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HOW TO BE A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST

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IF YOU’RE IN CHRIST, YOU ARE A NEW CREATURE

By Ken Blue

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The Lord Jesus Christ was born without a sinful nature, just as Adam was created without a sinful nature. Although Adam is called the Son of God, it is by virtue of his direct creation. Jesus is the Only Begotten Son, because of His unique birth. However, Jesus was just as much a man as was Adam.

Jesus was human and had every need that man has. He was hungry, thirsty, weary, sleepy, sorrowful, in agony, wept, felt pain, bled and died. There was nothing about his earthly existence that could provide payment for our salvation. His teaching, example, and wonderful life could save no one. To be saved, we must become new creatures.

When Jesus went into the grave, His was a dead, helpless, and lifeless corpse. After three days, He arose in a new glorified body that required none of the Adamic needs. He was not a new creation; He was a new creature, the last Adam, and the head of a generation of new creatures who are in Him.

[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Church, denomination, sincerity, sacrifice, or martyrdom can never save you.[/pullquote]

That is why all the religion and good works in the world can never save any person. Your church, denomination, sincerity, sacrifice, or martyrdom can never save you. You must be in the glorified, risen Christ and be a new creature, as He was.

How is that possible? When Jesus died on the cross, He was dying in your place, as your substitute. He took all your sins and guilt on Himself, and God saw you in His Son! Thus, His death was your death. His burial was your burial, and His resurrection into newness of life was your resurrection. He was made sin for you, and you are made righteous in Him! Therefore, every believer who appropriates His death and resurrection as his own is a new creature in Christ.

If you are not saved, now would be a perfect time to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. If you believe what He died for you and you will accept it by faith, He will save you and make you a new creature in Him. All you need to do is accept Him and tell Him you accept Him as Your Lord and Savior. He will do the rest.

“ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-13.

AN ARM TO SAVE AND AN EAR TO HEAR

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GOD’S EAR IS ALWAYS LISTENING FOR YOU!

Christ Bridge sinBy Ken Blue

“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:” Isaiah 59:1.

Some are quick to blame God because they or a loved one is not saved. However, the above verse dispels all arguments on the subject. The sincere reader should read all eight verses for the cause of Israel’s alienation.

Most want relief from the pain of sin, but are not willing to give up the sin itself. That is a fool’s desire; reaping following sowing. Many husbands are unhappy and ready to divorce the wife because she talks to much, spends too much money or is just downright contentious. The wife wants out because her husband never listens, is insensitive and just plain boring. The truth is, none of the above is the problem; these are symptoms of a much deeper problem. Israel’s problem was obvious to everyone except themselves.

Verse 2 declares that Israel’s iniquity had separated them. (Iniquity: 1. Gross immorality or injustice; wickedness. 2. A grossly immoral act; a sin). Their hands, their feet, their mouths, and their hearts were defiled.

No matter where you are in relation to God, His hand can reach you and it is mighty to save! Never despair. If you will draw near to God, He will draw near to you.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]No matter where you are in relation to God, His hand can reach you and it is mighty to save![/pullquote]

Also, God is not indifferent to your situation. His ear is ready and quick to hear. Call upon Him. Come clean and be transparent before Him; you will find him near. Your problem is not that God can’t help you; most likely you have a pet sin you will not give up. If you are unsure about that, ask Him to show you your secret sins. It may be painful, but it is the only path to salvation and freedom. “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:” Isaiah 59:1.

1, 2, 3 OR A, B, C?

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IT’S AS SIMPLE AS A, B, C.

A, B, CBy Ken Blue

Some of the brethren, having run out of things to criticize others about, have now resorted to finding fault with how one gives an invitation to salvation or how one leads a soul to accept Christ. This is done with a cute little saying called the “1, 2, 3 repeat after me” method.

All of us are guilty of picking up some little tidbits or scraps thrown out by others and then regurgitating them to the pups when we get back to the den. Cute, may sound pleasing and stroke our pride, but there is a world of difference between cute and accuracy.

Most of us are familiar with a small gospel tract that says salvation is as “simple as A, B, C.” I’ve yet to hear any complaints about its presentation. It goes something like this:

A- All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

B- Believe Jesus died to pay for your sins.

C- Call upon him now and ask Him to save you. The tract continues with a simple prayer for the sinner to repeat. This is called the A B C method.

The 1, 2, 3, method, however is not received with as much grace. We think we know why and will explain later.

This method obviously begins with the number, one.

1. All have sinned and come short of God’s glory.

2. Believe Jesus died to pay for your sins.

3. Call upon Him and ask Him to save you. The sinner is then led in a verbal prayer of salvation.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Only the Devil would complicate such a simple method of salvation as A, B, C.[/pullquote]

Now, anyone with an ounce of spiritual discernment can see the vast difference between the two methods. You may have to study them for a while before the dissimilarity becomes evident.

Still having trouble? Here it is. One is A, B, C and the other is 1, 2, 3.

We are not naive. Not every sinner who prays, any sinner’s prayer, is saved. It is not the method or words a man or woman mouths that merits them salvation. Salvation is an absolutely free gift to any man or woman who accepts it by faith. No other conditions are required.

