The Bible reveals clearly that the God head is made up of three separate Persons, each distinct from the other. The first is called God the Father, the second is God the Son and the third is God the Holy Spirit. These three separate Persons make up the one God that we serve. Each one of these three Persons is God in all fullness.
No one is greater than the others. The three Persons are united in one and there can be no separation. Each one of these three is the Creator, the Lord, and the eternal God. Yet we do not have three Creators, Lords, or eternal Gods, but One. Let us examine the Scripture on important issues of eternal consequence;
Scriptural Insights
John 14:6 "Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, But by Me." Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven giving among men, whereby we must be saved." 1 John 5:11-13 "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God."
a. Jesus Christ is The Way The Truth and The Life.
The Scripture says: "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel; The Lord our God is One Lord."Mark 12:29 God the Son came to the world in human form.
His name was called Jesus Christ. He came to save mankind from sin and
to restore man to eternal life with God.
John 1:1-3, 10, 14 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew him not. 14 And the Word was made flesh and
dwelled among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." Matthew 1:21-2321 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us."
Your eyes now have opened clearly to the One
that suffered because of your sins, the One that was crucified on the
cross, that died, was buried and rose from death on the third day; the
One that gave the commission that the gospel be preached in all the
world to make people believe on Him for the forgiveness of their sins
and the salvation of their souls; the One that went back to heaven
and promised that He would be coming back to the world to take His
true believers to be with Him and to condemn rebellious sinners to
everlasting hell fire, prepared for Satan and his angels. Your eyes have
opened clearly to who JESUS is — our Lord and our God.
John 20: 27-29 27 "Then said He to Thomas, Reach hither
thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and
thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing 28 And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because
thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have
not seen, and yet have believed."
- There Is No Salvation In Any Other Religion Or Belief.
All those who seek the salvation of their souls
through other religions or persons (saints, prophets, masters, etc.)
can never find true salvation and can never enter into heaven. John 10:8-11 "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thieve cometh not, but for to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have
life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good Shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." To reject Jesus is to reject the God of your
life. To reject Jesus means you have chosen to go to hell and be
damned forever along with Satan and his subjects.
- Special Adoration Or Worship Of Any Saint Is Idolatry
Romans 1:20-22, 25, 28 "For the invisible things of Him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they
are without excuse, 21 Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 25 Who changed the truth of God into a
lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator,
who is blessed for ever. Amen. 28 And even as they do not want to retain
God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to
do those things which are not convenient."
Those who give special adoration to Mary or
worship her, who pray to Mary or through her or pray to or through any
other person, dead or alive, should know that they are not Christians
but idol worshipers and have no place in the kingdom of God. Mary is
a creature of God as all of us are. She was chosen by God for the
service of giving birth to Jesus in the same way as God chose Abraham
to be the father of faith, Moses' mother to give birth to Israel's
redeemer from Egypt, David to be the king of Israel and established
his kingdom over Israel for ever. None of these receive special honour
and worship. God's choice of men for special function continues to
this day. He chooses men to carry out specific functions according to
His divine purpose.
JESUS, the Creator of heaven and earth,
when on earth, was the Son of Mary in the ordinary sense as He was
the Son of David. The Lord is the Saviour of all men. Mary
acknowledged that the Lord is her Saviour. Luke 1:46,47 "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Mary is in heaven now not because she was the
mother of Jesus, but because she believed that Jesus was the Son of
God and was saved from her sins through faith in Christ as every other
saint now in heaven. Only God should receive special adoration and
worship and not His creatures.
Acts 10:25, 26 "And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man."Acts 14:11-15 "And when the people saw what Paul had
done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia,
The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these
things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto
you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are
therein."
Revelation 22:8, 9 "And I John saw these things, and heard
them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before
the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then said he unto me, See thou do it
not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets,
and of them which keep the saying of this book: worship God."
If Mary should come alive on
earth today, she would reprove those who give her special adoration
and worship. But, alas, Satan has filled a whole Christian
denomination with satanic signs and wonders to convince them that Mary
hears and answers prayers and accepts their worship, to their eternal
regret in the flames of hell. Let no man deceive and destroy you with
teachings that are based on human traditions and not on the holy
Scripture. Save your eternal soul by repenting of your sins and
accepting Jesus only as your Lord and Saviour. Withdraw yourself from Mary's and saint's adoration or worship.
