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Archives for November 2018

November 24, 2018 by Greg Gordon

The Problem of Judgmentalism And The Solution To Freedom

Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. – James 2:13

We all have been shown great mercy in our lives. God has shown great compassion and forgiveness towards us in not counting our sins against us. We were in a place were God was ready to punish us and cause us great harm in sending us to hell for eternity for our great sins. Yet he showed great mercy and love towards us, forgiving our sins in his Son. When we therefore show no mercy to others, especially believers, we sin greatly. Warren Weirsbe says, “The most miserable prison in the world is the prison we make for ourselves when we refuse to show mercy.” Such a prison many believers are in not being able to show mercy to others but being a great benefiter of mercy from God. God came down from above as the compassionate one to forgive your sins, yet we cannot show compassion to the sins of another believer. Judgmentalism is one of the great sins in the Church, as we are always faulty in the way we see others, never knowing someones motives and heart (Jeremiah 17:9). When we learn to be full of mercy for others, we start to share the heart of Jesus Christ who did not judge but showed compassion to failing humanity. Look into the eyes of Jesus Christ now and see his wounds where he was pierced for you, can you say to him that you cannot forgive another? Have mercy to another?

The Testimony Of The Desert Fathers

The Desert Fathers were those who sought the Lord in a life of prayer in solitude, they sought God for God Himself. These were some of the godliest followers of the Lord in that era of Church history. A story of a Desert Father on not judging says, “A brother in Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to him, saying, ‘Come, for everyone is waiting for you’. So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug and filled it with water and carried it with him. The others came out to meet him and said, ‘what is this, father?’ The old man said to them, ‘My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another.’ When they heard that, they said no more to the brother but forgave him.” If we see our sins as this old godly brother did, we will not judge but show mercy to a fellow believer on this journey with the Lord. If we judged our own selves we would see our failings as great and have great mercy to others. We should find ourselves as the publican calling out to God for mercy constantly (Luke 18:13). Just like the pharisee in the temple praying we can judge our fellow brothers, looking down on the errors of others, but not seeing our own. Lord have mercy on me and help me to be merciful to others.

The Example of Jonah, A Prophet Without Mercy

We all know the story of the prophet who was swallowed by the fish. Children are amused and enough the thought of it! Yet as adults when we take time to read through the details we realize a much more serious and importance message is being given to us. Jonah was a holy prophet and admired by the people of Israel. He heard the voice of God many times and obeyed in sharing the truth with the people of God. But when the voice of the Lord told him to go to a very wicked people who worshipped the fish god, Jonah said no. He went the opposite direction in a boat but the Lord had a way of getting his attention and encouraging him to obey and speak repentance to those people. Jonah had seen time and time again God show mercy to Israel when they did not deserve it and it turned his stomach to think he would show mercy to the very wicked people of Nineveh. Even after preaching and seeing the peoples repentance Jonah still felt that God should judge them in some way (Jonah 4:1).

We Can All Be Like Jonah

We all can be like Jonah at times, especially if we are the people who have been hurt by others. The people of Nineveh enslaved and caused great harm to Israel before so the thought of forgiving them and even God showing mercy to have them become believers was too much for Israel or their prophet Jonah to accept. Have we been hurt by others in the world who we have not forgiven? Maybe we have forgiven them but do we want them to be saved? St. Benedict of Nursia says, “To hate no one. Not to be jealous or envious. To hate strife. To evidence no arrogance. Never despair of God’s mercy.” God’s heart is full of grace, meaning he wants to extend his love and mercy to those who do not deserve it especially. God is compassionate and very slow to anger against those that we feel deserve it. We are never called to hate anyone, desire evil for anyone, if we shared the true Spirit of Christ we will seek the mercy of the love for all of humanity. This also extends to the body of Christ that we would seek the good of all those who call upon the Name of the Lord.

Steps To Be Free Of Judgementalism

The journey to freedom is one footstep after another. To get out of a pit one has to start the climb out. After years of habitual judging of others we can find ourselves in a deep chasm of rooted sinful behaviour. Here are some small steps you can take daily to help:

1). Meditate on the Passion of Jesus Christ – Spend time in silence thinking upon the wounds of Christ. Think of the Crown of Thorns, the Pierced Side, the wounds afflicted to Christ when the soldiers were mocking Him. See your sins there causing such hurt to the Saviour. See your judgemental words heaped on Him. Also see the hope that Christ died to free us all from our passions and sins.

2). Show Acts of Mercy – No matter if you think a person deserves it or not, show mercy and kindness. Make deliberate acts to see the good in others and applaud them for these God given gifts. See where people do things better than yourself. Glory in God for anyway people serve God in a way you are not doing. Show deeds of mercy to others in gifts and kindness. Let no thought of judging to come into your mind.

3). Remind Yourself of Your Faults – When you are tempted to judge someone, consider your own faults and sins. When did you fail greatly in the same area or similar area. Look to yourself, consider how much mercy God gave you and then show that mercy to others.

4). Learn to Hate Judging – Learn to not hate others as St. Benedict counsels us but rather to hate the sins of jealousy, envying, strife, arrogance. Hate the sin of habitat judging as it’s a cancer of the soul. Put your focus on God, in worship and adoration, do not spend your time considering the faults of others even obvious false teachers or those departing from the faith. Look to your own soul find your lacks and where you are departing and pray for God’s mercy to finish well.

May God give you complete victory as you daily put this sin under the blood of Christ and the victory of His holy Cross. The God who knows all thoughts of our mind and heart will cleanse and give you victory in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jeremiah 17:9 (LEB)

The heart is deceitful more than anything else, and it is disastrous. Who can understand it?
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Jeremiah+17%3A9…

Jonah 4:1 (LEB)

Jonah Is Angry at Adonai’s CompassionAnd thisHebrew “it” was greatly displeasing“was displeasing with great displeasure” to Jonah, and he became furious.“it was hot for him”
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Jonah+4%3A1…

Luke 18:13 (LEB)

But the tax collector, standing far away, did not want even to raise his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Luke+18%3A13…

James 2:13 (LEB)

For judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=James+2%3A13…

Filed Under: Devotionals Tagged With: compassion, desert fathers, freedom from sin, Greg Gordon, Judgmentalism, mercy, st Benedict

November 18, 2018 by for_his_glory

Salvation

                                                             SALVATION

 SALVATION – delivered from sin, promise of our welfare

 

Salvation means to be whole mind, body and soul as we surrender our will to God and allow his will to work in our lives by applying Gods word to every aspect of our lives. This allows us to know the mind of Christ and all the promises of God for our own well being so we can face anything that tries to come against us while here on this earth so we can triumph and be victorious through the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Grace pardons us and mercy loves us unconditionally. Let’s start with the conversation of Jesus and Nicodemus to get a better understanding of what it is to be born again and how to shed this old sin nature through repentance and then we will move on to learn how grace and mercy works in our lives. 

 

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

 

Jesus was teaching Nicodemus that it was a Spiritual rebirth or renewal of our spirit that through Gods spoken word we can reconcile our past sins through repentance to be made sinless again before God. We are all born with a sin nature because of sin being introduced into the world through Satan’s deceit when he told Eve it was alright to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil even though God forbid them to eat of it. Our flesh will always sin because the flesh is never in obedience to God.  

 

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

Sin separates us from God because God is a spirit and can only recognize his own children by what spirit is living in their hearts. We have to renew, rebirth – born again, Gods Spirit within us in order to be called a child of God and see the kingdom of heaven. We now put off the old man (flesh) and put on the new man (Spirit). We are renewed by the word of God and through the Holy Spirit teaching us of all things.

 

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Colossians 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Colossians 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Colossians 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 

 

We now have an intercessor (Jesus) who sits at the right hand of the Father and hears our confession that we are sinners and need his salvation as we believe in our heart that he was truly sent from God as the living word that we can indeed become righteous again not of our own righteousness, but that righteousness that is God whom through his Spirit is promised to dwell in us.  All we have to do is believe and confess that we are sinners and allow Gods righteousness to cleanse us and renew our spirit man. Jesus wants us to come as we are and allow him to make the changes that need made in our hearts. People want to clean the fish before they catch them, but Jesus says come as you are I will clean you from the inside out.

 

John 10:9 I am the door, if any man enter in, he shall be saved.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto

the Father, but by me.

 

Romans 10:9, 10 if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in his heart that God has raised him from the dead thou shall be saved. Vs.10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

It is not by our works or good deeds that save us for if that was all it would take then Gods word would be made void in our lives and Jesus would have died in vain, but because we are all sinners, it is by Gods grace and mercy that forgives our sins and washes us clean by the atoning blood of the Lamb (Jesus) so we can be made renewed again and free from our old sin nature.

 

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Titus 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;

Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

Satan is always there to try and steal the word of God from us and tempt us to sin and sometimes we will sin because we still live in this flesh, but now when we do sin we can be quick to repent of it and grace will forgive us every time. Grace does not give us a license to sin, but if you are sinning unknowingly then God will forgive you, but even though you have been forgiven of a particular sin and still continue in that sin then you will pay the consequences for whatever that sin will bring about in your life as you were already forgiven, but are continuing in that sin. It doesn’t mean that God has forsaken you, but will allow the consequences of that continued sin to happen to you.

 

John 10:10 the thief (Satan) comes to kill, steal and destroy, but I came to give life abundantly.

 

Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Matthew 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

 

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

 

If a person says they have never sinned then they are lying to you and their selves because God said all have sinned. There are no little sins or big sins, for sin is sin. Same with white lies as a lie is a lie, even though your intention is to try and not hurt a person, but in all reality you are deceiving them even though they need to hear truth in order to rectify their lives.    

 

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God

 

REPENT – change, transform, transfigure, reconsider

 

Repentance gives us that opportunity to receive a new beginning in our life as God wipes away all our past sin and remembers them no more. Repentance allows the door to be opened for Christ to come into our lives so we may receive his Holy Spirit to help guide us in our walk with the Lord and to show us a life that is pleasing to the Father. It’s through the Holy Spirit that we come into a better understanding of Gods word by allowing His Spirit to teach us all things we need to know for the purpose and time of ministry to ourselves and to others.

 

There is only one way for God to recognize who are his and that is by us opening our heart and confessing we are sinners and knowing that we need to make a change in our lives in order for us to have eternal life with the Father. It’s not our will anymore to make decisions in our lives, but is now we allowing Gods will to make a betterment in our lives. As we follow in the footsteps of Christ we are now dead to self and alive now through the grace of God who wants nothing more than to shower us with his blessings as we surrender all to him through the transfiguration of our heart through repentance of our sins.

 

When we ask for our sins to be forgiven they are not only forgiven, but they are also forgotten. Our heart/spirit becomes renewed again and we are given the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of God made flesh in Jesus and given to us for comfort and learning. We receive the Holy Spirit at the time of repentance by asking Jesus into our hearts. Some like to be baptized in actual water, which there is nothing wrong with that as it is an outward appearance to others that you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

 

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:39 for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

 

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

 

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

Now that we have been transformed from the old man to the spiritual man of God we now become as a newborn baby and our spirit needs nourishment from the word of God and the only way to get the nourishment we need is to get into the word and study it by allowing the Holy Spirit teach it to us for truth and understanding. The way I study is to take a verse at a time and allow the Holy Spirit to give me understanding of that verse before I move on to the next one. This helps me to understand the whole of whatever chapter I am studying.

