His Being Sinless Saves Us

Heb_12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled

We've discussed this before, but with all things spiritual they need discussing over and over because they are our life, our future eternity.

We can FAIL of the grace of God.
The grace of God is NOT forced upon anyone.
God HAS made His grace available, but will NOT coerce a single person into accepting His grace. Not a single trace of force will be used on anyone to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

There are a lot of religions which advocate force. In fact, in the Old Testament we can read of vengeance of God against those who turn from His and follow other gods. We know that in the New Testament the 'wrath of God' is a very real thing that will be poured out upon all the ungodly, all those who do not choose God.  They aren't being FORCED to accept God's salvation, even in the Old Testament they are not forced. It's a choice you make and consequences you face as a result.

Sin cannot be allowed to survive.

Those who choose to refuse the grace of God are in essence desiring sin to live on.   It's true.

God is love.

When you refuse the grace of God, you refuse love and all it means.

Believe otherwise at your own risk.

We can fail of the grace of God.  It's offered to all, but the very bottom line is not ALL will accept it- not TRUTHFULLY.  What I mean by that is many make a pretense of accepting God's grace, some even to the point of believing in their own pretenses, but very few truly accept the grace that is offered.  Very few accept the truth of the submission that is necessary in obtaining God's grace.  Very few believe they can do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to earn salvation.

It's true.

Others believe that they can't do anything, and so they live their lives as if all they do has very little consequence. Where Paul asks if we should sin because we are no longer under the law, and the answer is …

Rom_6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

GOD FORBID!

Our Savior told those He healed to 'Go and sin no more.'  Why would He say those words if sinning didn't matter?

Sin will ALWAYS separate us from God and when we willfully sin we are willfully separating ourselves from God. To willfully separate ourselves from God is truly something we can say these words to- 'God forbid.'

We sin not willfully enough, we can't choose to separate ourselves from God and think it's is perfectly fine because we have grace.

Our Savior HAS grace to give us because He was SINLESS!

And it's HIS SINLESSNESS that saves us THROUGH HIS GRACE.  He never CONDONED sin, never!  He showed compassion for the one caught in sin and healed them, telling them to stop sinning.

We have to constantly go to our SAVIOR seeking forgiveness for our sinning, but we cannot laugh in the face of God and sin happily, believing sin is something good. SIN SEPARATES us from GOD. As we happily sin we are happily separating ourselves from God. How contrary is that to our desire to be one with God?

We can fail of the grace of God.

God forbid we do that!

Please LORD, help us truly accept YOUR grace knowing this--

Eph_2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God

The gift of grace, is the gift of God.

Bless us sweet Savior! Bless us, keep us, save us!

Let us have grace

Heb_12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear

We receive a kingdom that cannot be moved.
Let us have grace.
Grace so we can serve God acceptably.
Serving God with reverence and godly fear.

A kingdom that cannot be moved- what kingdom?

Jesus preached this-  Mat_4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The kingdom of heaven was at hand.
The kingdom of heaven cannot be moved.

Can kingdoms be moved?  Earthly kingdoms are moved and in the past were moved all the time through wars and such. The borders of earthly kingdoms change all the time, but the heavenly kingdom does not change. Our Savior does not change.

Heb_13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

A kingdom that cannot be moved- we RECEIVE that kingdom. A kingdom so sure, so true, so real- is it any wonder we are to have GRACE, it's with GRACE we are accepted into the kingdom of heaven.  We can only serve God acceptably - with grace. We can only serve God with reverence and godly fear - with grace.

Because of this promised kingdom we MUST have grace, and in having grace we SERVE GOD acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Let us have grace.

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen

We are discussing progressing in grace- growing in grace, and this verse that tells us 'let us have grace' is the same grace we are to GROW IN.

Whenever we get it in our heads that we do not need grace first and foremost we have to remember it truly is the ONLY way we can serve God acceptably.

Grace.

Our Savior alone offers us grace- salvation that is UNMERITED by us, salvation we CANNOT manufacture ourselves!

