Bible Studies

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 In the midst of our ongoing, daily, decision-making process, Satan and or those who knowingly or unwittingly speak for him, will bring up all the garbage that we have chosen to store away in our individual soul structure.

Satan knows the reality of Proverbs 23: 7. At any given time, we are what we think. What we are thinking determines what we say and what we do.

“…For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things (Matt. 12: 34, 35 NASB2020).” “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements (Matthew 15: 19 NASB2020).”

How many times have we asked, “What were we or others thinking,” when negative things were said and done?

Such garbage includes, but is not limited to the latest gossip, our lists of sin and failures of oneself and of others, human viewpoint, false doctrines and accompanying practices that religious “authorities” have introduced and promoted as having come from God (1).

If we choose to listen, Satan can influence our soul structures (2), but he can do nothing with the new creation (3) (regenerated spirit) that we became in Christ, the moment we were born-again.

LWhen we are Spirit-filled (submitted to the leading of God the Holy Spirit), we will think, say, and do what glorifies God. When we follow the leading of the Ephesians 6: 12 forces of evil or our own Romans 7 fallen nature, we will say or do what pleases them, or ourselves.

Upon arriving in Heaven (4), we go from positional sanctification (being set apart for the purposes of God here on Earth), to experiencing the full joy of the Lord, leaving the struggles within our soul structures behind, never again being challenged by even a thought of diabolical condemnation (5). Those who had been weak believers here on Earth will finally experience the eternal security that strong believers had all along.

But until then, weak believers may experience feelings of false guilt and diabolical condemnation. Such condemnation is intensified by those who do the devil’s bidding by threatening weak believers who don’t go along with the Man made, erroneous, religious teachings of men.

A weak believer is someone who is either ignorant of the truth, or has received the truth, but is struggling when it comes to applying it (6). One can be religiously strong and active, but spiritually weak and unproductive.

Mature believers will experience the John 8: 32 freedom and confidence after learning and applying the truth. There is what many (7) would call a downside to spiritual advancement.

Many advancing disciples will be put out of local assemblies (8) by religious authorities. These religious authorities believe that they (the ones in authority) are doing the work of God (9).

When Jesus walked among us, many “closet” believers wouldn’t express their spiritual convictions in fear of being thrown out of the synagogue. There are many closet believers today who will not express their spiritual convictions in fear of being denied such services as water baptisms, marriage ceremonies, and funerals that are offered to those who are “members of the club” that are in good standing.

Jesus issued an ominous warning for those believers who, when God gives them the opportunity, do not take a stand for Him and His Words. “His Words” consist of the unadulterated Gospel Message, and Bible doctrine pertaining to the Church Age and future dispensations to come.

“For whoever is *ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels (Luke 9:26 NASB2020).”

*Ashamed is an English translation of the Greek word (epaischunomai) that is used twice in this verse. Once referring to His followers, and once referring to Himself. Ashamed, in this verse is not referring to guilt. God the Son was never, is not now, or ever will be guilty of anything, but He states that He will be “ashamed.” In this verse, being ashamed means to be reluctant.

Reluctant means to be hesitant or unwilling to do something. What He is saying is that if we, when given the opportunity, are reluctant to share the unadulterated Gospel Message or an edifying principle of Scripture, He will be reluctant to acknowledge us as one of His disciples in the Court of Heaven.

Such reluctancy does not impact the security of one’s salvation, but may very well prevent a born-again believer from hearing the “Well done…” evaluation of his or her post salvation spiritual life.

End of Part Four

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(1) Matt. 15: 9 (2) 1Tim. 4: 1 (3) 2Cor. 5: 17 (4) Jude 1: 24 (5) Rom. 8: 1 (6) James 1: 22 (7) Matt. 7: 13 (8) 3John 10 (9) John 16: 2

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