No Variation Due to Change

[Sue J Love]

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:13-18 ESV)

I am 75 years old. I’ve believed in Jesus since age seven. I have seen a lot in my lifetime. I have experienced much and I have witnessed much. Not much surprises me anymore. And from what I have experienced and witnessed and heard over the years that I have been on this earth, I would say that “the church” here in America is in a very bad place overall. So much of what is called “church” are just businesses of men being marketed to the world because they want to attract the world to their gatherings.

And so the character of God/Christ and of his gospel and of his church (the body of believers in Jesus Christ) are being altered to appease human flesh and in order to not offend the ungodly. And the gatherings of “the church” have largely become worldly in order to draw in large crowds of people from the world into their gatherings. And so they are often being guided by marketing seminars and books on how to “grow their churches” in numbers rather than them being led of the Spirit in obedience to the Lord.

And since the truth of the gospel taught by Jesus and by his NT apostles, in their appropriate context, can be offensive to the ungodly who they desire to attract to their gatherings, many of them have cut the gospel in half and are only teaching the half that makes people feel good. For they are teaching them that they can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all their sins are forgiven and heaven is now secured them, but regardless of how they live, for so many are not teaching repentance and obedience.

And everything, it seems, is being flip-flopped in favor of human flesh and not in favor of God’s true nature and the truth of his gospel message. Thus, many have altered God’s character to make him more human and as though he is here to serve us and to follow us in whatever we are doing instead of the other way around. And so they cut his gospel of grace short when they do not teach our Lord’s requirements for death to sin and walks of obedience to his commands. Instead they often coddle and pacify sinners in their sin.

Thus, it would not be unusual today for someone who professes faith in Jesus Christ to cast the blame on God when they are not able to control their own fleshly cravings. They may not accuse the Lord directly of tempting them, but they may accuse him of allowing them to be tempted and of not intervening with some kind of magic trick to keep them from giving in to the temptation. For so many who are addicted to particular sins will find someone else to blame but themselves, even if they have to blame God.

But it isn’t God’s fault if we are tempted to sin and if we give into the temptation. The fault rests on us alone, even if someone else tempted us to sin. We all have the choice to sin or to not sin. We cannot blame anyone else if we choose to sin against God, even if others did contribute to our fall. But often those who live in addiction to sin will find someone to blame other than themselves, and sometimes they will blame God. But God is not responsible for our behaviors. We are! And addiction to sin will end in death, not life.

So, we are not to be deceived. And that includes that we should not believe an altered characterization of God and of who he is and of what he does and of how he relates to us humans. He is not our genie in the sky there to grant our every desire. He didn’t change who he is with the passing of time. And just because he did away with the Old Covenant does not mean he did away with his requirements of death to sin and of walks of obedience to the Lord in order for us to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God.

Jesus taught, in fact, that if we are to come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to our Lord, by the grace of God and in the power of God, then we have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For it is not enough to just give lip service to God. We must repent and obey Him.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

Here I Am To Worship

Songwriter: Tim Hughes

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To this earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.

Caution: This link may contain ads

 

[Garee]

I am 75 years old. I’ve believed in Jesus since age seven. I have seen a lot in my lifetime. I have experienced much and I have witnessed much. Not much surprises me anymore. And from what I have experienced and witnessed and heard over the years that I have been on this earth, I would say that “the church” here in America is in a very bad place overall. So much of what is called “church” are just businesses of men being marketed to the world because they want to attract the world to their gatherings.

And so the character of God/Christ and of his gospel and of his church (the body of believers in Jesus Christ) are being altered to appease human flesh and in order to not offend the ungodly. And the gatherings of “the church” have largely become worldly in order to draw in large crowds of people from the world into their gatherings. And so they are often being guided by marketing seminars and books on how to “grow their churches” in numbers rather than them being led of the Spirit in obedience to the Lord.

And since the truth of the gospel taught by Jesus and by his NT apostles, in their appropriate context, can be offensive to the ungodly who they desire to attract to their gatherings, many of them have cut the gospel in half and are only teaching the half that makes people feel good. For they are teaching them that they can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all their sins are forgiven and heaven is now secured them, but regardless of how they live, for so many are not teaching repentance and obedience.

And everything, it seems, is being flip-flopped in favor of human flesh and not in favor of God’s true nature and the truth of his gospel message. Thus, many have altered God’s character to make him more human and as though he is here to serve us and to follow us in whatever we are doing instead of the other way around. And so they cut his gospel of grace short when they do not teach our Lord’s requirements for death to sin and walks of obedience to his commands. Instead they often coddle and pacify sinners in their sin.

Thus, it would not be unusual today for someone who professes faith in Jesus Christ to cast the blame on God when they are not able to control their own fleshly cravings. They may not accuse the Lord directly of tempting them, but they may accuse him of allowing them to be tempted and of not intervening with some kind of magic trick to keep them from giving in to the temptation. For so many who are addicted to particular sins will find someone else to blame but themselves, even if they have to blame God.

But it isn’t God’s fault if we are tempted to sin and if we give into the temptation. The fault rests on us alone, even if someone else tempted us to sin. We all have the choice to sin or to not sin. We cannot blame anyone else if we choose to sin against God, even if others did contribute to our fall. But often those who live in addiction to sin will find someone to blame other than themselves, and sometimes they will blame God. But God is not responsible for our behaviors. We are! And addiction to sin will end in death, not life.