If we try to serve God with any of ourselves, we serve God in vain. We must serve God through our Savior.  It is Christ who taught us to pray- OUR FATHER- His Father, Your Father, My Father- OUR FATHER. We must FOREVER pray this way, we must FOREVER live this way, knowing that it is THROUGH CHRIST that we can even come before God. How arrogant of us to ever believe we of our own accord have the right to come to the FATHER. We only serve Him acceptably through the grace of our Savior!  We CAN'T FORGET THIS!  The comprehension that we are in the presence of God through Christ is something amazing, something we can't forget.

Please, LORD, keep us in YOU, in YOUR grace as we seek to serve God acceptably!  Please!

All in CHRIST, always!

Imperfect Children of God

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Our Savior- full of GRACE and TRUTH.

Throughout our lives we come face to face with circumstances that will define us in minute ways. How exactly do we become what we are?  It isn't all about being a product of our environments because some seem to rise above their adverse upbringings while others succumb to them, even going on to promote the adversity in the next generation.

When we are born, we are truly unique beings already established with various traits that slowly make themselves known. An infant with a quick temper?  Don't all infants have quick tempers? No, frankly, they do not. Mischiviousness, stubborness, silliness, kindness, these traits can be readily seen in babies.  It is so easy to see how individual we are from birth once you have a child of your own. Otherwise it is easy to stand on the outside and contemplate why the parents are letting their babies have bad tempers, or be stubborn.  It truly isn't a matter of 'letting' a child have their own personalities replete with good tendencies as well as not so good tendencies, they are given them by birth, formed in the womb truly with their personalities as individual as their appearance. Parents can shape personalities, meaning they can comprehend the child has their own quirks and if they are undesirable quirks it's in the child's best interest to try and find ways to guide that quirk so it doesn't become a detriment to them as they are maturing. Quirk guiding however is just that, it's learning to channel the quirky behavior in ways that help offset the quirk. Truly, people cannot, without destroying most that is good within a child, absolutely change a bad tendency, they cannot, I should say, get rid of that tendency.  There are parents that harm their children until that child learns to bury the part of themselves that is detrimental to them. Burying a trait because the trait causes you to be abused, doesn't automatically form a 'better' child. The outside of the child may appear to have been corrected, but the inside can be damaged in ways far more awful than the trait they were born with ever could be. No, I'm not talking about discipline and correction being wrong, but abuse is definitely wrong.

What does all this have to do with the Bible verse above?

Our Savior was born full of grace and truth, and our Savior offers us grace and truth when we are born again in Him.

We are all products of our upbringings. We are all born into imperfect worlds that from the start seem to poke at us, teasing us into letting out all the defects of our characters. We are born imperfect and raised imperfect and this alone can allow us to realize our need of the PERFECT SAVIOR.

The child who is being raised by parents with the best of intentions of turning out a well adjusted mature adult some day, will still turn out riddled with imperfections. There are no perfect parents, but there are imperfect parents with the best of intentions. There are also imperfect parents without the best of intentions, whose only desire is for the child they are raising to simply not bug them while they go about their own lives- sad, but true.

Our children are NOT extensions of ourselves, but they are influenced by us. We can treat them as if they are part of us, and all that matters is they don't embarass us, but we fail them when we do that. Our children are gifts that are entrusted to us. And as any precious gift, we need to take care to see that it remains undamaged if at all possible by our imperfect caregiving. Most importantly, we need to guide our children towards the only hope we have, the Perfect Savior. We need to teach our children that we have to go to our Perfect Savior and confess our imperfections, repenting of them truly because we do not desire that that imperfections of our characters dominate our lives. We will find forgiveness for our imperfections- whatever they may be, the ones we are born with and form our personalities, they too must be repented of, not excused and accepted simply because we were born that way.  If we go that route then we can take it all the way to the point of saying we are victims born in sin so we must embrace the sins we are born to live in and simply accept them never caring that each sin separates us further from God.

God knows the adversity we are born into and every person has been given a way out- Jesus Christ.  Will our Savior make it so we never sin again? Ultimately, yes. Through Him and His GRACE, His MERCY, His LOVE, His RIGHTEOUSNESS, He will take from us all that promotes the sin in us and replace it with Himself, letting HIS righteousness become ours and when He returns for those who are His, we will NEVER ever have a single tendency to sin within us, it will be gone, all by HIS POWER to forgive and cleanse us, all through GRACE.

