SERMONS - BIBLE TEACHING - SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY - REVELATION
Work Out Your Own Salvation
June 4, 2023
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Salvation, such a wonderful gift of God to man.
Now, instead of preaching about all the variations how it is misunderstood by men - by some preachers and priests, and even believers today, I will rather point out what is common in these errant understandings.
They all deny some way, subtly or more openly, works of God in you.
They promote works of men, or saints, or churchgoings, or works of priests, or pastors. They all create stumbling blocks to that simplicity of salvation, that person-to-God relationship, either by denying some works of the Holy Spirit in you (by telling you that you do not need it for your salvation) or adding some works of men to it (by telling you that you must have it for your salvation).
Salvation is between you and God only. If you do not understand it, how then do you know him? What witness is in you? If you just "know" the Lord only through your priest, even pastor, through churchgoing, through your friend, through your family member, or just through that one day only of short "illumination" you remember, how do you truly know him? These, then, are as a veil between you and him, preventing you from entering into that holy place and truly knowing him.
These stumbling blocks might deny his direct workings in you, and his calling for you. And as such, did you enter? Does he know you? I pray you, let him work in you, so you may know him, as he knows you. And let him keep working; that is your witness. Were you invited by your pastor (or a friend or any other) to know the Lord? Blessed is that pastor, but now, as you believed on the Lord Jesus, let the Lord keep working in you, as salvation is of the Lord.
So, how you work out your own salvation? It is his (Holy Spirit's) work in you, which you do not deny him to perform and keep performing it in you, and that becomes your assurance and is your witness.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Christ be in you, the hope of glory.
-By Lubomir
Whom I Love in the Truth
June 11, 2023
The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
How do I love my brethren? How do I show my affection unto my brothers and sisters in Christ? Is it by smiling and waving? Is it by making them comfortable in their flesh? Is it by agreeing with their carnal doctrines? Is that in the scripture of truth?
The love of the brethren is in the truth. Without truth, there is no real love. Without the truth, there is no increase in the body of Christ, in members or in the blessings.
Now, how many "truths" are there? As many as the number of denominations? Brothers and sisters, can the Spirit be divided? Are there dozens of gospels?
You, brother, believe in your church's gospel, preached every Sunday by your pastor. But that sister believes in her church's gospel and her Sunday school teacher. So these are now two different ones. And there are more than two. But God is one. One Christ, one Spirit and one gospel. Brothers and sisters, how is it that we have numerous accounts of major Christian denominations and thousands of minor ones? Don’t you see that this is the Spirit divided? Divided by as many of spirits of error as basically the number of denominations? If they all disagree, at the best only one is right. But, which one? Of course, my church, you say. The pastor or priest from the other denomination would vehemently differ with that conclusion of yours. One spirit disagreeing with another. Does the Baptist church invite a pastor from the Pentecostal to preach one Sunday? They call each other Christian, but they are not united under one gospel, and as such not in one Spirit. Not one hundred percent, and if not a hundred percent, then not fully, and if not fully, then not truly. What is the error here, what is the cause of it? People following people is the cause. They each have their own flock. Many shepherds. This is in the flesh, in the spirit of error, not in the spirit of truth. Where is the one gospel of the one Lord, Christ Jesus? It is precious in these days.
What is the remedy?
When the first churches were established, they were called by the name of the city, not of denomination. Named by their location, not doctrine. Go to your local church, support it, but be taught by the one true Spirit, not a spirit of your denomination. Eat that bread of life (the Word of God) for yourself; read the scripture of truth (the Bible) yourself. Then come to the assembly to share it and support your church, as your conscience draws you there.
This is my loving message to you, brothers and sisters in Christ.
Christ be in you, the hope of glory.
-By Lubomir
After the Spirit
June 18, 2023
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
The scripture says:
The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Now, brothers and sisters, if the Lord Christ Jesus is in your heart, he is also in and on your mind. As it says in the scripture (Romans 7:25):
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
The apostle Paul says: "With the mind I myself serve…" that is, in his mind, he is Christ's, such that he is not claiming a spiritual ownership over the flesh, separating himself from the flesh (with the mind I myself… but with the flesh...). In other words, he is not identifying with his flesh.
