Sunday, September 17, 2023

Unleashing the Lion- Chapter 7: The Lion in You

 Return to Chapter 6: The Lion

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Phillippians 1:21


Have you ever wondered how Paul was able to say that? It’s really an astounding statement if you ponder it, “to live is Christ!” Wow! It hints at something else that is at work in Lion followers.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:15-21


Love and Obey

First, let’s start with, “if ye love me, keep my commandments.” Jesus equates love with obedience. You will note that this passage of scripture is book-ended with the same thought, those that keep His commandments are those that love Him. It would appear that everything in between is to be seen in light of this thought. Jesus is not plowing any new spiritual ground linking obedience to love, it can be found throughout scripture.

And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Deuteronomy 10:12

And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 11:13

Conversely, those that do not love Him do not keep His commandments. And since they do not love Jesus, they also don’t love the Father.

He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
John 14:24

If you choose not to obey the commandments of Jesus, then you have and display a lack of love for Him. It is that simple. So many have been so deceived for so long that they mistakenly believe that they can still love Jesus while disobeying Him. This is simply not true. If you love Jesus you will obey Him. Disobedience reveals a lack of love for Jesus Christ and the Father in the believer. Love Jesus? Obey Jesus.

If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 14:23

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
John 15:14

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. His commandments are not onerous...”
1 John 2:3-6

Jesus gave His commandments for the same reason Jehovah gave the law in the Old Testament: He loves us, wants to protect us, and share His joy with us!

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:10-11

What are the commandments of Jesus? The commandments of Jesus are His instructions to us found in the New Testament. One of them is:

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
John 15:12

Jesus even gave a picture of what following this commandment looks like:

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Matthew 25:34-40  

I will never forget going on a mission trip to Mexico. We stayed at a church just inside the Texas border, we would cross over every day to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and invite people to a large open air field near where they lived, to hear the Word of God preached, feed them, and give them an opportunity to accept Christ. It was a memorable opportunity.

One morning as we were getting ready to head out I asked the preacher if it was okay if I ventured into the main building and look around. He replied, “of course, but please pardon the condition. We have need to do a lot of housekeeping around here,” and then looking in the direction of the border continued, “but the need over there is so great! We can’t bear to spend anymore on this place than we absolutely have to.”


Help!

Next, Jesus introduces us to the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Comforter. God’s gift to us that empowers us to live in victory!

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 14:16-17

Jesus comforts the disciples by telling them He is not leaving them alone! You can draw great comfort from this as well, you are never alone if you have the Holy Spirit. From this passage we can draw the following conclusions about the Comforter.
  • The Holy Spirit was sent by God to us
  • The Holy Spirit never leaves us
  • The Holy Spirit only testifies of the truth, you can trust Him
  • The Holy Spirit is not received by the world because they neither see or know Him
  • The Holy Spirit is received only by those who know Him
How do we know Him? Because He is with us and IN us!

From other passages we can know what the ministry of the Holy Spirit is:
  • The Father sent the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus (John 14:26)
  • The Holy Spirit teaches us all things (John 14:26)
  • The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus (John 15:26)
  • The Holy Spirit speaks to us of God’s love (Romans 5:5)
  • The Holy Spirit bears witness of our adoption as children of God (Romans 8:16)
  • The Holy Spirit sustains and upholds us in our weaknesses (Romans 8:26)
  • The Holy Spirit helps us pray (Romans 8:26)
  • God fills us with joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)
  • The Holy Spirit produces fruit in us (Galatians 5:22-23)
  • The Holy Spirit binds believers together in fellowship (Phillippians 2:1)
The Holy Spirit consoles you in your darkest of sorrows, comforts you in your hour of pain, and upholds you in your moment of weakness!

The Holy Spirit reveals to us “the deep things of God!” The passage goes on to say that it is the Spirit of God that reveals to us the will and knowledge of God. Many Christians miss out on “the deep things of God” and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, because they seek God through the ministry of another man first. You no longer have to go through another man to come into the presence of God, you can ask of Him yourself. Then seek good Biblical teaching from another, but never let it replace your one on one time with God.

This is the meaning of why the veil was torn in the temple. We now have direct access to God, we no longer have to go through another to get there. We have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit, He will train us in His Word. God teaches us! There is only one inspired Word, and that is the Bible. If you have trouble interpreting it then seek God first, not a man. For God has called some to teach no doubt, but we are poor substitutes for the Holy Spirit. Seek God first and He will illuminate His Word to you! Always judge what another man teaches you by the direct Word of God which alone is...

given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

It was the Holy Spirit who revealed the “mystery of Christ,” to Paul, the holy apostles and prophets. The mystery, which has been fully revealed to us, was only first declared by the New Testament authors. Prior to, the mystery was only known through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Paul passed it on to us. What is the mystery? The mystery is that the church shall be made up of converted Jews and Gentiles, prior to this moment in history an unthinkable prospect,and the Head of the church is the Lion!