Right now we may not be able to imagine living sinlessly because each day the sin tendencies within us seem more and more apparant, but one day it will happen.  All the terrible imperfections in our thoughts, in our actions, in our hearts will be revealed and forgiven because they've been revealed and we have repented of them to our Savior.  Over and over again we may need to endlessly repent and throw ourselves on the mercy of our Savior, but we must NEVER despair of doing so, because if we despair of seeing the PERFECTION created in us ONLY by our SAVIOR, we have no hope. If we despair then we are secretly believing that we can somehow create the perfection ourselves, that we can give it to ourselves and we've failed to do so. We can NEVER create perfection in ourselves but we CAN ALWAYS submit to the ONE who can be, and is, perfect for us and is willing to keep us in Him until He can change us into incorruptible beings, beings without any guile, perfect as HE is perfect.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1Pe_5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Heb 13:20  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,
Heb 13:21  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.

Col_1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus

Joh_17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Our Savior is full of GRACE and TRUTH, and it's to HIM we go for all things!

Guide us to YOU,  Savior.  Let us LIVE IN YOU, and YOU LIVE IN US so that we may be YOURS in LOVE. 

Walk Uprightly- it is ONLY possible if Christ lives in us!

Psa 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

So why do we imagine that we do not have to do anything once we are under grace, that we do NOT have to walk uprightly, because somehow that means we are trying to earn grace?

Yes, this is an Old Testament verse, and some will be quick to point that out, but it holds true for the New Testament as well.  When is it ever okay to claim the grace of God and live in such a way that is completely contrary to God? It's too easy for people to believe Satan's lie that they will never die. They also believe the lie that as long as they mouth the words of love for Christ, and have some measure of feeling for Him, that they are Christ's.

Tell me then, who is going to say in the day of Christ--

'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?'

Who is going to say that? One who never prophesized? One who never cast out devils? One who never did any wonderful works in the name of Christ?

NO!

It will be THOSE who are claiming Jesus' name!  These are the ones who are going to say that to our Savior when He returns and WHAT will our Savior reply to them?

'Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. '

These workers of iniquity will be working in Christ's name!!!!!!!!! They will believe, REALLY believe they are Christ's!

We need to think about that, really think about it. Our Savior tells us--

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

A DOER of the FATHER'S WILL, that is who will be Christ's in the day of His return.

A living faith, a living belief in our Savior that is the Father's will.

Think about it for a moment.  The Apostles and the first believers lived their lives in the joy of the Savior's offered salvation. It was REAL to them!  It was a living, breathing FAITH for them.  ALL they did in life came SECOND to that FAITH they lived. And they did all the sorts of things that we all do to live- eat, drink, bath, dress, work, play, etc. They didn't stop living but their living was done IN CHRIST and the knowledge, the reality, of the SALVATION He brought to mankind.

Col_1:27  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

Gal_2:20  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.

Christ in us! Christ LIVING in us! We still live in our flesh, but we also live in FAITH in our SAVIOR, the SON OF GOD!

Should there be any aspect of our life that is NOT subject to Christ living in us through faith?

We can't live our Christian life as if Christ isn't living in us.

And this has to be a REALITY. What I mean by that is, we have to remember the people who are going to think they live in Christ but don't? We don't want to be numbered in their lot, they will not be saved, Christ doesn't know them.  They have all the outward trappings of being a Christian, so much so they prophesize and cast out devils, yet they are NOT Christ's!

Christ tells us this very important fact that SO many choose to overlook-

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And so many do not do this. Some don't do it for fear they are being legalistic, and if they do keep the commandments they are trusting in their works, not in grace. Others don't do it because they believe it doesn't matter to truly spend time studying deeply to find out the facts of Christ's commandments. People have this WARPED idea of what it is to love God and love others.

First of all, God is love.
Secondly, if we love God we are living as God would live- remember, God is love.
Thirdly, if we are living as God would live we are automatically keeping His ten moral laws given to all of mankind.