Leviticus 26:1 "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven
image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up
any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the
LORD your God." Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images." 1 John 5:21 "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."
b. The Salvation of Your Soul From Sin and Hell
The way of salvation from sin and hell fire is
clearly revealed in Scripture. If you follow the path of salvation
shown in the Scripture, you will surely be saved. God has never
predestined you to eternal damnation. He is merciful to you. Do the
following for your salvation from sin and hell fire:
Firstly, accept the fact that
you have sinned against God through disobeying His commandments. You
have done many evil things against God, against yourself and your
fellow men. By virtue of your sins and wicked deeds, which may be many
or few, you are justly condemned by God and are in the number of
those doomed for everlasting destruction in hell fire.
Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have
also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God." Psalm 51:3, 4 "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified
when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest."
Secondly :God is a merciful God
who freely forgives the sins of those that repent and seek His
forgiveness. Confess your sins to Him, repent of them and plead with
Him to forgive you.
Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and
He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly
pardon." Psalm 51:1, 2 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to
thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitudes of thy tender
mercies blot out my transgressions
2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."
Thirdly: Jesus Christ is the
Saviour from sin. You cannot stop sinning by your power without Him.
Welcome Him into your life to give you the power to overcome sin.
When Jesus comes into your life He will save you from sin and give you
the power of righteousness. Jesus is the universal Saviour from sin.
Apart from Him there is no other one and no other way.
Acts 16:30, 31 "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."John 1:12 "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Fourthly, when you give your
life to Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven and you have a new life
from God. Your name enters into the book of life in heaven. Surely,
you will not want to start committing new sins and to get your name
removed from the book of life. You must determine to continue in
Christ by living a righteous life every day to the end of your life on
earth. Make sure you have a good Bible. Study your Bible regularly
and pray always to God for His grace to live the Christian life. Obey
God's word in every area of your life. The Holy Spirit will guide
you into all truth, obey Him. Do not be afraid of man and be not ashamed
of following Jesus. Dissociate from evil friends, relationships and
associations.
1 John 3:9, 10 "Whosoever is born of God doth no commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God, 10 In this the children of God are
manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not
righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." Colossians 2:6-8 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him. 7 Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
Having given your life to Jesus Christ, you will
need to submit yourself to water baptism. Water baptism follows
repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:35-39 "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they
came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water;
what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with
all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand
still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the
eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the
water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw
him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."
The scriptural water baptism is one immersion
into water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost.
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."
Water baptism is not for ignorant and
unconverted children, nor for unrepentant adult. Those who were
baptized when they were still sinners need to be baptized when they
truly repent and give their lives to Jesus Christ. The apostles
practiced water baptism according to the instruction given to them by
the Lord Jesus Christ. 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." Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ as seen in
the above passage and in other passages in Acts of the Apostles means
baptism as instructed or authorized by Jesus Christ.
- Baptism With the Holy Ghost
Baptism with the Holy Ghost or the gift of the
Holy Ghost is the coming of the Holy Spirit upon a believer in
baptismal measure for the purpose of filling him with power for
effective Christian service. All believers are promised the baptism
with the Holy Spirit by God. This is received by prayer and faith on
God's promises. Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that
the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth." Luke 11:13 "If ye then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him."
The scriptural evidence of baptism with the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues as the Spirit inspires. Acts 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 10:44-46 "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost, 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God."
Speaking in tongues as evidence of baptism with
the Holy Spirit is given to every believer who is baptized with the
Holy Spirit for the purpose of prayer and personal edification. This
is, however, different from speaking in tongues as a ministry gift
which God does not give to every believer, as the gifts of prophecy,
healing, working of miracles, etc.
1 Corinthians 12:28-31 "And God hath set some in the church,
first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of
tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."
Now that you are in Christ, the Lord expects you
to serve Him with a conscience void of offence toward God and toward
man. Hence you will need to take some corrective actions over your
past life, according to the teaching of the Scripture. This may
involve settling your differences with those offended by you, paying
back your just debts, returning stolen property, apologizing for lies
told, false claims, fraudulent acts; dissolving your unscriptural
marriage union, given up false certificates. This is called
restitution.
The Holy Spirit will reveal to you those things that
require your corrective actions, according to the word of God. God
will be with you as you carry out your
restitution and His grace will
be sufficient for you. Restitution as an act of righteousness will
fill you with joy and peace and will glorify the name of the Lord
among men.
Ecclesiastes 3:15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past." 1 Samuel 12:3-5 "Behold, here I am: witness against me
before the LORD, and before His anointed: whose ox have I taken? or
whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I
oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine
eyes therewith? and I will restore it you, 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. 5 And he said unto them, The LORD is
witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that ye
have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness."
