For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." Before going into the above Scriptures, there is some others which I wish to speak on for a few moments One passage is I Corinthians 12:4-11. 4 "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." Now I Corinthians 12:27-31: 27 "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way." Now for one more Scripture, and this is one I want you to notice real close; Romans 11:29. 29 " For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." We can see
from the above Scripture that we can have any gift of God or be called
of God for any office and still be without repentance.
23:1 "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." Also, in John 8:44. 44 " Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." In Matt. 12:24 24 "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." They said that His work was done by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. Also, in many other places in the New Testament, we find the church leaders in that day condemning everything about our Lord. As you read the New Testament, please note that it is always the ones who was CALLED to speak for Him, who was the ones who was always speaking against him. Notice Mark 12:37 37 "David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly." See, the common people, not the church leaders were happy to hear Him. The only time the common people rose against Him was when they were moved to do so by the church leaders. Matthew 27:20: 20 "But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus." This is what was done by people who had "The gifts and Callings" of God in their lives. Do you think that our God would give His Power to such people as that? I don't!!! Well, what about all these people in this day who make a great display of "the Gifts and Callings" of God, yet, do not remain true to their own wives? What about those who live in Sodonly? What about all those people Paul was speaking of in Romans 1:18-32? 18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 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: 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. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Men who leave the natural use of the woman (sex) amd burn in their lust for another man. Men with men doing sex acts together and women doing the same things. Do you think that the God who condemned these things would give His Power to such as do them? While our God may let His "Gifts and Callings" rest upon such people: Romans 11:29: 29 "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." Matthew 5:45: 45 "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." This does not in anyway prove that those who does things like that are in "Right Standing" with God or even saved. Let's look at I John 2:15: 15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Then, the question is : what is of the world? Well, anything which is not of God is of the world. Also anything which our God does not approve of in this life will not be in Heaven. Look at John 8:32: 32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." What is Truth? Well, you are reading this. Is that the Truth? No!!! While it is a true statement, still it is not truth. Then what is Truth? Look at John 14:6: 6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Notice, this Man we call Jesus said that He, a Man was these things: One: The Way; Two: The Truth; Three: The Life. Therefore, if you don't KNOW Him, you don't have the Way, (the directions to go), the Truth( the true statements), nor the Life(the right position). If we must know Him and before we can know Him, we must find Him, how do we find Him? Jeremiah 29:13: 13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Again, what is He? John 1:1; H3 is the Word. Now, if He, the Word, and the Truth is one and the same and Jesus said: John 6:63; 63 "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." So, the Truth is also the Spirit. If this is true and it is, then you can not have one without having all the rest. Notice this also: Acts 5:32: 32 "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." Then the only way to receive any of those things, Spirit, Truth, Word, Way, or Life, is to obey God, then we can see that ALL those who do these great signs, and wonders in His Name, yet, live contrary to God's Word is not in "Right Standing" with our God, and I doubt very much that they are even saved. Our Lord Jesus said that there would be many in this group. Matthew 7:21-23: 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. 22 Many will say to me in that day, 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Notice in these Scriptures, our Lord said MANY would come to Him telling Him what great things they had done USING His Name. Notice this, He never said they didn't do those things. But what did He say to them? Note once again verse 23; 23 "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." He said three things in this Scripture; No. 1, "I never knew you;" This can not mean that He knew nothing OF them, for notice No. 3, 'Ye workers of iniquity." See, He knew them as workers of INIQUITY. Notice, it was their LIVES, not the works they did in His Name which was displeasing to Him. What is going to happen to those people? Notice No. 2. "Depart from Me." Now, let's look once more at Matt. 7:21. 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." Who is going to be saved? ONLY those who do the will of God!!! Therefore if you are following one of those people because you see signs and wonders in their life and yet, you see the "things of the world" also, LOOK OUT!! Luke 6:39: 39 "And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?" I know that many times it is very hard to know if a person is really what they seem to be. I remember once being in a certain town where there were several Ministers. This one Minister was going around and becoming very popular with everyone. One of the Ministers who knew that I did much traveling asked me if I knew this man. My answer was this: "I know the brother at home." Several was thinking of turning the meeting over to this man, but, due to what I said, they decided to first check the man out "At Home." They found out that he was not what he claimed to be. Now, we are told in God's Word to: I Thess. 5:12: 12 "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;" I know this is many times very hard to do so I want to give you some guidelines to go by. We all know that the Lord Jesus is our example so we should be like He was. There are several scriptures which tell us what He was. Here is one passage. Galatians 5:22-24 22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Right above that passage is one which tells us what He was not. Galatians 5:71-21: 17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." I believe this also is a good rule to go by. Do you really believe our Lord Jesus would run around having sexual relations with different women? Do you think He would smoke, drink, use drugs, go to dances, movies, and all the other things which we see going on today? I don't believe He would, therefore, I don't. If you see people who manifest great signs and wonders, yet do and love the things of the world, if I were you, I sure would not follow them. I have said much about gifts and callings and there may be some who think I don't believe in those things. That is far from the truth. I surely believe that the Children of our God should and does have those things. I just want you to know that because people may have those gifts, it does not mean they are in "Right Standing" with God. Now, let's find out what the "POWER" of God is and where we can find it. Romans 1:16: 16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." So we see that the "Power" of God is the Message pf Christ. So what was the Message of Christ? Matthew 4:17: 17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Well then, He came forth telling the people to repent or in other words, to stop doing the things they had been doing and start doing something else. There was something else. There was something they were doing which He wanted them to stop doing and this was His Message: Repent. Here is something I want you to notice real close. Today when we preach on Repentance, we direct it to those who make no claim to be "Children of God." Not so His Message. His Message was to those whom made claim to be the "Chosen of God." John 1:11; 11 "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." Therefore His Message was not to the, as we call them today, "Sinners," but, rather to those who claimed to be the Chosen of God." This was the people He wanted to stop doing the things which they were doing and change their ways. What was one of the charges He brought against the people in His day? Matthew 23: 14; 14 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." Therefore His Message was not to the, as we call them today, "Sinners" but rather to those who claimed to be the Chosen of God. This was the people He wanted to stop doing the things which they were doing and change their ways. What was one of the charges He brought against the people in Hid day? Matthew 23:14 23 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayer; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." Does not this fit many of the Preachers of this day? Is it not true that they will do most anything to get every penny they can from the people? I remember being in a church one time where the Pastor told his people he was going to take up an offering to buy me some clothes. I was there when he took up the offering, but I never got one thing from it. Many such things happen worldwide each week in order to get money out of the people This is just one of the things which He cried out against in His day which many does even in this day. How did our Lord say we are to walk? Mark 8:34: 34 "And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples also, He said unto them,"Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." See, if we want to follow Him, we must take up our cross to do so. Now, what is that cross we MUST take up? Let's look at this cross for a bit. Notice, it was not waiting for Him in the place where He died, but, rather, He picked His cross up at the place where judgement was passed on Him. Now, has judgement been passed on your old life? Have you determined that your old life must die in order for a new one to begin? If so, you will do as did Christ, you will pick up your cross, "The Gospel of Christ" and carry it till it brings you to the place of total death as it did Christ. If you have the "TRUE" Gospel of Christ, then, and only then do you have the "TRUE" Power of God. Then with this Power of God in your life you will be able to live holy as He did. You will be able to do All the things He did. Outside of the "Gospel of Christ, I don't care how real it may look, it is not the Power of God.
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