To love God and others, we are living as God would have us live.

Loving God and others is NOT a hodge podge of feeling benevolent. Loving God and others is not ever self congratulatory for living as God would live- helping others even if it means dying to help them.

There is a reason our Savior told us to pray in a closet, and...

Mat_6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth

We are NOT ever to do a single Godly thing for selfish intents.  We are to do them because CHRIST lives in us, and CHRIST commands us to love Him and Others, and all that means!


It is CHRIST living in us!

Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and IN ALL.

Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is WITHIN you.

Joh 14:17  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.

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and YE IN ME, AND I IN YOU.

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, 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.

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4  ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  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.

Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23  I IN THEM, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be IN YOU, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God DWELLETH IN YOU?

Gal 4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ BE FORMED IN YOU

Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an HABITATION OF GOD through the Spirit.

Eph 3:17  That Christ may DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love

1Jn 4:4  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.

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.


PLEASE LORD, please let us have YOU in us!  Live in us through the HOLY SPIRIT!  LIVE in US! And we know that YOU living in us alone gives us all the grace we will ever need!

ALL in YOUR AMAZING LOVE!

Amen!

More Grace

Grace-  God gives MORE grace than the lust inside us that would destroy us if we let it.  Seriously, we CAN and WILL be destroyed if we do not choose GRACE.

Grace is NOT forced upon us, it is offered to us and we must accept that grace. Read the following a couple of times...please...

Jas 4:1  From whence come wars and fightings among you?
come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

The lusts inside of us cause us to fight, to argue to even war within ourselves.

Jas 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

We lust and our lusts are not satisfied. We even kill because we lust. We desire but we cannot get what we desire. We fight and war all trying to take care of the lusts within us. We ask, wanting those lusts fulfilled. We aren't fulfilled though because the things we are lusting after are wrong things. We are asking for things that are not of God. We are asking for things that will satisfy our perverted lusts, our selfish lusts.

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

We are ADULTERERS and ADULTERESSES when we leave the love of our Betrothed, our Groom, and go with ANY other no matter who they are. Even when we believe ourselves to be more worthy than our Savior, we are betraying the LORD.  God's people time and time again committed adultery against God, leaving Him and going after strange gods. Time and again they were called to repent for their actions. When WE choose to have a friendship with the world, to LOVE the world, we are choosing to be at war against GOD. This world is an enemy of God's, and if WE are friends with the world then WE are enemies of God too!

So many people want to twist our selfish lusts into something acceptable and good. So many want us to believe that being of the world is a good thing, but it is NOT.

Jas 4:5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Jas 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

TRUTH!

GOD gives us MORE grace.

Yet, GOD resists the PROUD.

GOD gives grace unto the HUMBLE.

The proud, what does this mean to us?  Do we consider only the proud as those who are stuck up and arrogant?

Dictionary Definition-

Proud-
1.
feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated.
2.
having or showing a high or excessively high opinion of oneself or one's importance.

The focus of being proud is all consideration is placed upon SELF. Even if we are proud of someone else, it revolves around SELF.

We can receive GOD'S GRACE, God gives us MORE GRACE, but we have to SUBMIT to GOD, put our FOCUS on GOD.  Can we? It is what we must do!

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

HUMBLE OURSELVES, in the SIGHT of the LORD.

God will give us more GRACE, we must not ask amiss for our needs, and our need is GOD, not selfish lusts that fight inside of us for dominance wanting us to leave the LORD we love!

By God's GRACE!

Hope to the end for grace

We are to PROGRESS in grace, PROGRESS in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Are we progressing?

How do you progress in grace?

1Pe_1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

Gird up the loins of your mind.
Be sober.
Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

So, how do we gird up the loins of our minds?

Jesus said-

Luk 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luk 12:35  Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
Luk 12:36  And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

Loins girded, lights burning.

Loins of our mind.

What are the loins of our mind?

Our thoughts, our imaginations, all that goes on in our minds. Read this-

1Ch_28:9  And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

The LORD searches all hearts and understands the IMAGINATIONS OF THE THOUGHTS.

