“Receiving the Truth”

It has been said that sometimes when someone gives a word that is supposed to be from God, we may have to eat the meat and throw away the bones.  But if I gave someone a sandwich with molded bread, they would not remove the bread and eat the meat.  They would throw the whole sandwich away.  So it is not an acceptable practice to only accept a portion of God’s Word. 

Many of the religions that were created after the first century A.D. have some truth to them.  But we do not receive their message because God does not function off of some truth, half-truth, or most truth.  It is either all truth or nothing at all.        

2 Timothy 3:16-17

¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.                                                 

 

“Purity”

If we are Christians, we will adjust our behavior to display the change that has occurred in our lives.  When we execute righteousness, it removes any disconnect between our professed love for Christ and the lives that we live.

1 John 1:6-7

⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷ but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

Romans 6:1-2

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ² Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

 

“New Creations”

Many have declared that we are the sum total of our experiences but that is only true of someone who has not yielded themselves to Christ.  Those who submit themselves to the authority and Lordship of Jesus become “new creations.”

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

¹⁶ Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

 

“Godly Counsel”

We have to beware of making life decisions without the counsel of God.  It is necessary to ALWAYS learn what God has to say about a subject.  The Bible gives us sound counsel and enables us to make wise decisions. 

In Joshua 9, the rulers of Israel made a covenant with the enemies of God without inquiring of God first.  Because of the covenant that was made with the enemy, Israel was prohibited from carrying out God’s instructions to completely destroy the enemies that lived in the land that God promised to give to Israel.  Before we form an alliance with the enemy, we need to consult God concerning EVERY decision.

Psalms 1:1

Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!