You’ve probably heard it said many times that there is no such thing as a carnal minded Christian even to the point of declaring that if a Christian sins He’d better get saved. Perhaps we need to quit talking and listening to each other so much and start reading the Bible and talking to and listening to God! (1Cor. 3:1-3) The apostle Paul called the Christians in the Church at Corinth (V.1) brethren and (V.3) says they are still carnal (human nature with its frailties and passions,).
THINK ABOUT THIS: The eye does not tell the brain to order the soul where to point the eye; the soul orders the brain to point the eye where the soul wants to look. The hands cannot tell the brain to order the soul what to do with them; the soul orders the brain to tell the hands what the soul wants touched or done.
The tongue does not say “brain I’ve got something to say so operate me to talk;” the soul has something to say and the soul orders the brain to operate the tongue. So self (soul) is the dirty rat that gives the body the command to sin. (Gal.5:17) “the flesh (human nature with its frailties and passions) lusteth (desires) against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would (want to).”
(2Cor. 5:10) Our soul (self, the individual, the personality, the me) will be judged by the things we do with our body. (Rom. 7:23 keyword: warring) The Bible actually calls it a war. You will fight your war on three fronts; the world (societal temptations & unbelief, political laws that legalize obvious sin, persecutions based on unbelief, ridicule & etc. in free world nations AND much worse emotional, intellectual and physical persecutions in captive nations ruled by dictators– example: North Korea– or other religions– example: Muslim), the flesh (your human nature with its carnal tendencies), and the devil (Satan) with his trickery, lies, suggestions and sowing confusion.
There will be three ultimate objectives in your war: #1 keep yourself saved, #2 help as many lost people get saved as you can while doing your part to build the Church and #3 help your fellow Christians to make a success of their salvation. The Holy Spirit is on your side and through Him you can and will win, IF YOU WANT TO, because Jesus said; (Matt. 10:22) “he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” GETTING SAVED IS NOT ENOUGH; YOU MUST STAY SAVED!
Christianity is a praying, learning, growing, working and enduring way. Read (John 15:1-15) It is the building of a relationship between an individual Christian and Jesus if you love Jesus enough to dedicate yourself to Jesus’ cause. Please click on the Sin in Church commentary on this website, scroll the menu to the article The Four Stages of Spiritual Growth as a Christian: The Need Principal AND the article Backsliding: the Failure Principal and read them for full understanding of your Christian relationship with Jesus. SO:
You are a Christian but you are still you; character traits, God Place and conscience; your body is the same old body, you have life, you can still think and you still possess the freedom of choice. As stated before; (Rom. 8:9 keywords: Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his: man defined is: Strongs w #1536: whoever) the Holy Spirit, in this church age is the dividing factor between born again believers and all the rest of humanity.
(Eph. 1:12-14 esp. V.13 keyword: sealed) You know you are saved because the indwelling Holy Spirit causes you to know you are different than you were; (John 3:3-6 & 1Pet. 1:23) you were born again (to beget again); (Titus 3:5) regenerated (spiritual renovation, Messianic restoration) (2Cor. 5:17) and you became a new creature (creation) in Christ.
Read (John 14:14:5-9 then V.20) Rejoice in what you have and treasure it because you have met God; you are His and He is yours.
(John 10:27-30) No man can ever take you away from Jesus (John 13:21-30 esp. V.27) but you, just like Judas did, can leave anytime you want to. (John 12:4-6 & 13:26-30) Judas had “opened himself up” to Satan because he served SELF instead of Jesus by sinning (Judas was a thief). HOW:
He bore the bag of money; when he went to buy bread he probably bought some treats and ate them before he got back to Jesus and the disciples. Whatever it was; Judas considered himself “better” and “deserving more” than the other disciples and that is horrible, sinful pride. You can fool man but you can’t fool God!
You may not know much about the Holy Spirit, God’s purpose, or your purpose, but just remember; YOU ARE AS SAVED AS YOU CAN EVER BE but you must understand that it is also an introduction to Jesus, read (Mark 12:30 & Phil. 2:5-15) so how well do you want to know Him and serve Him? Now, through the Holy Spirit, is the time to develop your relationship with God. (Phil. 4:6) Pray. (Matt. 11:29) Learn the Holy Scriptures (1Cor. 12:31 then V.10) and learn to see the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in your life.
(John 14:15-27) As has been shown by scripture Jesus is right here with us and in us, loving us, guiding us, protecting us and keeping us in the power of the third part of the Godhead which is the Holy Spirit who is our guide. If you haven’t already read it, please read the article Who is the Holy Spirit on this commentary for a revelation into God’s identity (Gen. 1:26 then 2:6-8) and how we (both male and female) are made in His image.
Let’s just talk for a few minutes, just between you and me. (Heb. 4:14-15) states; “For we have not an high priest (the first estate, the highest) which cannot be touched (sympathy) with the feeling (also: sympathy) of our infirmities (feebleness, frailty); but was in all points (near, beside, along with) tempted (test, scrutinize, examine) like as we are, yet without sin.”
