Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 07.04.2009
The power of Godīs Gospel
You say you received the gospel of God but is your life compatible with it? A person who is in conflict with himself cannot be in harmony with God.
God's gospel
God became man in Jesus Christ and so created a new man. He is the new Adam. You can be born into this new family! This is tidings of joy to you who want a fundamental change in your life. This is a message of hope to you who know yourself to be evil and sinful.
On the cross the guiltless Jesus faced the judgment that is caused by our sins. Because of His sufferings you can get forgiveness. In Him you gain reconciliation with God and new thoughts. God gave His Only Son to be the sacrifice for you. Can you receive this love? Do you want Jesus Christ to own you because God loved you so much? If you did, He took you to be His own. You got forgiveness and a new heart.
When you receive the gospel you turn to Jesus who died for you. He rose from the dead and now He lives on the throne of God. If you believe in the resurrection, you turn to Him and let Him become the Lord of your life. In His company your thoughts and attitudes change good.
It is natural that your words and deeds change to be in accordance with the gospel, if the gospel of God lives in you. If your thoughts don't remain in the gospel you also don't continue in the faith. Therefore enter carefully into the thoughts produced by the gospel.
If you received the gospel only as a ticket to heaven, you are not concerned with your mind changing into its liking. Then it might be so that you are revealed to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. The Bible compares the purity and righteousness of a believer to white clothing. The parable can mislead your thoughts. Do not think that you could hide your evilness behind the white clothing of a sheep. Jesus doesn't clothe us in a disguise, but He purifies our heart so that the radiation of its purity becomes the clothing of our spirit.
Your thought that is incompatible with the gospel is a spot in your clothing of righteousness. Jesus wants to purify His own before He comes. "Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Eph.5:25-27
God became man in Jesus Christ and so created a new man. He is the new Adam. You can be born into this new family! This is tidings of joy to you who want a fundamental change in your life. This is a message of hope to you who know yourself to be evil and sinful.
On the cross the guiltless Jesus faced the judgment that is caused by our sins. Because of His sufferings you can get forgiveness. In Him you gain reconciliation with God and new thoughts. God gave His Only Son to be the sacrifice for you. Can you receive this love? Do you want Jesus Christ to own you because God loved you so much? If you did, He took you to be His own. You got forgiveness and a new heart.
When you receive the gospel you turn to Jesus who died for you. He rose from the dead and now He lives on the throne of God. If you believe in the resurrection, you turn to Him and let Him become the Lord of your life. In His company your thoughts and attitudes change good.
It is natural that your words and deeds change to be in accordance with the gospel, if the gospel of God lives in you. If your thoughts don't remain in the gospel you also don't continue in the faith. Therefore enter carefully into the thoughts produced by the gospel.
If you received the gospel only as a ticket to heaven, you are not concerned with your mind changing into its liking. Then it might be so that you are revealed to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. The Bible compares the purity and righteousness of a believer to white clothing. The parable can mislead your thoughts. Do not think that you could hide your evilness behind the white clothing of a sheep. Jesus doesn't clothe us in a disguise, but He purifies our heart so that the radiation of its purity becomes the clothing of our spirit.
Your thought that is incompatible with the gospel is a spot in your clothing of righteousness. Jesus wants to purify His own before He comes. "Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Eph.5:25-27
Thoughts of the gospel
There is war or peace between God and man. Rebellious thoughts against God grow in the hearts of men. First there is only a little murmur then a greater revolt and in some hearts a hot hate. Men are enemies of God in their wicked works.
Reconciliation and peace with God is the essence of the gospel. Therefore the thoughts of hate and love are always connected to the gospel. Whatever you hate or love it always has some effect on your ability to have a share in the gospel. Remaining in the thoughts of the gospel is remaining in Jesus.
"And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight - if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard." Col.1:21-23
Let's not be moved away from the thoughts of the gospel! Because I have been saved from the judgment of God through the death of Jesus, thoughts of sentence against other people are moved away from my mind. Think about this! Jesus Christ died for all people. Therefore the gospel living in me doesn't allow me to despise or condemn anybody.