 

Through repentance which brings transformation and renewal of mind, body and soul through Gods Spirit we now have to learn that we also have Gods power and authority to be able to stand against Satan who wants nothing more than to destroy our relationship with Jesus who is our mediator to God. That power and authority comes by Gods grace that has brought salvation to our renewed spirit man.

 

GRACE – undeserved, unmerited favor, Gods willingness to give us His power and ability even though we do not deserve it

 

Jesus came to show us how to overcome the sin nature of the world by teaching us how to live a moral life compatible with the word of God. Jesus gave of himself for all of us and redeemed us from the curse of sin by taking all our sin upon him becoming the final blood sacrifice for his love towards everyone who will believe on his name. When we come to Jesus it is Gods grace that forgives our sins and remembers them no more. Sin will always be present with us because the flesh will always sin for that is its nature, but when we ask Jesus into our hearts we also receive at that same moment the gift of the Holy Spirit which teaches us how to separate ourselves from the ungodliness and lusts of this world. We may have to live in this world, but as a child of God we are not part of this world because our inner man, or heart, has now become renewed in the Spirit of God and is sinless through the grace of God. 

 

Titus 2:11 for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

 

Gods strength through his grace is what helps us to face the challenges of the works we are to continue in no matter where his calling leads us or who he puts in our path and whatever tries to come against us. I hear so many say they can not talk to others about Jesus because they do not have enough knowledge of his word and are uncomfortable sharing with others because of this. None of us have full knowledge of Gods word nor will we ever exhaust the word of God, but only can give from our heart for what we do know or have learned. Each of us has a testimony to share and is this not what Jesus did in his travels. It was Jesus testimony of a loving God filled with grace and mercy followed with signs and wonders that drew others to him. We also carry with us those same signs and wonders when we give a starving child a glass of milk or someone on the street a blanket to keep them warm at night. We in all reality are sharing Gods word through these type of works that brings help to others as we see the smiles on their faces when they receive a physical gift from God that for us we would take for granite. No more excuses now.

 

Our works are that of a humanitarian following in the footsteps of Jesus to know the mind of Christ is to help those who are less fortunate then ourselves by giving them back some dignity to their lives as God supplies their needs through us by the grace he has bestowed upon us through his blessings. When we are out of our comfort zones we need to use that power and authority through grace to go to places we would otherwise be to uncomfortable to travel to or to fearful of our own lives to even think of taking on certain challenges. We need to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and visit those who are in their own prisons as Jesus said we are doing this unto his glory and honor and not of ourselves.

 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

 

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Matthew 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Matthew 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

Matthew 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Matthew 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me

 

The basics of what we are to do as a child of God is to know that the calling from God is to take his word out into the world and to take His word out with love and compassion in our hearts and the works of the Lord are helping those who need our help. Grace is what saves us and the works we do are done unto the glory of the kingdom of God.

 

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Mercy – Moves with compassion, Gods unconditional love towards us

 

Mercy and grace go hand in hand as it is all Gods willingness to love us unconditionally. God loves all his creation as we are all created in his image of love, but have chosen to reject that love through freewill. There are many horrendous things people have done in their lives that society has deemed these type of people unlovable and sinners unworthy of Gods mercy. Thieves, murderers, adulterers, prostitutes, etc. etc. are all loved by God and made in his image of love, but have fallen from grace through their own freewill as we all have many times in our lives as we know Gods word has said we have all sinned and fell short of his glory. Remember there is no such thing as a little sin as sin is sin. Even these type of people that society has already condemned can return to Gods grace as mercy already loves them and God will forgive anything we have done in life, thus God saying he is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance.

 

Matthew 5:7 blessed is the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

 

Exodus 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

 

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

 

When our hearts are right with the Lord then he has compassion on all his children and whatever you ask for in his name he will give you the desires of your heart as long as those desires line up with his word as only God knows better for us then we do for what or why we are asking. Gods timing is perfect in all things and we need to learn patience and trust in his mercy.

 

Just because we are born again or a child of God does not mean that we are exempt from anything bad happening to us because we do still have to live in this fleshly body, but now when sickness, finances, or whatever Satan can throw at you, you now have power and authority through the mercy of God to speak to those problems no matter what they are and cast them out of your lives as a witness and testimony to God, but also you must have forgiveness in your heart towards any one no matter what they have done.

 

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Mark 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

 

Gods’ word does come with conditions to follow to live a happy life. Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28 (please read these two chapters) teach us about blessings and cursing as God will always give us choices to make because he is a God of freewill. We have to live by faith and trust in the Lord so we will remain in his will and receive the greater blessings of God. The book of James is a wonderful book that teaches us how to keep the blessings flowing in our lives when we live by faith that produces much in us. Faith obeys Gods word and removes discrimination. Faith proves itself by works and helps us control our tongue. Faith produces wisdom, humility and dependence on God. Faith prays for the afflicted and confronts the erring brother. From moving mountains to receiving Gods’ blessings it is all up to us on how we receive from God.

 

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

James 1:3 knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

 

James 2:8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

 

James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

 

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

 

James 5:15 and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

 

James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

 

Jesus came to call the sinner to repentance, not the righteous. Before the cross we were all sinners and according to the laws given to Moses there always had to be a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin, which was always an unblemished lamb. Jesus was the word of God made flesh and blood to come down to our level to walk among us, to sit and eat with the worst of the worst, to show signs and wonders of the word of God and we rejected him and nailed him to a tree because his teachings came against those of the Pharisees and scribes who loved their high positions, to be above all else in adornment and vanities. Please read Matthew 23:1-39 to understand the chastisement of Jesus towards the Pharisees and scribes. You will read how Jesus characterizes and then condemns the Pharisees.

 

John 1:1 in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:2 the same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:3 all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:4 in him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:5 and the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

 

Matthew 9:13 but go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

Jesus was the final sacrificial lamb for the atonement of all men and gathered all our sins and put them upon himself and died to set us free from sin and God rose him again on the third day so we could take part in his life, death and resurrection, which means when we accept Jesus we die to our old fleshly ways and are renewed by Gods Spirit as we will be resurrected to be with Jesus on that glorious day of his return for his Bride.

 

Only believe on the name of Jesus and he will change whatever needs changing in your heart. So many of us come from many different backgrounds like different religions and cultures. Many come from broken homes that live on the streets or are sucked into a world

of drugs, pornography, cults or whatever, but we all have a common factor and that is God created each and every one of us in his image and loves us all unconditionally. It’s a love that says it doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from I love you anyway and I will make the changes within you that need changing.

 

Man cannot save us or change us because man cannot see our hearts. We have got to get to that place where we say enough is enough I need help and when we cry out from the despairs of our hearts is where Jesus will meet us and come down to our level and speak to our hearts. When you do cry out to him be still and let him speak to you for Jesus will make himself known to all who ask with a sincere heart. Keep yourselves in the love of God always looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternity.

 

Jude 1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Jude 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

Jude 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

Jude 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Exodus 33:19 (LEB)

And he said, “I myself will cause all my goodness to pass over before you, and I will proclaim the name of Adonai before you, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.”
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Exodus+33%3A19…

Matthew 23:1-39 (LEB)

Seven Woes Pronounced on the Scribes and PhariseesThen Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,2saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses.3Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but do not do as they do,“their deeds” for they tell others to do somethingThe words “others to do something” are not in the Greek text but are implied and do not do it themselves.*The words “it themselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied4And they tie up heavy burdensSome manuscripts have “burdens that are heavy and hard to bear” and put themsupplied from English context on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move them.5And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their“the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun tassels long.6And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues7and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.8But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because one is your teacher, and you are all brothers,9And do not call anyonesupplied from English context your father on earth, for one is your heavenly Father.10And do not be called teachers, because one is your teacher, the Christ.11And the greatest among you will be your servant.12And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees — hypocrites! — because you shut the kingdom of heaven before people! For you do not enter, nor permit those wanting to go inHere the present tense has been translated as voluntative (“wanting to go in”) to enter.The most important Greek manuscripts omit v. 14, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you devour widows’ houses and for show you pray long prayers! Therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.”1415“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees — hypocrites! — because you travel around the sea and the dry land to make one convert, and when he becomes one,*supplied from English context you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are!16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’The phrase “by his oath” is not in the Greek text but is implied17Fools and blind people! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy?18And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’The phrase “by his oath” is not in the Greek text but is implied19Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?20Therefore the one who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that is on it.21And the one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.22And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who sits on it.23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees — hypocrites! — because you pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and neglect the more important matters of the law — justice and mercy and faithfulness! It was necessarySome manuscripts have “But it was necessary” to do these things while not neglecting those.“and those not to neglect”24Blind guides who filter out a gnat and swallow a camel!25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees — hypocrites! — because you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence!26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish,Some manuscripts omit “and the dish” so that the outside of it may become clean also.27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees — hypocrites! — because you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean!28In the same way, on the outside you also appear righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees — hypocrites! — because you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous,30and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets!’31Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets!32And you — fill up the measure of your fathers!33Serpents! Offspring of vipers! How will you escape from the condemnation to hell?34For this reason, behold, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and will pursue from town to town,35so that upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel up to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.36Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation!37The Lament over Jerusalem“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together the way“in the manner in which” a hen gathers her young together under her“the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun wings, and you were not willing!38Behold, your house has been left to you desolate!39For I tell you, you will never see me from now on until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”from Ps 118:26
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Matthew 18:21 (LEB)

The Parable of the Unforgiving SlaveThen Peter came up to him andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb said,Some manuscripts have “Then Peter came up and said to him” “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?”
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Matthew 18:22 (LEB)

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!Or “seventy-seven times”
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Matthew 25:34 (LEB)

Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!
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Matthew 25:35 (LEB)

For I was hungry and you gave me somethingsupplied from English context to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me somethingsupplied from English context to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest,
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Matthew 25:36 (LEB)

I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
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Matthew 25:37 (LEB)

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,*supplied from English context or thirsty and give you somethingsupplied from English context to drink?
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Matthew+25%3A37…

Matthew 25:38 (LEB)

And when did we see you a stranger and welcome yousupplied from English context as a guest, or naked and clothe you?*supplied from English context
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Matthew 25:39 (LEB)

And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’
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Matthew 25:40 (LEB)

And the king will answer andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“will answer”) has been translated as a finite verb say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did itsupplied from English context to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did itsupplied from English context to me.’
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Matthew 28:18 (LEB)

And Jesus approached andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“approached”) has been translated as a finite verb spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
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Matthew 28:19 (LEB)

Therefore, goAs a participle of attendant circumstance this participle carries imperatival force picked up from the main verb (“make disciples”) andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
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Matthew 28:20 (LEB)

teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age.”
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Matthew 9:13 (LEB)

But go andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.”from Hos 6:6 (see also Matt 12:7) For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
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Matthew 5:7 (LEB)

Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy.
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Mark 11:23 (LEB)

Truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Mark+11%3A23…

Mark 11:24 (LEB)

For this reason I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it,*supplied from English context and it will be done for you.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Mark+11%3A24…

Mark 11:25 (LEB)

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him,*supplied from English context so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your sins.”Most later Greek manuscripts add v. 26 after v. 25, “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins”
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Mark+11%3A25…

Mark 11:26 (LEB)

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John 10:9 (LEB)

I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and will go out and will find pasture.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+10%3A9…

John 14:26 (LEB)

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name — that one will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything that I said to you.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+14%3A26…

John 1:14 (LEB)

And the Word became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+1%3A14…

John 9:31 (LEB)

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if someone is devout and does his will, he listens to this one.
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John 14:6 (LEB)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+14%3A6…

