ALL IS VANITY

IF...

…It can mean a condition or qualification; a requirement, or a stipulation (Encarta ® World English Dictionary). a conjunction used to indicate the circumstances that would have to exist in order for an event to happen. The event that God would have happen is Salvation for all… God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” 2 Pet. 3:9. The circumstances that would have to exist are the perfect keeping of the laws of God; sinlessness and righteousness in our lives; a devotion to and worship of God. Can't do it!

CARNAL OR SPIRITUAL Part 2

The Carnal Christian?
I do not presume a carnal Christian to be one who only wants Jesus as a kind of hell-insurance policy, as some describe them. I suppose I believe such a person to not be a Christian at all. Because if such a person made any kind of profession of faith motivated solely by “give me a get-out-of-hell-free-card” then such a person does not understand his sin, nor his judgment, nor God’s Holiness, and least of all…the person of Jesus Christ. And chances are such a person’s life would demonstrate the lack of a regeneration which the spiritually discerning would recognize.

CARNAL OR SPIRITUAL?

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace”.
Rom. 8:6 is my opening text, but for anyone desiring “context” I would suggest reading at least chapters 1-8. And then read also 1 Cor. chapters 1, 2 and 3. I would even go further to say that IF you are not studying the WHOLE Word of God, then you will seriously be lacking “context”.

GRACE

I am grieved, I mourn, I lament, I am distressed, I am pained by sorrow to hear/see/believe there are people who do not understand the gospel message…
G R A C E !!!  How then can anyone be saved?

One cannot have salvation if one does not understand Grace. That is to say; there is nothing of "works" in it. One cannot understand Grace if one does not understand sin; it is undeserved and unearned. One cannot understand sin if one does not understand what happened in the "garden"; man became totally separated from even coming to God without first repenting.

THE VEIL HIDES THE GLORY

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3:7-18

GO AHEAD… ASK

I have heard and read many times that God HAS to do whatever "YOU" ask of Him. Let me assert... God does not have to do anything. Oh He is true to His Word alright. But one must read the rest of His Word. There are major requirements from us before God starts "lavishing" upon us.