"Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it. All the saints make up one body in Christ, who is the Head of the body, and the common Centre of their unity. In the spiritual body, some are fitted for and called to one sort of work; others for another sort of work. We are to do all the good we can, one to another, and for the common benefit. If we duly thought about the powers we have, and how far we fail properly to improve them, it would humble us. But as we must not be proud of our talents, so we must take heed lest, under a pretence of humility and self-denial, we are slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing; but, I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost, in the strength of the grace of Christ. Whatever our gifts or situations may be, let us try to employ ourselves humbly, diligently, cheerfully, and in simplicity; not seeking our own credit or profit, but the good of many, for this world and that which is to come." MHCC — in Matandang Naujan, Mindoro Oriental.
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Called and chosen and faithful (klētoi kai eklektoi kai pistoi).
These are the three notes of those who share the victory. Romans 8:28.; 2 Peter 1:10; Revelation 2:10, Revelation 2:13. The elect are called and prove faithful. [RWP Commentaries] Are called - That is, called by him to be his followers; as if he had selected them out of the world to maintain his cause. And chosen - See the John 15:16 note, and 1 Peter 1:2 note. In their steadfast adherence to the truth, they had shown that they were truly chosen by the Saviour, and could be relied on in the warfare against the powers of evil. And faithful - They had shown themselves faithful to him in times of persecution, and in the hour of darkness. [Barnes Commentaries] On 11 August 2001 at 12:34 AM, God allowed me to understand the following words from Habakkuk 2:3-4, "At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting-- it will happen! I, the LORD, refuse to accept anyone who is proud. Only those who live by faith are acceptable to me." Why should I make haste when God has an appointed time for everything? Probably, this season is sowing time. Later on at God's appointed time, it will be harvest time. Man doesn't choose God but God chooses. We seek and God saves.
The Means of Grace
Suppose a man who cannot swim falls overboard. Suppose someone in the boat throws him a lifeline and pulls him to safety. Who or what saved the drowning man? His friend? The lifeline? The life preserver? The boat? Or did the man save himself? The answer, of course, is that his friend saved him, the lifeline, and the life preserver, and the boat saved him. And he also saved himself. This simple parable helps us understand that it is as foolish to say that we are saved by grace alone, as it would be for the drowning man to claim that any one of the above means saved him without other intervention. The Bible certainly does teach that we are saved by grace. But it also teaches that God uses means. These means are called by theologians, the “means of grace.” This video lists several of God’s chosen “means of grace,” and it is intended to be a quick reference and teaching tool. On these pages we have compiled pertinent portions of the pure Word of God to show how God saves us by His grace. When the truth of salvation by grace is better understood, the doctrine of easy believism loses its siren appeal. By Simeon Young, Sr. "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).
The Church The New Testament church was established and the door to it was opened in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Since the church was founded on the Day of Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit, today those who receive the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues as did the disciples in Acts 2 are called Pentecostal. The Gospels The Gospels describe the ministry of Jesus and His wonderful work in laying the foundation for the New Testament church, the spiritual kingdom in this age. The Gospels record Christ's commands to repent and to be baptized and His promise to pour out the Holy Spirit, but Christian water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit did not take place until after Jesus was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven. In the Gospels, Jesus spoke of the founding of His church in the future tense: "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). During that time, "the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:39). After Christ's ascension, the church was established when His followers were baptized with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance (Acts 1:4-9, 2:1-4). The Book of Acts Matthew, John, and the other apostles were all present on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was first given. They were all witnesses to Peter's marvelous message and supported him as he opened the door of salvation (Acts 2:14). When the audience cried out under conviction of sins, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). Peter had the authority to proclaim the way of entrance into the church, for Christ had given him the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 16:19). No one disputed his answer or his authority to give it. Repentance was accepted as essential to entering the kingdom. Moreover, the formula Peter gave for water baptism was not controversial, for the apostles understood the identity of Jesus as the one God manifested in the flesh (Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16). They realized that He was the embodiment of the eternal Spirit of God, whom He as a man called His Father. Therefore, there was no argument when Peter commanded water baptism to be administered in the name of Jesus Christ. Finally, the promise of the Holy Ghost was not new since Jesus said that all who believe on Him would receive the Spirit (John 7:38-39). Peter used the same keys to open the door of salvation to the Gentiles (Acts 10), and they received the same experience that the disciples did on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Moreover, the same keys were used in proclaiming the message of salvation to the Samaritans; they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 8). A few years later, the Apostle Paul rebaptized the disciples of John the Baptist in the wonderful name of Jesus, and they too received the Spirit and spoke in tongues (Acts 19). Thus, the Book of Acts consistently presents the same keys—the same plan of salvation. The Epistles The Epistles contain instructions to various churches, such as the churches