John 1:4 (LEB)

In him was life, and the life was the light of humanity.Or “humankind”
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John 1:3 (LEB)

All things came into being through him, and apart from him not one thing came into being thatOr “came into being. What …,” beginning a new sentence connected with the following verse. A major punctuation problem is involved, since the earliest manuscripts have no punctuation, but some important later ones place the punctuation before this phrase, effectively connecting it to v. 4: “What has come into being was life in him” has come into being.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+1%3A3…

John 1:2 (LEB)

This one was in the beginning with God.
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John 1:1 (LEB)

The Prologue to John’s GospelIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+1%3A1…

John 3:1 (LEB)

A Meeting with NicodemusNow there was a man of the Pharisees whose name was“the name to him” Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+3%3A1…

John 3:2 (LEB)

This man came to him at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you areHere both the pronoun and verb are understood in Greek and are supplied in the translation a teacher who has come from God, for no one is able to perform these signs that you are performing unless God were with him.”
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+3%3A2…

John 3:7 (LEB)

Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘It is necessary for you to be born from above.’The same Greek word can mean either “from above” or “again” (see also v. 3)
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+3%3A7…

John 3:6 (LEB)

What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
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John 3:5 (LEB)

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+3%3A5…

John 3:4 (LEB)

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is an old man? He is not able to enter into his mother’s womb for the second time and be born, can he?”*The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated in the translation by the phrase “can he”
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+3%3A4…

John 3:3 (LEB)

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born from above,The same Greek word can mean either “from above” or “again,” which allows for the misunderstanding by Nicodemus here; Jesus was speaking of new birth “from above,” while Nicodemus misunderstood him to mean a second physical birth he is not able to see the kingdom of God.”
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+3%3A3…

John 1:5 (LEB)

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcomeOr “comprehend” (if primarily referring to people in the world) it.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=John+1%3A5…

Acts 2:38 (LEB)

And Peter saidSome manuscripts explicitly add “said” to them, “Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Acts+2%3A38…

Acts 2:39 (LEB)

For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all those who are far away, as many as the Lord our God calls to himself.”
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Acts 3:19 (LEB)

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Acts+3%3A19…

Romans 10:9 (LEB)

thatOr “because” 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.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Romans+10%3A9…

Romans 8:6 (LEB)

For the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace,
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Romans 8:7 (LEB)

because the mindset of the flesh is enmity toward God, for it is not subjected to the law of God, for it is not able to do so,
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Romans 8:8 (LEB)

and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.
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Ephesians 2:8 (LEB)

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;
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Ephesians 2:9 (LEB)

it is not from works, so that no one can boast.
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Colossians 3:17 (LEB)

and everything whatever“if anything that” you do in word or in deed, giving thanks for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus to God the Father through him.
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Colossians 3:10 (LEB)

and have put on the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created him,
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Colossians 3:16 (LEB)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God,
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Colossians+3%3A16…

Colossians 3:15 (LEB)

And the peace of Christ must rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.
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Colossians 3:14 (LEB)

And to all these things add love, which is the bond of perfection.
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Colossians 3:13 (LEB)

putting up with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone should have a complaint against anyone, just as also the Lord forgave you, thus also you do the same.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Colossians+3%3A13…

Colossians 3:12 (LEB)

Appeal for New BehaviorTherefore, as the chosen of God, holy and dearly loved, put on affection, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience,
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Colossians 3:11 (LEB)

where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all, and in all.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Colossians+3%3A11…

Colossians 3:1 (LEB)

Seek the Things AboveTherefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Colossians+3%3A1…

Colossians 3:2 (LEB)

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth.
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Colossians 3:8 (LEB)

But now you also lay aside all these things: anger, rage, wickedness, slander, abusive language from your mouth.
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Colossians 3:7 (LEB)

in which also you once lived, when you used to live in them.Or “among them” (the pronoun may refer either to people or to sins)
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Colossians 3:6 (LEB)

because of which the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
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Colossians 3:5 (LEB)

Put Off the Old BehaviorTherefore put to death what is earthly in you“the members on the earth”: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustful passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry,
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Colossians+3%3A5…

Colossians 3:4 (LEB)

When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
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Colossians 3:3 (LEB)

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
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Colossians 3:9 (LEB)

Do not lie to one another, because youHere “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have taken off”) which is understood as causal have taken off the old man together with his deeds,
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Titus 2:11 (LEB)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people,
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Titus 2:12 (LEB)

training us in order that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we may live self-controlled and righteously and godly in the present age,
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Titus 2:14 (LEB)

who gave himself for us, in order that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.
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Titus 2:15 (LEB)

Speak these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
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Titus 3:5 (LEB)

he saved us, not by deeds of righteousness that we have done, but because of his mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
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Titus 3:6 (LEB)

whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
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Titus 3:7 (LEB)

so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
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Hebrews 10:26 (LEB)

A Serious Warning Against Continuing Deliberate SinFor ifHere “if” is supplied as a component of the conditional genitive absolute participle (“keep on sinning”) we keep on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Hebrews+10%3A26…

James 5:15 (LEB)

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins he will be forgiven“it will be forgiven him”.
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James 5:19 (LEB)

My brothers, if anyone among you should wander away from the truth and someone turns him back,
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James 5:20 (LEB)

he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s“his,” but in context this refers to the sinner, not the person who turns the sinner back soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=James+5%3A20…

James 1:2 (LEB)

Trials, Testing, and FaithConsider it all joy, my brothers, whenever you encounter various trials,
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James 1:3 (LEB)

because youHere “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=James+1%3A3…

James 2:8 (LEB)

However, if you carry out the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”from Lev 19:18 you are doing well.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=James+2%3A8…

James 4:6 (LEB)

But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”from Prov 3:34
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=James+4%3A6…

Jude 1:17 (LEB)

Persevere in the Love of GodBut you, dear friends, remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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Jude 1:18 (LEB)

for they said to you,Some manuscripts have “to you that” “In the end time there will be scoffers following according to their own ungodly desires.”
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Jude+1%3A18…

Jude 1:19 (LEB)

These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly, not having the Spirit.
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Jude 1:20 (LEB)

But you, dear friends, byHere “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“building up”) which is understood as means building yourselves up in your most holy faith, byHere “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“praying”) which is understood as means praying in the Holy Spirit,
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Jude 1:21 (LEB)

keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
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Jude 1:22 (LEB)

And have mercy on those who doubt,
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Jude 1:23 (LEB)

and save others byHere “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“snatching”) which is understood as means snatching them from the fire, and have mercy on others with fear, hating even the tunic stained by the flesh.
Read more: www.biblegateway.com/?search=Jude+1%3A23…

Jude 1:24 (LEB)

BenedictionNow to the one who is able to protect you from stumbling and make you to stand before his glory blamelessOr “without blemish” with exultation,
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Jude 1:25 (LEB)

to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time and now and for all eternity. Amen.
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Filed Under: Bible Studies

November 17, 2018 by A.W. Tozer

Knowledge of the Holy

PREFACE
True religion confronts earth with heaven and brings eternity to bear upon time. The
messenger of Christ, though he speaks from God, must also, as the Quakers used to say,
“speak to the condition” of his hearers; otherwise he will speak a language known only
to himself. His message must be not only timeless but timely. He must speak to his own
generation.
The message of this book does not grow out of these times but it is appropriate to them.
It is called forth by a condition which has existed in the Church for some years and is
steadily growing worse. I refer to the loss of the concept of majesty from the popular
religious mind. The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has
substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking,
worshipping men. This she has done not deliberately, but little by little and without her
knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic.
The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a
hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of the Christian
life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking.
With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and
consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability
to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. Modern Christianity is simply not
producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience the life in the Spirit.
The words, “Be still, and know that I am God,” mean next to nothing to the self-
confident, bustling worshipper in this middle period of the twentieth century.
This loss of the concept of majesty has come just when the forces of religion are making
dramatic gains and the churches are more prosperous than at any time within the past
several hundred years. But the alarming thing is that our gains are mostly external and
our losses wholly internal; and since it is the quality of our religion that is affected by
internal conditions, it may be that our supposed gains are but losses spread over a wider
field.
The only way to recoup our spiritual losses is to go back to the cause of them and make
such corrections as the truth warrants. The decline of the knowledge of the holy has
brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward
curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes
right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. If we would bring back spiritual
power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is.
As my humble contribution to a better understanding of the Majesty in the heavens I
offer this reverent study of the attributes of God. Were Christians today reading such
works as those of Augustine or Anselm a book like this would have no reason for being.
But such illuminated masters are known to modern Christians only by name. Publishers
dutifully reprint their books and in due time these appear on the shelves of our studies.
But the whole trouble lies right there: they remain on the shelves. The current religious
mood makes the reading of them virtually impossible even for educated Christians.
Apparently not many Christians will wade through hundreds of pages of heavy religious
matter requiring sustained concentration. Such books remind too many persons of the
secular classics they were forced to read while they were in school and they turn away
from them with a feeling of discouragement.

For that reason an effort such as this may be not without some beneficial effect. Since
this book is neither esoteric nor technical, and since it is written in the language of
worship with no pretension to elegant literary style, perhaps some persons may be
drawn to read it. While I believe that nothing will be found here contrary to sound
Christian theology, I yet write not for professional theologians but for plain persons
whose hearts stir them up to seek after God Himself.
It is my hope that this small book may contribute somewhat to the promotion of
personal heart religion among us; and should a few persons by reading it be encouraged
to begin the practice of reverent meditation on the being of God, that will more than
repay the labor required to produce it.
A. W. Tozer

Filed Under: Member Writings

November 17, 2018 by Clement of Rome

First Clement of Rome 

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS Translated by J.B. Lightfoot.

1Clement prologue:1 The Church of God which sojourneth in Rome to the Church of God which sojourneth in Corinth, to them which are called and sanctified by the will of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace from Almighty God through Jesus Christ be multiplied.

