Made Alive in Christ

We cannot at anytime lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), we must always look to the word of God because we can so easily be deceived by our emotions. How many people do you know who commit willful sin whom you would consider nice and likable people. One of the most prevalent of this willful sinning in our society is the sin of fornication. It is so common place in our society that almost no one gives it a second thought, that is why Hebrews 10:26-30 seems so poignant and harsh to someone who has not been transformed through the Spirit of God.

"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of A fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “ Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, "The Lord will judge His people.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Now while fornication is exceptable in society; it is not exceptable to God who is Holy, righteous, and just. The bible is very clear on this; that no fornicator will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9) and sexually immoral persons will go to hell (Revelation 21:8). God the Father gave His precious Son and punished Him with all of His fury for our sins. Can you imagine the anger God has towards sinful men who trample the blood of Christ under foot and count His sacrifice as unclean by forsaking Him to continue in their sins? Now while I used fornication as an example this is true of all willful sin!

One of the most magnificent passages in scripture is Ephesians 2:1-10. This passage so clearly depicts that salvation is The Lord's alone, and that the one He has saved has been transformed.

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ( by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

There are so many versions of what is called Christian it just astounds me and I cannot understand it. We have one source to reveal to us who Jesus Christ is, anything outside of that source is a lie and comes from men. It is time to stop giving out opinions and to read the scriptures, the scriptures are the only source to reveal God to man.

Jesus revealed the Father to us (Matthew 11:27). If you believe in Jesus but don't believe the bible you are an Anathema (outside the body of Christ) the bible is the only source on earth to reveal Jesus Christ to us. If you say that you believe in Jesus but don't believe everything the bible says you are not a believer in the Jesus of the bible, you are believing in a different gospel. This kind of thing is a Perversion of the Gospel and has been happening since the gospel was first preached by the apostles and is prevalent in society today.

" I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:6-9)

There is nothing you can do to be saved, Jesus said "It is finished" (John 19:30) all work for salvation has been completed by God in Jesus Christ on the cross in His blood through faith. Salvation is a gift of God, by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. There is nothing you can do to be saved, salvation of sinful men is for the glory of God alone The Lord shares His glory with no man.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Romans 3:23-28)

Turning away from sin and following the law of God cannot save you, however a refusal to turn from sin will condemn you. We are justified solely by the grace of God, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, by His perfect Holy sacrifice on the cross, bearing the full wrath of God for our sins in His blood through faith. Fully satisfying the anger of God against sinful men for our sins through faith. Turning away from sin cannot satisfy the anger of God for our sins, the blood of Jesus Christ did that through faith in Him alone, Jesus said "It is finished". Now while turning away from sin cannot save you, and faith in Jesus Christ alone does; a refusal to turn from sin will condemn you. So what must we do in light of this news of God's hatred of our sin and Jesus Christ completed work on the cross, the gospel of Jesus Christ? Repent and believe in the gospel.


Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ

God's Wrath Must Be Satisfied

I hear many of my brethren speak often about repentance. Repentance is missing from much of what is called the modern American evangelical Church. There has been a movement afoot; a remnant as you will who has come forward and began to proclaim the truth of the gospel that you must repent. Sometimes I think some have gone too far with this, going the other direction, falling into legalism, putting more enfaces on repentance than they do faith in Christ. A large portion of pastors in America never mention repentance and create many false converts who think that they can have their sin and heaven too. So we must preach sin, righteousness and judgment; preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, telling all men everywhere to repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ alone. There are a few who make so much of repentance that they almost never speak of faith. You must repent, that is true, but repentance does not satisfy the wrath of God for sin. No one has ever been saved from the wrath of God by turning from sin. You must turn from sin; the word of God makes that very clear. “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

Now while remaining in sin and refusing to turn from sin will condemn you; turning away from sin will not save you from the wrath of God for the sins you have already committed. The story about two of the kings of Judah; Manasseh who sinned and Josiah who repented in 2 Kings, demonstrate this very well; that the justice of God must be satisfied. That you can repent and turn from sin but that will not satisfy the justice of God. Payment must be made; God's wrath against sin must be satisfied.

King Manasseh sinned greatly against the LORD and made Judah sin with idols (2 Kings 2:11); “therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such calamity on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.” (2 Kings 2:12)

Now Josiah, who is the grandson of Manasseh, became king of Judah and he repented and turned Judah from idolatry and reinstituted the Passover. “Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him” (2 Kings 23:24-26).

Now while it was good that King Josiah repented and turned Judah from Idolatry this did not satisfy the wrath of God. Sins had been committed, and payment had to be made; “all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22) God’s righteous justice demands the shedding of blood for sins. "However, the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him." (2 Kings 23:26)

So why do I bring this up? Because if we put anything ahead of our equal to Christ completed work on the cross, they are but filthy rags before a Holy and Just God. Salvation is a gift from God; by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. Now while repentance is essential in coming to faith in Christ we are not saved by repentance; we are saved by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone! Repentance is a must for a truly converted heart and mind, but repentance does not save you from the wrath of God. The only thing that saves us from the wrath of God is the blood of Christ through faith. Praise The Lord that the wrath of God for my sins was satisfied in full by the blood of Jesus Christ through faith. For more on this read (Romans 3:21-28), I think, the most important passage in all of scripture. "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Romans 3:28)



Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ

Let Us Do Away with Cliché’s

I suggested last week during a bible study, that the cliché; “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” is unbiblical and stated that God not only hates sin but He hates the sinner as well. This caused some to be a little upset. A couple of days later with regards to this being on my mind, I said on my facebook account; “Many Christians have a hard time excepting the Biblical truth that God not only hates sin but abhors the one who does iniquity. (Psalm 5:5) This is not something to reject but a truth that makes the gospel all the more beautiful. That God would pour His righteous Holy wrath out on His Son, who never sinned, redeeming by His blood through faith the object of His Devine hatred, evil and wicked men. It is beyond words, it is Amazing Grace!” This too caused some others to become angry, you would think that I had spoken against some great and honored doctrine of the church.

