Christ Covenant Church

[https://i0.wp.com/www.christcovenantcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/White-Blue-and-Black-Simple-Two-Eyes-Logo.png?resize=300%2C300] Safely navigating our souls to the shores of heaven requires we spy the lies that lead to shipwreck and the truth those lies often conceal. 1. You don’t have what it takes to live for God and get to heaven (2Pe 1:3). 2. The Devil poses no threat to the Christian (1Pe 5:8). 3. The consensus of pagans, our thoughts, our spiritual beliefs and our feelings are all things we can trust when attempting to discern truth (Joh 17:17; Isa 8:20). 4. The Bible is your only spiritual authority (Neh 9:7-8; Jer 3:15). 5. Stop trying to carry the heavy burden of obedience to the Law and start resting in God’s free grace. 5.1. God’s grace is never free in the sense that it doesn’t expect something in return. Rather, because of God’s gift (of “free grace”), we are now expected to live faithfully obedient lives. 5.1.1. (Eph 2:8-10) = Saving grace is “not [our] own doing; [it is] a gift of God not a result of works…we are [instead] His workmanship.” Yet God did such work with the sole intention that we “should (in response) walk” in those “good works” He “prepared beforehand” – i.e., God’s commands in the Law. When in reference to good, “works” generally refers to observance of the Law. The Law was established long before (“beforehand”) the Ephesian believers existed. In summary then, God gave His grace to us (in salvation) with the expectation that we would respond in obedience (see 1:3-4). 5.1.2. (2Co 6:1 w/14-7:1) = If we do not respond to the grace we received with holy living (separated from lawless people and those other things which defile body or spirit), then God will not continue to be a Father to us and we will not continue as His children (“then I will be a Father you”). That initial grace will be considered as received “in vain.” (1Th 1:4 w/3:5). 5.1.3. (Heb 12:14-16) = Grace expects holy living, the promotion of lawful practice w/the covenant community and sexual purity otherwise the salvation received in grace will be permanently lost in apostasy no matter how much we may regret it later (“though he sought it with tears”) (in re: to lawful practice in the CC: “root of bitterness…”; Deu 29:18-19 = Notice serving other gods includes believing obedience to be optional to receiving God’s grace/blessing. This kind of thinking can become infectious in the covenant community and will lead to our apostasy – See v20). 5.2. If God’s grace expects nothing in return, then why does God still: 5.2.1. promise to pay everyone according to their (not Christ’s) deeds? (2Ti 4:14 w/Psa 62:11-12) = Notice God’s covenant love [“steadfast love”; Deu 7:9] is defined by rendering/giving to everyone “according to their work.” This understanding should cause us to realize that chapter 4 is not the first place Paul addresses this principle in 2Timothy. It is first addressed in chapter two (2Ti 2:11-13) = B/C of God’s covenant/steadfast love or faithfulness, everyone will get what they deserve (including condemnation where deserved). BTW: if this principle were only true under the OT (the position of Evangelicals whether they realize it or not), then God has morally compromised Himself since His reason for responding this way in the past was due to justice. IOW: God giving us what we deserve (true covenant and perfect love) is the same principle that undergirds justice: the punishment must fit the crime (we must get what we deserve for justice to be upheld) (Deu19:21). It’s all Newton’s 3rd law. 5.2.2. require His people to practice holiness? (1Pe 1:13-19) = Notice once more the issue of God judging according to our deeds (and that it applies to all people  – a “Father who impartially judges”). The point then not to miss (and why Peter also speaks of our ransom thru the “precious blood of Christ”): We better be careful (“conduct yourselves with fear”) not to mess up what God sacrificed so much for. If we do, God ‘s judgment against us will be no less (impartial judgment) than that issued against the unbelieving in the world. It will actually be worse. Hence again the reference to “fear” (see Heb 10:27-30). 5.2.3. warn His people of the possibility of missing out on future grace and heaven if they don’t live holy, obedient lives (Heb 12:14-15; 1 Co 6:9; Gal 5:19-21). 