1:1 self-willed persons have kindled to such a pitch of madness that yourname, once revered and renowned and lovely in the sight of all men,hath been greatly reviled.
1:2 For who that had sojourned among you did not approve your most virtuous and steadfast faith? Who did not admire your sober and forbearing piety in Christ? Who did not publish abroad your magnificent disposition of hospitality? Who did not congratulate you on your perfect and sound knowledge?
1:3 For ye did all things without respect of persons, and ye walked after the ordinances of God, submitting yourselves to your rulers and rendering to the older men among you the honor which is their due. On the young too ye enjoined modest and seemly thoughts: and the women ye charged to perform all their duties in a blameless and seemly and pure conscience, cherishing their own husbands, as is meet; and ye taught them to keep in the rule of obedience, and to manage the affairs of their household in seemliness, with all discretion.
2:1 And ye were all lowly in mind and free from arrogance, yielding rather than claiming submission, more glad to give than to receive, and content with the provisions which God supplieth. And giving heed unto His words, ye laid them up diligently in your hearts, and His sufferings were before your eyes.
2:2 Thus a profound and rich peace was given to all, and an insatiable desire of doing good. An abundant outpouring also of the Holy Spirit fell upon all;
2:3 and, being full of holy counsel, in excellent zeal and with a pious confidence ye stretched out your hands to Almighty God, supplicating Him to be propitious, if unwillingly ye had committed any sin.
2:4 Ye had conflict day and night for all the brotherhood, that the number of His elect might be saved with fearfulness and intentness of mind.
2:5 Ye were sincere and simple and free from malice one towards another.
2:6 Every sedition and every schism was abominable to you. Ye mourned over the transgressions of your neighbors: ye judged their shortcomings to be your own.
2:7 Ye repented not of any well-doing, but were ready unto every good work.
2:8 Being adorned with a most virtuous and honorable life, ye performed all your duties in the fear of Him. The commandments and the ordinances of the Lord were written on the tablets of your hearts.
3:1 All glory and enlargement was given unto you, and that was fulfilledwhich is written My beloved ate and drank and was enlarged and waxed fat and kicked.
3:2 Hence come jealousy and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and tumult, war and captivity.
3:3 So men were stirred up, the mean against the honorable, the ill reputed against the highly reputed, the foolish against the wise, the young against the elder.
3:4 For this cause righteousness and peace stand aloof, while each man hath forsaken the fear of the Lord and become purblind in the faith of Him, neither walketh in the ordinances of His commandments nor liveth according to that which becometh Christ, but each goeth after the lusts of his evil heart, seeing that they have conceived an unrighteous and ungodly jealousy, through which also death entered into the world.
4:1 For so it is written, And it came to pass after certain days that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God, and Abel he also brought of the firstlings of the sheep and of their fatness.
4:2 And God looked upon Abel and upon his gifts, but unto Cain and unto his sacrifices He gave no heed.
4:3 And Cain sorrowed exceedingly, and his countenance fell.
4:4 And God said unto Cain, Wherefore art thou very sorrowful and wherefore did thy countenance fall? If thou hast offered aright and hast not divided aright, didst thou not sin? Hold thy peace.
4:5 Unto thee shall he turn, and thou shalt rule over him. {This last phrase has also been translated: Be at peace: thine offering returns to thyself, and thou shalt again possess it.}
4:6 And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go over unto the plain. And it came to pass, while they Were in the plain, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.
4:7 Ye see, brethren, jealousy and envy wrought a brother’s murder.
4:8 By reason of jealousy our father Jacob ran away from the face of Esau his brother.
4:9 Jealousy caused Joseph to be persecuted even unto death, and to come even unto bondage.
4:10 Jealousy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt while it was said to him by his own countryman, Who made thee a judge or a decider over us, Wouldest thou slay me, even as yesterday thou slewest the Egyptian?
4:11 By reason of jealousy Aaron and Miriam were lodged outside the camp.
4:12 Jealousy brought Dathan and Abiram down alive to hades, because they made sedition against Moses the servant of God.
4:13 By reason of jealousy David was envied not only by the Philistines, but was persecuted also by Saul [king of Israel].
5:1 But, to pass from the examples of ancient days, let us come to those champions who lived nearest to our time. Let us set before us the noble examples which belong to our generation.
5:2 By reason of jealousy and envy the greatest and most righteous pillars of the Church were persecuted, and contended even unto death.
5:3 Let us set before our eyes the good Apostles.
5:4 There was Peter who by reason of unrighteous jealousy endured not one not one but many labors, and thus having borne his testimony went to his appointed place of glory.
5:5 By reason of jealousy and strife Paul by his example pointed out the prize of patient endurance. After that he had been seven times in bonds, had been driven into exile, had been stoned, had preached in the East and in the West, he won the noble renown which was the reward of his faith,
5:6 having taught righteousness unto the whole world and having reached the farthest bounds of the West; and when he had borne his testimony before the rulers, so he departed from the world and went unto the holy place, having been found a notable pattern of patient endurance.
6:1 Unto these men of holy lives was gathered a vast multitude of the elect, who through many indignities and tortures, being the victims of jealousy, set a brave example among ourselves.
6:2 By reason of jealousy women being persecuted, after that they had suffered cruel and unholy insults as Danaids and Dircae, safely reached the goal in the race of faith, and received a noble reward, feeble though they were in body.
6:3 Jealousy hath estranged wives from their husbands and changed the saying of our father Adam, This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.
6:4 Jealousy and strife have overthrown great cities and uprooted great nations.
7:1 These things, dearly beloved, we write, not only as admonishing you, but also as putting ourselves in remembrance. For we are in the same lists, and the same contest awaiteth us.
7:2 Wherefore let us forsake idle and vain thoughts; and let us conform to the glorious and venerable rule which hath been handed down to us;
7:3 and let us see what is good and what is pleasant and what is acceptable in the sight of Him that made us.
7:4 Let us fix our eyes on the blood of Christ and understand how precious it is unto His Father, because being shed for our salvation it won for the whole world the grace of repentance.
7:5 Let us review all the generations in turn, and learn how from generation to generation the Master hath given a place for repentance unto them that desire to turn to Him.
7:6 Noah preached repentance, and they that obeyed were saved.
7:7 Jonah preached destruction unto the men of Nineveh; but they, repenting of their sins, obtained pardon of God by their supplications and received salvation, albeit they were aliens from God.
8:1 The ministers of the grace of God through the Holy Spirit spake concerning repentance.
8:2 Yea and the Master of the universe Himself spake concerning repentance with an oath:
8:3 for, as I live saith the Lord, I desire not the death of the sinner, so much as his repentance,
8:4 and He added also a merciful judgment: Repent ye, O house of Israel, of your iniquity; say unto the sons of My people, Though your sins reach from the earth even unto the heaven, and though they be redder than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, and ye turn unto Me with your whole heart and say Father, I will give ear unto you as unto a holy people.
8:5 And in another place He saith on this wise, Wash, be ye clean. Put away your iniquities from your souls out of My sight. Cease from your iniquities; learn to do good; seek out judgment; defend him that is wronged: give judgment for the orphan, and execute righteousness for the widow; and come and let us reason together, saith He; and though your sins be as crimson, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool. And if ye be willing and will hearken unto Me, ye shall eat the good things of the earth; but if ye be not willing, neither hearken unto Me, a sword shall devour you; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things.
8:6 Seeing then that He desireth all His beloved to be partakers of repentance, He confirmed it by an act of His almighty will.
9:1 Wherefore let us be obedient unto His excellent and glorious will; and presenting ourselves as suppliants of His mercy and goodness, let us fall down before Him and betake ourselves unto His compassions, forsaking the vain toil and the strife and the jealousy which leadeth unto death.
9:2 Let us fix our eyes on them that ministered perfectly unto His excellent glory.
9:3 Let us set before us Enoch, who being found righteous in obedience was translated, and his death was not found.
9:4 Noah, being found faithful, by his ministration preached regeneration unto the world, and through him the Master saved the living creatures that entered into the ark in concord.
10:1 Abraham, who was called the ‘friend,’ was found faithful in that he rendered obedience unto the words of God.
10:2 He through obedience went forth from his land and from his kindred and from his father’s house, that leaving a scanty land and a feeble kindred and a mean house he might inherit the promises of God.
10:3 For He saith unto him Go forth from thy land and from thy kindred and from thy father’s house unto the land which I shall show thee, and I will make thee into a great nation, and I will bless thee and will magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed. And I will bless them that bless thee, and I will curse them that curse thee; and in thee shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.
10:4 And again, when he was parted from Lot, God said unto him Look up with thine eyes, and behold from the place where thou now art, unto the north and the south and the sunrise and the sea; for all the land which thou seest, I will give it unto thee and to thy seed for ever;
10:5 and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. If any man can count the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be counted.
10:6 And again He saith; God led Abraham forth and said unto him, Look up unto the heaven and count the stars, and see whether thou canst number them. So shall thy seed be. And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
10:7 For his faith and hospitality a son was given unto him in old age, and by obedience he offered him a sacrifice unto God on one of the mountains which He showed him.
11:1 For his hospitality and godliness Lot was saved from Sodom, when all the country round about was judged by fire and brimstone; the Master having thus fore shown that He forsaketh not them which set their hope on Him, but appointeth unto punishment and torment them which swerve aside.
11:2 For when his wife had gone forth with him, being otherwise minded and not in accord, she was appointed for a sign hereunto, so that she became a pillar of salt unto this day, that it might be known unto all men that they which are double-minded and they which doubt concerning the power of God are set for a judgment and for a token unto all the generations.
12:1 For her faith and hospitality Rahab the harlot was saved.
12:2 For when the spies were sent forth unto Jericho by Joshua the son of Nun, the king of the land perceived that they were come to spy out his country, and sent forth men to seize them, that being seized they might be put to death.
12:3 So the hospitable Rahab received them and hid them in the upper chamber under the flax stalks.
12:4 And when the messengers of the king came near and said, The spies of our land entered in unto thee: bring them forth, for the king so ordereth: then she answered, The men truly, whom ye seek, entered in unto me, but they departed forthwith and are sojourning on the way; and she pointed out to them the opposite road.
12:5 And she said unto the men, Of a surety I perceive that the Lord your God delivereth this city unto you; for the fear and the dread of you is fallen upon the inhabitants thereof. When therefore it shall come to pass that ye take it, save me and the house of my father.
12:6 And they said unto her, It shall be even so as thou hast spoken unto us. Whensoever therefore thou perceivest that we are coming, thou shalt gather all thy folk beneath thy roof and they shall be saved; for as many as shall be found without the house shall perish.
12:7 And moreover they gave her a sign, that she should hang out from her house a scarlet thread, thereby showing beforehand that through the blood of the Lord there shall be redemption unto all them that believe and hope on God.
12:8 Ye see, dearly beloved, not only faith, but prophecy, is found in the woman.
13:1 Let us therefore be lowly minded, brethren, laying aside all arrogance and conceit and folly and anger, and let us do that which is written. For the Holy Ghost saith, Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong in his strength, neither the rich in his riches; but he that boasteth let him boast in the Lord, that he may seek Him out, and do judgment and righteousness most of all remembering the words of the Lord Jesus which He spake, teaching forbearance and long-suffering:
13:2 for thus He spake Have mercy, that ye may receive mercy: forgive, that it may be forgiven to you. As ye do, so shall it be done to you. As ye give, so shall it be given unto you. As ye judge, so shall ye be judged. As ye show kindness, so shall kindness be showed unto you. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured withal to you.
13:3 With this commandment and these precepts let us confirm ourselves, that we may walk in obedience to His hallowed words, with lowliness of mind.
13:4 For the holy word saith, Upon whom shall I look, save upon him that is gentle and quiet and feareth Mine oracles?
14:1 Therefore it is right and proper, brethren, that we should be obedient unto God, rather than follow those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy.