Ezekiel 33:14-16 "Again, when I say unto the wicked,
Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is
lawful and right: 15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give
again that he hath robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without
committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16 None of his sins that he hath committed
shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and
right; he shall surely live."
Luke 19:5-10 "And when Jesus came to the place, He
looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and
come down; for today I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste and came down and received Him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it they all murmured, saying, That He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the
Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I
have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him
fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, for as much as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Acts 23:1 "And Paul, earnestly beholding the
council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience
before God until this day." Acts 24:16
"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men."
Some restitution require counseling from true
and wise men of God, especially those involving others. Take
sufficient counsel before carrying out such restitution. Proverbs 11:14 "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety."
c. The Church to Worship God With
The Bible is very clear on this area. Follow the
instructions of the word of God so that you can preserve your
salvation to the end of your life on earth. The Bible warns us against
joining the wrong church.
Proverbs 13:20 "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Matthew 15:7-9, 14 "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8. This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. 9 But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
Matthew 23:13, 15 "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go
in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in, 15 Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte
(convert), and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of
hell than yourselves."
From the above and many other scriptures we
understand that some churches are ignorant and foolish to the ways of
God. Their worship of God is only lip service. Some of these churches
are completely demonic in origin and in activities. They are deeply
buried in their sins. Their leaders are blind guides. If you are in
such a church you will be made twice a child of hell than the
leaders themselves. Not all churches teach the truth that leads people
to heaven: beware and be warned! Do not join such a church and if you
are already a member, you must withdraw yourself.
Do not allow
family, ethnic, tribal, religious or denominational politics to hinder
you from obeying the clear instructions of the Scripture. If you
are the leader of such assembly, you need to repent of your sins and
give your life to Jesus Christ and allow your members to worship God
in the true way with a true church of Christ.
Humble yourself and obey
the truth that will save your soul
. Isaiah 48:17-20 "Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the
Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to
profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy
righteousness as the waves of the sea: 19 Thy seed also hath been as the sand,
and the offspring of thy bowels as the gravel thereof; his name
should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before Me. 20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from
the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it
even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed His
servant Jacob."
- Characteristics Of A Good Church Of Christ
The Bible reveals the characteristics of the
fellowship of true believers. Look for a true church of Christ and
worship God with them. Again, do not allow the politics of religion or
denomination to affect your obeying Bible instructions which are for
your eternal life.
2 Timothy 2:2, 22 "And the things that thou hast heard of
me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, which
shall be able to teach others also. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow
righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord
out of a pure heart."
1 John 1:3, 5, 7 "That which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and
truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus
Christ. 5 This then is the message which we have
heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is
no darkness at all. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in
the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."
Matthew 28:18-20"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. 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: 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."
As seen in the above scriptures
and many others, a true church of Christ is built upon the word of
God. The leaders faithfully preach and teach the word of God. They
do not change Christ's doctrines along with the changing world. The
members serve God in righteousness and holiness. The presence of God
is clearly manifest among them in the demonstration of power and gifts
of the Spirit.
Acts 4:23, 29-33 "And being let go, they went to their
own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had
said unto them. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy Child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 32 And the multitude of them that believed
were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that
ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all
things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles
witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was
upon them all.
Locate a true church of Christ and worship God
together with the brethren. This will help to preserve your Christian
faith and prepare you for eternal life. If you are a minister over a
congregation, make sure you practice and teach all the word of God so
that you can save yourself and them that hear you.
Matthew 7:4, 5 "Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam
out of thine own eye; and then shall thou see clearly to cast out
the mote out of thy brother's eye." Ezra 7:10 "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. 1 Timothy 4:15, 16 "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."
It is unfortunate that many churches today have
slipped into fleshly gratification of
music and dancing. During the
ministry of the word and prayer the members are dull and sleepy. They
become fully awake and active when music and dancing resumes. The
preachers are being tempted to introduce music and dancing regularly
and to prolong this period during worship service to keep the
worshippers awake. This is seen as dance worship and they feel that
God is greatly glorified by it. Unknown to them, this is Satan's
subtil device to steal away the word of God and prayer from the church
and deny sinners and believers concentration on the word of God and
prayer by which they can be saved, sanctified and empowered.
Christian music and worship must be pure and holy and be devoid of
worldliness.
James 1:21 "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and
superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls." 2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."
Music and dancing, not the word of God and
prayer, is now the instrument many churches are using to preserve
their youths. This is building the youths upon a sandy foundation.
Neither such churches nor their youths have a future. Matthew 7:27 "And the rain descended, and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and
great was the fall of it."
