Bible Studies

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The Biblical command (not an option) to refrain from fornication and adultery (1) is for our own protection, and for the protection of others who could suffer as a result of our desire to receive immediate, but temporary gratification.

A twenty-minute exhilarating roll in the hay can result in a lifetime of negative consequences, and in some cases, life-ending scenarios. The same can be said for making choices while under the influence of drugs or alcohol (2).

In the spiritual realm, we are what we choose to be.

Born again believers can choose to listen to and obey the voice of God, or they can listen to the many alternative voices that can influence our souls if we open the doors to them.

We are the product of our own decisions, inevitably reaping a crop from the good or evil seeds that we have sown (3). We have little (if any) control over much of what comes to our door, but we have complete control over how we choose to respond to it.


Through discipleship, all Church Age, born-again believers have the opportunity to develop (4) and to apply the “mind of Christ (1Cor. 2: 16)” to all that they think, do, and say.

But unlike salvation that only requires a one-time act of faith, discipleship (the ongoing study and application of the Word of God) is a life-long process and an uphill climb. The path to spiritual maturity is not an easy climb. The intensity of the adversity that advancing disciples will encounter increases as one gets closer to the summit of spiritual maturity.

It'll is comforting to know that advancing disciples have the Matt. 28: 20 assurance that they will not walk alone.

“. . . I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28: 20 NASB2020.”

. . .

At the moment we are born again, we become a new creation (5) in Christ that has the option of becoming all that we can be in our relationship with the Lord.

God speaks to the new creation in us through such things as His indwelling Spirit, His Word, and through positive and negative (6) events that He directs or that He allows to take place. An indication that we are pleasing God is the persecution (7), suffering (8), and adversity that the devil and or his world (9) will throw at an advancing disciple. As challenging as these things can be, it’s to our credit to be considered a worth-while target by the devil and the forces of evil.

Advancing in the post salvation spiritual life will be the desire of the new creation within us, but will not be pleasing to the fallen nature. There will be a relentless battle between these two forces of influence that compete with each other for the immediate control of our thought processes.

The Army of God is an all-volunteer outfit. God does not force born-again believers into discipleship.

One of the reasons nominal Christians do not experience much persecution, suffering, and adversity is because they pose no threat to the devil’s agenda. Many such Christians unwittingly support the devil’s agenda just by being the way they are, encouraging others by their example to do the same.

Why would the devil want to change that?

He don’t!

It’s the ones that shine their light into the darkness who get the devil’s attention. We can choose to live to please God, or we can choose to live for the things that please ourselves, other people, or the devil.


Providing they are appropriately obtained and retained, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the good things that life here on Earth has to offer (10). There is a problem when such things compete or take for the place of God and or the things of God in our list of priorities (11).

What we can NOT do, is to serve two masters (12).


Circumstances do not change who and what we are in Christ, but our outward appearance, mannerisms, speech, and behavior, reveals who or what is dominating our thought processes at any given time, be it God, the devil, or the fallen nature within us, independent of God.

When we are operating under the influence of God the Holy Spirit, our personality and countenance will exhibit the Gal. 5:22 characteristics. Such characteristics include, “… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… (Galatians‬ ‭5: 22‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬).”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

When we are operating under the influence of the “dark side” of the fallen nature within us, our personality and countenance will exhibit the Gal. 5: 19-21 characteristics. These characteristics include, “. . . ‭‭sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing (Gal. 5: 19-21 NASB2020).”‬‬‬‬

The eternal forgiveness and salvation of a born-again believer is never in jeopardy (13), but that does NOT mean there aren’t other earthly (14) and eternal (15) consequences for the sins that a born-again believer commits (16).

Eternal security is NOT a license to sin.

Don’t mistake God’s mercy, giving time and opportunity for sinners to repent, for the condoning of sin. There will come a time when God has had enough.

Before we get too upset over the amount of mercy that God is extending to others, consider where the one we see in the mirror would be if it weren’t for the undeserved grace of God.

In conclusion, rather we have been born-again or not, every human soul is capable of choosing to produce deeds of human good and or evil, for a variety of reasons, mostly self-serving.

 Spirit-filled, born- again believers, can be used of God (17) in the production of divine good (18), for which there is reward in Heaven.

Which ONE of the TWO sides of us that is in view at any given point of time is determined by the source of influence we choose to follow (19) at the moment.


End of Part Two

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(1) Hebrews 13: 4 (2) Ephesians 5: 18 (3) Galatians 6: 7 (4) 2Pet. 3:18 (5) 2Corinthians 5: 17 (6) Job 2: 10 (7) 2Tihians mothy 3: 12 (8) 1Peter 2: 20 (9) Luke 4: 6 (10) 3John 1: 2 (11) Rev. 2: 4 (12) Matt. 6: 24 (13) Romans 8: 1 (14) Hebrews 12: 6 (15) 1Corinthians. 3: 15/Galatians 5: 21 (16) 1John1: 8 (17) John 15: 5 (18) Mark 4: 20 (19) Romans 6: 16 ‭‬‬‬‬‬

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