5.3. The only passages mentioning rest and/or heavy burdens are Jesus’ words in Matthew. They are however not directed against God’s Laws, but rather the laws and lawlessness of men (Mat 11:28-30) = The heavy/burdensome yoke Jesus is referring to is the man-made rules, lack of rules and hypocrisy being practiced by the Pharisees. This was creating the burden (or guilt) that wearied the people (Mat 15:1-9, 23:1-4, 23, 28). The easier yoke provided by Jesus (which included the rest/peace of a  clean conscience) wb defined by two things: 1) bringing the people back to God’s law (Mat 5:17; Jer 6:16-19) = The ancient paths giving rest (or peace) is discovered thru returning to God’s Law (Psa 119:165), 2) (Jesus) fulfilling the only portion of the Law considered unbearable, the clean laws: circumcision, sacrifice, special separation (Act 15:10-11; e.g., Col 2:11-14: circumcision and sacrifice; Eph 2:13-16; Rom 14:14; Act 10:15; Gal 4:10: special separation; This BTW is what Paul is referring to in Rom 10:1-10 = Justification/gaining a right standing with God/salvation [“the law for righteousness”] no longer requires living by/practicing the OT clean laws. The sacrifice of Christ applied thru faith has ended the need for the practice of these laws. The moral commands still apply – Rom 13:8-10). 5.4. That being said, faithful obedience to God’s Law is not easy. According to Jesus, it requires hard work and perseverance that may – at times, seem agonizing (Luk 13:22-24 “agonizomai”) = Agonize to enter (e.g., in re: to sexual sin: Mat 5:27-30; in re: to being a bad witness to others: Mar 9:43-50 “every fiery sacrifice expects execution” = The forgiveness/grace rec’d expects faithful follow thru no matter the cost otherwise your end wb in fiery hell). 5.5. The truth this lie often conceals = Obedience is not contrary but complementary to grace/faith. What was gained by grace thru faith in Christ (our justification/righteousness) must be maintained thru obedience to God’s moral commands (Rom 13:8-10; Jam 2:24). The post Spy The Lie – Part 5: Law/Grace [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com/messages/spy-the-lie-part-5-law-grace/] appeared first on Christ Covenant Church [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com].

[https://i0.wp.com/www.christcovenantcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/White-Blue-and-Black-Simple-Two-Eyes-Logo.png?resize=300%2C300] Safely navigating our souls to the shores of heaven requires we spy the lies that lead to shipwreck and the truth those lies often conceal. 1. You don’t have what it takes to live for God and get to heaven (2Pe 1:3). 2. The Devil poses no threat to the Christian (1Pe 5:8). 3. The consensus of pagans, our thoughts, our spiritual beliefs and our feelings are all things we can trust when attempting to discern truth (Joh 17:17 = Truth originates outside of us in God’s Word, which is why when attempting to discern or disseminate truth, we must not allow ourselves to listen to the majority – including family and friends, our internal thoughts or feelings, or even our long held spiritual beliefs. Instead, we must be constantly taking ourselves and others back to the Scriptures asking the question, “What does the Word of God say?’” – 2Co 10:5; Isa 8:20). 4. The Bible is your only spiritual authority. 4.1. This is the heresy known as “solo scriptura” (i.e., the Bible is my only spiritual authority). 4.2. Many claiming to be Christians today have embraced its more heretical cousin, “solo novus testamentum” (i.e., the New Testament is my only authority). This has traditionally been referred to as a “canon within a canon” (i.e., what you deem as God’s canon/authoritative rules does not include the entirety of God’s canon or all 66 books, but instead only the NT). Popular Evangelical pastor, Andy Stanley states that the Old Testament should not be seen as “the go-to source regarding any behavior in the church.” In his view, the apostles “unhitched the church from the worldview, value system, and regulations of the Jewish Scriptures.” What Stanley and those embracing this heresy don’t realize: this was the position of one of church’s most infamous heretics, Marcion who believed the OT and any teaching in the NT that requires obedience or threatens punishment to those who disobey, to be the corruption of a vindictive, evil deity that has nothing in common with all loving and forgiving Jesus. 4.3. Why it is impossible to have Jesus and deny/ignore the teaching and requirements of the OT (or Law) = B/C Jesus affirmed its continuing authority and necessity for getting to heaven (Mat 5:17-20, 19:16-23). 