14:2 For we shall bring upon us no common harm, but rather great peril, if we surrender ourselves recklessly to the purposes of men who launch out into strife and seditions, so as to estrange us from that which is right.
14:3 Let us be good one towards another according to the compassion and sweetness of Him that made us. For it is written:
14:4 The good shall be dwellers in the land, and the innocent shall be left on it but they that transgress shall be destroyed utterly from it.
14:5 And again He saith I saw the ungodly lifted up on high and exalted as the cedars of Lebanon. And I passed by, and behold he was not; and sought out his place, and I found it not. Keep innocence and behold uprightness; for there is a remnant for the peaceful man.
15:1 Therefore let us cleave unto them that practice peace with godliness, and not unto them that desire peace with dissimulation.
15:2 For He saith in a certain place This people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me,
15:3 and again, they blessed with their mouth, but they cursed with their heart.
15:4 And again He saith, They loved Him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto Him; and their heart was not upright with Him, neither were they steadfast in His covenant.
15:5 For this cause let the deceitful lips be made dumb which speak iniquity against the righteous. And again May the Lord utterly destroy all the deceitful lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things, even them that say, Let us magnify our tongue; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?
15:6 For the misery of the needy and for the groaning of the poor I will now arise, saith the Lord. I will set him in safety; I will deal boldly by him.
16:1 For Christ is with them that are lowly of mind, not with them that exalt themselves over the flock.
16:2 The scepter of the majesty of God, even our Lord Jesus Christ, came not in the pomp of arrogance or of pride, though He might have done so, but in lowliness of mind, according as the Holy Spirit spake concerning Him.
16:3 For He saith Lord, who believed our report? and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed? We announced Him in His presence. As a child was He, as a root in a thirsty ground. There is no form in Him, neither glory. And we beheld Him, and He had no form nor comeliness, but His form was mean, lacking more than the form of men. He was a man of stripes and of toil, and knowing how to bear infirmity: for His face is turned away. He was dishonored and held of no account.
16:4 He beareth our sins and suffereth pain for our sakes: and we accounted Him to be in toil and in stripes and in affliction.
16:5 And He was wounded for our sins and hath been afflicted for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace is upon Him. With His bruises we were healed.
16:6 We all went astray like sheep, each man went astray in his own path:
16:7 and the Lord delivered Him over for our sins. And He openeth not His mouth, because He is afflicted. As a sheep He was led to slaughter; and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so openeth He not His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away.
16:8 His generation who shall declare? For His life is taken away from the earth.
16:9 For the iniquities of my people He is come to death.
16:10 And I will give the wicked for His burial, and the rich for His death; for He wrought no iniquity, neither was guile found in His mouth. And the Lord desireth to cleanse Him from His stripes.
16:11 If ye offer for sin, your soul shall see along lived seed.
16:12 And the Lord desireth to take away from the toil of His soul, to show Him light and to mould Him with understanding, to justify a Just One that is a good servant unto many. And He shall bear their sins.
16:13 Therefore He shall inherit many, and shall divide the spoils of the strong; because His soul was delivered unto death, and He was reckoned unto the transgressors;
16:14 and He bare the sins of many, and for their sins was He delivered up.
16:15 And again He Himself saith; But I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men and an outcast of the people.
16:16 All they that beheld me mocked at me; they spake with their lips; they wagged their heads, saying, He hoped on the Lord; let Him deliver him, or let Him save him, for He desireth him.
16:17 Ye see, dearly beloved, what is the pattern that hath been given unto us; for, if the Lord was thus lowly of mind, what should we do, who through Him have been brought under the yoke of His grace?
17:1 Let us be imitators also of them which went about in goatskins and sheepskins, preaching the coming of Christ. We mean Elijah and Elisha and likewise Ezekiel, the prophets, and besides them those men also that obtained a good report.
17:2 Abraham obtained an exceeding good report and was called the friend of God; and looking steadfastly on the glory of God, he saith in lowliness of mind, But I am dust and ashes.
17:3 Moreover concerning Job also it is thus written; And Job was righteous and unblamable, one that was true and honored God and abstained from all evil.
17:4 Yet he himself accuseth himself saying, No man from filth; no, not though his life be but for a day.
17:5 Moses was called faithful in all His house, and through his ministration God judged Egypt with the plagues and the torments which befell them. Howbeit he also, though greatly glorified, yet spake no proud words, but said, when an oracle was given to him at the bush, Who am I, that Thou sendest me?
17:6 Nay, I am feeble of speech and slow of tongue. And again he saith, But I am smoke from the pot.
18:1 But what must we say of David that obtained a good report? of whom God said, I have found a man after My heart, David the son of Jesse: with eternal mercy have I anointed him.
18:2 Yet he too saith unto God Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassions, blot out mine iniquity.
18:3 Wash me yet more from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only did I sin, and I wrought evil in Thy sight; that Thou mayest be justified in Thy words, and mayest conquer in Thy pleading.
18:4 For behold, in iniquities was I conceived, and in sins did my mother bear me. For behold Thou hast loved truth: the dark and hidden things of Thy wisdom hast Thou showed unto me.
18:5 Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean. Thou shalt wash me, and I shall become whiter than snow.
18:6 Thou shalt make me to hear of joy and gladness. The bones which have been humbled shall rejoice.
18:7 Turn away Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
18:8 Make a clean heart within me, O God, and renew a right spirit in mine inmost parts. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
18:9 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and strengthen me with a princely spirit.
18:10 I will teach sinners Thy ways, and godless men shall be converted unto Thee.
18:11 Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue shall rejoice in Thy righteousness.
18:12 Lord, Thou shalt open my mouth, and my lips shall declare Thy praise.
18:13 For, if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would have given it: in whole burnt offerings Thou wilt have no pleasure.
18:14 A sacrifice unto God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God will not despise.
19:1 The humility therefore and the submissiveness of so many and so great men, who have thus obtained a good report, hath through obedience made better not only us but also the generations which were before us, even them that received His oracles in fear and truth.
19:2 Seeing then that we have been partakers of many great and glorious doings, let us hasten to return unto the goal of peace which hath been handed down to us from the beginning, and let us look steadfastly unto the Father and Maker of the whole world, and cleave unto His splendid and excellent gifts of peace and benefits.
19:3 Let us behold Him in our mind, and let us look with the eyes of our soul unto His long-suffering will. Let us note how free from anger He is towards all His creatures.
20:1 The heavens are moved by His direction and obey Him in peace.
20:2 Day and night accomplish the course assigned to them by Him, without hindrance one to another.
20:3 The sun and the moon and the dancing stars according to His appointment circle in harmony within the bounds assigned to them, without any swerving aside.
20:4 The earth, bearing fruit in fulfillment of His will at her proper seasons, putteth forth the food that supplieth abundantly both men and beasts and all living things which are thereupon, making no dissension, neither altering anything which He hath decreed.
20:5 Moreover, the inscrutable depths of the abysses and the unutterable statutes of the nether regions are constrained by the same ordinances.
20:6 The basin of the boundless sea, gathered together by His workmanship into it’s reservoirs, passeth not the barriers wherewith it is surrounded; but even as He ordered it, so it doeth.
20:7 For He said, So far shalt thou come, and thy waves shall be broken within thee.
20:8 The ocean which is impassable for men, and the worlds beyond it, are directed by the same ordinances of the Master.
20:9 The seasons of spring and summer and autumn and winter give way in succession one to another in peace.
20:10 The winds in their several quarters at their proper season fulfill their ministry without disturbance; and the ever flowing fountains, created for enjoyment and health, without fail give their breasts which sustain the life for men. Yea, the smallest of living things come together in concord and peace.
20:11 All these things the great Creator and Master of the universe ordered to be in peace and concord, doing good unto all things, but far beyond the rest unto us who have taken refuge in His compassionate mercies through our Lord Jesus Christ,
20:12 to whom be the glory and the majesty for ever and ever. Amen.
21:1 Look ye, brethren, lest His benefits, which are many, turn unto judgment to all of us, if we walk not worthily of Him, and do those things which are good and well pleasing in His sight with concord.
21:2 For He saith in a certain place, The Spirit of the Lord is a lamp searching the closets of the belly.
21:3 Let us see how near He is, and how that nothing escapeth Him of our thoughts or our devices which we make.
21:4 It is right therefore that we should not be deserters from His will.
21:5 Let us rather give offense to foolish and senseless men who exalt themselves and boast in the arrogance of their words, than to God.
21:6 Let us fear the Lord Jesus [Christ], whose blood was given for us. Let us reverence our rulers; let us honor our elders; let us instruct our young men in the lesson of the fear of God. Let us guide our women toward that which is good:
21:7 let them show forth their lovely disposition of purity; let them prove their sincere affection of gentleness; let them make manifest the moderation of their tongue through their silence; let them show their love, not in factious preferences but without partiality towards all them that fear God, in holiness. Let our children be partakers of the instruction which is in Christ:
21:8 let them learn how lowliness of mind prevaileth with God, what power chaste love hath with God, how the fear of Him is good and great and saveth all them that walk therein in a pure mind with holiness.
21:9 For He is the searcher out of the intents and desires; whose breath is in us, and when He listeth, He shall take it away.
22:1 Now all these things the faith which is in Christ confirmeth: for He Himself through the Holy Spirit thus invite thus: Come, my children, hearken unto Me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
22:2 What man is he that desireth life and loveth to see good days?
22:3 Make thy tongue to cease from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile.
22:4 Turn aside from evil and do good.
22:5 Seek peace and ensue it.
22:6 The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are turned to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil, to destroy their memorial from the earth.
22:7 The righteous cried out, and the Lord heard him, and delivered him from all his troubles. Many are the troubles of the righteous, and the Lord shall deliver him from them all.
22:8 And again Many are the stripes of the sinner, but them that set their hope on the Lord mercy shall compass about.
23:1 The Father, who is pitiful in all things, and ready to do good, hath compassion on them that fear Him, and kindly and lovingly bestoweth His favors on them that draw nigh unto Him with a single mind.
23:2 Therefore let us not be double-minded, neither let our soul indulge in idle humors respecting His exceeding and glorious gifts.
23:3 Let this scripture be far from us where He saith Wretched are the double-minded, Which doubt in their soul and say, These things we did hear in the days of our fathers also, and behold we have grown old, and none of these things hath befallen us.
23:4 Ye fools, compare yourselves unto a tree; take a vine. First it sheddeth its leaves, then a shoot cometh, then a leaf, then a flower, and after these a sour berry, then a full ripe grape. Ye see that in a little time the fruit of the tree attaineth unto mellowness.
23:5 Of a truth quickly and suddenly shall His will be accomplished, the scripture also bearing witness to it, saying He shall come quickly and shall not tarry; and the Lord shall come suddenly into His temple, even the Holy One, whom ye expect.
24:1 Let us understand, dearly beloved, how the Master continually showeth unto us the resurrection that shall be hereafter; whereof He made the Lord Jesus Christ the firstfruit, when He raised Him from the dead.
24:2 Let us behold, dearly beloved, the resurrection which happeneth at its proper season.
24:3 Day and night show unto us the resurrection. The night falleth asleep, and day ariseth; the day departeth, and night cometh on.
24:4 Let us mark the fruits, how and in what manner the sowing taketh place.
24:5 The sower goeth forth and casteth into the earth each of the seeds; and these falling into the earth dry and bare decay: then out of their decay the mightiness of the Master’s providence raiseth them up, and from being one they increase manifold and bear fruit.
25:1 Let us consider the marvelous sign which is seen in the regions of the east, that is, in the parts about Arabia.
25:2 There is a bird, which is named the phoenix. This, being the only one of its kind, liveth for five hundred years; and when it hath now reached the time of its dissolution that it should die, it maketh for itself a coffin of frankincense and myrrh and the other spices, into the which in the fullness of time it entereth, and so it dieth.