God bless the holy church that builds her youths
upon the word of God and prayer. This is building the youths on a
sound foundation. Such churches and their youths have a glorious
future. Luke 6:48 "He is like a man which built an house,
and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the
flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not
shake it: for it was founded upon a rock."
d. The Outward Appearance of a Holy Christian
1 Peter 1:14-16 "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
God is holy. He demands holiness from those
that desire fellowship with Him. God wants His children to be inwardly
as well as outwardly holy. This means not only is our inward
attitude, but also our outward appearance is important to God.
Exodus 20:26 "Neither shall thou go up by steps into My altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered." God does not want our sensitive body parts to
be exposed to the view of public eye. Exposing sensitive body parts to
the public causes defilement among men and dishonours God. The Bible
reveals that some adornment, designs and dressing styles do not belong
to God's children but to the ungodly and sinners.
Proverbs 7:10-12 "And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)"2 Kings 9:30 "And when Jehu was come to Jezreel,
Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tied her head,
and looked out at a window."
Believers are bought with the precious blood of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
To expose the sensitive parts of our body to the public through rough
and improper dressing is to defile the body, the temple of the Holy
Spirit. To put on the attire that makes us look like harlots or
rascals is to grieve the Holy Spirit and incur His wrath.
1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." When God instructed Jacob to go up to Bethel, the
place he first met with God, he told his household to cleanse
themselves from evil and to change their dressing.
Genesis 35:1-4 "And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up
to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that
appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy
brother. 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and
to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among
you, and be clean and change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel;
and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day
of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. 4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange
gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in
their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem."
Encounter with the holy God must produce not
only inward visible change, but also outward visible change. Encounter
with the holy God by anyone, male or female, should lead to removal
and destruction of ungodly clothes and change of dressing style to
conform to His nature of holiness. Right from the Old Testament time
God warned His people against make-ups and ungodly attire.
Deuteronomy 22:5 "The woman shall not wear that which
pertaineth to a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for
all that do so are an abomination unto the LORD thy God."
In our day there are women that wear trousers
and put on shirts, looking like men in appearance. Some argue that the
trousers are feminine in design. There is no excuse in that. True
children of God know that such are attires of harlots. No child of God
who knows the holiness of God and claims to be walking on the narrow
way to heaven will put on such attires. All that do so are abomination
to God and will never enter into heaven. It is unfortunate that
some preachers permit or encourage their members to put on these
ungodly clothing. Some are silent about the ungodly outward appearance
of their church members. They shall go with their members to hell.
There is no respect of persons with God.
Isaiah 56:10, 11 "His watchmen are blind: they are all
ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying
down, loving to slumber. 11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can
never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they
all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter."
- The Dressing and Comportment of Holy Women
The Scripture says the following concerning the outward appearance of holy women:
1 Timothy 2: 9, 10 "In like manner also that women adorn
themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not
with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."
1 Peter 3:2-5 "While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning, let it not be that
outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of
putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the
heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek
and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time
the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in
subjection unto their own husbands."
The word
"gold" in the passages
above means jewelry, which is a collective word for earrings, rings,
nose rings, chains, necklace, bracelets: items of ornamentation or
bodily decoration. Holy women of old time did not adorn themselves
with items of beauty and worldliness which were prevalent among the
backsliders and ungodly society of their day. They clothed themselves
with meekness, quiet spirit, and holiness, which is in the sight of
God of great price. They were modest in outward appearance
.
Worldliness to be Avoided in Christian Dressing
The Bible reveals the worldliness in adornment
that characterized the Old Testament time, which has continued to
today. The ungodly daughters of Zion borrowed these worldly adornments
from the heathen nations around them. God had warned Israel not to
learn the ways of the heathen.
Isaiah 3:16-20 "Moreover the LORD saith, Because the
daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and
wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling
with their feet: 17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a
scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD
will discover their secret parts,18 In that day the Lord will take away the
bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their
cauls, and their round tires like the moon, 19 The chains and the bracelets and the mufflers, 20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, 21 The rings, and nose jewels, 22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins. 23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. 24 And it shall come to pass, that instead
of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a
rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a
girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty."
The Holy Spirit listed these items to make the
men and women of God know and avoid them. To adorn yourself with
these things makes you unholy before God. Today there are children of
God, even men and women of God, who use earrings, nose jewels, chains,
necklace, rings. These things hinder them from being truly holy in the
sight of God. Humble yourself and remove them and do not risk your
eternal soul by vain arguments. There is no correction of your ways
after death.