4.4. Why it is impossible for the Bible to be your only spiritual authority = B/C the Bible (God’s written word) is not self-explanatory.  Understanding the meaning or message being communicated through its words has always required the interpretive efforts and skill of human beings (e.g., Neh 8:1-8, 13; Luk 24:27; Act 2:42). This is especially true given the thousands of years that separate us from its original audience whose culture, customs, political and social climate, common cliches and figures of speech are completely foreign to us: 4.4.1.(e.g., Eph 1:4 “holy and blameless”) = OT terms referring to intolerance of sin (“holy”) and faithful observance of God’s moral requirements (“blameless”). 4.4.2. (e.g., Rev 5:1-5 “a scroll written within and on the back sealed with seven seals”) = A get mekushshar, a bill of divorce created specifically for the Jewish priests. The overabundance of seals (or folds) as well as the writing on both sides were intended to make sure priestly marriages could not be quickly or easily dissolved since according to the marital law governing priests, divorce would immediately render those wives ineligible for reconciliation should the priest have a change of heart (Lev 21:14). Knowing this is crucial to understanding the 7 seals, trumpets and bowls of God’s wrath (prophetic language communicating Jesus’ high priestly divorce from OC Israel – Lev 26:27-28). 4.5. Since the Bible was written, God has mandated that: 4.5.1. the work of interpretation be done by certain men in the covenant community versus each person interpreting it for themselves – i.e., walking according to their own law (Jdg 17:6, 21:25 “right in his own eyes” = Each person followed their own interpretation/solo scriptura) (Neh 8:1-8, 13 w/Act 6:1-4; Eph 4:11-16; 1Co 12:30; e.g., Act 8:30-31) 4.5.2. these bible teachers be ordained/anointed to the office of priest after demonstrating their gifting/calling to this task thru holy and blameless living and competency in their overall knowledge of the Bible including understanding of its ancient context (e.g., Exo 29:7-9; Mal 2:6-7; Num 27:16-23 [Moses and his replacement were priests – Psa 99:6] w/2Ti 1:6 and Act 8:17; Tit 1:9-10 “appoint” = “anoint”; 1Co 2:1-16 = A reference to Paul and Co’s ordination/anointing for teaching in the church; See also 2Co 1:21; BTW: the word “anoint” is never used to refer to the indwelling Spirit received by all believers; Isa 66:18-19,21 w/Joh 20:21-23 w/Mat 28:18-20: 1] “the time is coming to gather all nations…And from them I will send survivors…I am sending you…Go into all the world [nations]”, 2] “some of them I will take for priests…Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld…baptizing and teaching” = the means to salvation1] “the time is coming to gather all nations…And from them I will send survivors…I am sending you”/forgiveness [Psa 132:16 w/2Co 3:1-3 w/1Ti 4:14-16 w/Eph 4:7-11]). 4.5.3. these ordained/anointed priests demonstrate their interpretations to be consistent with the entire council of God’s written word (no canon w/in a canon interpretation – e.g., Rom 10:4 w/Rom 13:8-10) (Deu 12:32; 2Ti 2:15; Act 20:27; this is Sola Scriptura – the Bible is the final authority) 4.5.4. the covenant community happily affirm and submit to the interpretations of their ordained/anointed priests when it can be supported by the final authority, God’s Word  (Act 15:1-22; Act 17:1-3, 11; 1Ti 5:17; Tit 2:15; Heb 13:17; 1Jo 2:18-27 “anointed”/”anointing” = “anointed one” [Grk. Chrisma -accusative sing.]. The context is approved spiritual teachers versus unapproved teachers [those outside the church/antichrists – see 4:1-6 = Notice, John makes explicit that the anointing or “Spirit” that teaches us is a person NOT some universal anointing given to everyone in the church [v6 – “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us”  – i.e., the anointed persons versus the “antichrist” persons, the “Spirit of truth” versus “the spirit of error”].) 4.5.5. the covenant community reject (even kill – OT) any ordained man who teaches lawlessness (including going outside the law), or any person who self-appoints themselves as their own teachers or teachers of others (Deu 13:1-16; Act 11:1-18, 15:1-22, 20:30, 21:17-26, 25:7-8, 26:22-26; 1Ti 1:20 w/2Ti 2:17) 4.5.6. the covenant community also reject anyone in their midst who falsely condemns God’s ordained man or their interpretation of God’s Word as guilty of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and immediately apostate (Num 16:1-10, 25-35; Mat 12:22-32; 1Co 6:1-10: 1] the covenant community has been tasked w/judging its members [1-4, see 1Co 5:12-13], 2] those who condemn [bring lawsuits against] their Christian bros/sis [most especially their ordained men – 1Ti 5:19 w/Deu 19:15 w/Psa 105:15] w/o establishing their charges in the church are just as damned as those practicing sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery and homosexuality [7-10]). 