First of all I retract from my original statement that “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” as being unbiblical, to say it is unbiblical would be to say that there is no truth in it at all. First of all this is not a doctrine that I am dispelling it is a cliché’ and a modern American evangelical cliché’ at that. So it’s not totally unbiblical, it has truth in it, but just enough truth missing to mislead, and isn’t that the deception of the modern false gospel. Isn’t that the deception of many false gospels, just enough truth to deceive even the believer to thinking it is the truth; “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” (Mathew 24:24)

Before I talk about what is wrong with this cliché’, what about the cliché’ is true? First of all God does hate sin! In fact no one would deny that God hates sin. In Hebrews 1:9 God the Father said of Jesus Christ, God the Son; “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions." Secondly God does love the sinner! “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

So what is wrong with the cliché’? But! That’s right, But! But implies instead of something; “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” the word but put in the sentence, implies that instead of hating the sinner as justice would demand, God loves the sinner instead. I find that absolutely repulsive and grotesque, because the implication is that God is unjust. God is righteous and will always do what is right and just, always; “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (Psalm 89:14).

"The cliché, God hates the sin but loves the sinner, is false on the face of it and should be abandoned.
Fourteen times in the first fifty Psalms alone, we are told that God hates the sinner, His wrath is on the liar, and so forth.
In the Bible, the wrath of God rests both on the sin (Romans 1:18ff) and on the sinner (John 3:36)." ~D.A. Carson

One of the arguments that people have given in their reviling against the biblical truth that God hates the sin and the sinner both; is that in order to see this outside of the Psalms and Proverbs you have to imply that every where scripture talks about the wrath of God being against sinners, that God hates the sinner. In other words they are saying that unless the scripture specifically says God hates the sinner as it does in (Psalm 5:4-6, Psalm 7:11, Psalm 11:5, Proverbs 6:16-19) then he doesn’t hate the sinner and it cannot therefore be implied. You have to make that implication in the New Testament, because it doesn’t use the exact words hates and sinners. First of all God is the same God in the New Testament as He was in the Old Testament, He is never changing. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) So if it says in the Old Testament that God hates sinners; then God hates sinners. Secondly if God’s wrath abides upon the sinner it does mean that He hates the sinner given what it means to hate. “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides in him.” (John 3:36)

Let’s define hate. To hate; is a desire to destroy, to make something no more, and to be done away with, a want or desire to kill. I hate abortion (the murder of children in the womb) I desire for abortion to be done away with, for it to no longer exist. That’s the real issue and the real reason why it makes people so uptight when you say that God hates the sinner, because they know what that means. Their consciences testifies to the fact that they have broken God’s laws and are therefore a sinner; so if God hates sinners, that means He hates me the sinner and desires to destroy me. It is offensive for many to hear that God hates them. This is why the apostle John said; “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15) because to hate someone is a desire to see them dead. God is righteous (Psalm 89:14), God’s hatred therefore is righteous; God’s desire to kill the sinner (Ezekiel 18:4) is because it is the right thing to do.

Even believers in Jesus Christ, who have repented of their own personal sins and put their faith alone in Jesus Christ will revile at this. David Platt said; “It is one of those places where we can find ourselves in a bit of trouble for quoting the bible.” The reason for this I believe is the same reason that the majority of believers do not evangelize (do not go out and preach the gospel as Christ commanded). They have this vale of unbelief that somehow everyone is ok. They believe the gospel on a personal level that Christ has paid for their sins in full but are under a delusion that all of their friends, families, coworkers and people that they consider nice in general are ok. But when you say that “God hates all who do iniquity” (Psalm 5:5) it destroys the façade, the illusion that they are ok and causes them to almost revile at the notion as much as an unbeliever reviles at the gospel itself. Now understand, I am not advocating that we preach condemnation, saying to the unbeliever “God hates you.” This is in all since a deeper understanding of the revelation of God and the gospel.

What I am advocating is; let us do away with worthless; misleading cliché’s and preach the word of God and gospel of Jesus Christ. We must accept Scripture in its entirety, and scripture alone is the authority of God on earth. The truth that God hates the sinner is explicit in scripture (Psalm 5:4-6, Psalm 7:11, Psalm 11:5, Proverbs 6:16-19). The truth that God loves the sinner is explicit in scripture (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4-5). So the question isn't does God hate the sinner; the question is why does God hate the sinner? The answer is because God is righteous and just, "Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your thrown" (Psalm 89:14). The question isn't does God love the sinner; the question is why does God love the sinner? The answer is because, "God is love" (1John 4:8). How can these two attributes of God reconcile in-regards to sinful man? At the cross of Jesus Christ; it was at the cross that the wrath of God and the mercy of God collided, it was at the cross that the hatred of God for sinners and the love of God for sinners kissed, it was at the cross that the sinless Son of God was crushed by the Father for the sins of man, it was at the cross that God the Son stood in the law place of His people. God the Father crushed His Son under the Holy wrath of God for sinners "to demonstrate His righteousness" (Romans 3:25). Jesus bore the full wrath of God for sinners, for His people "to demonstrate His own love toward us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus said; "'It is finished' And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit" (John 19:30). Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). “Repent and believe in the gospel!” (Mark 1:15)




Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