Bob Cassell, Messenger, RFTC
Do you have any desire to know God or His plan for your life? Do you wish to only execute your plan and fulfill all of your good hopes for yourself? Lots of luck is a good wish, but how far will it carry you in this troubled life? Matters in this life can develop so quickly that we can be overwhelmed. We fall and can’t get up. It does not require an eternity to realize that much is not under our control. If it is not under your control, then where is the compass that will direct you through this amazing and difficult life? What course are you on; who set that course, and where will it lead you?
Let’s pause here for the moment of your physical birth. Can you remember? No, this early beginning is far beyond you. It is you before you became you. You were not conscious of this amazing reality, and yet in a point of time you became an individual with a soul. What is the soul? It is the invisible, incorporeal (no body) essence of what makes you, you. What did you have that made you, you. You had what everyone else has at the moment of birth; you had a soul. You were not aware of your own existence; you only existed. You may have had a name, but you did not know it. You were too young to know you existed. If someone called your name you had no identity and could not associate that name with you.
You eventually identified with the name that was given by your parents.
Later when someone called your name you could identify that name with you. When you saw yourself in a mirror, you could associate your name with your unique face. That face was your face, and it was unique only to you. No one on the earth looked like you. You had distinctions and were different from every other person in all humanity. Beginning from Adam and passing through to every human that has been born, no one looked exactly like you. You had your own look, your own gait, and manner of walking. Your walk was different than anyone else because it was your walk. Your physical anatomy was unlike anyone you have ever seen or ever will see because you indeed, are different from all of the rest. You have a unique set of eyes; you have your own hair, nose, and mouth. Everything else about you is yours and you are distinguished from all the rest. Thank God we are not all alike; we are very different. Twins, triplets or any combination of brothers or sisters may look alike, but upon close scrutiny they are much different. Just ask any twin, triplet, etc. if they are identical. The immediate answer will be a resounding no, not in a million years.
It is obvious that a newborn baby is not developed in many ways. They cannot speak fluently at the moment of birth. Vocabulary is a vital part of the developmental and learning process.
The words from the growing child must be learned and put together. All of their thinking is expressed by means of the channel of the vocabulary.
An extensive vocabulary will largely determine the ability to reason and effectively express yourself.
It may appear impossible, but this new addition to society and family has a built-in decision maker. It is volition, the ability to choose, to say yes or no. Parents realize the child is progressing normally when a magic word appears… NO! Thank God this is not a static condition. They begin to learn other words in addition to the favorite word NO! The child’s decision maker is at first controlled by the environment. There is no vocabulary the baby is unable to say, “feed me, I am hungry.” They can only babble, open the mouth and wail. At a point in time when someone neglects to provide a bottle or change a wet diaper the volition is reflected in a vocal expression. Take heart it will not remain so as volition, voice, and vocabulary will develop. There are no teeth but eventually they arrive. His hair grows, they learn to crawl and then walk. What an adventure it is to have all of these new beginnings and to have them as firsts. They are also without other essentials. While born with a conscience, it is void of acceptable norms and standards which must be slowly learned. We are reminded, when mores are sufficient, laws are unnecessary; when mores are insufficient, laws are unenforceable. This means our moral standards are more powerful than any law, mandate, or declaration.
The good news is these norms and standards can be developed through social norms, academic, and spiritual training. It is a normal reality to learn that “baby is not perfect”, they are born with and will forever be flawed by an indwelling sin nature.
This deplorable nature is utterly contaminated and nothing from this flawed source can approach God’s perfect righteousness or please Him. This sin nature is the driving force and director of our rebellion toward God, it is the very source of temptation to ignore or disobey God. This wretched and corrupt nature perpetually influences and dominates the essence of who and what we are and where we should be.
