Statements of Faith - Not Ashamed

 

ROMANS 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

    Romans 1:17

For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Exodus 18:9).

    SENT TO THE JEWS (ISRAEL) FIRST

Acts 3:26

"When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

    THE POWER OF THE CROSS

1 Corinthians 1:18, 21-24

(18) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

(21) For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

(22) For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 

(23) but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 

(24) but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

 

    Without the mark of the cross (the atoning blood of Christ)  and the resurrection (born into a new life in Christ) upon the church (the born again believers who live a Christ-filled life) as a whole, nor without the baptism of The Holy Spirit dwelling within her (Comforter and Guide) and upon her (the power of God), there can be no unity in God's church, Christ's bride. 

Hebrews 9:22

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 

Luke 24:49

And behold, I am sending The Promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

True repentance is an acknowledgement and confession of our sins to God that we may receive His forgiveness. Without repentance (acknowledge sin in my life, confess my sins to God and stop doing those sins) there can be no forgiveness. 

Luke 24:47-48

(47) And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 

(48) and in His Name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. 

Romans 4:25

He was delivered over to death (torture and the cross and the grave) for our trespasses (rebellions against God) and was raised to life for our justification (righteousness).

    

    CALLED TO SALVATION THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Acts 4:11-12

(11) This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

(12) "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

Romans 5:6

(6) For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Acts 10:43

"All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His Name."

Romans 10:8-10

(8) But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

(9) that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

(10) For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

    I am not ashamed of being a Christian, a Christ-filled Christ follower. I am not ashamed of His gospel of salvation for it is the power of God saving me, changing me into His reflection, His image. For in the beginning when God created Adam, He created him in His image. And because He created Eve from Adam's rib, she became created in His image, too. 

    But sin entered in Eve's heart and she doubted the Truth of God's Word, causing her to eat the forbidden fruit, which she then handed off to Adam who also ate of it. Since then sin has reigned upon this earth and each person born has been born with the nature of sin within it. One of the first words we learn is "No", closely followed by a rebellious nature: doing what we want to do instead of doing what is best for us. 

    But God in His infinite mercy, which He extends to a thousand generations, made a Way for us to be forgiven and saved: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" 

I am a whosoever. 

WINDS OF WORSHIP 10 - New England Worship Songs - Vineyard Music

NO WAY, WE ARE NOT ASHAMED - Carman 

THE JOY - The Belonging Co

 

The Lord Is My Light

 

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is My Light and My Salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is The Strength of My Life; of whom shall I be afraid? 

    God reminds several times in His Word (the Holy Bible) that there is no one and no thing to be afraid of. In fact, He encourages us to remain in Him and in His Word, for therein is our safety and our salvation. 

    God is, after all, our only means of survival if we want to make it out of this world alive. Even if my bones turn to dust before The Lord returns to get me, I will live. Live eternally with Him, forever in His home. 

    Fear not. Words to live by. He told Joshua several times to "Be strong and courageous". To do this Joshua would have to push past fear and walk into God's blessing. So, I'm pushing past fear and doubt and walking into God's blessing for me.

    The Lord is MY LIGHT and MY SALVATION. His Word guides my steps and shows me where to walk on this Way of Holiness in which His people live out their daily lives. As My Salvation, He is My Savior, My Kinsman Redeemer. My Deliverer: The ONE Who purchased my soul from death, hell and the grave when He died on the cross in my place. The ONE Who rose from the dead and walked out of the grave restored and so much more. For He was unrecognizable to His closest friends until He revealed Himself to them. 

    The Lord is MY Strength of Life. Without Him I have no life. Without Jesus I am nothing. As the song says, "Like a ship without a sail". I would just be drifting in a life without purpose. But with Jesus in my heart and The Holy Spirit in my life, the wind has shifted me from a downward spiral up to the heavenly portal where He waits for me and intercedes for me to His Father. I am His and He is mine. 

    The Lord is My Light that shines in the darkness. He searches out the deep roots of sin and pulls them out, sometimes gently, sometimes not so much. But sin must go that I might be found without stain and without blemish when Christ returns to bring me home with Him. 

PSALM 27:1

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call To Be Born Again

 

    John 3:14,15

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up; that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. 

    Here in this passage of Scripture in John 3:1-21 we have the remembrance of Jesus' private visit with Nicodemus, a respected religious leader of that time. Every interaction with Christ is private, intimate, requiring only the individual and Jesus for the revelation of Truth to be imparted to the heart. 

And what is this Truth which only comes from Jesus Christ? Truth IS Jesus Christ. He is The Word of God come in the flesh (John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of Grace and Truth.").

He is The Truth (John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life: no man comes to The Father, but by Me."").

    The Truth of Jesus Christ is the key to eternal life that unlocks the prison doors of our heart (John 8:32 "You shall know The Truth and The Truth shall set you free."). This Truth frees us from sin and death (Romans 8:2 "For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death."). 

    Romans 5:6-11

 (6)For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (10) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (11) And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

    So say I now: Look to the cross of Christ and believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son, Who suffered and died for us that we might be saved from death, hell, the grave and the second death. Repent and be baptized and receive The Holy Spirit according to the promise of The Word of God. 

CALLED TO SALVATION 

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross - Keith & Kristyn Getty

The Way, The Truth, The Life - Celebration Music

Create In Me A Clean Heart - Keith Green 

You Saved Me - UPPERROOM

When I Lock Eyes With You - Maverick City Music

Abide In Me - Andrew Marcus

God's Wrath & God's Salvation

 

1 Thessalonians 5:9

For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

GOD'S WRATH

(Strong's No. 3709)

 ("settled anger") proceeds from an internal disposition which steadfastly opposes someone or something based on extended personal exposure, i.e. solidifying what the beholder considers wrong (unjust, evil);

not a sudden outburst, but rather (referring to God's) fixed, controlled, passionate feeling against sin . . . a settled indignation

 Wrath of God On The Unbeliever

John 3:36

He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.

Eternal Punishment

Matthew 25:45, 46

Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.'

Shame & Everlasting Contempt

Daniel 12:2

And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Everlasting Fire

Matthew 25:41

Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

Unquenchable Fire

Matthew 3:12

Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Lake of Fire

Revelation 20:15

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

GOD'S SALVATION

(Strong's No. 4991) welfare, prosperity, deliverance, preservation, salvation, safety. God's rescue which delivers believers out of destruction and into His safety. 

Eternal Life, Everlasting Life

John 3:14-16

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Christ Died For Our Sins

Hebrews 9:27, 28

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,  so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him. 

Isaiah 53:5

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 

I Corinthians 15:3-

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.

Christ Risen From The Dead

1 Corinthians 15:20

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Acts 2:24

But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches.

Acts 26:23

"That the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

Christ Our Resurrection

John 11:25-27

Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Christ Our Life, Our Light

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Colossians 3:4

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

John 1:4

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 5:26

For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. 

John 8:12

Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, "I am The Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have The Light of Life."

As Jesus said to Martha, I say to you, "DO YOU BELIEVE?"