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We are servants of righteousness Romans 6:3 Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over him. 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he lives, he lives unto God. 6:11 Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. 6:13 Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 6:16 Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 6:17 But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 6:18 Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness. 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 6:20 For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. 6:21 What fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We have been freed from sin – this is such a huge deal. Jesus died to sin once. So did we. Baptism is our death to sin. Baptism is an event. We come out of baptism set free from sin. We have no more sin nature. We are righteous and have the righteous nature of God. Sin has no dominion over us. Sin can’t tell us what to do. We rule over sin. We trample it under our feet. Jesus did not sin because he refuse to give place to satan, he refused to accept a lie or do what was wrong. Jesus knew the word and obeyed the Father. We are now servants of God. We have good fruit to holiness. And we have the end, everlasting life. Jesus is the end. We have Jesus giving us everlasting life. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life Jesus is everything to us. The way back to God our Father. The one who tells us the truth. And the one who gives us life.
The children of God are manifest 1 John 3:6 Whosoever abides in him sins not: whosoever sins has not seen him, neither known him. 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 3:8 He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 3:9 Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother. 3:11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. If the kingdom of God is within us and we do righteousness because we are righteous, the converse is also true. If the kingdom of darkness is within us we do wickedness because we are wicked. There is a kingdom of darkness, of sin, and a kingdom of light, of righteousness. The kingdom which dwells within us determines who we are and what we do. We are a sinner and we do wickedness, or we are righteous and we do righteousness. A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit and a good tree cannot bear corrupt fruit. We are one or the other. The gate between one kingdom and the other kingdom is baptism. Those who sit in darkness have seen a great light. The darkness has been overcome. God translates us from darkness into the light. God calls all out of the darkness and into the light. Those who are in darkness because they were deceived hear Jesus’ voice and they come to the light. Those who are wicked refuse to come into the light. God separates the light from the darkness, the good from the evil. Satan has corrupted man to be in his own image. Satan has made man full of darkness and wickedness, full of violence. Jesus makes us into his own image. Jesus changes us into a God, a child of the Most High. We are changed into a child of light. God is the God of peace. There are two kingdoms. Your choice is where you want to live. The kingdom of God has defeated the kingdom of darkness. Good has overcome evil. We are seeing the kingdom of darkness go extinct and the kingdom of light, the children of God, being born to fill the earth.
Baptism – being born a child of God John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 3:2 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 does, except God be with him. 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Truly, Truly, I say to you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 3:4 Nicodemus said 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? 3:5 Jesus answered, Truly, Truly, I say to you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 3:7 Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born again. 3:8 The wind blows where it will, and thou hears the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it comes, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be? 3:10 Jesus answered and said to him, Art thou a master of Israel, and know not these things? 3:11 Truly, Truly, I say to you, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and you receive not our witness. 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 3:13 And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 3:15 That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 3:18 He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 3:20 For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 3:21 But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. You see the kingdom of God and then you enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Born of water is John’s baptism, being immersed in water, going down into the water and coming back up out of the water. You fall back, you go down into death, are put into the tomb flat and not breathing, you rise up out of water in resurrection, you breathe again, you stand up. You are now washed clean of sin. You are a righteous son of man, you are a man who repents. Born of the spirit is Jesus’ baptism, he baptizes you in the Holy Spirit. You are born a God, you are a righteous son of God. What is born of spirit is spirit. You are now a life-giving spirit. You now speak the words of God because you are a God. Your words now have power. What you say happens. You receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. You are born of water by asking a believer to baptize you in water. You are born of the spirit by asking Jesus to baptize you in the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 11:10 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks found; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 11:13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? The Holy Spirit is holy. It means he is without sin. He is perfect and pure. He will always do what is right. And he will be with you always, so that you can be as he is – holy, without sin, perfect, and pure, knowing the truth and doing what is right. The Holy Spirit is your helper, your comforter. The Holy Spirit is God with you. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. To know the truth, you start by asking for the one is the truth. You ask the Father for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a good gift. The Holy Spirit is God. When you ask the Father for the gift of the holy spirit, you are asking God to be with you always. What greater gift can the Father give you than himself? God is one. God is the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. What you ask, you receive.
Baptism is regeneration Acts 22:16 And now why do you tarry? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Titus 3:5 according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; 3:6 which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; 3:7 that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 1 Corinthians 6:11 you are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Baptism is regeneration. The washing away of our sins is the washing of regeneration. Renewing is of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. It is the Holy Spirit which teaches us what has occurred during baptism. Birth is an event. We are born a child of God. We are no longer a man, we are now a child of God. We are born an infant, a babe in Christ. We need to grow and mature. Our growth comes from God. If we drink the milk of scriptures and eat the meat we grow and learn the truth and live forever righteous. If we are born, and then ignore the milk and meat of scripture, we will die from starvation, never knowing the truth of what Jesus has done for us. Without truth, we will remain conformed to the world thinking we are a man who dies, and so will die when we did not need to do so.
Communion John 6:51 [Jesus is speaking] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 6:53 Truly, Truly, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 6:54 Whosoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 6:56 He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. 6:57 As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me. 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: he that eats of this bread shall live forever.
Romans 5:8 But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Exodus 29:33 And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them.
Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink you all of it; 26:28 for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. In communion we partake of the flesh and blood of Jesus. We eat those things by which atonement was made for us. Jesus made his body an offering for our sins. Jesus has died for us; Jesus has atoned for us. When we eat of his offering, Jesus comes and abides in us and we abide in him. Communion gives us Jesus, and Jesus gives us life. The cross is an event. Atonement is an event. Communion is also an event. When does Jesus come and abide in you? When you take your first communion. By eating his flesh and drinking his blood you are accepting the atonement Jesus made on your behalf. You have washed away your sins in baptism, and now you receive Jesus abiding in you forever. Jesus is the source of your eternal life. You are child of God who has been translated into heaven into the kingdom of Jesus. The first meal you have with Jesus is communion. Jesus says he will not drink of the vine again until he drinks it new with you in the Father’s kingdom. Communion is partaking of the offering by which we are made holy and set apart to be God’s people. Our first communion satisfies us with everything we will ever need to receive from God. We continue to take communion in remembrance of Jesus. To remember Jesus’ holiness, that he lived without sin, to proclaim his death on the cross on our behalf, to declare his blood has been presented in heaven making atonement for us, to celebrate that we now have Jesus abiding in us and that we have everlasting life. We have been saved and redeemed – all is finished. Communion is the expression of the people of God being in union with God. We live with God by celebrating what God has done for us. We remember Jesus. And in doing so, we remember who we also are. We are now conformed to Jesus. We are now as he is.
Hearing Jesus Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, do thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. To every Christian, I have a simple request. Quit doing so much serving. Sit and listen to Jesus. When you have heard the truth and know you have eternal life and will never die, then go back to serving and doing other good works. You will have plenty of time. Your first good work is to listen to Jesus. Your second good work is to live righteously. Your third good work is to rise every morning, healthy and alive. These are like the ABC’s of the gospel. They give you wisdom and instruction and strength to then do all the rest of the unique good works the Father has created you to do. When you are full of zeal for God, but lack knowledge, you are busy, but you are missing the mark. Become a child of God, righteous, immortal, incorruptible, full of wisdom, grace and truth. Then go to the nations and make disciples. You have to be a disciple yourself before you can make another disciple.
Continue reading being a disciple of Jesus Christ
BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST
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