The Holy Spirit seals us, and lives IN us as a pledge and guarantee. It is that indwelling that reminds the believer who they belong to, and serves as security that they do indeed belong to Christ. The believer is never alone, never powerless, and never promise-less. No matter what we are going through, we can NEVER be separated from the Holy Spirit of God.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

We are His, and He shall never leave us or forsake us!


Born of the Spirit

It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to live the Christian life.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:6-7

In Romans 5-8, we see two dominions contrasted- the old and the new. The old is the “old man,” or “that which is born of the flesh.” The old is ruled by death, sin, the law, and sinful flesh. The new is the “new man,” or “that which is born of the Spirit.” The new is characterized by life, righteousness, grace, and the Holy Spirit.

Paul writes regarding these two natures:

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Colossians 3:3-11

Note how this passage starts, “for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ In God.” Paul is describing how one is transferred from death into life, from the old into new, from the flesh into the Spirit. Note the past tense used in verse 7, “in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.” When the transfer takes place, we live differently because we are no longer controlled by our sin nature, but now, by our new nature in Christ.

Each dominion is represented by a man. The old dominion of sin and death is represented by Adam, the first man, while the new realm of forgiveness and life is headed by Christ. All of us were born into the old dominion represented by Adam, the first man. It was Adam who brought sin and death into the world. We are “born again,” or transferred from the old dominion into the new through Jesus Christ who was able to obey God to the fullest and fulfill God’s will. Jesus carried the victory and defeated death and sin once and for all!

This is why Paul was able to say...

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:3-6

The message here is simple to understand. Those that are carnally minded, who are still controlled by the old dominion, whose end is death and whose works are sin, where Adam is still the representative, these will “mind the things of the flesh.” Those that are Spirit minded, who are now partakers of the new dominion, whose end is life and whose works are righteous, where Jesus is the representative, these will seek after “the things of the Spirit.”

We are filled with hope and endowed with power from above, through the Holy Spirit...

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13

Lion followers are filled with hope because they serve a “God of hope!” Lion followers are filled with joy and peace, because God has filled them with it. The Holy Spirit empowers, indwells, and sustains us through all of life’s trials and temptations.


Lion Works

Through the Holy Spirit we have the power of the Lion roaring inside us!

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
John 14:18-20

The super amazing, almost inconceivable, great news, is that the power of the Lion resides in you! We don’t have to walk alone, Jesus is with us every step of the way! Everyday we wake up with the power to choose, will we live in the power of the Lion, or settle for our own effort? Will we depend on our own sight, or will we base our decisions on the vision of the Lion? Will we shrink back in defeat or march on in victory? We don’t have to walk alone, rely on our own sight, or settle for less than His best, Jesus is in us every step of the way!

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
John 6:56

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:5-7

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:1

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Corinthians 13:5

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Colossians 1:27

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:12

Jesus actually dwells in you through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals the life, ministry, and message of the Lord Jesus Christ to us. We are in Christ because we belong to the body of Christ, and we stand in Christ before God! This is how we are able to stand before a Holy God and why there is no condemnation for us.

It is no longer you who live, but Christ lives in you! I can’t stress this enough, stop trying to live the Christian life by your own effort, you will fail every time.
Romans 8:1

Christ is superior to sin, we sin because we choose to, and we can choose not to!

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.
James 1:14-16

John records three times what the expectations of God are in regards to sin. Nowhere in the Bible will you find that God says even a little sin is okay. God hates sin. (Zechariah 8:17)

And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
John 5:13-14

Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:10-12

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
1 John 2:1-2

Some might say, “but I’ve said my prayer, been baptized, and went to Sunday School for awhile. I know I’m saved. Nobody’s perfect. Sure, I do this and I do that, but I’m saved. That’s been covered. I heard a preacher say that once.” For God is the discerner of our intentions:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Hebrews 4:12-13

O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Psalm 139:1-2

I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
Jeremiah 17:10

The Bible distinguishes between intentional and unintentional sinning. There may be times in our life when we fall, if this happens, He is more than gracious to forgive. But if we just seek an occasion to sin, there is judgment.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:26-31

This warning is for believers! Sin is a BIG deal. It separates us from God. The fact that you have sinned willfully also reveals that you have sinned deliberately! Under the Old Covenant the penalty for such disobedience was death by stoning. Now, in verse 29, the one who would despise the person of Jesus and sin willfully, is said to be worthy of even greater judgment! It is said that by sinning so deliberately, knowing better, they have trampled on the Son, disregarded His precious blood, and insulted the Holy Spirit. God judges deliberate sinning severely, in such an instance, “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”

Jesus taught us, to whom much is given, much is required, and those with greater revelation will receive greater judgment.

