OUTLINE:
Life Is Good
This is not conjecture, it is a fact. God says so. (Ref: Jas 1:17; 2Ti 2:19-21; Phm 1:4-7; Php 4:4-9)
Life Is Good
Since God is good AND God is eternal life, then the life that God has is good. This is the same life we are given at salvation; it’s called “eternal life”, and WOW, it’s good! 🙂
Life is good because we have the grace gift of obedience.
Obedience Is a Grace Gift
By grace, God has given us commandments and the spiritual energy to obey them. Obedience is a blessing meant to sanctify us. The more we understand this, the more we rejoice, pray, and give thanks (ala 1Th 5:16-18) that “life is good.”
“world”
from aion – means an age, a cycle (of time), especially of the present age as contrasted with the future age, and of one of a series of ages stretching to infinity [Strong’s]
2Th 2:6-7
And you know what is restraining him [the antichrist] now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he [the Holy Spirit] who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.
1Jn 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
“test the spirits”
Some might ask, “How do I do that?” For starters, see if what the “spirit” is saying is appealing to your flesh or God’s will. It’s imperative you assess this honestly. If the answer is “my flesh,” then you know it cannot be from God.
Ac 16:16-17
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
“test the spirits”
If unbelievers are inherently evil, should we “buy into” anything they are saying? How about the believer-analog, namely someone dissipated of the Spirit? What if what they say is actually true (ala Ac 16:16-17)?
Sin is patient.
“test the spirits”
If unbelievers are inherently evil, should we “buy into” anything they are saying? How about the believer-analog, namely someone dissipated of the Spirit? What if what they say is actually true (ala Ac 16:16-17)?
“test the spirits”
Some might ask, “How do I do that?” For starters, see if what the “spirit” is saying is appealing to your flesh or God’s will. It’s imperative you assess this honestly. If the answer is “my flesh,” then you know it cannot be from God.
“purge”
from exairo – means to lift up, remove, eject; to put away
Jas 1:6-7 [NLT]
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
1Jn 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
“test the spirits”
Some might ask, “How do I do that?” For starters, see if what the “spirit” is saying is appealing to your flesh or God’s will. It’s imperative you assess this honestly. If the answer is “my flesh,” then you know it cannot be from God.
1Jn 4:1 [Message]
My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world.
Humility Is Key
Obedience is the fruit of humility that leads to sanctification.