Of course it is right to be angry at an evildoer, but I am not allowed to wish any punishment to him. We should remember to think about every person: "Jesus died also for him." This is the most important thing where you should guard your thoughts, because the essence content of the gospel wishes God's mercy and peace to everybody. Jesus says: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Mt.6:14-15
In this way Jesus testifies to us that our thoughts, incompatible with the gospel, can take away the salvation we already had. The forgiveness God gave you, is the most essential thought of the gospel which you cannot keep in your heart, if you are unforgiving even to one person.
If hostile thoughts are very dangerous crime against the gospel, how much greater crime it is in your thoughts to accept the killing of a human being. "You know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." 1Jo.3:15
If you are not a pacifist, you are not a Christian. When a wolf in sheep's clothing heard this he snorted: "How sheepish talking!" However, it is just the mind of the Lamb of God that is offered to us in the gospel. He didn't resist an evil person, but he overcame evil with good.
Those who have made Christianity wage war for their fatherland have not got the idea from the gospel. Killing people for the freedom of your country is not fruit of the gospel of God. Jesus says: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" Mt.7:15-16
As fruit of the gospel you are able to entrust God to defend you; you rather let yourself to be wronged than carry on lawsuits and you rather let yourself to be killed than kill others.
The second essential thought of the gospel tells about the Covenant with God. Through the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ we can become property of God. All the creatures belong to God, but it is different to be His own by the sacrifice of Golgotha. God has invited us to live in this thought of the gospel: "I belong to Jesus Christ."
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body." 1Co.6:19-20
A Christian thinks all the time what Jesus wants me to do, because I belong to Him. If you don't live in these thoughts, it wakes up the question; do you belong to Him at all?
Hostile or despising or selfish thoughts come occasionally to every mind, but we can drive them away by the power of the gospel. If you consistently fight in the Spirit of Jesus against evil thoughts, you will experience the change in your inward world. The presence of God makes you feel good and it cannot be without an effect in your words and deeds.
There is war or peace between God and man. Rebellious thoughts against God grow in the hearts of men. First there is only a little murmur then a greater revolt and in some hearts a hot hate. Men are enemies of God in their wicked works.
Reconciliation and peace with God is the essence of the gospel. Therefore the thoughts of hate and love are always connected to the gospel. Whatever you hate or love it always has some effect on your ability to have a share in the gospel. Remaining in the thoughts of the gospel is remaining in Jesus.
"And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight - if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard." Col.1:21-23
Let's not be moved away from the thoughts of the gospel! Because I have been saved from the judgment of God through the death of Jesus, thoughts of sentence against other people are moved away from my mind. Think about this! Jesus Christ died for all people. Therefore the gospel living in me doesn't allow me to despise or condemn anybody.
Of course it is right to be angry at an evildoer, but I am not allowed to wish any punishment to him. We should remember to think about every person: "Jesus died also for him." This is the most important thing where you should guard your thoughts, because the essence content of the gospel wishes God's mercy and peace to everybody. Jesus says: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Mt.6:14-15
In this way Jesus testifies to us that our thoughts, incompatible with the gospel, can take away the salvation we already had. The forgiveness God gave you, is the most essential thought of the gospel which you cannot keep in your heart, if you are unforgiving even to one person.
If hostile thoughts are very dangerous crime against the gospel, how much greater crime it is in your thoughts to accept the killing of a human being. "You know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." 1Jo.3:15
If you are not a pacifist, you are not a Christian. When a wolf in sheep's clothing heard this he snorted: "How sheepish talking!" However, it is just the mind of the Lamb of God that is offered to us in the gospel. He didn't resist an evil person, but he overcame evil with good.