25:3 But, as the flesh rotteth, a certain worm is engendered, which is nurtured from the moisture of the dead creature and putteth forth wings. Then, when it is grown lusty, it taketh up that coffin where are the bones of its parent, and carrying them journeyeth from the country of Arabia even unto Egypt, to the place called the City of the Sun;
25:4 and in the daytime in the sight of all, flying to the altar of the Sun, it layeth them thereupon; and this done, it setteth forth to return.
25:5 So the priests examine the registers of the times, and they find that it hath come when the five hundredth year is completed.
26:1 Do we then think it to be a great and marvelous thing, if the Creator of the universe shall bring about the resurrection of them that have served Him with holiness in the assurance of a good faith, seeing that He showeth to us even by a bird the magnificence of His promise?
26:2 For He saith in a certain place And Thou shalt raise me up, and I will praise Thee; and; I went to rest and slept, I was awaked, for Thou art with me.
26:3 And again Job saith And Thou shall raise this my flesh which hath endured all these things.
27:1 With this hope therefore let our souls be bound unto Him that is faithful in His promises and that is righteous in His judgments.
27:2 He that commanded not to lie, much more shall He Himself not lie: for nothing is impossible with God save to lie.
27:3 Therefore let our faith in Him be kindled within us, and let us understand that all things are nigh unto Him.
27:4 By a word of His majesty He compacted the universe; and by a word He can destroy it.
27:5 Who shall say unto Him, What hast thou done? or who shall resist the might of His strength? When He listeth, and as He listeth, He will do all things; and nothing shall pass away of those things that He hath decreed.
27:6 All things are in His sight, and nothing escapeth His counsel,
27:7 seeing that The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaimeth His handiwork. Day uttereth word unto day, and night proclaimeth knowledge unto night; and there are neither words nor speeches, whose voices are not heard.
28:1 Since therefore all things are seen and heard, let us fear Him and forsake the abominable lusts of evil works, that we maybe shielded by His mercy from the coming judgments.
28:2 For where can any of us escape from His strong hand? And what world will receive any of them that desert from His service?
28:3 For the holy writing saith in a certain place Where shall I go, and where shall I be hidden from Thy face? If I ascend into the heaven, Thou art there; if I depart into the farthest parts of the earth, there is Thy right hand; if I make my bed in the depths, there is Thy Spirit.
28:4 Whither then shall one depart, or where shall one flee, from Him that embraceth the universe?
29:1 Let us therefore approach Him in holiness of soul, lifting up pure and undefiled hands unto Him, with love towards our gentle and compassionate Father who made us an elect portion unto Himself.
29:2 For thus it is written: When the Most High divided the nations, when He dispersed the sons of Adam, He fixed the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God. His people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, and Israel the measurement of His inheritance.
29:3 And in another place He saith, Behold, the Lord taketh for Himself a nation out of the midst of the nations, as a man taketh the first fruits of his threshing floor; and the holy of holies shall come forth from that nation.
30:1 Seeing then that we are the special portion of a Holy God, let us do all things that pertain unto holiness, forsaking evil speakings, abominable and impure embraces, drunkennesses and tumults and hateful lusts, abominable adultery, hateful pride.
30:2 For God, He saith, resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the lowly.
30:3 Let us therefore cleave unto those to whom grace is given from God. Let us clothe ourselves in concord, being lowlyminded and temperate, holding ourselves aloof from all back biting and evil speaking, being justified by works and not by words.
30:4 For He saith, He that saith much shall hear also again. Doth the ready talker think to be righteous?
30:5 Blessed is the offspring of a woman that liveth but a short time. Be not thou abundant in words.
30:6 Let our praise be with God, and not of ourselves: for God hateth them that praise themselves.
30:7 Let the testimony to our well doing be given by others, as it was given unto our fathers who were righteous.
30:8 Boldness and arrogance and daring are for them that are accursed of God; but forbearance and humility and gentleness are with them that are blessed of God.
31:1 Let us therefore cleave unto His blessing, and let us see what are the ways of blessing. Let us study the records of the things that have happened from the beginning.
31:2 Wherefore was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith?
31:3 Isaac with confidence, as knowing the future, was led a willing sacrifice.
31:4 Jacob with humility departed from his land because of his brother, and went unto Laban and served; and the twelve tribes of Israel were given unto him.
32:1 If any man will consider them one by one in sincerity, he shall understand the magnificence of the gifts that are given by Him.
32:2 For of Jacob are all the priests and levites who minister unto the altar of God; of him is the Lord Jesus as concerning the flesh; of him are kings and rulers and governors in the line of Judah; yea and the rest of his tribes are held in no small honor, seeing that God promised saying, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven.
32:3 They all therefore were glorified and magnified, not through themselves or their own works or the righteous doing which they wrought, but through His will.
32:4 And so we, having been called through His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves or through our own wisdom or understanding or piety or works which we wrought in holiness of heart, but through faith, whereby the Almighty God justified all men that have been from the beginning; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
33:1 What then must we do, brethren? Must we idly abstain from doing good, and forsake love? May the Master never allow this to befall us at least; but let us hasten with instancy and zeal to accomplish every good work.
33:2 For the Creator and Master of the universe Himself rejoiceth in His works.
33:3 For by His exceeding great might He established the heavens, and in His incomprehensible wisdom He set them in order. And the earth He separated from the water that surroundeth it, and He set it firm on the sure foundation of His own will; and the living creatures which walk upon it He commanded to exist by His ordinance. Having before created the sea and the living creatures therein, He enclosed it by His own power.
33:4 Above all, as the most excellent and exceeding great work of His intelligence, with His sacred and faultless hands He formed man in the impress of His own image.
33:5 For thus saith God Let us make man after our image and after our likeness. And God made man; male and female made He them.
33:6 So having finished all these things, He praised them and blessed them and said, Increase and multiply.
33:7 We have seen that all the righteous were adorned in good works. Yea, and the Lord Himself having adorned Himself with worlds rejoiced.
33:8 Seeing then that we have this pattern, let us conform ourselves with all diligence to His will; let us with all our strength work the work of righteousness.
34:1 The good workman receiveth the bread of his work with boldness, but the slothful and careless dareth not look his employer in the face.
34:2 It is therefore needful that we should be zealous unto well doing, for of Him are all things:
34:3 since He forewarneth us saying, Behold, the Lord, and His reward is before His face, to recompense each man according to his work.
34:4 He exhorteth us therefore to believe on Him with our whole heart, and to be not idle nor careless unto every good work.
34:5 Let our boast and our confidence be in Him: let us submit ourselves to His will; let us mark the whole host of His angels, how they stand by and minister unto His will.
34:6 For the scripture saith, Ten thousands of ten thousands stood by Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him: and they cried aloud, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Sabaoth; all creation is full of His glory.
34:7 Yea, and let us ourselves then, being gathered together in concord with intentness of heart, cry unto Him as from one mouth earnestly that we may be made partakers of His great and glorious promises.
34:8 For He saith, Eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard, and it hath not entered into the heart of man what great things He hath prepared for them that patiently await Him.
35:1 How blessed and marvelous are the gifts of God, dearly beloved!!
35:2 Life in immortality, splendor in righteousness, truth in boldness, faith in confidence, temperance in sanctification! And all these things fall under our apprehension.
35:3 What then, think ye, are the things preparing for them that patiently await Him? The Creator and Father of the ages, the All holy One Himself knoweth their number and their beauty.
35:4 Let us therefore contend, that we may be found in the number of those that patiently await Him, to the end that we may be partakers of His promised gifts.
35:5 But how shall this be, dearly beloved? If our mind be fixed through faith towards God; if we seek out those things which are well pleasing and acceptable unto Him; if we accomplish such things as beseem His faultless will, and follow the way of truth, casting off from ourselves all unrighteousness and iniquity, covetousness, strifes, malignities and deceits, whisperings and backbitings, hatred of God, pride and arrogance, vainglory and inhospitality.
35:6 For they that do these things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent unto them.
35:7 For the scripture saith, But unto the sinner said God, Wherefore dost thou declare Mine ordinances, and takest My covenant upon thy lips?
35:8 Yet Thou didst hate instruction and didst cast away My words behind thee. If thou sawest a thief thou didst keep company with him, and with the adulterers thou didst set thy portion. Thy mouth multiplied wickedness and thy tongue wove deceit. Thou sattest and spakest against thy brother, and against the son of thy mother thou didst lay a stumbling block.
35:9 These things Thou hast done, and I kept silence. Thou thoughtest, unrighteous man, that I should be like unto thee.
35:10 I will convict thee and will set thee face to face with thyself.
35:11 Now understand ye these things, ye that forget God, lest at any time He seize you as a lion, and there be none to deliver.
35:12 The sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me, and there is the way wherein I will show him the salvation of God.
36:1 This is the way, dearly beloved, wherein we found our salvation, even Jesus Christ the High priest of our offerings, the Guardian and Helper of our weakness.
36:2 Through Him let us look steadfastly unto the heights of the heavens; through Him we behold as in a mirror His faultless and most excellent visage; through Him the eyes of our hearts were opened; through Him our foolish and darkened mind springeth up unto the light; through Him the Master willed that we should taste of the immortal knowledge Who being the brightness of His majesty is so much greater than angels, as He hath inherited a more excellent name.
36:3 For so it is written Who maketh His angels spirits and His ministers aflame of fire
36:4 but of His Son the Master said thus, Thou art My Son, I this day have begotten thee. Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the Gentiles for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession.
36:5 And again He saith unto Him Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.
36:6 Who then are these enemies? They that are wicked and resist His will.
37:1 Let us therefore enlist ourselves, brethren, with all earnestness in His faultless ordinances.
37:2 Let us mark the soldiers that are enlisted under our rulers, how exactly, how readily, how submissively, they execute the orders given them.
37:3 All are not prefects, nor rulers of thousands, nor rulers of hundreds, nor rulers of fifties, and so forth; but each man in his own rank executeth the orders given by the king and the governors.
37:4 The great without the small cannot exist, neither the small without the great. There is a certain mixture in all things, and therein is utility.
37:5 Let us take our body as an example. The head without the feet is nothing; so likewise the feet without the head are nothing: even the smallest limbs of our body are necessary and useful for the whole body: but all the members conspire and unite in subjection, that the whole body maybe saved.
38:1 So in our case let the whole body be saved in Christ Jesus, and let each man be subject unto his neighbor, according as also he was appointed with his special grace.
38:2 Let not the strong neglect the weak; and let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich minister aid to the poor; and let the poor give thanks to God, because He hath given him one through whom his wants may be supplied. Let the wise display his wisdom, not in words, but in good works. He that is lowly in mind, let him not bear testimony to himself, but leave testimony to be borne to him by his neighbor. He that is pure in the flesh, let him be so, and not boast, knowing that it is Another who bestoweth his continence upon him.
38:3 Let us consider, brethren, of what matter we were made; who and what manner of beings we were, when we came into the world; from what a sepulchre and what darkness He that molded and created us brought us into His world, having prepared His benefits aforehand ere ever we were born.
38:4 Seeing therefore that we have all these things from Him, we ought in all things to give thanks to Him, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
39:1 Senseless and stupid and foolish and ignorant men jeer and mock at us, desiring that they themselves should be exalted in their imaginations.
39:2 For what power hath a mortal? or what strength hath a child of earth?
39:3 For it is written; There was no form before mine eyes; only I heard a breath and a voice.
39:4 What then? Shall a mortal be clean in the sight of the Lord; or shall a man be unblamable for his works? seeing that He is distrustful against His servants and noteth some perversity against His angels.
