchanging), therefore, every word of His Holy Book is immutable. Why is every word in the Holy Bible unchanging? Because it was spoken and written by men who were guided and carried along by God and the Holy Spirit. It is Divinely inspired, and if God is Good and Love, then He did not have inaccurate representations of Truth written in His Holy Book.
If we were ever supposed to change our viewpoint of sin with the times from what God’s Word says, then He would have written it in His Word.
If we were ever supposed to change our viewpoint of sin with the times from what God’s Word says, then He would have written it in His Word. Therefore, those who lack a true, Biblical understanding of Scripture, know not Christ. They merely like all the nice, delicate, and appealing things Christ did, but they will not accept the entirety of God’s Word. They would rather die deceived than be convicted and thrive in the Truth. Why? Because they love their life in this world more than the Truth that changes and prepares man for ascension.
Let us listen to Romans 12:2 (ESV), then, and “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The more we believe God’s Word and conform to it, the greater the wisdom and discernment we will have from the Holy Spirit.
The more we believe God’s Word and conform to it, the greater the wisdom and discernment we will have from the Holy Spirit. This happens through a humble heart that desires God over fleshly passions and pursuits. Only those who take God’s Word for what it says will be at peace as they walk down the path of righteousness through sanctification.
Only those who take God’s Word for what it says will be at peace as they walk down the path of righteousness through sanctification.
Christ is the Logos, and the Logos is the Word. The Holy Bible is God’s Word, and is therefore Divinely inspired by the Logos. Those who desire to accept Christ must accept the Scriptures in its entirety, lest they be led astray and deceived into thinking they are on their way to Heaven.
Christ is the Logos, and the Logos is the Word. The Holy Bible is God’s Word, and is therefore Divinely inspired by the Logos.
May we all deny ourselves and believe that God is Who He says He is. He is Truth and Immutable, and it is only through the Blood that we are saved. Scripture reveals this from Genesis through Revelation, and it is the Logos Who both spoke and revealed His Truth through Christ and the written Word.
Those who believe in Christ must believe in the entirety of God’s Word, for they are one and the same.
Those who believe in Christ must believe in the entirety of God’s Word, for they are one and the same.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, You are the Holy One of Israel. You are the Immutable God Who cannot lie. O Lord, let us not deceive ourselves or go astray. May we not live a lie and come to find out that what You said, You meant. Lord, have mercy upon us for the times we have questioned You, disobeyed You, and desired to put our thoughts, feelings, and emotions above You. We repent of all the times we have lived in deception and misled others. Guide us, O God, towards the Pillar of Truth: Christ Jesus. May we understand that He is the Logos, and the Logos is the Word. He is the One Who spoke from Genesis to Revelation. It is the Logos Who is Christ, and it is Christ Who is part of the Triune God. We worship and praise You, O Triune God. Give us a supernatural desire to study, meditate, and pray Your Word. Sanctify us in Truth, for Your Word is Truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine
Komen