I don’t know you but I do know me and it greatly comforts me to know Who I’m praying to has already been through what I’m presently going through! Let me write this particular scripture again using the definitions instead of the words in the scripture. AND: we need to get rid of the double negatives while we are at it but only for our understanding.
No, I’m not trying to change what God said, I’m trying to understand, just like you, because this is a very precious scripture and it must be studied very carefully. “For we have the highest priest who can have sympathy for our feelings of feebleness and frailty because He felt them about Himself, the same as we do, but He didn’t sin because of it.”
When I read and really understood the meaning of this scripture (Heb. 4:14-15) I was astonished. Do you mean to tell me (V. 14) Jesus had the same struggle with sin, with life, that I have? I thought about it for a while and I realized Jesus had lived with the same type of body I am shackled to but He didn’t sin.
He resisted sin, (John 4:6-41) (the woman at the well must have been a “looker” with all the men who had been after her and she must have been rather “easy” considering all the men who had a relationship with her), and Jesus resisted her charms and talked to her about her forever.
I thought; “Well, if He has had all the feelings I have He understands how I feel and that really personalizes our “relationship” because (John 14:5-9, 1Tim. 3:16 & 1John 1:1-4) Jesus was God in the flesh and He knows how weak I am and how hard it is to physically resist sin and He understands how hard it is to stand against political correctness, to witness, to overcome tiredness and all those things that seem to conspire together to beat me down.
Relief washed over me when I “pictured” myself beaten down into the mud of defeat in my war against the flesh (ME), the Devil and the world. AND: I “saw” MY GOD get right down in the muck and filth of life, right there in the middle of my spiritual battlefield, just like the Navy Corpsmen did in Vietnam, in my physical battlefield, and MY GOD gives me spiritual first aid, bandages my awful spiritual wounds with the bandages of His love, mercy and forgiveness.
He helps me up with His nail scarred hands, steadies me until I get my balance, (Eph. 6:10-18) hands me back my cleaned up and shining armour and He gives me my sword and it’s sharper than before (meaning, I’ve learned something). How in the world did He manage that? Because He’s MY GOD and there’s nothing impossible for MY GOD!
(Rev. 5:6) Then MY GOD gives me that special smile from His thorn scarred, fist beaten, beautiful face; “I’ve been there too (2Tim. 2:3-4) My brave soldier, I know how it is, I’ve got your back (1Tim. 1:18-19) AND LET’S GET BACK IN (1Tim. 6:12) THE FIGHT!” Ever been there?
I hope you have, I really do. I hope you are not one of those timid souls who are afraid to witness to strangers. I hope you are not one of those timid souls who are ashamed to tell what MY GOD, YOUR GOD, JESUS has done for you.
I hope you are not one of those timid souls who are afraid to toss their heart (things that have happened in your life) right out on the table in front of people and let them see life is tough for all of us but, through your victory through JESUS, it is possible for them to also be winners through (Rev. 1:11-18) our glorious God of Glory.
If you are such a timid soul Christian how will you ever experience the spiritual highs of victory? Ever notice in America’s physical wars the heroes who win medals for bravery are those who have been right in the dark depths of the bloody hell of bitter conflict? (1Thess. 2:19, 2Tim. 4:8, James 1:12 & 1Pet. 5:4) MY GOD gives medals for bravery too.
How can a timid soul Christian ever know what strength and courage lies within him if he never enters the arena that is the Christian experience? How can, well you either get what I’m saying OR you don’t care OR you are too afraid to look.
BELOW IS HOW JESUS TOOK CARE 0F ME AND MY CHRISTIAN SON AS ONLY HE CAN. BUT: (Luke 12:48) “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” Jesus has given me much because I have never heard about or read about anyone else experiencing what I have. SO: I am burdened to share that wonderful experience with all the people I can through this website, phone calls, personal visits, emails, every way I can and I wish to share it with you.
I didn’t pay much attention to death when I was a high-schooler, that’s what happened to somebody else. I was still a teen when I joined the Marines and pulled two tours of duty in Vietnam. I don’t know where you’ve been or how you’ve lived so I hope you understand. When I was in Vietnam, I quickly learned I didn’t want to be shot to pieces and gag out my life in a bloody foxhole, OR a bunker, OR a path, OR a rice paddy.
That awareness of my death transferred to my civilian life; I didn’t want to gag out my life anyplace, alone. BUT: After Jesus saved me, later, in my Christian experience (1Cor. 15:55) I discovered Jesus wouldn’t let me die alone and it gives me great comfort. Please read about that in the two articles I Have Experienced Christian Physical Death Parts 1 & 2 on this commentary. Please read it because it will give you and yours great comfort and understanding. Jesus is far more merciful than most Christians understand!
GOD BLESS YOU.