Pro 6:16  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief…

The LORD hates- a heart that devises WICKED IMAGINATIONS.

Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

VAIN in THEIR IMAGINATIONS.

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Our spiritual weapons- CAST DOWN IMAGINATIONS- and EVERY high thing that exalteth itself AGAINST the KNOWLEDGE of GOD and BRINGING into CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT to the OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST!

Our imaginations are POWERFUL things, they can be wicked, vain, exalting themselves above God.

Is there any wonder we are told to GIRD up the loins of our minds?

GIRD UP.

When  you are girding something up you are--

'Definition of GIRD
1
a :  to encircle or bind with a flexible band (as a belt)
b :  to make fast (as a sword by a belt or clothing with a cord)
c :  surround
2
:  provide, equip; especially :  to invest with the sword of knighthood
3
:  to prepare (oneself) for action
intransitive verb
:  to prepare for action
— gird one's loins
:  to prepare for action :  muster up one's resources'
Pasted from  

Prepare our imaginations, bind our imaginations… we HAVE to bring EVERY THOUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY, this is preparing, this is binding, this is comprehending that our thoughts can ruin us!

1Pe_1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

We have to be active in our progressing in grace.  We cannot fool ourselves into believing that we are left unchanged when we accept our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Yes, we are sinners.
Yes, we are forever reliant upon our Savior for salvation- never able to give it to ourselves- never. Not a single action of ours will save us other than believing and even then we must pray for our Savior to help  our unbelief! (Mark 9:24)
Yet our Savior tells us that if we LOVE Him we will keep His commandments. (John 14:15) Why would our Savior tell us that if we are not expected to KEEP, actively keep, His commandments?

We are not saved by grace through faith only to keep actively sinning.

Jesus did not say to the woman caught in adultery to go and keep on sinning. He told that woman to go and sin no more.

To think that we are not supposed to bring our every thought into captivity is to choose to NOT believe in truth!

Gird up the loins of our MINDS, be SOBER - why be sober- because when we aren't sober our minds are easy prey for Satan as anyone who has ever been drunk knows. HOPE to the END FOR THE GRACE that is to be brought to us at the revelation of JESUS CHRIST.

Progress in grace… grow in grace!

We must grow in grace through our SAVIOR, living HIS TRUTH, HIS WORD!

We MUST watch our thoughts, our minds!

Php_4:8  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

THINK ON THESE THINGS.

We are giving instructions and we'd do well to heed them, all through our SAVIOR, through HIS LOVE! HIS GRACE! HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!

All through HIM!

Progress in Grace

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Grow…

...in grace.

Grow…

...in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Growing-  'of a living thing- undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically; progress to maturity.' (Dict. Def.)

Progress to maturity.  

Progress to mature grace.

Progress to mature knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We are to PROGRESS in grace, PROGRESS in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Are we progressing?

How do you progress in grace?

1Pe_1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

Jas_4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Heb_12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear

Heb_12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled

Heb_4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need

Heb_2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Tit_2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men

Tit_3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

2Ti_1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began

1Ti_1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

2Th_1:12  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Th_2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace

Col_1:6  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth

Col_3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Eph_6:24  Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen

Eph_4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Eph_2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God

Eph_3:2  If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward

Eph_3:7  Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Eph_1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace

Eph_2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph_1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

2Co_12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Co_9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work

2Co_8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

2Co_8:7  Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

2Co_1:2  Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co_1:12  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

1Co_15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1Co_1:4  I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ

Rom_12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Rom_6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Rom_5:17  For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Luk_2:40  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Joh_1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Joh_1:16  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Joh_1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Act_4:33  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Act_11:23  Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Act_13:43  Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Act_14:3  Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Act_14:26  And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

Act_15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Act_15:40  And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

Act_18:27  And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace

Act_20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Act_20:32  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Rom_1:5  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Rom_1:7  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom_3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

Rom_4:16  Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all

Rom_5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Rom_5:15  But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

*******

And by the GRACE of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST we will delve much deeper into this subject tomorrow.

In HIS LOVE.