DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A CHRISTIAN, AS FOUND IN GALATIANS

A Christian is one who has the living Christ living in him [2;20; 4;19]. He has had a transforming experience. A Christian is one who has The Holy Spirit [4;6]. He begets IN the believer new characteristics that are productive of Christian conduct [5;22, 23]/ A Christian is one who has shared the Cross experience with Christ, as the basic solution of his personal problems. [2;20; 5;24; 6;14, 17]. A Christian is one possessed of a life so divine, so ideal, that it cannot be pressed into the mold of external regulations [4;9-11, 19-21; 5;1-6]. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CONSISTS NOT IN BEHAVING, BUT IN BEING,a life out of which behavior naturally proceeds; not something external, but internal, the root producing the fruit. It is a LIFE that must be free to express itself; to impose regulations upon it, is fatal to it.

THE 2ND COMING OF ELIJAH

MATTHEW 17;9-11-''and as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them saying.Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come/ And Jesus answered and said unto them,Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.'' Notice the word ''restore'' [restoration], as you always find it in connection with the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ [Acts 3;20-21]. The statement of the Lord Jesus Christ is that Elijah is going to come. MATTHEW 17;12-13--''But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the diciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.'' because of these verses, some say that Christ is already come, that John the Baptist was Elijah. Therefore they say all the Old Testaments Prophecies were fulfilled at the first coming, and they are to be spiritualized, if they refer to the 2nd Coming. But NOTICE THE PASSAGE CAREFULLY, ''Elias truly SHALL first come, and restore all things. But [apparent contradiction I say unto you.'' Here we have an apparent contradiction, but is not really a contradiction at all. LUKE 9;18-20--''And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him; and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am/ They answering said,John the Baptist; but some say, Elias;and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am/ Peter answering said, The Christ of God.'' Then there is confusion about John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and Elias. Although Jesus said John was Elias. let's look at John's testimony. JOHN 1;19-21--''And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou/ And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then/ Art thou Elias/ And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet/ And he answered, No.'' Is that clear/ Here is an apparent contradiction, Jesus said John was Elias, John says he wasn't. but this is not a REAL contradiction-- LUKE 1;15-17--''For he [John]nshall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God; And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'' God's plan covers all possibilities and contingencies. If the people had reveived the message and Christ as their Messiah, in Acts 2-7, John would have been Elijah.... Prior to the cross and their commission, Jesus said to His disciples--''But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another; for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come'' [Matthew 10;23]. He did not come, yet they went over the cities of ISRAEL, TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD. Now, let's see how THE Holy Spirit gave the teaching that John was a type of Elijah, as we compare Malachi 4 with Luke 1. MALACHI 4;4-6 CP LUKE 1;17; The commissions aren't the same. John Baptist was only a type of ELIJAH, WHO WOULD HAVE FULFILLED THE PROPHECY IF CHRIST HAD RETURNED. BUT SINCE ISRAEL DIDNOT REPENT AS A NATION, GOD CALLS OUT PAUL TO PREACH TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, AND THE CHURCH AGE IS USHERED IN. Elijah will come in the Tribulation period [Revelation 11;2-6].

THE FINDINGS OF THE FIRST CHURCH COUNCIL

In Acts 15, we have the story of the first church council, held at Jerusalem. they assembled to deliberate upon spiritual matters. they found in the council, that to understand this age, they must understand that GOD WAS NOT seeking to convert the world, but to call out from among the Gentiles, a people for HIS NAME. This was to be done by grace, through faith in His Son. Never one time, was it God's purpose to convert the world to Christ. it never has been, nor will it ever be. It is God's only purpose to call out a people for Christ, and when this calling is completed; when every one of God's elect of this age has been brought into the fold, then the Lord will come back. In Acts 3;14-19, we see that if ISRAEL had repented as a nation, when Peter called upon them as a nation, to do so, The Lord would have come back then. But they did not repent, therefore God chastised them [ZECHARIAH 12-14]. The early Church labored in the Gospel to reach every one of God's elect, and waited for His Son from Heaven. When the last one of GOD'S elect has been called out by the Holy Spirit and justified by faith in Christ, then we will hear the shout of the Lord in GLORY, coming for HIS OWN.

THE BIBLE OR DREAMS/ WHICH /

Because of the failure to rightly divide The Word of God, many think that the signs given to Israel apply to us today. We don't need a man coming with signs and wonders, to know that He is sent from God, or NOT. We can tell that he is from God, by the way he handles, reacts to, and treats it. I Corinthians tells us that The Jews require a sign, while the Jews seek after wisdom. The Word of God is what God uses during this age of grace. In Acts 2 [Peter quotes from Joel] which will be fulfilled regarding Israel during the coming tribulation. The dreams and visions will be used because the Antichrist will destroy all available Bibles. DURING THIS DISPENSATION, GOD'S WORD WILL DO GOD'S WORK.

