Topics 10 through 12
( page 6 of 7 )
Now, we will conclude with our last set of topics to compare, of the three gospels!
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10) What our focus should be on: |
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Gospel #1 Eccl 12 (v. 13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. I Jn 2 (v. 6) He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. |
Gospel #2 John 15 (v. 4) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (v. 5) I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. |
Gospel #3 John 4 (v. 23) ....the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (v. 24) God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. |
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John 8 (v. 11) ....And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” John 5 (v. 14) Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” |
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John 8 (v. 36) Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. |
It is in working to spread the good news of salvation that we are brought near to the Saviour....This is what everyone can do whose heart has been touched by the grace of God....As witnesses for Christ, we are to tell what we know, what we ourselves have seen and heard and felt. If we have been following Jesus step by step, we shall have something right to the point to tell concerning the way in which He has led us. We can tell how we have tested His promise, and found the promise true. We can bear witness to what we have known of the grace of Christ. This is the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world is perishing.[1]
As we associate together, we may be a blessing to one another. If we are Christ’s, our sweetest thoughts will be of Him. We shall love to talk of Him; and as we speak to one another of His love, our hearts will be softened by divine influences. Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be changed into the same images from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18).[2]
I Jn 2 (v. 9) He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. (v. 10) He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. (v. 11) But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
It is very interesting about those two groups. One group, he says, is walking in darkness and the other group is walking in the light. Those who are walking in darkness say they have no sin and the other group who are walking in the light say they are sinners.[3]
I Jn 1 (v. 6) If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (v. 7) But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
God says to the ones who are walking in darkness, who say they have no sin, that they are liars and the truth does not abide in them. But He says to the ones who are walking in the light, that the blood of Christ cleanses them from all sin.[3]
While christians are not to sacrifice one principle of truth, they should avoid controversy whenever it is possible to do so....While Jesus made it plain that He was under no obligation to pay the tribute, He entered into no controversy with the Jews in regard to the matter; for they would have misinterpreted His words, and turned them against Him....This lesson would be of great value to His disciples....and Christ taught them not to place themselves needlessly in antagonism to established order. So far as possible, they were to avoid giving occasion for misinterpretation of their faith.[4]
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11) What happens if you do sin after |
you know better? |
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Gospel #1 Heb 10 (v. 26) for if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. (v. 27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation. |
Gospel #2 I Jn 2 (v. 1) My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. I Jn 1 (v. 9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. |
Gospel #3 Acts 13 (v. 38) Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. (v. 39) Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. Rom 8 (v. 1) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.... |
Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share....By His life and His death, Christ has achieved even more that recovery from the ruin wrought through sin. It was satan’s purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man; but in Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen. In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken.[5]
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*******12) Having a knowledge of |
salvation: |
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Gospel #1 You will not know, until the end of the world, to find out if you made it. Rev 20 (v. 11) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it.... (v. 12) And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (v. 15) And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. |
Gospel #2 The word of God says, that we can know right now, where we stand. I Jn 5 (v. 13) These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. |
Gospel #3 Once we receive Christ as our Savior, nothing can separate us from Him. Rom 8 (v. 38) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities.... (v. 39) ....nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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In our association with one another, we should take heed lest we forget Jesus, and pass along unmindful that He is not with us. When we become absorbed in worldly things so that we have no thought for Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered, we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels....So with us, by idle talk, evilspeaking or neglect of prayer, we may in one day lose the Saviour’s presence, and it may take many days of sorrowful search to find Him, and regain the peace that we have lost....This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ.[6]
References:
1. The Desire of Ages, “Peace, Be Still” p.340, par.1
2. The Desire of Ages, “The Passover Visit” p.83, par.5
3. Vineyard Ministries. “The Two Adams” Tape 3. The Gospel in a Nutshell, Audiocassette.
4. The Desire of Ages, “Who is the Greatest?” p.434, par.4
5. The Desire of Ages, “God With Us” p.25, par.3
6. The Desire of Ages, “The Passover Visit” p.83, par.1
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