The Ole Ball and Chain.

Forgiveness is one of the many things we have a hard time dealing with. Some often say, "It is easier to ask forgiveness, than it is to get permission." which is a quote from Rear Admiral Grace Hopper. 

We ask for forgiveness in situations that we have placed ourselves in but it is usually proceeded by our disregard for the situation. We knowingly choose to do something and then ask for forgiveness. 

However, when it comes to our sins we think that we can not possibly be forgiven for those. We feel like we must do something to atone for those, even though they are the same as the previous example. (That could be an entirely different discussion.) 

The wonderful thing we learn about who we are in Christ is the positional truths that we have based solely on our identification with Jesus Christ. However, this truth is most usually veiled in a series of do's and don'ts. The reality of our position in Christ is in plain sight to the reader of scripture, but it is hidden to those that simply "attend" church. 

Based on the authority of the scriptures, we can know that we have ALL of our sins forgiven the moment we trust in Christ's faithfulness which was put on display in the death, burial, and resurrection. We know that when we place our faith in what Christ did we are completely and totally identified with Him. 

His death is now our death. 

His burial is now our burial.

His resurrection is now our resurrection. 

        Romans 6:3, 4

        Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his             death? 

        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. 

Christ died and rose again that He might live unto God. The same is now true of those who have trusted in the cross work of Christ. 

We have been forgiven of ALL trespasses. 

        Ephesians 1:7

        In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the                riches of his grace; 

        Ephesians 4:32

        And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for                     Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

        Colossians 2:13

        And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened             together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Those of us which have come to that understanding REJOICE! 

Yet, even some that come to understand that truth do not understand the guilt of those sins should be gone as well. 

How? 

Through the exact same relationship that we have the forgiveness.

If we are justified, which we are, then we are declared righteous. God has declared us righteous because we are in Christ. Righteousness is God's standard of perfection. God imputes unto us His righteousness by the faith of Jesus Christ. 

Therefore, when we trust in the faithfulness of Christ, God gives us His righteousness, which is His standard of perfection. That means that we are perfect, IN CHRIST. Because of our identification with Christ, we are given the gift of righteousness. 

All we have to do is believe the Word of God that tells us these truths. 

Saved individuals are walking around with a ball and chain strapped to their ankles, yet they hold the key to loose themselves from it. 

Trust the Word of God today. 

Grace and Peace

Greg Resor

Complete in Him

Do You Really Believe the Entire Bible?

Many people proclaim to believe the entire Bible was written to them and they live every word of it.  However, there are some things in the Bible you can not do and should not do today.  So what we want to do is to take a look at Gods word, rightly divided.  In so doing, we will find out what Gods will is for our life today.

1) If we read Genesis 6:14, may we take this verse and apply it to our loves today?

Genesis 6:14, Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. KJV

How many people ran out to find gopher wood to build an ark after you read that? 

None?  Why not?

Is not Genesis 6:14 part of the word of God?  Yes!  Why do you not build an ark?

2) Mark 16:14-18, 

14  Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 

15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 

18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. KJV

Have you trusted/believed? Yes.

Have you been baptized? Yes.

Have you cast out devils? No!

Have you spoken in new tongues? No!

Have you taken up serpents? No!

Have you drank deadly things? No!

Have you laid you hands on the sick? Yes.

Did they recover? No!

Why have some of those things not taken place? God says is shall happen. That means it will happen if you have actually believed and have been baptized. 

Is God a liar?  GOD FORBID!  God cannot lie. Titus 1:2

Since God is not a liar and all of those things have not taken place, then it would stand to reason that God is not doing those things today.

We can look at those two examples and see that God, in His essence and being has not changed, but how He deals with man has changed. 

Do You Really Believe the Entire Bible?

Romans 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

This verse tells us that everything that we read in scripture was written for our learning. We know that all scripture is for our learning, but not all scripture is written specifically to you or about you. 

I believe you will agree that Genesis 6:14 is not written specifically to you. We can; however, learn about God's faithfulness to His word. God did exactly what He promised He would do. From this account, we can learn that God will accomplish what He promised. Therefore, we know that when God makes a promise to us, the Church the Body of Christ, we can trust He will perform.

That is a wonderful thought. This is where we get our confidence. 

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

Philippians 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 

Philippians 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

God is doing something today in you and we can trust that He will perform it. The way God does this is through a proper understanding of God's word. 

1 Thessalonians 2:13  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. 

If we think all of the Bible is written to us and about us, then why don't we build an ark?

Knowing what God is doing is where we need to begin. That is why knowing how to rightly divide the word of God is so important.  

You can believe the entire Bible and know what is written directly to you and about you. 

Grace and Peace,

Greg Resor

Complete in Him