at Corinth and Ephesus, and to idividuals such as Timothy and Titus. The Book of Acts records the founding of many of the churches to which these letters were written, and the Epistles frequently refer to the readers’ prior repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and baptism of the Holy Spirit. (See, for example, Romans 6:1-4; I Corinthians 6:11; 12:13; Galatians 3:2, 27; Titus 3:5.) Opponents of the Pentecostal truth err by going first to the Epistles and virtually ignoring the Books of Acts, where the plan and experience of salvation is recorded. Many passages in the Epistles explain how salvation is made available to humanity, namely, by grace through faith based on the atoning death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (See Romans 3:21-26; Ephesians 2:8-9.) Moreover, many passages describe qualities that characterize the life of true Christians, such as “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” and “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (I John 3:14; 5:1). But none of these statements cancel the command of Acts 2:38 and the actual experience of the new birth as promised in the Gospels, received in Acts, and referred to in the Epistles. The gift of tongues mentioned in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthian church is one of nine spiritual gifts that a saint, a person who is filled with the Spirit (not an unbeliever), may or may not receive. No one can exercise the gift of tongues or any of the nine gifts who has not previously received the Holy Spirit with the initial sign of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4). Conclusion The Gospels point to the way of salvation and the Epistles confirm it, but the door of salvation is opened in the Book of Acts. The born-again experience, which consists of repentance, water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by the heavenly witness of speaking with other tongues, has never changed since the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4, 38). No one has the authority or power to change it, not even an angel from heaven (Galatians 1:8). The gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). This experience is imperative if we are to be ready for the soon coming of the Lord. *Authored by UPCI This message was originated by the James Poitras of United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI).
When we are lonely, we need an understanding friend. Jesus is the One who "sticks closer than a brother." When we are lonely, we need strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other - Jesus is the One "who strengthens me." When we are lonely, we need to lift our eyes off ourselves. Jesus, the "Founder and Finisher" of the life of faith, invites us to fix our eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:1-3) and refuse to succumb. Si usted está en una crisis, estoy aquí para compartir con su dolor. The three words of this title come from Luke 13:5, which reads, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Plainly, then, the tragic alternative to repentance is eternal perdition. In view of this fact, it is extremely important that everyone know what repentance is and how it is accomplished.
Repentance Is More Than Reformation To reform is "to improve one's character or conduct; to become better; to behave better; to give up misconduct; to make better by removing faults or defects." One who genuinely reforms will, from that moment on, live a better life. And certainly this is to be desired. However, reformation falls short in at least one vital particular—it does nothing about the past. It leaves upon the pages of God's record all the sins that a person has committed. Consequently, it leaves the sinner still under the sentence of eternal death. Suppose that a criminal who has been guilty of many and various offenses against the law decides to reform. From that moment on, he determines to be a law-abiding citizen. This would be commendable, but it would not absolve him from the guilt of his past crimes. If he is apprehended, or if he surrenders himself, he will still be called upon to pay for his past crimes, unless he is given a pardon. The same is true of the sinner in relation to his past sins. What Is Repentance? Repentance is, first of all, a turning away from all sin. And, so far as this first aspect is concerned, it closely resembles reformation. But repentance further involves turning to God, in believing prayer, for forgiveness and cleansing from all sin. Such prayer is not necessarily vocal, but it usually is. The repentant person confesses to God that he is a sinner and asks for forgiveness. If he obeys the gospel, he can rest assured that God will forgive, for His Word promises, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins" (1 John 1:9). The Basis of Repentance How is genuine repentance brought about? Paul explained, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10). Before a person can repent, he must feel sorrow for his sins. And this must be godly sorrow. For someone to be sorry merely because his sins have been found out, or because they have brought trouble upon him, is not enough. He must be sorry because he has broken the commandments of God, spurned His gospel, and thereby grieved Him days without number. Such godly sorrow is the only motivating force for real repentance. Repentance and the Holy Ghost Baptism A person cannot receive the Holy Ghost before repentance. Jesus said that the "world" could not receive this experience (John 14:17). He meant that those who were unwilling to give up the carnal things of the world, through repentance, could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Peter made this plain in Acts 2:38—"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." It was no accident that he mentioned repentance first. In God's divine order, repentance must precede water baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost. The requirements for receiving the Holy Spirit are repentance and faith. In many cases, those who tarry for this spiritual experience without receiving it simply have not repented. If and when this is true, it is useless for such a one to praise God with the expectation of receiving the Holy Ghost. He should first repent and claim God's promise of forgiveness. As his burdens lift because of his confession of sin and as he feels God's love and mercy, he will naturally begin to worship God. And God will pour out His Spirit upon this repentant, believing, worshiping soul! Time for Repentance is Limited The time to repent is strictly limited by the extent of earthly life. There can be no repentance after death. Since in the normal course of events no one knows how long he will live, it is perilous indeed to procrastinate. The Bible declares, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The time of repentance is further limited by the duration of a person's capability of being impressed by conviction. A continued refusal to repent when called by God's Spirit brings hardness of heart. Paul spoke of people who were "past feeling" (Ephesians 4:19). Such people no longer feel God's Spirit leading them to serve Him. They have lost all desire for repentance. The apostle also asked this question: "Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4). Think of the goodness of God to you, and surely your heart will be inclined toward repentance. The Lord is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). This article was originated by UPCI. Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Acts 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. There was a visible sign of the gift that they were to receive. They saw cloven tongues, like as of fire. It sat, not they sat (cloven tongues). The Spirit rested upon them. There was an appearance of something like flaming fire lighting on everyone of them, which divided asunder, and so formed the resemblance of tongues, with that part of them that was next to their heads divided or cloven. This was an outward sensible sign of receiving the Holy Ghost. The Spirit, like fire, melts the heart. KJV, "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them." NIV, "They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them." TEV, "Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there." There are two school of thoughts regarding this cloven tongues:
In either way of interpretation, the initial evidence of being filled the Holy Ghost according to the books in the New Testament is speaking with other tongues, as the Spirit gave utterance. This is speaking in other language (of men or angels as in 1 Cor. 13:1), not familiar or not known to the person receiving the Holy Ghost. After Death, What?
A Bible answer to this most vital question. Can anyone think of a more relevant question? All of us pass through the narrow passageway leading from this life to the next—the passageway we call death. We shall all experience the transition into a new realm, another existence beyond this life and world we know today. Let us for a moment consider the personal experience we shall have with death. One day our hands will be folded across our lifeless breast and our eyes will be closed as our body takes its last ride to the cemetery. The purple curtains will be drawn. "The black camel of death," said one, "will kneel for each of us at our door, and we shall have no choice but to mount and ride off into the desert of darkness." Death is no respecter of persons. Beyond life . . . what? We may only speculate on certain aspects of the future, not knowing much that it holds, but we do know the One who holds the future in His hands. And it is He who has revealed much of the future to us. He who knows the end from the beginning, the future as well as the past, reveals in His Word that at death the body returns to the earth, while the soul goes to a temporary destination to await final judgment. Each of us determines in this life what our destiny will be; it will depend upon our response to the redemptive plan that God designed for the sinner's deliverance from eternal doom. We may ascend to a place of peace in the presence of God, as Paul declared in II Corinthians 5:8. It is possible for us to dwell eternally in a place of happiness, bliss, and contentment, knowing that our redemption has been completed, that we have finished our course in faith, and that we are being rewarded. Or we may descend into a place of suffering, there to be detained until the final judgment and then to be sentenced to the everlasting punishment of the lake of fire. (See Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-26; Revelation 20:11-15.) Both places are, in a sense, temporary, for we shall wait until our souls are reunited with our bodies in the resurrection. Jesus described the resurrection in John 5:82-29, and Paul spoke in detail of the first resurrection in I Thessalonians 4:16-17. The resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the ungodly are separated by one thousand years of peace on earth (Revelation 20:2-7). The just of the present age will be those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb—baptized in His name and filled with His Spirit; the ungodly will be those who have refused to surrender to the terms of the gospel. Final Reward of the Righteous For those who are saved, there will be the city not made with hands—the New Jerusalem. This city is described in Revelation 21 as the eternal home of the redeemed. Missing in this city will be the evil things that are found in every large earthly city. Gone will be all crime and violence. God's people will walk the golden streets without fear of molestation. Revelation 21:18 describes the wall of this city as jasper and the city itself as pure gold. There will be no need for the sun or moon there, for the Lamb will be the light of the city (Revelation 21:23). And, wonder of wonders, the redeemed will enjoy the blessings of the city eternally. The poet exulted: When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we'd first begun. The Fate of the Wicked For unbelievers there is "the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8). The only emotions there will be agony and regret, and from that place there will be no escape. The Present Determines the Future Eternity—never-ending ages! A person's state there is totally dependent upon the present—what he does during time. His eternal destiny will be decided by whether or not he trusts in the redeeming blood of Christ and avails himself of its merits through faith and obedience. Let us consider today the nearness of our souls to the rendezvous with death. David solemnly declared, "There is but a step between me and death" (I Samuel 20:3). Death is a certain step, and yet it is an uncertain step as to time, place, and manner. It is, further, a solitary step so far as other human beings are concerned. Only Christ can go with us through that dark valley. Are you ready for that moment and for the eternity to follow? The Bible proclaims how to prepare for eternity and enjoy eternal life with Christ: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). This message was originated by the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI). |
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