39:5 Nay, the heaven is not clean in His sight. Away then, ye that dwell in houses of clay, whereof, even of the same clay, we ourselves are made. He smote them like a moth, and from morn to even they are no more. Because they could not succor themselves, they perished.
39:6 He breathed on them and they died, because they had no wisdom.
39:7 But call thou, if perchance one shall obey thee, or if thou shalt see one of the holy angels. For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth him that has gone astray.
39:8 And I have seen fools throwing out roots, but forthwith their habitation was eaten up.
39:9 Far be their sons from safety. May they be mocked at the gates of inferiors, and there shall be none to deliver them. For the things which are prepared for them, the righteous shall eat; but they themselves shall not be delivered from evils.
40:1 Forasmuch then as these things are manifest beforehand, and we have searched into the depths of the Divine knowledge, we ought to do all things in order, as many as the Master hath commanded us to perform at their appointed seasons.
40:2 Now the offerings and ministrations He commanded to be performed with care, and not to be done rashly or in disorder, but at fixed times and seasons.
40:3 And where and by whom He would have them performed, He Himself fixed by His supreme will: that all things being done with piety according to His good pleasure might be acceptable to His will.
40:4 They therefore that make their offerings at the appointed seasons are acceptable and blessed: for while they follow the institutions of the Master they cannot go wrong.
40:5 For unto the high priest his proper services have been assigned, and to the priests their proper office is appointed, and upon the levites their proper ministrations are laid. The layman is bound by the layman’s ordinances.
41:1 Let each of you, brethren, in his own order give thanks unto God, maintaining a good conscience and not transgressing the appointed rule of his service, but acting with all seemliness.
41:2 Not in every place, brethren, are the continual daily sacrifices offered, or the freewill offerings, or the sin offerings and the trespass offerings, but in Jerusalem alone. And even there the offering is not made in every place, but before the sanctuary in the court of the altar; and this too through the high priest and the afore said ministers, after that the victim to be offered hath been inspected for blemishes.
41:3 They therefore who do any thing contrary to the seemly ordinance of His will receive death as the penalty.
41:4 Ye see, brethren, in proportion as greater knowledge hath been vouchsafed unto us, so much the more are we exposed to danger.
42:1 The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ was sent forth from God.
42:2 So then Christ is from God, and the Apostles are from Christ. Both therefore came of the will of God in the appointed order.
42:3 Having therefore received a charge, and having been fully assured through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and confirmed in the word of God with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth with the glad tidings that the kingdom of God should come.
42:4 So preaching everywhere in country and town, they appointed their firstfruits, when they had proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons unto them that should believe.
42:5 And this they did in no new fashion; for indeed it had been written concerning bishops and deacons from very ancient times; for thus saith the scripture in a certain place, I will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith.
43:1 And what marvel, if they which were entrusted in Christ with such a work by God appointed the aforesaid persons? seeing that even the blessed Moses who was a faithful servant in all His house recorded for a sign in the sacred books all things that were enjoined upon him. And him also the rest of the prophets followed, bearing witness with him unto the laws that were ordained by him.
43:2 For he, when jealousy arose concerning the priesthood, and there was dissension among the tribes which of them was adorned with the glorious name, commanded the twelve chiefs of the tribes to bring to him rods inscribed with the name of each tribe. And he took them and tied them and sealed them with the signet rings of the chiefs of the tribes, and put them away in the tabernacle of the testimony on the table of God.
43:3 And having shut the tabernacle he sealed the keys and likewise also the doors.
43:4 And he said unto them, Brethren, the tribe whose rod shall bud, this hath God chosen to be priests and ministers unto Him.
43:5 Now when morning came, he called together all Israel, even the six hundred thousand men, and showed the seals to the chiefs of the tribes and opened the tabernacle of the testimony and drew forth the rods. And the rod of Aaron was found not only with buds, but also bearing fruit.
43:6 What think ye, dearly beloved? Did not Moses know beforehand that this would come to pass? Assuredly he knew it. But that disorder might not arise in Israel, he did thus, to the end that the Name of the true and only God might be glorified: to whom he the glory for ever and ever. Amen…
44:1 And our Apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife over the name of the bishop’s office.
44:2 For this cause therefore, having received complete foreknowledge, they appointed the aforesaid persons, and afterwards they provided a continuance, that if these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed to their ministration. Those therefore who were appointed by them, or afterward by other men of repute with the consent of the whole Church, and have ministered unblamably to the flock of Christ in lowliness of mind, peacefully and with all modesty, and for long time have borne a good report with all these men we consider to be unjustly thrust out from their ministration.
44:3 For it will be no light sin for us, if we thrust out those who have offered the gifts of the bishop’s office unblamably and holily.
44:4 Blessed are those presbyters who have gone before, seeing that their departure was fruitful and ripe: for they have no fear lest any one should remove them from their appointed place.
44:5 For we see that ye have displaced certain persons, though they were living honorably, from the ministration which had been respected by them blamelessly.
45:1 Be ye contentious, brethren, and jealous about the things that pertain unto salvation.
45:2 Ye have searched the scriptures, which are true, which were given through the Holy Ghost;
45:3 and ye know that nothing unrighteous or counterfeit is written in them. Ye will not find that righteous persons have been thrust out by holy men.
45:4 Righteous men were persecuted, but it was by the lawless; they were imprisoned, but it was by the unholy. They were stoned by transgressors: they were slain by those who had conceived a detestable and unrighteous jealousy.
45:5 Suffering these things, they endured nobly.
45:6 For what must we say, brethren? Was Daniel cast into the lions’ den by them that feared God?
45:7 Or were Ananias and Azarias and Misael shut up in the furnace of fire by them that professed the excellent and glorious worship of the Most High? Far be this from our thoughts. Who then were they that did these things? Abominable men and full of all wickedness were stirred up to such a pitch of wrath, as to bring cruel suffering upon them that served God in a holy and blameless purpose, not knowing that the Most High is the champion and protector of them that in a pure conscience serve His excellent Name: unto whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
45:8 But they that endured patiently in confidence inherited glory and honor; they were exalted, and had their names recorded by God in their memorial for ever and ever. Amen.
46:1 To such examples as these therefore, brethren, we also ought to cleave.
46:2 For it is written; Cleave unto the saints, for they that cleave unto them shall be sanctified.
46:3 And again He saith in another place; With the guiltless man thou shalt be guiltless, and with the elect thou shalt be elect, and with the crooked thou shalt deal crookedly.
46:4 Let us therefore cleave to the guiltless and righteous: and these are the elect of God.
46:5 Wherefore are there strifes and wraths and factions and divisions and war among you?
46:6 Have we not one God and one Christ and one Spirit of grace that was shed upon us? And is there not one calling in Christ?
46:7 Wherefore do we tear and rend asunder the members of Christ, and stir up factions against our own body, and reach such a pitch of folly, as to forget that we are members one of another?
46:8 Remember the words of Jesus our Lord: for He said, Woe unto that man; it were good for him if he had not been born, rather than that at he should offend one of Mine elect. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about him, and be cast into the sea, than that he should pervert one of Mine elect.
46:9 Your division hath perverted many; it hath brought many to despair, many to doubting, and all of us to sorrow. And your sedition still continueth.
47:1 Take up the epistle of the blessed Paul the Apostle.
47:2 What wrote he first unto you in the beginning of the Gospel?
47:3 Of a truth he charged you in the Spirit concerning himself and Cephas and Apollos, because that even then ye had made parties.
47:4 Yet that making of parties brought less sin upon you; for ye were partisans of Apostles that were highly reputed, and of a man approved in their sight.
47:5 But now mark ye, who they are that have perverted you and diminished the glory of your renowned love for the brotherhood.
47:6 It is shameful, dearly beloved, yes, utterly shameful and unworthy of your conduct in Christ, that it should be reported that the very steadfast and ancient Church of the Corinthians, for the sake of one or two persons, maketh sedition against its presbyters.
47:7 And this report hath reached not only us, but them also which differ from us, so that ye even heap blasphemies on the Name of the Lord by reason of your folly, and moreover create peril for yourselves.
48:1 Let us therefore root this out quickly, and let us fall down before the Master and entreat Him with tears, that He may show Himself propitious and be reconciled unto us, and may restore us to the seemly and pure conduct which belongeth to our love of the brethren.
48:2 For this is a gate of righteousness opened unto life, as it is written; Open me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter in thereby and preach the Lord.
48:3 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter in thereby.
48:4 Seeing then that many gates are opened, this is that gate which is in righteousness, even that which is in Christ, whereby all are blessed that have entered in and direct their path in holiness and righteousness, performing all things without confusion.
48:5 Let a man be faithful, let him be able to expound a deep saying, let him be wise in the discernment of words, let him be strenuous in deeds, let him be pure;
48:6 for so much the more ought he to be lowly in mind, in proportion as he seemeth to be the greater; and he ought to seek the common advantage of all, and not his own.
49:1 Let him that hath love in Christ fulfill the commandments of Christ.
49:2 Who can declare the bond of the love of God?
49:3 Who is sufficient to tell the majesty of its beauty?
49:4 The height, where unto love exalteth, is unspeakable.
49:5 Love joineth us unto God; love covereth a multitude of sins; love endureth all things, is long-suffering in all things. There is nothing coarse, nothing arrogant in love. Love hath no divisions, love maketh no seditions, love doeth all things in concord. In love were all the elect of God made perfect; without love nothing is well pleasing to God:
49:6 in love the Master took us unto Himself; for the love which He had toward us, Jesus Christ our Lord hath given His blood for us by the will of God, and His flesh for our flesh and His life for our lives.
50:1 Ye see, dearly beloved, how great and marvelous a thing is love, and there is no declaring its perfection.
50:2 Who is sufficient to be found therein, save those to whom God shall vouchsafe it? Let us therefore entreat and ask of His mercy, that we may be found blameless in love, standing apart from the factiousness of men. All the generations from Adam unto this day have passed away: but they that by God’s grace were perfected in love dwell in the abode of the pious; and they shall be made manifest in the visitation of the Kingdom of God.
50:3 For it is written; Enter into the closet for a very little while until Mine anger and Mine wrath shall pass away, and I will remember a good day and will raise you from your tombs.
50:4 Blessed were we, dearly beloved, if we should be doing the commandments of God in concord of love, to the end that our sins may through love be forgiven us.
50:5 For it is written; Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall impute no sin, neither is guile in his mouth.
50:6 This declaration of blessedness was pronounced upon them that have been elected by God through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
51:1 For all our transgressions which we have committed through any of the wiles of the adversary, let us entreat that we may obtain forgiveness. Yea and they also, who set themselves up as leaders of faction and division, ought to look to the common ground of hope.
51:2 For such as walk in fear and love desire that they themselves should fall into suffering rather than their neighbors; and they pronounce condemnation against themselves rather than against the harmony which hath been handed down to us nobly and righteously.
51:3 For it is good for a man to make confession of his trespasses rather than to harden his heart, as the heart of those was hardened who made sedition against Moses the servant of God; whose condemnation was clearly manifest,
51:4 for they went down to hades alive, and Death shall be their shepherd.
51:5 Pharaoh and his host and all the rulers of Egypt, their chariots and their horsemen, were overwhelmed in the depths of the Red Sea, and perished for none other reason but because their foolish hearts were hardened after that the signs and the wonders had been wrought in the land of Egypt by the hand of Moses the servant of God.
52:1 The Master, brethren, hath need of nothing at all. He desireth not anything of any man, save to confess unto Him.
52:2 For the elect David saith; I will confess unto the Lord, and it shall please Him more than a young calf that groweth horns and hoofs. Let the poor see it, and rejoice.
52:3 And again He saith; Sacrifice to God a sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows to the Most High: and call upon Me in the day of thine affliction, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.