So, we are not to be deceived. And that includes that we should not believe an altered characterization of God and of who he is and of what he does and of how he relates to us humans. He is not our genie in the sky there to grant our every desire. He didn’t change who he is with the passing of time. And just because he did away with the Old Covenant does not mean he did away with his requirements of death to sin and of walks of obedience to the Lord in order for us to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God.

Jesus taught, in fact, that if we are to come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to our Lord, by the grace of God and in the power of God, then we have the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For it is not enough to just give lip service to God. We must repent and obey Him.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

Here I Am To Worship

Songwriter: Tim Hughes

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To this earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.

Caution: This link may contain ads

Hi thanks

It is one of those back burner on simmer things

I think has to do with the misunderstanding of cereinioal laws as to the purpose. Ceremonies as shadows that pointed ahead the the sufferings of Christ and the Glory of it, the garden cross, tomb . a sign to the unbelieving world

1 Peter 1:9-11Receiving the end of your (new born again) faith, even the salvation of your souls.Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Today like that of Aarons two sons preparing for the priesthood knowing the ceremonial was to the unbeliever world added the the word of God with what is called strange fire .Consumed them both .Not a hint o smoke on the priestly attire . they made the show designed to the unbelieving world in a parable of drawing them as the gospel

I think you could say all parables are ceremonial laws.

The church needed reformation restoring those assigned as signs of the suffering of Christ beforehand . not a sign unto there own self like a Pope or Aarons two sons. No such thing as sign gift. I did it it proves it

Rather than saying going to church. going to perform a ceremony to the world .He gives the instructs on how he desires to be repented by the micert (hus band and wife .Alway a mitry of two

 

[B-A-C]

I think you could say all parables are ceremonial laws.

Ceremonial laws are only in the Old Testament.
Usually they involve a symbol of some kind, a lamb is a symbol of Jesus, a priest is a symbol of Jesus.
Circumcision was a symbol of a covenant, but it wasn't the covenant itself.

There are still other symbols in the New Testament, but none that are part of the ceremonial law.

 

[Sue J Love]

Hi thanks

It is one of those back burner on simmer things

I think has to do with the misunderstanding of cereinioal laws as to the purpose. Ceremonies as shadows that pointed ahead the the sufferings of Christ and the Glory of it, the garden cross, tomb . a sign to the unbelieving world

1 Peter 1:9-11Receiving the end of your (new born again) faith, even the salvation of your souls.Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Today like that of Aarons two sons preparing for the priesthood knowing the ceremonial was to the unbeliever world added the the word of God with what is called strange fire .Consumed them both .Not a hint o smoke on the priestly attire . they made the show designed to the unbelieving world in a parable of drawing them as the gospel

I think you could say all parables are ceremonial laws.

The church needed reformation restoring those assigned as signs of the suffering of Christ beforehand . not a sign unto there own self like a Pope or Aarons two sons. No such thing as sign gift. I did it it proves it

Rather than saying going to church. going to perform a ceremony to the world .He gives the instructs on how he desires to be repented by the micert (hus band and wife .Alway a mitry of two

Thank you for responding and for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Garee]

Ceremonial laws are only in the Old Testament.
Usually they involve a symbol of some kind, a lamb is a symbol of Jesus, a priest is a symbol of Jesus.
Circumcision was a symbol of a covenant, but it wasn't the covenant itself.

There are still other symbols in the New Testament, but none that are part of the ceremonial law.

Hi Thanks

I would offer.. .

The time of the first century reformation came (Hebrew 9) all the shadows of the suffering of Christ beforehand came to pass .

The lord not giving up presenting ceremonial laws (show time) to the unbelieving world .Has given of one new sign to the world. . looking head to the glorious wedding supper the bread and blood of grapes The vail of the bride lifted .

Ceremonies using the Jew and Gentile the first time .

Previously two high walls (15 feet), one separating the Jewish women from the Jewish men. A Jewish men's only ceremonies club, another high wall separate the gentiles from the Jews .

A gospel expulsion one like never before or ever again, mixed families could now gather together as one new family . The true woman's lib movement .

One new show time ceremonial law 1 Corinthian 11. Again not a sign unto their own dying flesh. . believers have prophecy till the end of time .
Jesus said no sign was given, its a evil generation that does seek signs to the unbelieving world rather than prophecy.

Again in hope that unbelieving mankind might be drawn by the living words of Christ the gospel of salvation as it is written

The Sign has two purposes. The head covering . .( no cover for men. cover for women ).and the wedding supper

Cover representing the covering of glory of Christ the invisible head . A picture of the golden ark of the Covenant in that parable. Hiding the glory inside (the Rod, the tablets and manna, revealed by that outside the bible placed on the side .God setting up knowing as soon as Moses died it would go right back to the oral traditons of dying mankind (I hear it through the fathers grape vine (Deuteronomy 31:24-27)

.Christ protecting sola scriptura

The new ceremonial law Man representing Christ revealing the glory of Christ that works in men .Woman a reflection of the glory the head men . . Women representing the whole bride of Christ. Not leaving her without a representative glory. Her hair, it must be covered or shaved off.

The only glory seen is the invisible glory of faith that works in mankind.