Psalm 50:21, 22 "These things hast thou done, and I
kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as
thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine
eyes, 22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver."
Cleanse yourself and keep yourself from all forms
of worldliness and worldly adornment, such as, palming or jerry
curling of the hair, use of hair attachment, mini-skirts,
split-skirts, armpit-exposing blouses; keeping long nails, painting of
face, lips, nails; wearing of wigs; and whatever Satan introduces
into the world to defile the holiness of God's children. 1 Corinthians 7:1 "Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
We are living in the New Testament era and God
has given to us the full revelation of His word and will. We should
not consider the case of any Old Testament character as an excuse to
obeying the full word of God. Never take shelter under the teaching or
outward appearance of any man or woman of God which does not conform
to the standard of God's word. They shall not stand for you, but for
themselves before God in that day. As the men are not to put on women
clothing so also they are not to do their hair like women. If a man
adopts the hairdo of women he is an abomination unto the Lord. The
believer's haircut must not be according to the fashion of the world.
The woman also must not have haircut like man. The Bible says it is a
shame to the woman to be shorn.
1 Corinthians 11:3-16 "But I would have you know, that the
head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man;
and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or
prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that
is even all one as if she were shaven. 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her
also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or
shaven, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his
head, for as much as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman
is the glory of the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that the woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering."
Christ is the Head of the man and man is the
image and glory of God. The man is the head of the woman and the woman
is his glory. During worship: prayer, prophesying or preaching, the
man should not cover his head. During this formal period Christ is the
One in headship and God's glory is to be seen. If a man covers his
head at this period it shows he has covered the headship of Christ and
the glory of God. During this formal period, man is not in focus, he
is not in headship and the glory is not his but God's, hence his
headship and glory are to be covered.
This is visibly done by the veil
on the woman's head. Angels who minister to the saints during
worship expect submission to this rule by Christ's followers. Outside
this formal period, the wearing of any kind of veil by man is not an
offence as long as it befits a believer and does not transgress the
law of decency.
Similarly, outside this formal period, the woman is not under obligation to be veiled. This is because her long hair "Is a glory to her for her hair is giving her for a covering."
Covering her head with a veil is only required during worship, after
which she is at liberty to leave her head uncovered by a veil. Her
hair could be seen on her to her glory in her normal living. Her
hairdo must be decent and befitting to a believer. She must avoid
hairdo that changes her hair from the natural to unnatural. That will be lying against the truth and grieving the Holy Spirit.
She must not plate gold or items of beauty and fashion into her hair.
She should avoid the use of jewellery and the art of dressing for
show. 1 Peter 3:5 "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves."
e. God's Standard in Marriage
God who instituted the marriage union has a
standard for it. The Scripture clearly shows God's standard that is to
be followed and observed by His children. God is interested in the
marriage of His children. He gives good husbands and wives to those
that come to Him. Seek the face of God earnestly to receive His choice
of a marriage partner.
Proverbs 19:14 "House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord." Matthew 7:11 "If ye then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which
is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him."
The Scripture warns believers against marrying
unbelievers. An unbeliever is someone who has not been saved from sin
through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is a sinner. He or she may be
active in the church and profess to be a Christian, but there is
clearly no evidence of such profession. Such should not be married by a
child of God.
Titus 1:16 "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 "Be ye not unequally yoked together
with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteous-ness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of
God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath
said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
1 Corinthians 7:39
"The wife is bound by the law as long as
the husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to
be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."
Deuteronomy 7:3, 4 "Neither shall thou make marriages with
them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his
daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4 For they will turn away thy son from
following Me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the
LORD be kindle against you, and destroy thee suddenly."
Do not esteem such advantages as beauty, same
tribe, same church, educational attainment, social status, wealth,
family background, etc. above the requirement of Scripture. Do not
risk your eternal soul. It is better not to marry at all than to marry
an unbeliever.
Those who are already married should know that God
is the marriage builder. He can repair every marriage union and solve
every problem between husband and wife, however complex. Bring your
marriage before the Lord; He will put it in order and give you peace.
Psalm 68:5, 6 "A Father of the fatherless, and a Judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: He
bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious
dwell in a dry land."
1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."
God has giving us in the Scripture His standard in marriage. Those who desire to serve Him must keep this standard.
