The BIG Picture (Q&A)

Social Media Question: What must we do to live according to Christ? My Reply: Let us take the biblical advice from Romans 5–8 to answer this question. To live according to Christ, one must first be justified through faith in Him, Romans 5:1. This justification marks the beginning of a journey, where one grows in the knowledge of God’s Word. It becomes essential to understand that living according to Christ cannot be achieved through personal effort. Our flesh is at enmity with God, and our natural mind is corrupt. The starting point is immersing oneself in the Word of God (specifically the epistle of Romans) and allowing it to renew the mind, for it is the carnal and corrupted mind that prevents us from living in alignment with Christ. It is crucial to recognize that one cannot live both according to Christ and according to sin. By nature, we yield to sin, for it is all we know, Rom.6. As the Word begins to reveal the nature of sin and exposes how living in sin is displeasing to God, w...

STATEMENT: If we are saved by grace alone excluding works, I can sit here like a dummy for the rest of my life, and when I die, I'm in the hands of God our Creator. How absurd! What Bible are you reading? ANSWER: Your comment suggests childish thinking and ignorance of the knowledge of the written Word. God’s will for you after you get saved is to come to a knowledge of the truth, 1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. In addition, the scripture below tells us that it is our reasonable service to present ourselves to God for His purpose and through the written Word, to become increasingly transformed by the renewing of our mind, to know God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will. Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of y...

QUESTION: What do you make about tattoos? Should a Christian have it since it was condemned in the Old Testament but not in the New Testament? ANSWER: Entertaining thoughts like this is a consequence of not rightly dividing the Word of truth. These confusions come into the mind when people are taught that they are spiritual Israel, or when people are ignorant of the two separate and distinct programs that occupy the written Word. Let me briefly clarify what I mean. We have TWO programs in the Bible. The prophetic program and the mystery program. The prophetic program concerns Israel who were the people of God, a special nation, set apart by God, via the law, in order to be a light to the world, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. On the other hand, there is the mystery program, that concerns the Body of Christ, who are under grace. Where Israel is a physical people who would inherit the physical earth, the Body of Christ is a spiritual creature [body] which will inherit the heaven...

Justification is the FIRST step in being saved. It starts by hearing the grace gospel. What is the gospel? It is to come to the understanding that without Christ, you have no hope and you have fallen short of God's righteousness because you are a sinner and at enmity with God. It is then to know that because of God's love for you, Christ died for you and through His death, burial, and resurrection, you have a way to come into right standing with God. Having heard these things, it is a matter of choosing to believe in Christ, and trust that His cross work has the power to save you. It is to understand that because of your decision to trust in God's Son, He will justify you and seal you unto that day of redemption. Understand that your choice to trust in Christ sets in motion a transaction in heaven that permanently and utterly saves you. All this is God's work, that once done, due to your decision to trust Jesus Christ, is irreversible and sealed. God cannot go against...

The Believers Curriculum for Maturing in Spirit and having Christ formed within them. Romans to Galatians is focused predominantly on believer growing up and learning of God while here on earth. Ephesians to Thessalonians is focused on sonship and sets sights on life in the heavenly position and for eternity. Romans: A general outline of the Romans foundation of salvation, justification and sanctification. Of critical note it the lessons of walking by grace and faith, avoiding the flesh and the law. Romans 5, 8 and 12 are key chapters that conclude valuable foundational leassons learned in the chapters that precede them. Rom.1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Rom.3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom.4-5 Justified by faith without works (by Gods work and grace) Rom.5 Cannot live by faith in the flesh Rom.6-7 Cannot live by f...