Abiding in Christ - James Smith, 1865

"No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin — has either seen Him or known Him." 1 John 3:6

The design of God in the gospel, is to make us like Himself — to conform us to His beloved Son, who is "the image of the invisible God." To this end — all the promises, privileges, and precepts of His Word are directed. At this, the work of the Holy and ever blessed Spirit aims. We must resemble Him — imperfectly here on earth. We will resemble Him — perfectly and completely, in Heaven. Christ-likeness is the object we should constantly keep in view — at this we should habitually aim. Being justified by grace, we should daily seek to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit; and that our bodies, souls, and spirits, should be preserved blameless, unto the coming of the day of God. This was John's object in writing this epistle, at this he aims directly or indirectly in every part of it. "These things write we unto you," he says, "so that you will not sin." And "No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning." 

WHICH GOSPEL WHEN

Grace and the Guarantee 
By - Paul R. Van Gorder

Chapter 1
The current religious scene uses the word "gospel" indiscriminately. We hear of gospel music, gospel truth, the old-fashioned gospel, gospel literature, and gospel meetings. But what is the meaning of the word "gospel"? Coming from the Greek word euaggelion, it simply means "good tidings" or "good news".

Let me raise a question that might bring opposing response and perhaps considerable disagreement. Here's the question; is there more than one gospel;' Some would quickly answer "of course not! There's only one gospel." They refer to the gospel spoken of by the apostle Paul in this familial passage: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” First Corinthians.15:1-4.

But is this the only "good news" of the Bible?

Tin-Foil Hat Brigade

Tin-Foil Hat Brigade — by Pete Garcia

You know who you are.  You’re the person other people tiptoe around when it comes to discussing current events or religion.  You are the person who can spend hours devouring scripture or news with equal vigor, pointing out ‘last days’ events to anyone who would listen to you.  You are semi-shunned at church.  You are disinvited from church socials because you are just too intense and narrow-minded.  You’re called a “conspiracy theorist” or a “Jesus Freak” behind your back.  You’re always going on about the Lord’s return and that “Rapture thingy”.  Admit it.  You are one of them, one of those “prophecy nuts.”

Spiritual Leaders

 "And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" ~Ephesians 4:11-12 

Do you know how that reads in the Greek manuscript?