SOMETHING TO PONDER UPON!

[aribell]

Okay... so why isn't a Christian who sins against God considered a hypocrite?

Because hypocrisy is about holding oneself to a different standard than one proclaims verbally. A Christian who sins and repents is not being hypocritical because that person has recognized that they have failed to live up to God's standards. They are not pretending to be something they are not.

There is no one in the world who always does exactly what they know is right. If perfect behavior is the only way to avoid hypocrisy, then everyone in the world (except for Jesus) is a hypocrite.

 

[Mahalialee4]

Think what you want of me, but please take the Word of the Lord seriously.

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WHAT IS A DOUBLE MINDED PERSON


As you know, this word is only found in 2 places,and only in the Book of James.

My Young's Analytical says it means, two souled.
My Greek lexicon says, inconstant, fickle.
Of course both of them say 'double-minded' also.

I think those descriptions pretty well covers it.

I would say, it has nothing to do with your feelings, but everything to do what what you say. If you tell one person one thing, and some one else something differant about the same subject. It may be likened to 'mealy-mouthed'....telling others what you think they want to hear ?

I found this and thought is would be good reading, especially after I took the time to read it (its long) and it certainly bought conviction to my soul:

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Revelations 3:13 ​

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."​

I was going to call this article "Idols of the Heart", because that is what it is really about. The things that cause us to be double minded and take our focus from the very Person of Jesus Christ. These idols, sacred cows or Golden calves can be a person, organization, activity (the sports god?), position, job, money, possessions, religious belief system, heritage/genealogy, culture, self-focus/self-importance, hobbies, perceived 'rights', politics, land or country, and quite simply, minding earthly things.

Philippians 3:20 "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:"
​

Unfortunately, while many are not deliberately trying to turn from their focus of God, others deliberately are double minded. Many are immature or in sin issues that they have not dealt with, thereby not being obedient to Scriptures. Many hang on to their sacred cows, believing they should not take the test of the Word of God. Others appear to make choices to be double minded.
Many are familiar with the Scriptures in James 1: 6

"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
​

And James 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." " A double minded man is unstable in all his ways...."
To be double minded and unstable needs to be understood...


From Strong's Concordance >

Double minded > 1374. diqucov dipsuchos,dip'-soo-khos
from 1364 and 5590; two-spirited, i.e. vacillating (in opinion or purpose):--double minded.
Unstable > 182. akatastatov akatastatos, ak-at-as'-tat-os
from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 2525; inconstant:--unstable.
​

Some dictionaries define double minded using the terms, "Having different minds at different times", "unsettled," "undetermined".
It is impossible for someone to say they fully love and serve God and be double minded. Why? Because Jesus said so.


Many are familiar with the Scriptures where Jesus speaks about singleness and light of the eye. If one is not single of eye or purpose--they are more evil than one who claims to be fully against God.

Matthew 6:19 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
​

There are many people who make the claim to belong to Jesus Christ or Yeshua, as many Messianics call Him,[FONT=PrimaSans BT,Verdana,sans-serif] [/FONT]and yet serve the flesh and idols of the heart. Many mind earthly things, having their "sacred cows". The Scriptures are clear about that too.

Philippians 3:17 "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:"
Romans 6:12 "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."
​

​

'mealy- mouthed': I have not heard that expression in I don't know how many years. And I never knew what it meant. But I know my southern roots family used a lot of those kind of expressions. Thanks for the explanation of that term.

 

[Mahalialee4]

Amen ... and this isn't even about 'us'. Spiritual warfare at its best... Never good for anyone to be "playing smart but not being Clever".

But, let me say this, Sis, and I really pray many really understand this, because this message needs to keep coming:

The oldest trick in the book:
How can one have Free Will with a Sovereign God?

SIMPLE:
Inside of God's Sovereignty is where true freedom lies.
Whom the Son sets free is FREE indeed. John 8:36. We have become co-creators with Jesus:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: - Ephesians 2:3-8




Anything outside of the Will of God is BONDAGE, to a 'false god'



We must bow down to the Devil - cave in, quit - to be in Bondage. The Word of God says to:

Ephesians 6:10-15
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to STAND against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND.
STAND therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace

That 'free will' phrase that the world throws around like rice. "Everyone has a free will", as if it is an 'escape clause' for unbelievers and the unrepentant.. The truth is , We are free to choose God's will or Satan's. That is as long 'as the free will rope reaches' because you do not have the 'free will to get salvation and blessings from God' apart from Him. Those that reject God because of their believing they have a 'free will' do not realize that they WILL become 'slaves' to one sin or another and of course fall into bondage to the enemy of our souls or judgement from God. Also, our 'free will' is not 'a power above and greater than that of the will of God', as Saul found out. And when the Great I AM is ready to deal with the 'free wheeling free willers'. they are not going to withstand his hand or his power or his final say. The Sovereign Creator does not have to 'bow to the whims and selfish choices of his creation as if they are a God all by themselves and God has to just be treated like a waiter in a fancy restaurant. Oh the 'deception of free will'! theology.