Those who have made Christianity wage war for their fatherland have not got the idea from the gospel. Killing people for the freedom of your country is not fruit of the gospel of God. Jesus says: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" Mt.7:15-16
As fruit of the gospel you are able to entrust God to defend you; you rather let yourself to be wronged than carry on lawsuits and you rather let yourself to be killed than kill others.
The second essential thought of the gospel tells about the Covenant with God. Through the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ we can become property of God. All the creatures belong to God, but it is different to be His own by the sacrifice of Golgotha. God has invited us to live in this thought of the gospel: "I belong to Jesus Christ."
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body." 1Co.6:19-20
A Christian thinks all the time what Jesus wants me to do, because I belong to Him. If you don't live in these thoughts, it wakes up the question; do you belong to Him at all?
Hostile or despising or selfish thoughts come occasionally to every mind, but we can drive them away by the power of the gospel. If you consistently fight in the Spirit of Jesus against evil thoughts, you will experience the change in your inward world. The presence of God makes you feel good and it cannot be without an effect in your words and deeds.
The power of the gospel or willpower
Many believers don't guard their thoughts, because they think they can continue in the faith with their willpower. They also think it was only making the decision of their will when they came to the faith and not opening their heart to the gospel of God. The decision of will has a meaning only if the wanting is produced by the gospel. Therefore your will remains only if the gospel remains in you. It is the most essential thing that God has acknowledged you after you believed the gospel. "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us." Ac.15:8
A great deed of God happens when someone comes to the faith. When you believed the gospel you were born of God and you became a member of the Church of God. "God has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." Col.1:13 "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." Eph.2:19
Many churches ask you to become their member so that you in that way would be joined to the Church of God. If you have this motive when you join to them, you oppose the gospel of God, because the gospel already made you a member of the Church of God. You can join them if you regard them only as human organizations which serve God's Church. However if the leaders of an organization consider their organization the Church of God, you will face there things opposing the gospel and therefore your soul is in danger.
Why is a human organization exalted to the position of God's Church? This is the reason. Believers have been moved away from the gospel of God. If the hearts of believers don't live in the gospel, they don't see the reality of the Church of God. They have replaced the lost gospel with a heavenly position of a human organization.
When a believer has much and long enough wronged against the gospel of God he will become a backslider. If an assembling congregation does crimes against the gospel it loses its power among them. Paul resisted strictly all deeds which were against the gospel, because he understood the great strategic meaning of the gospel for the salvation of people.
"False brethren secretly brought in who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage, to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." Ga.2:4-5
In the previous case believers were enslaved with Jewishness by saying you must become a Jew so that you would be a member of God's nation. Nowadays believers are enslaved by saying you must become a member of a Christian denomination so that you would be a member of the Church of God. The gospel gave you your liberty in Christ Jesus, by making you a member of the Church of Jesus when you came to the faith. Stick to your freedom and do not submit yourself to the slavery of a religion.
If you allow gospel resisting thoughts to dwell in your heart your faith will die and is changed into an only outward confession. The corruption of the range of thoughts is able to change also your will. Nobody can guarantee the constancy of his will. We have to use our will to abandon evil thoughts as long as the gospel of God is still motivating us to do it. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes." Ro.1:16
May the power be with you! Do not stagger moved away from the thoughts of the gospel, and your heart will be like a well looked-after garden where it only grows good plants of God.
Many believers don't guard their thoughts, because they think they can continue in the faith with their willpower. They also think it was only making the decision of their will when they came to the faith and not opening their heart to the gospel of God. The decision of will has a meaning only if the wanting is produced by the gospel. Therefore your will remains only if the gospel remains in you. It is the most essential thing that God has acknowledged you after you believed the gospel. "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us." Ac.15:8
A great deed of God happens when someone comes to the faith. When you believed the gospel you were born of God and you became a member of the Church of God. "God has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." Col.1:13 "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." Eph.2:19
Many churches ask you to become their member so that you in that way would be joined to the Church of God. If you have this motive when you join to them, you oppose the gospel of God, because the gospel already made you a member of the Church of God. You can join them if you regard them only as human organizations which serve God's Church. However if the leaders of an organization consider their organization the Church of God, you will face there things opposing the gospel and therefore your soul is in danger.