Do you remember what God told Cain in the field?

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Genesis 4:7

God revealed way back in Genesis that sin was a choice that could be denied. Sin desires you and waits at the door for you, but you can subdue it. You can rule over sin. Cain failed, he slew Abel and was banished forever! You don’t have to fail, you have someone Cain didn’t. You have the Lion!

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1 John 5:4

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1 John 5:18-20

We can direct and control our thoughts. Our thoughts are what lead us to sin. Direct your thoughts. The Psalmist and Paul teach us to overcome sin with our thoughts!

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:10-11

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Phillippians 4:8

Where is your heart? If your heart seeks after God, your mind will follow. By filling our thoughts with the pure, there will be no room for the impure.

As Christians it is vitally important that we guard our thoughts, and protect our hearts. We must judge the things which we hear and see, whether they be righteous and holy, or corrupt and immoral. Whether we admit it or not, the music we listen to, the books we read, the tv shows and movies we watch, and the podcasts we download, all influence our thought life.

The Psalmist knew what he was doing by hiding God’s Word in his heart, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” (Prov 23:7) I encourage you to pay close attention to the words of the song, the theme of the book, the point of the show, and the message of the speaker. We can be drawn away from God’s best if we seek to be entertained by the world’s worst.

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:20-27

There are many in the church who believe that we just cannot overcome the power of sin. That we have sinful bodies, and since we are stuck with them until we die, we are forever enslaved to do that which they direct us. As a result they teach the unfortunate reality of sin in the Christian life. By so doing, they actually encourage others to sin. This is not the message I find in the New Testament.

The message is one of victory over sin. We crucify the old man, and live unto the new man that God creates in us. We crucify and no longer follow the directives of the flesh, we follow instead the Spirit, which guides us to holy living.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy...
1 Peter 1:15


Your Works

We are also not saved by our works.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

It is God who wills and works in you! His works purify, our works puff us up!

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

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21

Anything done apart from God is useless. You must come to the end of yourself. You must realize that you can’t do it. Once you stop trying to do it, and hit your knees and look to God, and start following the Spirit, then miracles happen!

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

Some things you can do on your own. You can make good grades in school, pass efficiency exams at work and obtain promotions, choose the right foods and exercise and loose weight. There are others you can’t do on your own. One of those is save yourself! You can’t be good enough for God to accept you, and you can’t work hard enough for God to approve you.

The reason many struggle in their Christian life is because they have not understood salvation and what takes place. They accepted a different Jesus by their own effort other than the one that is taught in the Gospels. As a result they seek to work by their own effort in order to gain righteousness in and of themselves. Salvation is not of works, but is dependant solely upon the work of Jesus Christ.


Salvation That Overcomes

There is a salvation that overcomes. It overcomes sin. It overcomes death. How? Through the power of the Lion living in you!

I believe those who toil in sin and can never break free of it have a fatal misunderstanding of the gospels. They look at other people, even themselves, and come to the conclusion that sin is inevitable. As a result they fulfill their own prophecy, they sin. They leash the Lion.

If they would take their eyes off themselves and look to the Lion, they would see that sin has been overcome. The power to overcome it lives IN them. There is no greater power on earth. He has given us everything needed to overcome the world, including sin. All we need to do is Unleash the Lion. The Lion has already won the victory.

You see, it’s all about God, it is not about us! If you came to Jesus because you wanted Him to do something for you other than what He has already done, you have come to Him in vain. First He loved you, then you love Him. First, he calls, then you heed his voice! First, he died for your sin, then you die to your sin. First he defeated death by rising from the grave, then you rise to live your new life in Him. If He lives in you, there is no stopping what He can do through you. Accept the Lion for who He is, not what you want!

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57


Trials

We can have patience in our trials because we know it is God who is perfecting us, not that we can perfect ourselves.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:3-5

As long as we endure on this earth we will suffer. There will be disappointments which disillusion us. Some will suffer at the hands of another, through no fault of their own. Others will face tragedies so heartbreaking as to render words meaningless, while crying tears from the depths of their soul. It is during these times that faith is questioned, and trust is tried in a fiery furnace of grief. It is during these times we remember the example of Christ.

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 Peter 2:19-24

Many argue against the existence of God by charging Him with neglect regarding those who through no fault of their own experience severe persecution. Many do not see how a good God can allow such outright need to go uncared for. They fail to see that it is man who perpetuates the large majority of afflictions in the world. It is God who brings purpose to the chaos. It is Jesus who has overcome.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

There are those right now who suffer just because of their faith in Christ. They are disowned by family, threatened by enemies, starved to death, denied necessary essentials, and some are killed. Yet, it is these very people that Paul calls victors instead of victims!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:36-37

The world may see them as casualties, but God sees them as conquerors. It is man who brings these things upon these people, it is the Lion who loves them through it.