This corrupt nature exists as a result of the original sin of Adam. Notice this important Bible reference, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so, death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
For I know that in me (in my flesh), dwells no good thing; for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Romans 6:6, 7:5, 18). Every person, with the exception of Jesus Christ, is born with a corrupt sin nature. There are no exceptions! I too was born with this corrupt nature. So were you, and also the most beautiful baby of all time inherited a disobedient and rebellious sin nature. This did not occur because the child, you, or me were bad. We were not capable of talking, walking, or committing a sin. Yet resident within the soul was the culprit, the enemy, the old sin nature. Within this sin prone nature there is a penalty, and that penalty must be paid.
The soul that sins must die. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
It is common knowledge to believe that the first-time sin is committed spiritual death is attached. This does not comport with true Bible doctrine. Although we are born physically alive, at the same time, we are born spiritually dead. It may be a surprise to learn that the newborn is not condemned for any act of personal sin. God’s view is not based on what has been done by the infant. A newborn baby has done nothing good or bad.
The sovereign Lord’s attitude is based upon the fact that the physical body is contaminated by a damned sin nature, and as a result everyone is born spiritually dead. “The soul that sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20).
And sin brings forth death, “Sin when it is finished, brings forth death” (James 1:15).
The maturing believer in Christ soon learns that something within is an enemy that only intends to deceive until the last breath. This enemy never leaves, it is our arch enemy, the old sin nature.
It is easy be deceived by thinking that if you are good enough you will be accepted by an unseen God of Love. You will not!! “All of our righteousness is as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). The sin nature has within it a persistent area of weakness that calls for a dedication to live for yourself and not for the God who called you into His amazing grace. This area of weakness is the source from which all temptations and personal sin originates.
Personal sins emanate from the mind, the tongue, and through overt sins.
Mental sins are committed by every believer, and not one person, except Jesus Christ, does not commit mental sins. Many believers commit these sins but do not realize they quench or grieve the Holy Spirit as much as any overt sin. The great problem with mental sins is that they quickly accumulate into a chain of sins. Overt sins are recognizable; mental sins seem to be more acceptable and as a result we don’t give much attention to them. This is pleasing to Satan, because he would have you to feed this nasty nature and perform continually the things that are pleasing to him but are antithetical to the plan of God for your life.
Be perpetually aware that what you think can most certainly be a sin. Covert or mental sins will place you squarely under the control of the old sin nature and out of fellowship with the living God.
SINS OF THE TONGUE!
Are you prepared to count every sin you have committed with your tongue?
This is the mean and nasty category where some have sharp tongues and others have thick tongues that become thicker under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We can identify this category to include judging, gossiping, hatred, lying, criticizing, maligning and backbiting. Many of the sins of the tongue may be categorized as very malicious and hurtful slander. A scripture in the book of James will provide a close-up view of this marvelous tool of communication that does so much good and a great deal of unmitigated evil.
“So also, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell” (James 3:5-6).
The striking of only one match can quickly eliminate an entire forest, and in some cases an entire neighborhood. One sinful word from this evil and sometimes good member can ignite unwelcomed and penetrating havoc in your life and the lives of many others.
You may wonder if you are personally opening a door to sin by silent acts of volition that center on what you really want to do. Are you aware that temptation is inevitable? The salient question is what are you doing about your temptation to sin? The temptation to sin is not in itself a sin. It is only when your volition (your choice) succumbs to temptation do you commit a personal sin.
Remember, something is the triggering element that opens the door to sin. The source of temptation is the cunning and deceptive sin nature. The initiator of personal sin is your volition that is triggered when you say yes to the temptation and actually commit the sin. God knows your every weakness and provides for you perfectly. Please memorize a scripture that will provide deliverance and potential escape in every temptation.
“There has no temptation (trial) taken you, but such as is common to man; but God is faithful (you are not) who will not suffer (allow) you to be tempted above that which you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Overt sins act as a runaway train that tramples, alters, and wreaks havoc in others as well as the life of the perpetuator. Overt sins involve other people, so do sins of the tongue. It is obvious that other people will be affected by what comes from your sin nature. We do not live in a bubble. Notice just a few sins that affect other people in your life.
Drunkenness, adultery, murder, and theft are overt sins that are identified as sins in the Bible “Thou shalt not kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet” (Exodus 20: 13-15, 17).