4.6. Even Jesus and the apostles were subject to God’s mandates regarding the interpretation of His written word (Joh 7:14-24 w/18:19-20; Gal 2:1-2). 4.8. The truth this lie (the Bible is my only authority) often conceals = A person whose only authority is self. They claim their authority to be God (or Jesus) but in reality, it is self based on how they choose to interpret or understand God’s Word -which is always in a way that favors what they want to do (i.e., they worship a sacred cow they call, “Jesus” that looks exactly like them). 4.9.  Support from the Early Church Fathers: 4.9.1. St. Ignatius [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Antioch] (a disciple of the Apostle John, who also had correspondence with Jesus’ mother Mary) > “It is fitting that you should run together in accordance with the will of the bishop (anointed pastor) who by God’s appointment rules over you.” > “He that refuses to assemble with the church [for the judgment of the bishop] has condemned himself. Let us be careful then not to set ourselves in opposition to the bishop, in order that we may be subject to God.” > “Beloved, be careful to be subject to the bishop and the presbyters [other elders]. For he that is subject to these is subject to Christ, who has appointed them; but he that is disobedient to them is disobedient to Christ Jesus. He that does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. For he that does not yield to his superiors is self-confident, quarrelsome and proud. God resists the proud. And the proud have greatly transgressed. The Lord says to the priests, ‘He that hears you, hears Me; and he that hears Me, hears the Father that sent Me. He who despises you, despises Me; and he that despises Me, despises Him who sent Me.'” > “We ought to receive everyone whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household as we would do Him who sent him. It is manifest therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we look upon the Lord Himself.” > “It is becoming therefore, that you also should be obedient to your bishop, and contradict him in nothing; for it is a fearful thing to contradict any such person. For no one does [by such conduct] deceive him that is visible, but does in reality seek to mock Him who is invisible. And every such act has respect not to man, but God.” > “To those who indeed talk of the bishop, but do all things without him, will not He who is the true and first Bishop, and only High Priest by nature, declare ‘Why do you call Me Lord and do not do what I say?’ Such persons are dissemblers and hypocrites.” 4.9.2. Hugh of St. Victor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_of_Saint_Victor] > “Do not attempt to learn by yourself lest, believing yourself introduced to knowledge, you rather be blinded. That introduction is to be sought for from men of doctrine and wisdom who may bring you in and open the matter to you as you need it with the authorities of the holy fathers and the testimonies of the Scriptures.” 4.9.3. Vincent of Lerins [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_of_L%C3%A9rins] > “Someone will perhaps ask, because the canon of scripture is complete and sufficient of itself for everything, and more than sufficient, what need is there to join with it the authority of the church’s interpretation? For this reason- because all do not accept it in one and the same sense, but one understands its words in one way, another in another; so that it seems to be capable of as many interpretations as there are interpreters. Therefore it is very necessary, on account of so great intricacies of such various error, that the rule for the right understanding of the prophets and apostles should be framed in accordance with the standard of church interpretation.” The post Spy The Lie – Part 4: Spiritual Authority [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com/messages/spy-the-lie-part-4-spiritual-authority/] appeared first on Christ Covenant Church [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com].

