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NASB | Luke 6:46 ¶ "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 6:46 ¶ "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not practice what I tell you? |
Subject: Salvation is a gift to be accepted |
Bible Note: 1 John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” Being born again, we do not commit sin, according to this verse. This is one of those times that the Bible says something that seems opposite to what I see in my life. But let the Bible be true and my vision faulty. I have been taught that this verse speaks of the continuing practice of sin, and not to commit single sinful acts. Greek poieo poi-ay-oh is translated commit. It is variously translated as: “you cannot make one hair white or black” “when you do your alms” “I say to my servant, do this, and he does it” “have you not read what David did when he was hungry?” This word literally means to commit a single act. There must be something more to this verse that says the born-again do not commit single acts of sin. There are three Greek words commonly translated “do”. They are “katergazomai” which is to perform an action or series of actions to accomplish a purpose, “prasso” which is to repeatedly or habitually perform an action or series of actions, and poieo, to commit a single act. This is the heart of being born again. I am now something other than what I was. God has literally separated me from my sin, from all sin, now and forever. He had to. It is only mankind who sees some sin worse and some better. In the eyes of God it is all the same. James 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” Neither quantity nor a perceived “depth of depravity” make any difference. What difference is there if I sin once or ten million times? There is now no condemnation. That is not because sin stopped being wrong. It is because I am no longer in sin. I began life in a body of death (Romans 7:24), with a dead spirit. I am now a living spirit, though still in that body of death (Romans 8:10). When I receive the redemption of my body (Romans 8:23), I will be a living spirit in an incorruptible heavenly body (I Corinthian 15:48-54). When I go to be with Jesus, by death or by rapture, my spiritual status will not change. My body will be changed, by I already have my new spirit. Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” In the Bible, I am no longer identified with my body of death, but I am identified with my living spirit, as I share in the life of Christ, Who is our life (Colossians 3:4). 1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. 1 John 5:18 “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” We have been reborn, and are now something completely different, born into eternal life. We have a new nature. We are not saved by the strength of our faith, we do not keep our salvation by the endurance of our faith. If that were true, when we got to heaven, it would be by our works. We are saved by faith that comes from Jesus, we are kept by the power of God through faith. The faith that is in us is the operation of His power in us. We are not saved because we hold our faith to the end, we are saved with faith that lasts. Again, I must stress: True re-birth results in a transformed life. If our lives do not show change, and we continue in a sinful lifestyle, and not in a life characturized by obedience to Christ, we should question strongly whether or not we have truly submitted to Christ. Love in Christ, Mark |