 

[Laela]

Free Will should not be an excuse to sin, of course not! Anyone who understands their freedom in Christ knows that they are Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (Gal 3:13) and won't be erroneous in their understanding of this FREEDOM. What we are is free from guilt, condemnation, fear -- all tools of Satan to keep us in bondage to sin. We are also free to exercise our Faith (renewing the mind, pray, sing, praise, etc).
Christ came not come to do away with The Law, but to fulfill it.

So, what is sin? Sin is any transgression against God. To transgress means "to step across" or "to go beyond a set boundary or limit." We transgress against the Law. When we are in God's Will, we strive (Righteousness/ holy living) to not go beyond his WILL but we still are FREE even when we 'miss the mark'.

We are not free at all when we are slaves to Satan (rejecting Jesus), because he has set NO BOUNDARIES, like a parent who doesn't care for their own child. Therein lies the deception of Free Will.

That 'free will' phrase that the world throws around like rice. "Everyone has a free will", as if it is an 'escape clause' for unbelievers and the unrepentant.. The truth is , We are free to choose God's will or Satan's. That is as long 'as the free will rope reaches' because you do not have the 'free will to get salvation and blessings from God' apart from Him. Those that reject God because of their believing they have a 'free will' do not realize that they WILL become 'slaves' to one sin or another and of course fall into bondage to the enemy of our souls or judgement from God.

Saul is a good example that we cannot flim-flam God.
If we'd only read God's Word to understand the Power we receive when we receive Jesus. If Jesus is living in us, then that means GOD is IN US.
We WILL walk in LOVE (God), for this is one of His commandments; Walking in Love is what emboldens us to not live in fear, to be able to walk on serpents, speak authoritatively to the rulers and principalities of Darkness. To not believe we have the power to do so, is to not believe His Word. That is what I'm talking about, not this...the bolded.

Also, our 'free will' is not 'a power above and greater than that of the will of God', as Saul found out. And when the Great I AM is ready to deal with the 'free wheeling free willers'.they are not going to withstand his hand or his power or his final say. The Sovereign Creator does not have to 'bow to the whims and selfish choices of his creation as if they are a God all by themselves and God has to just be treated like a waiter in a fancy restaurant. Oh the 'deception of free will'! theology.

 

[Guitarhero]

Can I add?


Matthew 6

Do Not Worry
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31"Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?' or "What shall we drink?' or "What shall we wear?' 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 7

Do Not Judge
1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
6"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

 

[Laela]

Can't argue with the Word, CreoleNat. Matthew 6 underscores the very message that we are free in Christ and Our Father will take care of us. We are not on our own.

Matthew 7 underscores judging people according to the Word, not what we THINK of them.

 

[Mahalialee4]

Free Will should not be an excuse to sin, of course not! Anyone who understands their freedom in Christ knows that they are Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (Gal 3:13) and won't be erroneous in their understanding of this FREEDOM. What we are is free from guilt, condemnation, fear -- all tools of Satan to keep us in bondage to sin. We are also free to exercise our Faith (renewing the mind, pray, sing, praise, etc).
Christ came not come to do away with The Law, but to fulfill it.

So, what is sin? Sin is any transgression against God. To transgress means "to step across" or "to go beyond a set boundary or limit." We transgress against the Law. When we are in God's Will, we strive (Righteousness/ holy living) to not go beyond his WILL but we still are FREE even when we 'miss the mark'.

We are not free at all when we are slaves to Satan (rejecting Jesus), because he has set NO BOUNDARIES, like a parent who doesn't care for their own child. Therein lies the deception of Free Will.




Saul is a good example that we cannot flim-flam God.
If we'd only read God's Word to understand the Power we receive when we receive Jesus. If Jesus is living in us, then that means GOD is IN US.
We WILL walk in LOVE (God), for this is one of His commandments; Walking in Love is what emboldens us to not live in fear, to be able to walk on serpents, speak authoritatively to the rulers and principalities of Darkness. To not believe we have the power to do so, is to not believe His Word. That is what I'm talking about, not this...the bolded.

My whole rant on the 'free will' thing is IN REGARD TO UNBELIEVERS specifically that chant the "I have a free will, God is for weak and frightened people....I am a god or a goddess and make my own choices irrelevant to and outside of God!". That is why I mentioned Saul, because when he was carrying on with his nonsense he was an UNBELIEVER, that thought he could operate outside of God but MESS IN GOD'S BUSINESS, with and against God's people, WITHOUT ANY CONSEQUENCES. There are those who hate believers, want nothing to do with God, but would happily persecute and destroy God's people from the face of the earth. As for believers, any freedom they have, will be lost when they start to operate in rebellion to God's will. That was my specific point that I desire to make.

Otherwise, I am in total agreement with what you are saying about believers and unbelievers.

 

[Poohbear]

Something to ponder...

Colossians 3


1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16Let 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.
17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.