Why is a human organization exalted to the position of God's Church? This is the reason. Believers have been moved away from the gospel of God. If the hearts of believers don't live in the gospel, they don't see the reality of the Church of God. They have replaced the lost gospel with a heavenly position of a human organization.
When a believer has much and long enough wronged against the gospel of God he will become a backslider. If an assembling congregation does crimes against the gospel it loses its power among them. Paul resisted strictly all deeds which were against the gospel, because he understood the great strategic meaning of the gospel for the salvation of people.
"False brethren secretly brought in who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage, to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." Ga.2:4-5
In the previous case believers were enslaved with Jewishness by saying you must become a Jew so that you would be a member of God's nation. Nowadays believers are enslaved by saying you must become a member of a Christian denomination so that you would be a member of the Church of God. The gospel gave you your liberty in Christ Jesus, by making you a member of the Church of Jesus when you came to the faith. Stick to your freedom and do not submit yourself to the slavery of a religion.
If you allow gospel resisting thoughts to dwell in your heart your faith will die and is changed into an only outward confession. The corruption of the range of thoughts is able to change also your will. Nobody can guarantee the constancy of his will. We have to use our will to abandon evil thoughts as long as the gospel of God is still motivating us to do it. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes." Ro.1:16
May the power be with you! Do not stagger moved away from the thoughts of the gospel, and your heart will be like a well looked-after garden where it only grows good plants of God.
Deeds of the gospel
Everyone understands that our thoughts steer our words and deeds. Well or badly thought is already half done. On the other hand we easily do some deeds influenced by other people without our own thoughts. That should not be so.
The gospel motivates a listener to become owned by Jesus Christ. Your response to God is the first deed of the gospel in you. Coming to the faith happens in the thoughts of your heart. If the gospel is not the motive of your coming to the faith, you are not a Christian. If your motive does for God, He gives His peace into your heart. You experience the salvation in the thoughts and the feelings of your spirit.
You can come to the faith without moving even your finger, "for with the heart one believes unto righteousness." Ro.10:10 A wolf in sheep's clothing doesn't want to be inspected beneath the surface. Therefore he doesn't ask what your motives are, but draws your attention to outward marks of Christianity.
The words of our mouth are our most important deeds. If your heart fell in love with Jesus, let your mouth speak out of the abundance of your heart. "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Ro.10:9
The same target of love unites us. Love to Jesus of the Bible is our flag, around which we come together. Assembling in the name of Jesus Christ is a deed of the gospel. Paul fought against religiousness so "that the truth of the gospel might continue" with believers and in that way believers would stay in the fellowship by the power of the gospel.
Loving others who belong to Jesus is a deed of the gospel in us. If our heart lives in the thoughts of the gospel we have the fellowship of the Spirit with humanly unknown believers. Crimes against the gospel break the unity between Christians. Love to the same Christian organization normally remains when the bond created by the gospel has been lost.
Religiousness is full of deeds against the gospel which originate from proud and selfish thoughts. Therefore flee from all religiousness and be steadfast and remain in the gospel. Also little crimes against the gospel make you spiritually weak and they are spots and wrinkles in the clothing of righteousness. Jesus wants to wash His own pure. On the day of a temptation call on Him and He will give you strength to reject wrong thoughts. If you fell regret your gospel resisting thoughts and let Him purify your heart.
Everyone understands that our thoughts steer our words and deeds. Well or badly thought is already half done. On the other hand we easily do some deeds influenced by other people without our own thoughts. That should not be so.
The gospel motivates a listener to become owned by Jesus Christ. Your response to God is the first deed of the gospel in you. Coming to the faith happens in the thoughts of your heart. If the gospel is not the motive of your coming to the faith, you are not a Christian. If your motive does for God, He gives His peace into your heart. You experience the salvation in the thoughts and the feelings of your spirit.
