The Purpose of Our Calling
Before The Fall:
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
IN HIM was LIFE; and the LIFE was the LIGHT of men.- John1:4
1. Created in the image, after the likeness of God - Gen. 1:26, 27
2. Subdue the earth - Gen. 1:28-30
Dominion over the fowls of the air, over the fish of the sea, over every animals
3. Has the breath of life; made a living soul - Gen. 2:7, 1Cor. 15:45
4. Created to be ‘watchman’ over the creation of the Lord - Gen. 2:15
5. Commune with God - Gen. 2:16
The Condition of Man (After the Fall):
Rom 3:23 come short of the glory of God;
Gen 3:19 Death came in : ...from dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Mat. 4:16 People sat in darkness (world is in darkness; man lies in darkness
Gen. 3:5 know good and evil
Gen. 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,
Isa. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way
Isa 64:6 .....all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags
Isa. 57:12 .....thy righteousness, and thy works; ....they shall not profit thee.
Rom. 3:11 none that understand, ... none that seek after God.
Rom. 3:12 all gone out of the way
Eph. 4:22 the old man is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
2Tim. 2:26 at the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Rom 3:10 none is righteous, no, not one:
Mat. 6:23 eye is evil, thy whole body is full of darkness. how great is that darkness!
Luk. 1:79 in the shadow of death,
John 1:5 darkness can not comprehend the light. (Joh_12:35)
John 12:46 abide in darkness.
Acts 26:18 under the power of Satan
Eph. 6:12 under the rulers of the darkness of this world,
Then, everything he does, whether it is good....
.....just bounce back to him
Work done in darkness goes to the dark places and goes back to him..…
Men, knowingly or unknowingly follow after the law of righteousness - Rom. 9:31
Ignorant of God's righteousness, try to establish their own righteousness, don’t submit to the righteousness of God - Rom. 10:3
Carnal mind is enmity against God - Rom 8:7 - 8
Do mind the things of the flesh - Rom. 8:5
He has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. - Rom. 8:9
Part 2 - Questions:
1. CAN the fallen man decide to come to the Lord, and accept Him??? Does he has the will to come to the Lord and receive Him by himself???
The answer is a BIG NO!
He is spiritually dead because of his sin.
His will is under the will of the enemy.
His nature is fleshly…carnal.
He is in darkness
He is controlled by the enemy.
His father is the devil
This is the reason why we need the ‘grace of God’ to work in our hearts…
Eph. 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Questions 2: How can a man be just with God
Tit. 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, …
but according to his mercy he saved us,
by the washing of regeneration
renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Isa 57:12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
Questions 3: Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? NOT ONE..
Truth: The Grace of god Does not Require Anything from Us
He is the Alpha & Omega – the beginning of everything...even our salvation...until the end which is the beginning of our new life with Him in eternity. Amen
He is the One who works in the hearts of the sons of Righteousness:(Phil. 2:13 - For it is God who works in us both to will and to do....)
Our willingness...our obedience...our submission...our faith...our involvement in every form of His ministry are ‘all’ the results of Him working in us (Eph. 2:9 -...not of yourself so that you will not boast... John 1:13 ....not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.)
Jesus’ Example and Admonition:
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should follow them....
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
To Understand this Truth, we Need the Holy Spirit
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
The Grace of God
IN HIM was LIFE; and the LIFE was the LIGHT of men.- John1:4
Man is born again. He is born from above – John 3:3
Not according to the flesh, nor by the will of men, but of God – John 1:13
That is, he received the gift of eternal life, by faith, not according to his own work so that he will not boast – Eph. 2:8-9
It is God who works in him both to will and to do according to His good pleasure – Phil. 2:13
When Man is converted – 2 Things may Happen:
Choked by the cares of this world.
Live according to the flesh
Lamp lack oil.
Mat 13:4 - 7 .... scorched; and withered away.....; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Again controlled by the wiles of the enemy (2Tim. 2:26) at the snare of the devil, taken captive by him at his will.
Rom. 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh
(i.e. Live according to himself) cannot please God.
AGAIN Controlled by the wiles of the enemy (2Tim. 2:26) at the snare of the devil, taken captive by him at his will.
Hos. 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
Rom. 8:1 ...... those who walk after the flesh.....are condemned
We need to overcome
Rev. 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev. 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Rev. 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, …
(Also Rev. 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21)
But how to overcome
Rev. 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev. 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Rev. 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, …
(Also Rev. 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21)
May HIS love and grace and mercy abound in our hearts more and more….
God Bless Us All!
For His glory alone…Amen!