Mark 10:6-9 "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh; so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
The scriptural marriage is a union between one
man and one woman in holy wedlock. Those who marry more than one wife
are sinners before God. The man who does so is committing adultery
against his wife and shall be judged by God. If he desires to repent
of his sins and follow the Lord Jesus Christ, then he must put away
those women he is committing adultery with, whatever the number of
years they have stayed together and whatever the number of children
they have gotten in the marriage. Separation is required between him
and the illegal women and not the children. He should remain with his
first wife. The scriptural law of marriage binds a man to his wife
and a woman to her husband as long as the other marriage partner is
alive.
Romans 7:2, 3
2 "For the woman which hath an husband is
bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the
husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth,
she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but
if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no
adulteress, though she be married to another man."
1 Corinthians 7:39
"The wife is bound by the law as long as
her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to
be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
The law of marriage binds a husband to his wife
and the wife to her husband as long as both of them are still alive.
Divorce and remarriage to another person is not allowed. Whoever
divorces and remarries when the marriage partner is still alive has no
part in the kingdom of God. He or she is committing adultery.
Mark 10:10-12
10 "And in the house His disciples asked Him again of the same matter.
11 And He saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."
If you are married to another woman or as a
woman you are married to another man, apart from your first scriptural binding marriage partner, you are in a wrong relationship
and must dissolve it, if you want to please God. You should go back
to your first lawful marriage partner or stay unmarried.
1 Corinthians 7:10, 11
10 "And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
11 But and if she depart, let her remain
unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband
put away his wife."
- "Saving For the Cause of Fornication," Explained
There are those who say that adultery committed by
one of the partners in a marriage union can result to scriptural
divorce and remarriage. This understanding comes from the
misinterpretation of the following scriptures:
Matthew 5:32
"But I say unto you, That whosoever shall
put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her
to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery."
Matthew 19:9
"And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put
away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry
another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away
doth commit adultery."
The issue here that can cause
divorce is fornication and not adultery. Unfortunately some Bible
translations replace the word fornication with marital unchastity or
marital unfaithfulness. Many stumble by these renderings. Fornication
is a sin which is committed by someone who has not yet entered into
the marriage union. The following scripture will give understanding of
the above scriptures:
Matthew 1:18-20
18 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on
this wise: when as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before
they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just
man, not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put
her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things,
behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."
In this scripture Mary was called the wife of
Joseph, when they were still in betrothal relationship and the
marriage union had not yet been contracted. When Joseph thought that
Mary had become pregnant through fornication he made up his mind to
put her away and would have done so, except that God stopped him and
gave him a clear explanation concerning Mary's pregnancy.
Among the
Jews the betrothal stage of marriage was binding on the partners and
they were not to separate from each other, but must enter into the
marriage union in the appropriate time. Jesus in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9
above showed that fornication by either of the partners in betrothal
relationship can break the betrothal bond and the other party could be
free to marry another. This is in consonant with the uniform
revelation of the New Testament on this subject. No Scripture stands
alone.
Among Christ's followers, we must note that when
two believers are in bond to marry each other and one of them
backslides from the faith, such marriage proposal must discontinue.
The other partner has become an unbeliever and can no more be married,
to keep to the standard of the Scripture. If the backslider repents
and gets restored and the believer still feels persuaded to continue
with the marriage proposal, it is acceptable. He or she is not
marrying a sinner but a believer. Let us consider that scripture
again.
Matthew 19:9 "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put
away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry
another, committeth adultery: and whoso married her which is put away
doth commit adultery."
- Seven Facts to Prove That Adultery Cannot Cause Divorce
Note that the clause "except it be for fornication"
is not found in the gospel accounts of Mark and Luke and in the
epistles. The following facts show clearly that this scripture does
not refer to adultery or marital unfaithfulness committed by a husband
or a wife in a marriage union already contracted.
No. 1: Jesus said a husband and
wife in a proper marital relationship are one flesh and are no more
two. This bond is made by God and man has no power to cancel it.
Matthew 19:4-8 "And He answered and said unto them,
Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them
male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man
leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they
twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto Him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the
hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but
from the beginning it was not so."
No minister, church or custom has authority to
dissolve the marriage bond between husband and wife in a scriptural
marriage union. Divorce pronouncement in a law court by a Judge based
on the laws of the country does not dissolve a scriptural marriage
union, because the laws of God are higher than the laws of any
country.
No. 2: The grace of God in
Christ Jesus gives the believer the power to forgive his fellow men of
all sins, including adultery, even as he or she has been forgiven
by God:
Matthew 18:32, 33 "Then his lord, after that he hath
called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all
that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? 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."
The forgiveness a backslider receives from God
restores him to the love and fellowship of God and restores to him his
rights and privileges in Christ. Anyone who practices the word of God
will forgive the wife or husband of all sins including adultery and
restore him or her to marital love, fellowship, rights and privileges.