You can come to the faith without moving even your finger, "for with the heart one believes unto righteousness." Ro.10:10 A wolf in sheep's clothing doesn't want to be inspected beneath the surface. Therefore he doesn't ask what your motives are, but draws your attention to outward marks of Christianity.
The words of our mouth are our most important deeds. If your heart fell in love with Jesus, let your mouth speak out of the abundance of your heart. "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Ro.10:9
The same target of love unites us. Love to Jesus of the Bible is our flag, around which we come together. Assembling in the name of Jesus Christ is a deed of the gospel. Paul fought against religiousness so "that the truth of the gospel might continue" with believers and in that way believers would stay in the fellowship by the power of the gospel.
Loving others who belong to Jesus is a deed of the gospel in us. If our heart lives in the thoughts of the gospel we have the fellowship of the Spirit with humanly unknown believers. Crimes against the gospel break the unity between Christians. Love to the same Christian organization normally remains when the bond created by the gospel has been lost.
Religiousness is full of deeds against the gospel which originate from proud and selfish thoughts. Therefore flee from all religiousness and be steadfast and remain in the gospel. Also little crimes against the gospel make you spiritually weak and they are spots and wrinkles in the clothing of righteousness. Jesus wants to wash His own pure. On the day of a temptation call on Him and He will give you strength to reject wrong thoughts. If you fell regret your gospel resisting thoughts and let Him purify your heart.
Obey the weak God
People like to obey strong persons. If someone has studied much, he is easily believed. If someone is dressed authoritatively, he is honored by many. After miracle makers it is run. However God is so great that He has been able to appear in weakness to us. Who could obey the crucified Christ!
"The weakness of God is stronger than men." 1Co.1:25 "For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you." 2Co.13:4
Do you want to be weak in Jesus Christ? Are you dressed in His humbleness? You neither try to make an impact on people with authoritative clothing, nor with your degree, nor with your self-confident being, nor by making miracles. You neither defend yourself nor fight for your rights. You bless your persecutors and do good to those who do evil to you.
Sometimes it is so terrible to look at people who so easily honor something that is worthless. They reject a treasure because they consider it so modest. In the wisdom of God the salvation looks weakness. He could appear in His glory and power and make everyone obey Him, but it would not change our heart. Only obeying the weak God can change you.
Become weak by agreeing completely with the thoughts of the gospel of God. Really, you will feel yourself weak, but you will also feel real life. Jesus says to us: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." 2Co.12:9
You need grace neither from men nor from angles. In the grace of God you have enough joy, peace, strength and whatever your soul is longing for in this time and in eternity.
People like to obey strong persons. If someone has studied much, he is easily believed. If someone is dressed authoritatively, he is honored by many. After miracle makers it is run. However God is so great that He has been able to appear in weakness to us. Who could obey the crucified Christ!
"The weakness of God is stronger than men." 1Co.1:25 "For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you." 2Co.13:4
Do you want to be weak in Jesus Christ? Are you dressed in His humbleness? You neither try to make an impact on people with authoritative clothing, nor with your degree, nor with your self-confident being, nor by making miracles. You neither defend yourself nor fight for your rights. You bless your persecutors and do good to those who do evil to you.
Sometimes it is so terrible to look at people who so easily honor something that is worthless. They reject a treasure because they consider it so modest. In the wisdom of God the salvation looks weakness. He could appear in His glory and power and make everyone obey Him, but it would not change our heart. Only obeying the weak God can change you.
Become weak by agreeing completely with the thoughts of the gospel of God. Really, you will feel yourself weak, but you will also feel real life. Jesus says to us: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." 2Co.12:9
You need grace neither from men nor from angles. In the grace of God you have enough joy, peace, strength and whatever your soul is longing for in this time and in eternity.
The Bible version used in references is NKJV