Salvation Assurance

You can rest assured in your salvation.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1 John 5:12-13

In the verses that preceded we learn what those things are that give you the assurance of your salvation: You will find these verses either comforting or challenging. Just like the fruits of the Spirit, if you don’t find evidence of these it is time to take a careful accounting of your spiritual life, is the Lion present or not?

1 John 5.1- Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 
  • Love Others! In 1 John 4.7-8 it says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” Love is the first assurance of salvation, if you love others you have God, if you don’t love others, you don’t.
1 John 5.2-3- By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 
  • Obey Him- In 1 John 3.23-24 it says, “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” Obedience is the second assurance of salvation, if you obey Him, you have the Spirit, if you don’t obey Him, you don’t.
1 John 5.4- For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 
  • Overcoming Faith- In 1 John 4.4-6 it says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Overcoming faith is the third assurance of salvation, if you overcome you have the Spirit, if you are easily conquered, you don’t.
1 John 5.9-10- If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 
  • Believe Rightly- In 1 John 4.2 it says, “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:” and 1 John 4.9, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” Believing rightly is the fourth assurance of salvation. If you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who lived and died for you, taking upon Himself your sin, and was raised on the third day conquering sin and death, making a way for you to enter into the very presence of God, you have eternal life. If you don’t believe these things, you don’t.
In essence, we are to love, obey, overcome, and believe right things to have absolute assurance of our salvation. I would encourage you to take stock regularly of these assurances in your life. Look at them as a barometer of your spiritual health. Use the fruits of the Spirit in the same way. If you see in your life evidences of these core principles you can know that your spiritual health is in good shape. A lack of evidence will be a warning unto you to get back into shape. It will be much better to be corrected here than on the day of judgment!


Exercising Salvation

In writing to the Philippian church Paul encourages them to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” It is a verse that speaks of commitment on the part of the believer. It is best understood in light of the fourth soil which held on to the seed entrusted to it. The work of the believer is also seen in other verses:

The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
Proverbs 10:16

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
1 Thessalonians 1:3

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:10-12

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

A salvation that overcomes is a salvation that works. In the book of James we are given three aspects of pure religion:
  1. Wise Speech- “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Jesus reveals that our hearts are not as hidden as we might have thought. We actually lay it out for all to see by the words we speak.
  2. Charitable Service- Paul took up the first offering from the Corinthian church to help those in desperate need in Jerusalem. James encourages us to care for the orphans and widows among us. Jesus spent His time with the demon possessed, physically afflicted, and the poor. Where you spend your time and what you spend it doing say a lot about what you value. The heart for Christ will put the hands and feet of Christ to work helping those who are in need.
  3. Righteous Living- To live righteously is to live Godly. Our example always speaks louder than our words. If we are not careful our actions will betray what our lips say otherwise.
Exercising our salvation is possibly best seen in the conversion of Saul, and the life of Paul. In Acts 9 Saul saw Jesus and was straightened out.
  • Instead of cursing the name of Jesus, he praised Him
  • Instead of killing Jesus followers, he joined them
  • Instead of destroying the church of Jesus Christ, he helped build it.
After that day Paul was never the same. His words to Titus, a young delegate whom he left in Corinth to work with the believers there, help frame the Christian life and character.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Titus 2:11-15

It is only by the grace of God that salvation is offered to anyone. It is a gift, it cannot be earned. That grace teaches us how to live and enables us to do so. Instead of living ungodly and worldly lives, we live self disciplined, upright, and Godly lives. We are a hopeful people, always looking for the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. It is He who sacrificed Himself for us, redeeming us from our life of sin, wickedness, and selfish ambition, purifying, setting aside, and making us His own people, devoted to Him, eager to share Him, dedicated to His work, and passionate about His message.

The Christians in the 1st century lived every day as if Jesus was returning. They literally could not wait for His appearing. They sought it, yearned for it, prayed for it, and worked towards it with fervor and passion. This trait is seen throughout the New Testament and was a driving force in their dedication to the Lord’s work. The 1st century church lived in victory, the 21st century church can as well.


The Victory

Paul was ready, are you?

For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:6-8

Near the end of his life Paul was able to say that he had completed his task. As a result he was expectant of his coming encounter with the Lord. In fact, we can say that he was eager to receive his reward. Paul had gained the victory that all of us can. It was not a victory born of any good works that Paul had done in and of himself. It was a victory won by dying to self and allowing Jesus to work in and through him. Paul got out of his own way by crucifying himself, and living in Christ Jesus.

Paul Unleashed the Lion, will you?

THE END

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