52:4 For a sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit.
53:1 For ye know, and know well, the sacred scriptures, dearly beloved, and ye have searched into the oracles of God. We write these things therefore to put you in remembrance.
53:2 When Moses went up into the mountain and had spent forty days and forty nights in fasting and humiliation, God said unto him; Moses, Moses, come down , quickly hence, for My people whom thou leadest forth from the land of Egypt have wrought iniquity: they have transgressed quickly out of the way which thou didst command unto them: they have made for themselves molten images.
53:3 And the Lord said unto him; I have spoken unto thee once and twice, saying, I have seen this people, and behold it is stiff-necked. Let Me destroy them utterly, and I will blot out their name from under heaven, and I will make of thee a nation great and wonderful and numerous more than this.
53:4 And Moses said; Nay, not so, Lord Forgive this people their sin, or blot me also out of the book of the living.
53:5 O mighty love! O unsurpassable perfection! The servant is bold with his Master; he asketh forgiveness for the multitude, or he demandeth that himself also be blotted out with them.
54:1 Who therefore is noble among you? Who is compassionate? Who is fulfilled with love?
54:2 Let him say; If by reason of me there be faction and strife and divisions, I retire, I depart, whither ye will, and I do that which is ordered by the people: only let the flock of Christ be at peace with its duly appointed presbyters.
54:3 He that shall have done this, shall win for himself great renown in Christ, and every place will receive him: for the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.
54:4 Thus have they done and will do, that live as citizens of that kingdom of God which bringeth no regrets.
55:1 But, to bring forward examples of Gentiles also; many kings and rulers, when some season of pestilence pressed upon them, being taught by oracles have delivered themselves over to death, that they might rescue their fellow citizens through their own blood. Many have retired from their own cities, that they might have no more seditions.
55:2 We know that many among ourselves have delivered themselves to bondage, that they might ransom others. Many have sold themselves to slavery, and receiving the price paid for themselves have fed others.
55:3 Many women being strengthened through the grace of God have performed many manly deeds.
55:4 The blessed Judith, when the city was beleaguered, asked of the elders that she might be suffered to go forth into the camp of the aliens.
55:5 So she exposed herself to peril and went forth for love of her country and of her people which were beleaguered; and the Lord delivered Holophernes into the hand of a woman.
55:6 To no less peril did Esther also, who was perfect in faith, expose herself, that she might deliver the twelve tribes of Israel, when they were on the point to perish. For through her fasting and her humiliation she entreated the all seeing Master, the God of the ages; and He, seeing the humility of her soul, delivered the people for whose sake she encountered the peril.
56:1 Therefore let us also make intercession for them that are in any transgression, that forbearance and humility may be given them, to the end that they may yield not unto us, but unto the will of God. For so shall the compassionate remembrance of them with God and the saints be fruitful unto them, and perfect.
56:2 Let us accept chastisement, whereat no man ought to be vexed, dearly beloved. The admonition which we give one to another is good and exceeding useful; for it joineth us unto the will of God.
56:3 For thus saith the holy word; The Lord hath indeed chastened me, and hath not delivered me over unto death.
56:4 For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.
56:5 For the righteous, it is said, shall chasten me in mercy and shall reprove me, but let not the mercy of sinners anoint my head.
56:6 And again He saith; Blessed is the man whom the Lord hath reproved, and refuse not thou the admonition of the Almighty. For He causeth pain, and he restoreth again:
56:7 He hath smitten, and His hands have healed.
56:8 Six times shall He rescue thee from afflictions and at the seventh no evil shall touch thee.
56:9 In famine he shall deliver thee from death, and in war He shall release thee from the arm of the sword.
56:10 And from the scourge of the tongue He shall hide thee and thou shalt not be afraid when evils approach.
56:11 Thou shalt laugh at the unrighteous and wicked, and of the wild beasts thou shalt not be afraid.
56:12 For wild beasts shall be at peace with thee.
56:13 Then shalt thou know that thy house shall be at peace: and the abode of thy tabernacle shall not go wrong,
56:14 and thou shalt know that thy seed is many, and thy children as the plenteous herbage of the field.
56:15 And thou shalt come to the grave as ripe corn reaped in due season, or as the heap of the threshing floor gathered together at the right time.
56:16 Ye see, dearly beloved, how great protection there is for them that are chastened by the Master: for being a kind father He chasteneth us to the end that we may obtain mercy through His holy chastisement.
57:1 Ye therefore that laid the foundation of the sedition, submit yourselves unto the presbyters and receive chastisement unto repentance, bending the knees of your heart.
57:2 Learn to submit yourselves, laying aside the arrogant and proud stubbornness of your tongue. For it is better for you to be found little in the flock of Christ and to have your name on God’s roll, than to be had in exceeding honor and yet be cast out from the hope of Him.
57:3 For thus saith the All virtuous Wisdom; Behold I will pour out for you a saying of My breath, and I will teach you My word.
57:4 Because I called and ye obeyed not, and I held out words and ye heeded not, but made My councils of none effect, and were disobedient unto My reproofs; therefore I also will laugh at your destruction, and will rejoice over you when ruin cometh upon you, and when confusion overtaketh you suddenly, and your overthrow is at hand like a whirlwind,
57:5 or when ye call upon Me, yet will I not here you. Evil men shall seek me and not find me: for they hated wisdom, and chose not the fear of the Lord, neither would they give head unto My councils, but mocked at My reproofs.
57:6 Therefore they shall eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
57:7 For because they wronged babes, they shall be slain, and inquisition shall destroy the ungodly. But he that heareth Me shall dwell safely trusting in hope, and shall be quiet from all fear of all evil.
58:1 Let us therefore be obedient unto His most holy and glorious Name, thereby escaping the threatenings which were spoken of old by the mouth of Wisdom against them which disobey, that we may dwell safely, trusting in the most holy Name of His majesty.
58:2 Receive our counsel, and ye shall have no occasion of regret. For as God liveth, and the Lord Jesus Christ liveth, and the Holy Spirit, who are the faith and the hope of the elect, so surely shall he, who with lowliness of mind and instant in gentleness hath without regretfulness performed the ordinances and commandments that are given by God, be enrolled and have a name among the number of them that are saved through Jesus Christ, through whom is the glory unto Him for ever and ever. Amen.
59:1 But if certain persons should be disobedient unto the words spoken by Him through us, let them understand that they will entangle themselves in no slight transgression and danger;
59:2 but we shall be guiltless of this sin. And we will ask, with instancy of prayer and supplication, that the Creator of the universe may guard intact unto the end the number that hath been numbered of His elect throughout the whole world, through His beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom He called us from darkness to light, from ignorance to the full knowledge of the glory of His Name.
59:3 [Grant unto us, Lord,] that we may set our hope on Thy Name which is the primal source of all creation, and open the eyes of our hearts, that we may know Thee, who alone abidest Highest in the lofty, Holy in the holy; who layest low in the insolence of the proud, who settest the lowly on high, and bringest the lofty low; who makest rich and makest poor; who killest and makest alive; who alone art the Benefactor of spirits and the God of all flesh; who lookest into the abysses, who scanest the works of man; the Succor of them that are in peril, the Savior of them that are in despair; The Creator and Overseer of every spirit; who multipliest the nations upon earth, and hast chosen out from all men those that love Thee through Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, through whom Thou didst instruct us, didst sanctify us, didst honor us.
59:4 We beseech Thee, Lord and Master, to be our help and succor. Save those among us who are in tribulation; have mercy on the lowly; lift up the fallen; show Thyself unto the needy; heal the ungodly; convert the wanderers of Thy people; feed the hungry; release our prisoners; raise up the weak; comfort the fainthearted. Let all the Gentiles know that Thou art the God alone, and Jesus Christ is Thy Son, and we are Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture.
60:1 Thou through Thine operations didst make manifest the everlasting fabric of the world. Thou, Lord, didst create the earth. Thou that art faithful throughout all generations, righteous in Thy judgments, marvelous in strength and excellence, Thou that art wise in creating and prudent in establishing that which Thou hast made, that art good in the things which are seen and faithful with them that trust on Thee, pitiful and compassionate, forgive us our iniquities and our unrighteousnesses and our transgressions and shortcomings.
60:2 Lay not to our account every sin of Thy servants and Thine handmaids, but cleanse us with the cleansing of Thy truth, and guide our steps to walk in holiness and righteousness and singleness of heart and to do such things as are good and well pleasing in Thy sight and in the sight of our rulers.
60:3 Yea, Lord, make Thy face to shine upon us in peace for our good, that we may be sheltered by Thy mighty hand and delivered from every sin by Thine uplifted arm. And deliver us from them that hate us wrongfully.
60:4 Give concord and peace to us and to all that dwell on the earth, as Thou gavest to our fathers, when they called on Thee in faith and truth with holiness, [that we may be saved,] while we render obedience to Thine almighty and most excellent Name, and to our rulers and governors upon the earth.
61:1 Thou, Lord and Master, hast given them the power of sovereignty through Thine excellent and unspeakable might, that we knowing the glory and honor which Thou hast given them may submit ourselves unto them, in nothing resisting Thy will. Grant unto them therefore, O Lord, health peace, concord, stability, that they may administer the government which Thou hast given them without failure.
61:2 For Thou, O heavenly Master, King of the ages, givest to the sons of men glory and honor and power over all things that are upon the earth. Do Thou, Lord, direct their counsel according to that which is good and well pleasing in Thy sight, that, administering in peace and gentleness with Godliness the power which Thou hast given them, they may obtain Thy favor.
61:3 O Thou, who alone art able to do these things and things far more exceeding good than these for us, we praise Thee through the High priest and Guardian of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be the glory and the majesty unto Thee both now and for all generations and for ever and ever. Amen.
62:1 As touching those things which befit our religion and are most useful for a virtuous life to such as would guide [their steps] in holiness and righteousness, we have written fully unto you, brethren.
62:2 For concerning faith and repentance and genuine love and temperance and sobriety and patience we have handled every argument, putting you in remembrance, that ye ought to please Almighty God in righteousness and truth and long suffering with holiness, laying aside malice and pursuing concord in love and peace, being instant in gentleness; even as our fathers, of whom we spake before, pleased Him, being lowly minded toward their Father and God and Creator and towards all men.
62:3 And we have put you in mind of these things the more gladly, since we knew well that we were writing to men who are faithful and highly accounted and have diligently searched into the oracles of the teaching of God.
63:1 Therefore it is right for us to give heed to so great and so many examples and to submit the neck and occupying the place of obedience to take our side with them that are the leaders of our souls, that ceasing from this foolish dissension we may attain unto the goal which lieth before us in truthfulness, keeping aloof from every fault.
63:2 For ye will give us great joy and gladness, if ye render obedience unto the things written by us through the Holy Spirit, and root out the unrighteous anger of your jealousy, according to the entreaty which we have made for peace and concord in this letter.
63:3 And we have also sent faithful and prudent men that have walked among us from youth unto old age unblamably, who shall also be witnesses between you and us.
63:4 And this we have done that ye might know that we have had, and still have, every solicitude that ye should be speedily at peace.
64:1 Finally may the All seeing God and Master of spirits and Lord of all flesh, who chose the Lord Jesus Christ, and us through Him for a peculiar people, grant unto every soul that is called after His excellent and holy Name faith, fear, peace, patience, long-suffering, temperance, chastity and soberness, that they may be well pleasing unto His Name through our High priest and Guardian Jesus Christ, through whom unto Him be glory and majesty, might and honor, both now and for ever and ever. Amen.
65:1 Now send ye back speedily unto us our messengers Claudius Ephebus and Valerius Bito, together with Fortunatus also, in peace and with joy, to the end that they may the more quickly report the peace and concord which is prayed for and earnestly desired by us, that we also may the more speedily rejoice over your good order.
65:2 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all men in all places who have been called by God and through Him, through whom be glory and honor, power and greatness and eternal dominion, unto Him, from the ages past and forever and ever. Amen.

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