No. 3: Jesus showed that adultery is as evil as every other sin in the sight of God, damnable and forgivable. John 8:4, 5, 7, 10, 11 "They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou? 7 So when they continued asking Him, He
lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among
you, let him first cast a stone at her. 10 When Jesus hath lifted up Himself, and
saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine
accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
Here we see that if adultery has the power to
destroy life or lawfully terminate marriage, then every other sin can
do the same, because all sins are equally damnable before God. Jesus
forgave this woman of her adultery and cleansed her from her sin. Can
any one condemn someone Christ has justified? Can any man or woman
call unclean what God has cleansed? Can the husband of this woman
reject her in marriage and be doing God a service?
No.4: Believers are instructed
to remain bound in marriage to their unbelieving partners as long as
the unbelieving partners desire to remain married to them.
1 Corinthians 7:12, 13
12 "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord:
If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased
to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him."
1 Peter 3:1, 2
1 "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own
husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear."
The unbelieving marriage partner which the
believer is instructed to condone with commits every kind of sin,
including adultery certainly. By this the Holy Spirit is showing that
no sin is strong enough to break the marriage bond.
No. 5: God loves children and
seeks to protect and save them; hence He hates divorce. Divorce does a
lot of harm to the children born into the family.
1 Corinthians 7:14
"For the unbelieving husband is sanctified
by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband:
else were your children unclean; but now are they holy."
Malachi 2:14-16
14 "Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the
LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against
whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the
wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not He make one? Yet hath He
the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That He might seek a
godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal
treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that He hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously."
One may reason thus: "Will not God also seek to
protect the children born to the unlawful marriage?" The God of mercy
is also the God of truth. He will not lay aside His eternal truth to
show any one mercy.
No. 6: Adultery in marriage does
not separate the marriages of sinners around us in the world in which
we live. Many of our unbelieving neighbours forgive and condone
with the adulteries of their marriage partners. Should sinners become
more reasonable, forgiving, patient, enduring and loving that the
saints? It is not too much for any believer to forgive the adultery
committed by his or her marriage partner, because even sinners do the
same! The Lord of the church has given us a righteousness not lower,
but higher than that of sinners.
Matthew 5:46, 47
46 "For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so."
Matthew 5:20
"For I say unto you, That except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and
Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
No. 7: The Lord has confirmed
this truth to many of His servants that saw Him face to face in a
divine encounter. Divorce and remarriage to another partner when the
first lawful partner is alive is damnable in hell fire.
Hebrews 2:1-3 "Therefore we ought to give the more
earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we
should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was
steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just
recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so
great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,
and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him?"
- The Believer Must Remain Unmarried if the Unbelieving Partner Departs
The Bible further instructs that if the
unbelieving marriage partner decides to depart from the marriage, such
one can go. The believer is guiltless of the separation. He or she
should remain peaceful in Christ. 1 Corinthians 7:15 "But if the unbelieving depart, let him
depart. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases: but
God hath called us to peace."
Note that this scripture does not negate or
nullify the instruction and command of the other scriptures. The two
are still one flesh and the law of marriage states that neither of
them should remarry as long as the marriage partner is still alive.
The unbelieving partner or backslider who has departed can receive the
conviction and salvation of the Lord at any time and reunite with the
marriage spouse.
Luke 15:17, 18 "And when he came to himself, he said,
How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare,
and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee."Philemon 15, 16
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever.16 Not now as a servant, but above a
servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto
thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?"
If the unbelieving partner does not return, let
the believer remain alone and count it a blessing from God who makes
all things work together for the good of the eternal souls of His dear
children. His wisdom is at work and His grace will be sufficient in
all ways.
1 Corinthians 7:7, 27, 32 "For I would that all men were even as I
myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this
manner, and another after that. 27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. 32 But I would have you without
carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong
to the Lord, how he may please the Lord." The Scripture warns that "Whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery."
Because of this warning, let every married man
examine his marriage and be sure that he is not married to another
man's wife and let every married woman examine her marriage and be
sure that she is not married to another woman's husband. You may need
to make detail investigation and seek counselling from scripturally
sound ministers to ascertain your case. Questions like these may be
helpful. Was your spouse married before?
Did the first marriage secure
parental consent? Was it seen as marriage by the people in the
society? Will you sincerely judge yourself married or on married, in
the light of the Scripture? Much prayer, investigation and counselling
will reveal the truth. Unlawful marriage union must be dissolved,
for the purpose of eternal life. Those who are entering into the
marriage union must investigate properly to ensure they are not
entering into unlawful union.