Brothers and sisters, be of the mind of Christ, after the Spirit of Christ, after the Spirit kind of fruits, not after the flesh. A fleshly heart might deceive you that you are saved, but the Spirit will not deceive you. If you have not the Spirit of Christ, you are none of his. But if you are after the Spirit of Christ, that is your witness (that you have him). But if all you have is a carnal, worldly mind and are all in and after the flesh kind of deeds, that is also your witness, of possible condemnation. Do not play these rebellious games against the Lord God through and by your flesh, saying to yourself, BUT STILL SAVED, while rejecting the works of God in you! Who is putting this into your mind, by whose power is this uttering out of your mouth? The Spirit of God in you? The Holy Spirit does not utter things against himself. This is not well. And if it is not well, the flesh will desire it (Genesis 4:7-8). And if the flesh will desire it, you live after the flesh.
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.
Man, if you are in peace with your carnal life, it is the spirit of error you are letting in. But if the Spirit of God is in you, you will not be at peace of going after the flesh and worldly kind of things. Hear this alarm, or this whisper; it is of the Holy Spirit (not of the accuser, the devil, as some falsely teach).
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
What seeds are you after? After the flesh kind of seeds, or after the Spirit kind? If you are after the Spirit kind of things, with the mind of Christ, having the heavenly conversations, and then a thought comes upon you that you are not saved - that you did not do enough, and such - then you can answer and say, Get behind me, Satan, you have no power here, this is a pasture of righteousness, and of Christ Jesus, who loves me and died for me. And I will be risen with him.
But, if you are after the flesh kind of things, you will not be accused by the devil, but rather the Holy Spirit will reveal it to you to correct you. Let that work be done in you, it is not the work of the flesh, but of the Spirit in you. Through your conscience and other means, he (the Spirit of God) works in you. And if he does not work in you, even correcting you, how are you his, then?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
If Christ Jesus is in your heart, he is on your mind, as he is also in your ways.
If you are after his way and his truth, you have everlasting life. As Jesus says in John 14:
… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If you believe on Christ Jesus, the Son of the living God, and you have him in your heart and in your mind as your Lord and Savior, you have the Spirit of Christ. He is in you, and you enter into his righteousness, where you left sin behind you, and you are after the Spirit, and as such you are not in sin anymore. Sin is not present, you are free from it because Christ Jesus died for it; it is no more counted against you, as it was blotted out - it was left for dead, if you are after the Spirit of Christ. Your spirit by the will of Christ "left" the flesh of sin for "dead," and you live in Christ.
But remember, if he is not your Lord, he is not your Savior.
Christ be in you, the hope of glory.
-By Lubomir
Witness
June 25, 2023
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Oh, l believe on Jesus and that is my witness
I would not know it if he was not there
The Spirit of the Lord, he took me in to him
The Spirit of Christ, he washed me as I came
He let me step in, as he clothed me in his righteousness
He let me stay in, in his glory forever
And I walk with him and in him, forever and ever
Amen.
When you believe and trusted in Christ, that is your "witness". Christ in you is your witness. He abides in you; he does not leave you. That is your witness. That is his promise, by the Spirit of promise.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Let that Spirit of God work in you.
Would you truly believe without that "witness" of his workings in you? Take care of this witness in you. And do not let yourself to be the only witness by saying, I have that day, and it is enough. Let him, the Spirit of Christ, also be your witness. That is the true witness. How is he your witness? Again, by his workings in you. These are not doings of the flesh, but the work of God in you from the beginning (Matthew 16:17, John 1:13).
You say, He abides in me. How does he abide in you, if he is not working in you? And you say, How is he working in me? Many ways. It just might have already started if you are after the answer to your question. Pray for the workings of the Holy Spirit in you and in your brothers and sisters (Colossians 1:9-10). Blessed be his work forever.
Some say, You preach works. Yes, the work of the Holy Spirit!
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Don't let just that day, just that time, just that passed feeling, just that one preaching about Jesus, just that one prayer repeated after your pastor, be the only witness of salvation you obtained (for some an earthly "witness" if not prayed in the Spirit and given by the power of the Holy Ghost). Again, let his workings in you be your witness. The Spirit of Christ does it, he performs it. Even after he called you in and cleansed you in the blood of mercy and grace and you were reborn in the water of washing and came out of the water. And you are now "walking" on the water of righteousness and there is no law (even of gravity) against it. Look unto Christ Jesus, believe on him, follow him, walk with him. He is your Lord and Savior.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Christ be in you, the hope of glory.
-By Lubomir