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Mike Evans | PentecostalTheology.com
The outward evidence of salvation to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. True salvation does not desire to mimic the word or indulge in worldly passions. True salvation desires “a life of righteousness and true holiness.” Sadly, today we see leaders who have accepted activities as normal for “Christians” which the scripture forbids.
These activities are not only acceptable to some leaders, but are taught as permissible and promoted in church. In fact, these leaders will deride you publicly for taking a stance for purity by claiming you are living under the law and thus placing people in bondage by calling for true holiness.
Just as bad are the leaders of leaders who have not taken a stand. These remove themselves from the conflict so as to hold on to their positions of authority. This is nothing short of trusting in a position or money rather than God. It is condoning sinfulness for the purpose of maintaining public standing.
“The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness.” True salvation is marked by holiness which desires to be pure (1 Jn. 3:3). True salvation is evidenced by holiness which desires to put away the sinful pleasures of the world in order to show love to God who has called us to holiness (1 Thess. 4:7). This kind of salvation is not motivated by a desire to follow the law but from love. Love which desires to please Jesus through obedience (Jn. 14:23, 15:10). This kind of salvation is not a burden, but a delight because it is born from the presence of the Holy Ghost and grows through the putting to death of the flesh (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5). This kind of salvation understands that the greatest gift that can be given to God is a life so in love with Him, so completely devoted to Him, , that the things of this world have no attraction any more. This kind of salvation is evidenced by a life of righteousness and true holiness.
God bring us back to this kind of love and passion for you.
Louise Cummings
Amen.
Scotty Searan
Amen
Gene Brown
Yes Lord
Scotty Searan
The lines have been blurred.
There are no absolutes anymore.
When I was younger in the Holiness churches if you wanted to be a member you lived by the teachings of the organizations, even if you did not agree with them.
These were not t traditions of men, because most got their convictions when they prayed.
Most were not well educated in the secular wisdom.
But the deceitfulness of riches began to cause contention among believers.
The main thing that came from the deceitfulness of riches was Television.
Is having a television wrong? No It isn’t. It is only a screen by which we can view programs as well as the computer, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
We wouldn’t go watch a movie in a theatre because it was sinful, but yet we would watch the same program in our homes and it was not sinful. What made the movie screen sinful? It was what was showed on the screen.
If the program was sinful in the theatres, it was sinful at home. DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES.
Psalms 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
There were other areas that was affected by our watching TV and the deceitfulness of riches and it is still going on today. Our clothing was affect. Our hairstyles have changed. We put a lot of emphasis on keeping the temple of God looking good externally. But it was the deceitfulness of riches and setting watching wickedness on TV or whatever screen you should care to use.
We have turned aside and let the wicked thing cleave to us.
Louise Cummings
Amen.
Gene Brown
AMEN
RichardAnna Boyce
1 John 3:3 The wonderful truth that they will one day be completely like their Lord Jesus both physically and spiritually is a hope that purifies believers.
The born-again person does not sin at all because he has in him the sinless seed of God’s nature and he cannot sin (see v 9). At the inward level of his redeemed nature, the believer is every bit as pure as his Savior. That purity will be totally realized at the coming of the Lord (v 2), but is theirs now at the core of their being.
Thus the phrase everyone who has this hope in Him is equivalent to John’s expression “whoever believes in Him [in His name, etc.].” When an individual believes in Christ, God imputes righteousness to him. Here too a person purifies himself, not because of any intrinsic power in his faith, but because the exercise of this faith is the basis on which God cleanses him inwardly.
RichardAnna Boyce
1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 A crucial area in which believers are to be set apart is in one’s sex life. Believers should abstain from sexual immorality. The word here is porneia, which covers more than adultery. Believers are to abstain from all kinds of sex outside of marriage: premarital, extramarital, homosexual, incest, and bestiality. Sexual immorality is rampant today, and believers are called to be set apart.
To possess [one’s] own vessel in sanctification and honor probably means to possess one’s own body in a set apart (sanctification means “set apart”) manner. Compare other places where the word vessel (skeuos) refers to people (2 Cor 4:7; 2 Tim 2:20-21; and Rom 9:21-23). Alternately it could refer to possessing one’s own spouse, but the parallel uses of skeuos argue that one’s own body is meant. Believers are to keep their bodies in check. That also fits the context and Paul’s theology (cf. 1 Cor 9:27, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection”).
Immorality dishonors self, the other person, God, and mankind. Possessing one’s body brings honor to God. People are not beasts. They can rise above their lusts. It is honorable to have sexual relations only with one’s spouse. Premarital sex is dishonorable. Adultery is dishonorable. Homosexuality is dishonorable. All sex outside of marriage is dishonorable to the people involved and to God Himself.
Unbelievers (Gentiles who do not know God) live in passion of lust. That is not surprising since they lack the indwelling Spirit of God and the life of God. However, believers have God’s life and His Spirit living within them. Believers have no excuse for living as unbelievers do.
Whenever a Christian has an affair with another Christian, that Christian has defraud[ed] his brother in this matter. Of course, this applies outside the church as well. But Paul’s point is that sex is not merely something between two consenting adults. It impacts many others, especially their spouses. Believers are called to love others, not to injure them!
The Lord [Jesus] is the avenger of all such believers who are sexually immoral and who injure their fellow Christians. He avenges in many ways, including diseases, marital problems, financial problems, loss of ministry positions in the church, church discipline, and even premature death.
God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Eternal life is not an invitation to sin. It is an invitation to holiness. God wants all believers to have life more abundantly (John 10:10 b).