F. How to be Holy and Maintain the Holy Life
God demands holiness from His people because
holiness is His nature. Every thing associated with Him is holy. His
name is holy; His word is holy; His angels are holy; His abode,
heaven, is holy; His saints are holy. When Satan and his angels came
short of His holiness standard He drove them away from heaven and
condemned them to everlasting fire.
Ezekiel 28:15, 18
15 "Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by
the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick;
therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of
thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the
earth in the sight of all them that behold thee."
Heaven is eternally holy. Jesus came to this
world to save men from sin and make them holy so they can be with
him in his eternal dwelling place. The instruments God uses to make
men holy are the blood of Jesus, the word of God, the Holy Spirit, the
name of Jesus, and of course His holy ministers, who teach and lead
men to holiness. The holy life is one that does not commit sin, that
loves God wholeheartedly, loves fellow men sincerely and keeps God's
commandments totally.
Holiness begins at the salvation of the soul,
deepens at sanctification of the heart and is established by personal
discipline and diligence in keeping God's word. Hence the holy life
requires the unified actions of both God and the believer. The
believer submits himself to God to make him holy and diligently
exercises himself to obey and practice the word of God. To obey God
regularly requires faith in God and regular prayer for His grace.
Ezekiel 36:25-27"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon
you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all
your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a
new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them."
Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; 26 That He might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word,
27 That He might present it to Himself a
glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without blemish." Hebrews 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God,
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
1 Thessalonians 5:23 "And the very God of peace sanctify you
wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be
preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Psalm 51:5-7, 10 "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desireth truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
The above scriptures and several others show the
promises of God to make you holy and the means He has provided to make
you holy. God who makes you holy is able to preserve you in His
holiness to the end of your life.
Jude 24, 25 "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, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, and dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." Pray earnestly through faith in Christ and
receive a clean, pure and holy heart and life from God. Persist in
prayer until you have the witness, assurance and evidence.
- Seven Things To do To Keep Your Holy Life To The End
When God has cleansed, sanctified and filled you
with His holiness, it will be required of you to employ the help of
God and the means of grace to preserve yourself in His holiness. The
scriptures show us how to keep ourselves in the holiness of God every
day of our life. We must follow scriptural guidelines carefully so as
not to lose God's holiness and the eternal life it gives.
No. 1: Study and meditate regularly on God's word and obey it promptly.
Psalm 119:9-11,60 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wonder from thy commandments.11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments."
No. 2: Associate with holy people and learn the sound doctrines of God's word that will establish you in scriptural holiness.
Psalm 119:63 "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts."
Malachi 4:16, 17 "Then they that feared the LORD spake
often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a
book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the
LORD, and that thought upon His name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD
of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare
them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." 2 Timothy 2:22 "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow
righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord
out of a pure heart."
No. 3: Have a firm determination
to keep yourself from all kinds of sins: in marriage, in the family,
in the church, in the Christian ministry, in your business career,
educational pursuit, workplace and everywhere.
Job 27:3-6 "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. 5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. 6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live."
Daniel 1:8 "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he
would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor
with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of
the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."1 Thessalonians 2:10 "Ye are witnesses and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe."
No. 4: Employ all means of grace
to resist sin, Satan and the influence of the ungodly world in your
life and bring your body under subjection so that you may win the
crown of life.
Romans 6:12-14 "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as
instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto
God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
1 Peter 5:8, 9 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
that are in the world."
1 Corinthians 9:27 "But I keep under my body, and bring it
into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to
others, I myself should be a cast away."
No. 5: Preach and teach holiness
firmly and consistently. This will make your family, church and
companions holy and serve as a means of strengthening and preserving
you in the holy walk.
Psalm 40:8-11 "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. 10 I have not hid thy righteousness within
my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I
have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great
congregation." 11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me."
Genesis 18:18, 19 "Seeing that Abraham shall surely
become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command
his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way
of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon
Abraham that which He hath spoken of him."
Colossians 1:28, 29 "Whom we preach, warning every man,
and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily."
No. 6: Give more attention to
holy living than to success and achievement in life. Make sure all
your success and achievements are gotten in holiness, Be determined to forgo any gain in this life that
would take holiness away from you and be prepared too to suffer any
reproach or persecution that comes against you as a result of your
holy life.
Matthew 16:24-26 "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. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?"
Philippians 3:7-9 "But what things were gain to me, those I counted
