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I am a retired pastor of
the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India. |
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
What is the cross? It means death, but it will not end there. It follows by glory in resurrection. But it is not, and it should not be an ornament or Idol. It may also mean martyrdom. If the cross is invisible, it will mortify the deeds of the body, that is sin as in Colossians 3:5. People like apostle Paul, have dedicated to suffer with Christ for their reward as in Philippians 3:10-11 and Hebrews 11:35. If anyone endure suffering conformable unto his death, he will attain glory as unto his resurrection. The cross of Jesus Christ killed him when he was a man. The cross is a symbol of death. Jesus Christ taught about the cross to his disciples. The preaching of the cross includes the unseen cross of every true Christian. Cross is not an ornament to wear or to carry for decoration with dignity, but it is an instrument of death, and it should kill our own self for the glory in heaven.
God the Father has sent 'God the Word' to die as a sacrifice on the cross. Preachers preach that Jesus died in our place so that we do not have to die, but it is a lie and deception. The devil is the one preaching through them. Just before the cross, Jesus was exceedingly sorrowful and asked God the Father, if the cross could pass from him, as in Matthew 26:39&42 even though he knew that he came to the world to be killed. It proves that cross is torturous and extremely painful, even to Jesus. But he endured the cross by looking forward to the resurrected glory, as in Hebrews 12:2.. "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Jesus Christ was raised from death and was seated on the right hand of the throne of God. Next verse strengthens us. "3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." So, we must also endure our cross, looking forward to our rapture. Romans 8:17 says "... we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." The word of God does not preach, to escape the cross; but to endure our cross, and to mortify our deeds of sin on our cross.
Preachers preach and sing that there is room in the cross for you, to hide and take shelter under, so that we may not be sent to hell to be punished. But Jesus Christ told us to take our cross and to follow him to die behind him. It could be as martyrs or as living sacrifices. He tells us to take our cross knowingly and willingly to die. It will be our dedicated submission to die. Jesus Christ says in Matthew 10: "38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Luke 23:26-30 also says the same thing. We must lay our life down willingly and knowingly, and it should not be a surprise. If you are afraid to do it, then stay away from the calling, since it is not mandatory for those who do not want to follow him as his disciples. It is only to the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. It will be a difficult task. But they do it for better resurrection, which is similar to that of Jesus.
Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." So, let us not die but live; but sacrifice our body of sin on our cross. Let us live as a living sacrifice for God. It should be our invisible cross that kills our life of sins. Colossians 3 says, "3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them." These verses say that these people were living in sin, some time before, but they have crucified or killed or mortified all sins and now dead to sins, and so their life is in Christ, so they have escaped the wrath of God and will be with Jesus Christ on the second coming rapture. If we do not die to sin on this invisible cross, we will have no rapture. Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. So, if Jesus Christ is in us, our body of sin is dead and by the Spirit we live in righteousness. So, we will be raised in the rapture. So, if our sins are mortified, but it is not the body, the body will be our tabernacle, we will be the sons/daughters of God. So, it is not the cross of Jesus Christ, but our cross, that mortifies our body of sins, causes us to become sons of God and to be with Jesus Christ on the rapture. Verse 17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." We will be joint-heirs with Jesus Christ in heaven.
1 Corinthians 1:18 says "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." Those who are in fake grace and fake salvation will perish, they are foolish people. But those who are saved from their sins, they are saved by the power of God. Here, the preaching of the cross gave them power to overcome their sins. Verses 19&20 says that the cross will be wisdom to godly people, but it will destroy the wisdom of the world and of the devil. "21... it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Galatians 5:11 says, "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased." Circumcision here means the membership in the church. If we go with the flow of the church, we will not bear the life of the cross. But if we mortify the sins of the body, on our cross, it will convert us as new creatures. So, here we are crucified with him. Romans 6 says, "6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:" This need no further explanation, since we have already seen the same thing. Galatians 5 says, “24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Here, an additional alert is given. Most Christians say that they are in Christ, or they are new creature, but still continue in sin. The word of God warns these fake Christians saying that if they proclaim it, then they must walk accordingly, as new creature.
Ephesians 2:13-17 say, the cross of Christ has "abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; and have made Jews and Gentiles as one that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by his cross." That is, by his death on the cross, he did abolish the separation of Jews and Gentiles and made all as one group for salvation. Even from the previous scriptures we have seen that Jesus Christ does not count circumcision for salvation. So, Jews has no preference. Colossians 2 says “14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; … 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: So, he confirms that all ceremonial works, including feasts, and sabbath are made void by the cross of Jesus Christ. But we must mortify our sins on our cross, and it is needed for salvation.
Jesus Christ has obeyed God the Father unto the death of the cross, and as a result, he was made Lord and God, for heaven, earth, and hell. God has cited this obedience of Jesus and tells us to obey with fear for our own salvation. Philippians 2 says, "8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." That is, his death on the cross in obedience to God the Father, made him to be the Lord of all. Jesus tells us in "Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Jesus Christ has set the precedent; so, let us pick up our cross in order to sit on his throne.
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God Bless You
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Matthew 28:20, & Mark 16:15. Jesus Christ preached his commandments to obey, as his Gospel; it is the true Gospel to inherit Eternal life. Genesis 3:1-4 & 2 Corinth 11:2-4. But Preachers, who are Serpents of Satan, preach the life of man Jesus just to believe, but not to live as a chaste virgin, as the gospel; it is another gospel, which cannot and will not give Eternal life.
The true gospel will convert evil people to do good and thereby they will inherit the kingdom in heaven.
John 3:19-21 say that people are two kinds, evil and true. Evil doers will not come to the Light, who is God; but people of truth come to God for their deeds to be made manifest. We have good and evil people by our standard of our society or culture. These evil people may be converted to be doers of truth by the power of God, and they may inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
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