Only the Devil would complicate such a simple method of salvation as A, B, C. Lost Pastors teach you must work to get it, and some saved pastors teach that you must ask a certain way or you don’t get it.

Now what is behind all this cute little saying we hear now and then? The answer is control. Another reason for the criticism is that the critic is not getting sinners saved with any method. He doesn’t have one.

Some pastors and evangelist are so desperate to secure a following that they create one more schism in the body of Christ in order to secure a following. We all enjoy a little comedy now and then, but don’t be too hasty to rush back to the den with those little tidbits to regurgitate them.

REPENTANCE AND FAITH; A TWO SIDED COIN

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HOW SALVATION RELATES TO REPENTANCE

salvationBy Ken Blue

There is a teaching that causes great troubling of the mind for believers. That teaching is; not only must one believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation; he must also add repentance toward God to it. These are presented as two distinct acts. Thus the Believer spends the rest of his life struggling with the question; “Have I truly repented?”

This confusion comes from failure to understand that when one turns to Jesus as Savior, he simultaneously turns from his former state as an unbeliever. His acceptance of Jesus Christ is the act of “changing of his mind.” That is all that is necessary to become a child of God. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:12. In the matter of salvation; repentance and faith are simply two sides of the same coin.

However, sanctification is a process whereby we turn from the world, the flesh, and the Devil on a daily bases. Once we get saved, the struggle begins. We desire to live for the Lord and please Him, but we discover that our old nature and old habits remain. The unhappy truth is; you and I will battle these until the rapture or the day of our death.

The believer must understand that he does not lose his sinful nature when he gets saved. Christ comes in, and now he has two natures in one body. These two will never be friends. As a believer, we have daily victory as we yield to Christ.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The believer does not lose his sinful nature when he gets saved. Christ comes in, and now he has two natures in one body. These two will never be friends.[/perfectpullquote]

The following verses show the key to victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:6-14.

The above passage gives three steps to daily victory. First, one must know, or understand, that he was crucified and raised to life with Jesus! Secondly, he must make personal, and by faith count himself as dead to all that would condemn him. Finally, he is to yield to the Lord Jesus by loving and living for Him.

My wife and I have been married fifty-four years. All those years, she has had a responsibility to me and has lived for me. But, at my death, she will be completely free from laws related to our marriage. Therefore, she will be “dead” to any former obligation to me. When Jesus died on the cross, everything that could condemn you died with Him! In other words, you are now dead to all condemnation. Greater still, He is alive and you are married to Him!

You know you are married, if you are, and your marriage license will stand in any court. The only proof you have of your birth date and place is your birth certificate. It too will be accepted as authoritative. Likewise, you have God’s written Word as your marriage certificate and your birth certificate. When in doubt, just get It out, and read all those assurance verses He has given you.

Getting saved is as easy as believing and asking. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. That is all that is required! When you believed; you repented. That is salvation and nothing must be added to it. However, now that you are saved, you are to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord. This comes about by reading His Word, prayer and daily experience. Do not confuse the two. Salvation and repentance are two sides of the same coin; sanctification is quite another.

ROADBLOCKS ON THE ROAD TO HELL

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ROADBLOCKS ON THE ROAD TO HELL
hellBy Ken Blue

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments…” Luke 16:23.

1. You will have to step over the church.
Certainly, not every church in America preaches a clear saving gospel. But, there are enough who do, in every city, where a person can find out how to be saved. Even the steeple points toward heaven. To go to hell, you would need to ignore all the churches that preach the gospel; regardless of their denomination.

2. You will have to step over the prayers of those who have prayed for you.
Many will be in hell because they have trampled on the prayers of their mother or father. Some of you have a saved friend or relative who is and has been praying for you for years. If you go to hell, you must ignore the prayers offered on your behalf.

3. You will have to step over the Bible.
The Bible is found in practically every hotel and motel room. It can be seen and purchased in practically every store in America. Check Wall-Mart next time you are there. If you are unsaved, you have been stepping over the Bible on your way to hell.

4. You will have to step over those who have witnessed to you.
Perhaps someone at work or school has witnessed to you. You may have received a gospel tract from a friend or a stranger. This is one of God’s methods to keep you out of hell. But, many will ignore God’s message and step over it on their way into hell.

5. You will have to step over the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit shows your conscience that you are a sinner and that you deserve God’s wrath. If you have a conscience, the Spirit of God has told you that you need a savior. Many push Him away and deaden their conscience through alcohol, drugs, music, entertainment, and pleasure. He stands between you and hell. Don’t push Him away.

6. You will have to step over the cross.
Emblems of the cross are everywhere. They are God’s roadblock to getting you to think for a moment. Someone died on that cross for you and paid your sin debt. The Innocent died for you; the guilty. He was your substitute.

7. You will have to trample on the blood of Christ.
Not only did Jesus die on the cross for you; His blood was perfect and was required as payment for sin. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22. To go to hell, you must reject the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for your sins.

Don’t ignore your eternal destiny by ignoring these seven roadblocks God has placed between you and hell. Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior today! If you will, let me know.