[https://i0.wp.com/www.christcovenantcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/White-Blue-and-Black-Simple-Two-Eyes-Logo.png?resize=300%2C300] Safely navigating our souls to the shores of heaven requires we spy the lies that lead to shipwreck and the truth those lies often conceal. 1. You don’t have what it takes to live for God and get to heaven (2Pe 1:3). 2. The Devil poses no threat to the Christian (1Pe 5:8). 3. The consensus of pagans, our thoughts, our spiritual beliefs, and our feelings are all things we can trust when attempting to discern truth. 3.1. Those who trust the consensus of pagans are following the consensus of the Devil and his demons (Eph 2:1-2). 3.2. God considers those who trust in their thoughts to be fools – or even worse, evil (Pro 3:5; Pro 28:26; Psa 10:4; Psa 14:1; Psa 73:12-16, 21-22). 3.3. Hell is going to be filled with “Christians” who trusted in their spiritual beliefs (i.e., who called their sacred cow, “Jesus”) (Exo 32:4 “these are your gods…who brought you up out of the land of Egypt” = YWH [the Trinity] is a cow [possibly Apis of the Egyptians]; Rev 22:15 “idolators” = The Scripture’s main audience is always those claiming to follow the God of the Bible. As such this term refers to false Christians, those possessing/protecting/worshipping a sacred cow they call Jesus; e.g., Evangelical Christianity – 1Ti 4:1 “depart from the faith” [pistus] = “depart from faithfulness” as confirmed by the appositional phrase that follows [“by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and the teachings [religion/beliefs/sacred cow] of demons.” Faithfulness to God is replaced by faithfulness to the Devil – Deu 32:17 “new gods that had come recently” = The 16th century Protestant Reformation and the sacred cow of “faith-alone Jesus”; Luther was not the restorer of the gospel but the destroyer of worlds. His faith alone gospel may have marked the beginning of the end of human history – Mat 24:12]). 3.4. Trust in our feelings is: 3.4.1. the behavior of young people and the children of wrath (2Ti 2:22 “passions” [Grk., epithumia = Feelings/emotions – see 1Ti 5:11] = Feelings-oriented living is most associated w/young people. Hence the reason young people are always at greater risk of apostasy; Eph 2:3) 3.4.2. how we lose the war for our soul (and are re-corrupted) (1Pe 2:11; Jam 4:1; Feelings are the source of most temptation – Jam 1:13-14 “desires”[Grk., epithumia = Feelings/emotions]) 3.4.3. a rejection of our salvation (Tit 2:11-12, 3:3; Gal 5:24-25; 1Pe 1:14) 3.4.4. what will characterize the world and false churches just before Jesus comes back (Jud 1:17-19 [Notice: operating by feelings = void of the Spirit; 2Ti 3:1 w/4:3) 3.4.5. risky given they are shortcuts that may be inaccurate/wrong (Feelings don’t think. They are instead thinking-shortcuts established by learning adopted in prior situations that alert us when our senses identify situations similar enough to those prior situations -e.g., the feeling of an ex-Mormon around caffeine; Deer urine in hunting/cheese in the mousetrap/expository preaching equals a biblical church – 2Pe 2:12). 3.5. Truth is discerned through God’s Word which is outside of us (unlike our thoughts/beliefs/feelings which are inside of us) (Joh 17:17 w/Joh 18:33-38 = Pilate’s words reflect the popular philosophical thought of his day, that discerning truth/reality requires judgment from a source outside of us – i.e., divine/special revelation). 3.6. We need to train our minds to think Biblically about everything – most especially the little things (Luk 16:10 = The principle being communicated: what we practice when there is no pressure/stress [the little things] is what we will automatically resort to in stressful situations or under pressure [the big things]. Hence the reason the Army [now] puts 1.1. million soldiers thru “stress-resilience training” [“training washes out our natural dispositions” – Anders Ericsson]. If you are not training your mind to make easy decisions based on God’s Word then you will not respond biblically/be able to make biblical decisions when things are get stressful). 