BEHOLD THE KING

Seventy four years ago, a man, whom many called The King was born in Tupelo, Mississippi--Elvis Pressley. But in reality there is only one king, The Wise, Immortal King-Jehovah God. As such, He is worthy of our adoration, veneration, and praise. He requires our utmost obedience and submission. He is absolute holiness and purity, who cannot look upon sin. His perfect Justice demands the death of every rebel. But being also, perfect LOVE, He chose to save an remnant of Adam's fallen race, to bring glory to His grace. This number He gave as a gift to His Son, Who became their Surety, and discharged their debt to God's Justice, completely satisfying God's Wrath. These chosen ones, are regenerated by The Holy Spirit, in which they are granted saving faith and repentance, which are exercised in their conversion to Christ. By Creation and Redemption, they belong to God. Behold The King...

THE SAINT'S DAY OF DEATH

The day of Death for a child of God is better than the day he was born physically, into this world. We were born, as children of wrath, without God and without hope in this world. We were born with ADAM'S OLD SINFUL NATURE, thus were children of wrath. We sinned and became the children of disobedience. We were born totally depraved, dead in trespasses and sins. We were on our way to The Lake of Fire. But HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD, one day the Holy Spirit was sent to Quicken us, and to give us the Graces of repentance and faith. UNDER HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTION WE SAW WHAT WE WERE, THE JUDGMENT WE WERE UNDER, AND THAT Christ was our only hope. We bowed to His Lordship, and He graciously saved us. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAVE US, BUT DID BECAUSE THE FATHER CHOSE US TO SALVATION, IN ETERNITY PAST, AND GAVE US TO HIS SON, AS A GIFT. SO WHEN, WE LEAVE THIS WORLD, IT WILL BE BETTER FOR US, THAN THE DAY WE WERE BORN PHYSICALLY INTO THIS WORLD.

SIN KNOWS NO DEGREES

Contrary to popular opinion, there are no degrees to sin. One sin is just as heinous and distasteful to God as another. James 2;10 says if we offend in just one point of the Law, then we are guilty of breaking every point of the Law. Hence if we sin once, we are guilty of every sin in the eyes of God. How sad it is that those who profess to know the Lord sit in judgment, as if God gave them His Son's position, upon others. We still have the Pharisees among us, those plaster saints who have set up their own quota system, with its varying degrees of sin. We are not qualified to judge, because 1. We don't have full knowledge 2. WE ARE SINNERS OURSELVES. 3. We are prone to overlook ours, while looking on other people sins. Just why a tongue speaking charismatic, would join a Baptist Church, and then sit in judgment upon what goes on there shows a ''holier then thou'' attitude. Search The Bible, it alone has the answers, and Jesus is going to judge according to it. NO CHRISTIAN HAS THE RIGHT TO JUDGE ANYONE...

AMERICA, THE CROWN HAS FALLEN

America, once the crown jewel of representative democracy is quickly turning into a socialistic state, which will find her place in the coming one world government. America after WWII shifted her emphasis from Nationalism to one worldism. THE SEEDS OF THIS ARE EVEN FOUND IN THE REALM OF SO-CALLED Christendom. Political correctness, and turning the objective message of the Gospel into a subjective one can be seen on every hand. Where are those who will stand up for God, and Country/ Where are those, who are bold enough, to stand up and say ''Thus saith the Lord God,'' without fear of man/ The pusssy footing, free willers, are destroying our land, and sending folks to Hell. We need also men in the Government, who are not ruled by greed, nor by lust for power. It's time to stand up for God and FOR America, AS ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

TRUE, PURE, AND THINGS OF GOOD REPORT

Paul in Philippians admoishes us that, whatsoever things are pure, true, and of good report. to think upon them. Now, while there is a place for negativity, we are not to put our emphasis on it. The Message of The Bible is a positive one. Being negative all the time turns people off. Dwelling on past sins gets one nowhere. As A believer I have no right to judge, or criticize another believer. I have enough to answer for and of myself. Too many CHRISTIAN BLOGS ARE NEGATIVE AND ABRASIVE, AND WILL AMONT TO NOTHING, AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT. Paul said ''Who art thou that judgest another man's servant, to his own master, he standeth or falleth.'' So, let's be positive, and leave the Judgment where it belongs, in God's Hands. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DO THE HOLY SPIRIT'S WORK.