I Would Not Have You to be Ignorant, Bretheren.

Ignorance is bliss.  How true is this statement?  There are many today who go about establishing their own religion in the cloak of Christianity and I am personally shocked how easily people fall in line with these doctrines.  However, when I study scripture, I find out that this is exactly how Satan works.  Paul speaks about the course of this world in Ephesians chapter 2, which we understand to be the teaching of doctrine just as a course in school.  

Ephesians 2:2,3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Of course, Paul is speaking to saved individuals who used to live according to the doctrine Satan created.  The problem is, some "Christians" are still under that doctrine but have no idea. They take scripture and twist them to mean what they want them to mean, just to prove their doctrine. They are in good company though.  In Isaiah chapter 56, we see how Israel's religious leaders were falling for the course of the world and were ignorant of this fact as well.

Isaiah 56:9-12 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Notice Isaiah says the watchmen are blind.  They have one job and they can not perform that job because they are blind.  He does not stop there letting the religious leaders know how far they are from the truth.  The question is, did they learn their lesson?  Absolutely not!  They did not understand their redeemer was in their midst when they reject Jesus Christ.  

Paul does not want the bretheren to be ignorant, so he gives them a warning in 1 Corinthians chapter 14. 

1 Corinthians 14:36-38 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

Paul says to the church in Corinth to learn what he wrote them.  He does not stress to them that they should read the red letters of the Bible, because he understood the entire Bible was the word of God.  He understood that Jesus was the word.  He understood that he was given a revelation that contained information that was never before revealed.  He knew that his gospel was not taught by anyone before him.  He KNEW, because he was not ignorant.

Grace and peace,

Greg Resor

Complete in Him

Marriage, According to the Bible

Many today want to redefine marriage in our society. The problem may actually be the original definition we have for marriage is wrong. When we think of marriage, we think of the ceremony that do many of us have participated, attended, or planned.  However, let us take a few minutes to see what scripture says about marriage. 

1 Corinthians  6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

This verse is very self explanatory; however, let us look at what marriage is according to God.  When someone participates in the physical act of sex, they become one body, one flesh.  This is the biblical definition of marriage. How do we know, let us look at some more verses.

Genesis  16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.  16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

When Sarai, Abram's wife, gave Hagar to Abram she gave her to be his wife.  How did Hagar become the wife of Abram?  Through a ceremony? No. Through the physical act that only one male and one female can partake. They became one body, one flesh during the physical act. Let us look at another passage to confirm this.

Isaiah  54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

This is speaking of the wife being barren and another wife having more "children of the desolate".  How about that name for your illegitimate children? 

Let us look at Jacob.  Jacob is wanting to marry Rachel at this time. He asks Laban for Rachel; however, Laban brings his daughter Leah.

Genesis  29:21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.  29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.  29:23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.  29:24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.  29:25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?  29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.  29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.  29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

Jacob wanted to marry Rachel. Laban brings in Leah instead. Jacob and Leah engage in the physical act of sex. When Jacob wakes up in the morning, he finds Leah there instead. Notice the last verse, "he have him Rachel his daughter to wife ALSO". This means they are both his wife.

The more we know about what God calls marriage, the easier we can look around us to see that what is going on today can not be marriage. Marriage is not a license,marriage is not the ceremony, marriage is not a price cut on insurance, and marriage is not a tax break. Marriage is the union of one man and one woman when they become one body, one flesh. Two men can not accomplish the one body, one flesh.  Two women can not accomplish one body, one flesh.

Grace and peace,
Greg Resor
Complete in Him

Pauline Repentance

We must begin with the Biblical understanding of what does repentance mean.  Repentance is changing your mind.  Paul creates a pattern in the life of a believer to put away some things and to put on some things.  This is true replacement theology.  We must change our actions by changing our thinking.  Paul gives us a glimpse of this doctrine on Ephesians chapter four.

Ephesians 4:21-32  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

This is an easy topic to talk about, but how are supposed to do this?  Grace allows us the opportunity to change by understanding, not by doing.  Paul explains this in Romans chapter 12.

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

It is only through renewing our mind.  We hve to change what we think and how we think.  This can only be accomplished through the word of God.  We must allow the word of God to dwell in us and let it do its job of working in us.

1Thesslonians 2:9-13 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:  As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

The word of God will not return void.  The word will accomplish its goal by working effectively in the life of the believer.  Only then can we understand that just because we are grace and not law does not mean we may partake in anything we want.  We must think of other breatheren as well.  

1Corinthians 10:23-24  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.

The godly edification of fellow believers must be forefront in our thinking.  Are we saved by our actions? No!  Are we saved by our speech? No! Does God care about those things? Absolutely! Without question.  How we act and how we speak matters to weaker breatheren.  Lest we forget, we are ambassadors. Wouldn't you want the best show for American Ambassadors?  How much more, for the Creator of the universe.

So, follow after Pauline repentance. Change things that need changing. Remember t this time of year the sacrifice Christ made and 

Grace and Peace,

Greg Resor

Complete in Him

Minister Grace

There are many today who do understand how to rightly divide the word of truth, yet they find themselves not following their pattern in all ways.  Paul gives us a tremendous look at how we are to apply our understanding in Ephesians 4.  We put this together along with his own commentary to Ephesians in Colossians, where he says, as we have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.  We have Paul as a pattern, so we should see how he suggests we live.

Ephesians  4:20-32

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  Neither give place to the devil.  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

There are many who treat folks outside of dispensationalism as though they are completely stupid, forgetting they used to be there themselves.  Sometimes they go so far as to call them stupid or idiots.  I find this sickening.  We are to edify; or build up, not tear down.  We should be the light for those in darkness.  We should be helpers of their joy. 

As we continue to preach God's word, rightly divided, we should remember our commission as ambassadors.  We are to be a living epistle written in the fleshy tables of our hearts to be read of all men. 

Something to consider.

Grace and peace,
Greg Resor
Complete in Him

Confess What Has Been Confessed

DO WE HAVE TO CONFESS CHRIST?

Matthew 10:32, 33
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Everyone knows this passage of scripture, but many misuse it and its content.  When Christ spoke these words, it was prior to His going to the cross.  He was speaking to the nation of Israel to prepare them for the upcoming tribulation period.  Since these words were spoken, many things have taken place and God interrupted His kingdom program to usher in the Dispensation of His Grace.  On this side of the cross we understand a hidden purpose behind the cross work of Christ. 

CHRIST DIED FOR US

Romans  5:6-10
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  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.

CHRIST DID IT PUBLICLY

Colossians  2:10-15
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Jesus Christ, with His death, confessed you before God, Satan, the angels, and all of creation. Now, agree with Gods Word and what it says about you. You do not have to confess Christ for Him to confess you.

WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO CONFESS HIM

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Paul, begs us to show God's grace by storing up doctrine in our soul.  So much so, that our lives confess Christ living in us and through us as we walk day by day.

Grace and peace,

Greg Resor

Complete in Him