3.7. Diagnostic examples: 3.7.1. Worldview: 1) consensus (availability heuristic) = evolution/atheism (Psa 14:1), 2) thoughts/feelings (affect heuristic) = evolution/atheism (Psa 10:4, 14:1), 3) truth (God’s Word) = (F = ma)∞; (Rev 22:11-12) 3.7.2. Christian Salvation: 1) consesnsus (availability heuristic) = faith alone, Calvinism 2) thoughts/feelings (affect heuristic) = faith alone, Calvinism, 3) truth (God’s Word) (Jam 2:24 = [J = W+F] not [F= J+W]; Col 2:12 = Ordo Salutis: faith then regeneration – not regeneration then faith [the Ordo Salutis of Calvinism]) 3.7.3. (Eph 5:4): 1) consensus (availability heuristic) = F-word etc. (what the culture considers filthiness, foolish talk, crude joking), 2) thoughts/beliefs/feelings (affect heuristic) (e.g., cancel culture/I don’t like the way it makes me feel, so it must be bad) = F-word, etc., 3) truth (God’s Word) = (Eph 5:3) **When has morality ever been determined by the culture? The post Spy The Lie – Part 3: Discerning Truth [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com/messages/spy-the-lie-part-3-discerning-truth/] appeared first on Christ Covenant Church [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com].

[https://i0.wp.com/www.christcovenantcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/White-Blue-and-Black-Simple-Two-Eyes-Logo.png?resize=300%2C300] Safely navigating our souls to the shores of heaven requires we spy the lies that lead to shipwreck and the truth those lies often conceal. 1. You don’t have what it takes to live for God and get to heaven (2Pe 1:3). 2. The Devil poses no threat to the Christian (he is only concerned w/kids from Hawkins, Indiana living in the 80’s; Per a 2020 Barna report, most American Christians no longer believe in Satan/Devil). 2.1. The Devil hunts Christians like a hungry lion (1Pe 5:8 = Peter’s analogy of the hungry lion is no doubt meant to convey something about those most likely to become the Devil’s prey: 1] the weak [Pro 24:10], 2] the isolated [Pro 18:1], and 3] the foolish [Pro 5:22-23 w/12-14]). 2.2. The Devil can tell who is vulnerable or compromising and demands that God give him access to us (Zec 3:1; Luk 22:31). 2.3. The Devil lives to make war against true Christians (those who know they must obey to be saved). IOW: we are his primary target (Rev 12:7-17). 2.4. Every true Christian (i.e., those living faithful to their King) will experience suffering brought on by the Devil (1Pe 5:9). 2.5. Christians who keep playing around with sin can be possessed by the Devil (or one of his demons) who will convince them to betray King Jesus (e.g., Joh 13:26-27; what about the Holy Spirit? Psa 34:7 w/1Th 5:19 and Eph 4:30; What about guardian angels? Heb 1:13-14 w/Mat 13:41-42). 2.6. Jesus teaches that the Devil wb successful in turning true Christians into tares or troublemakers in the church (Mat 13:36-43). 2.7. The Devil is all about appearances (2Co 11:4; Joh 7:24). 2.8. The two things that make you the weak, isolated, and foolish – or easy prey of the Devil (Jam 4:7-8): 1) selfish living/tolerance for wickedness (“cleanse your hands, you sinners”; The Devil loves to entice us to selfishness and the tolerance of wicked or worldly things – Jam 3:13-15, 4:4 ), 2) unresolved doubt/unbelief (“purify your hearts, you double-minded”; 1Pe 5:9 “Resist him, firm in your faith”; The Devil loves to create/exacerbate doubt – 1Chr 21:1. The number one lie the Devil uses to turn our doubt into damnation: we have [or should have] the freedom to live according to how we feel without consequence – Gen 3:1-4; this “freedom w/o consequences lie is the golden rule in the religion of