None would argue that the above listing of sins are not sins. But it is also true that many acts are called sinful that are not described as such in the Bible. Many of these mislabeled sins may be no more than personal prejudices or preferences. What may appear wrong to a person but are not specified as a sin in the Bible. There are many things some people think are sins that are not. Some of these mislabeled sins may only be a personal preference or a taboo, to touch not, taste not, see not, etc. For example, if someone thinks drinking a glass of wine is a sin or that a person is not spiritual or mature if they consume a glass of wine at dinner, this may be properly termed a taboo.
It is a taboo or human prohibition, and not a sin because the Bible does not declare, “Thou shalt not drink a glass of wine at dinner.” In truth, the Bible states that wine, in moderation, can be beneficial, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (1 Tim. 5:23). Drunkenness is staunchly condemned in the book of Romans. “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying” (Romans 13:13).
Whether we aspire to goodness and fail or whether we deliberately choose to sin. The sin nature is the source.
Others may or may not see your doings or all of your inner thoughts. However, there is one who is unseen and sees your sin nature and every thought you had yesterday, today, and in every passing moment. This is the King of Glory, the sovereign living God.
Whether you are struggling with private or mental temptations, your soul either resists or succumbs to the temptation. No one knows your thoughts, and if they did, they would suddenly be in severe shock. Be advised God knew every vile one of them long before you appeared on this planet we call earth. When poor behavior or repulsive thoughts accumulate in the mind, the overwhelmed individual may want to compensate by hoping to impress God with their good behavior. Many people perform good deeds simply because they want to impress God and hopefully get into heaven. These people don’t really know what to do because they don’t know God nor even how to know him.
So, they do what is sacrificial. They give money, they try to help the downtrodden; they even join a church.
All of this action is human and not divine good. It is human good because it is for the purpose of hoping to mollify the heart of God and that He will forgive them for their sinful lifestyle and unacceptable behavior. All of this human effort may be defined as religious works. Religion is the primary sponsor of human good. I implore you to know in total clarity, there is no place in the plan of God for salvation from Human good or from religion.
Religion may be defined as man by man’s efforts, seeking to gain the approval of God by means of their best human efforts.
“Who has saved us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ” (2 Timothy 1:9).
All of the best from all human good, for all time, by all of the most sincere people will not save even one person.
Human good attempts to whitewash Satan’s world are only temporary solutions and will find him cheering for the effort, but in the end, all of his deceptive plans fail to answer the deep and eternal need of mankind. All human good produced from the energy of the flesh to assuage personal sins or a guilt complex only end in failure and never satisfy the great needs of the eternal soul. In this most imperfect world, it is God who provides the only lasting solution… it is a spiritual solution. The final question is directed to you, and calls for your personal consideration, to place all of your faith in Jesus Christ and then to grow and mature spiritually by means of His amazing grace.
Grace from God means all that God is free to do for you on the sole basis of what Jesus Christ accomplished and finished on the cross. The only thing that is left for you to do is to realize what God has done and is finished. The work of God for salvation is not accomplished by means of the work from your own hands. Please stop to realize the truth that salvation is the work of God for man and not the work of man for God.
Religion is Satan’s ace trump. It is man by means of man’s best efforts hoping to mollify the heart of God through self-efforts.
A group of most religious people asked Jesus a question that you need to fully contemplate… “Good master, what must we do that we might work the works of God?” The answer was clear and to the point. “This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent”, (John 6:28,29).
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38,39).
“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then, called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea Our God is merciful” (Psalm 116:3-5).
These powerful verses were the awakening light of truth that brought clarity to my soul many years ago in a Chicago prison. Upon retirement for the night, I knelt on my knees to a God I did not know and placed all of my weak faith in the only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. For the first time in my life, I found that for which I had been looking. I called on Him and He instantly saved my eternal soul. An indescribable measure of peace flooded my soul and I hope that flood will be seen by you and that you will receive as your savior this wonderful prince of peace. Call on Him, He will hear you, and He will save your eternal soul, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