Satanism). The pursuit of holy living and seeking to resolve our doubts is therefore how we get the Devil to flee from us – rather than feasting on us (this is also how we “draw near God/submit [ourselves] to God”) 2.9 The truth this lie often conceals: 1) You don’t go to the world to find your worth (e.g., success: I don’t trust I can be successful unless I listen to the Devil’s/world’s advice; counseling/therapy: I believe psychology knows best how to think, raise my kids or run my marriage; 1Jo 5:19), 2) You don’t go to the darkness to find the light (e.g., CAM: I tolerate practices mixed with darkness to solve my health problems – 1Sa 28:5-16; sex: I purchase things from world’s adult stores to help with my sex life). When we turn to the world or darkness to solve our problems we put our eternal state in more danger than we can imagine (professor of Psychology at New York Medical and practicing exorcist, Dr. Richard Gallagher, claims that demons view us as “stupid apes” because of how easy it is to expose us to their damning deception – 2Co 11:14). The post Spy The Lie – Part 2: The Devil [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com/messages/spy-the-lie-part-2-the-devil/] appeared first on Christ Covenant Church [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com].

[https://i0.wp.com/www.christcovenantcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/White-Blue-and-Black-Simple-Two-Eyes-Logo.png?resize=300%2C300] Safely navigating our souls to the shores of heaven requires we spy the lies that lead to shipwreck and the truth those lies often conceal. 1. You don’t have what it takes to live for God and get to heaven. 1.1. The fact that God will judge everyone according to their deeds proves we have what it takes to obey His laws (culpability necessitates ability) (Deu 30:11-16). 1.2. More than anyone else in human history, we as Christians have less of an excuse and more potential to live for God. Why? Because of what took place in our baptism: 1) we died to sin through the death of our King. His propitiatory sacrifice was applied to us bringing death to sin and its enslaving power in the soul (Rom 6:1-7 w/Paul’s comparison to life under the OC Rom 7:1-14, 24-25, 8:1-3 = Because the OC was pass-over only [i.e., God’s “stay of execution” until propitiation could be made – Rom 3:25], sin and its power remained in the soul. Living for God was doable, but extremely difficult. Then Jesus came and made propitiation which means though “sin is still resident in the flesh, it is no longer president in our soul.”). 2) we have been born again by the Holy Spirit Who now abides with us as an empowering helper in our efforts to fulfill God’s laws and refuse the sinful desires still residing in our flesh (Rom 8:4, 12-13). 1.3. The aforementioned “divine power” along w/the knowledge or renewing of the mind that happens when we change our thinking to match what is taught in God’s Word gives us everything we need to live for God and get to heaven (2Pe 1:3; Rom 12:1-2 = Spiritual worship happens thru renewing our minds. Notice it is not optional. When God reveals that what you think is wrong, it is expected that you will immediately change your thinking/belief/practice). 1.4. The above reasons are why Peter warns that those Christians who allow themselves to be caught back up in sin and (once more) corrupt their souls will be in a spiritual state worse than what they were before they were saved (2Pe 2:20-22 w/3:17-18; also Heb 10:29). To whom much is given much will be required. Equipped for success = Expect no less. 1.5. The truth this lie often conceals = You don’t want to do what it takes to get to heaven (Luk 13:24). The post Spy The Lie – Part 1 [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com/messages/spy-the-lie-part-1/] appeared first on Christ Covenant Church [http://www.christcovenantcolorado.com].