Continue Doing Good

So let's add what else we need with those fruits of spirit, because Paul says in (Rom. 13:7-10) (v.7) Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. (v.8) Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. That’s the biblical definition of love, the keeping of God’s law. And you thought love was kissing and hugging and rolling around in bed. (v.9) For this, THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, THOU SHALT NOT KILL, THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, THOU SHALT NOT COVET; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF. (v.10) Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

And that is what God’s holy commandments are all about; the first four tells you how to love God and the last six tells you how to love your neighbor. If you love your God you will not do any thing to offend him, like having other gods before him. You will do as he says like remember the sabbath day to keep it holy on the seventh day of the week. If you love him you will obey him when he tells you not to eat certain meats etc… And the same goes for your fellow man, if you love your neighbor you wouldn’t steal from him, you wouldn’t kill him, you wouldn’t try and sleep with his wife and so on and so forth. This is God’s definition of love and it is perfect in its ways. So if you say that you know God, but you don’t keep his commandments, lets see what the Lord had specially written for you. (See exodus 20: 1-17)

I've been thinking a lot about that passage,

Galatians 6:7-8 KJV
7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

When we do fleshy things/thinking, we reinforce that behavior in our brain chemistry and connections. This is turn potentiates more fleshy behavior/thought. The sowing to the flesh is the choosing and doing according to the flesh, and it damages the flesh's propensity to do good. We can still do good, only, we are going against a stronger flesh. More corrupted.

When we do the Spirit things, we reinforce that, and in doing spiritual things, we are walking in our eternal life, the life of the Spirit in me.

Much love!

Thanks, love back at you
I'm confident this is true and at least a part of what Jesus was referring to in John 8.

John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.


But regardless of whether Jesus was referring to something carnal or demonic, we have a significant part of the answer in Romans 6

Romans 6:1-7
What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

As someone stated earlier, to God be the Glory, because we can't do anything without Jesus Christ.

I think this is also shown in the passages regarding renewing the mind. Our spirit is born of God, but our brains are still wired the old way. So we have to go against our thoughts and feelings as we wait for those thoughts and feelings to change. The more we go with the old way, the less quickly they will change.

Much love!

To me it seems like we don't even have the choice to continue doing good for the rest of our lives unless we get freed from sins, but afterward it can become less difficult if we renew the mind. I'm open to learn more on that subject.

The way I understand this, and it seems to play out in my life, that we've been freed from our sins, having been born again. But the old way of thinking is literally ingrained into our brains, and continues on.

Have you ever thought about the "chatter" going on in your head? How so much of it seems irrelevant, or just downright fleshy? Focused on this world, focused on pleasures and fears and needs and hiding? It's what remains of the person we were before we were born from God.

Now we are a new creation,

Ephesians 4:22-24 KJV
22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We feel all these things we do because that was the man we were. But the deceipt is that these are no longer our desires. We've been recreated patterned after God Himself. Paul goes on to say so stop lying, and tell the truth. Stop stealing, and instead give to others.

You've been created a new person, so don't let the old person "live" any longer, by giving in to the old ways. We are called to take on the new ways, knowing that God is already working inside us to change us.

Ephesians 4:20 on, Colossian 3, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 6, really, Romans 3-8, learn these fully.

As we sit outside that "chatter", we listen, and we evaluate, "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ". We have that power, to self-moderate, because God has both made us new, and is working in us making repairs already. Those repairs are both to our ability to perform what is good, and our ability to choose it,

Philippians 2:12-13 KJV
12) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work (katergadzomai - perform) out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13) For it is God which worketh (ergon - work) in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

If you want to go through some of these passages, that would be terrific!

Much love!

Hebrews 6:7-8

For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.

Also, how is
Romans 2:6-8
God “will repay each one according to his deeds.” To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.

not eternal life based on one's deeds?

John 5:28-29
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.

Did Paul think he was talking to Galatians who had faith in Christ Jesus and had the Holy Spirit?


Galatians 3:26
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:6-7
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.

Galatians 3:1-2
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh? Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing? Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?



Did Paul warn those same Galatians that Christ could become of no value at all to them?

Galatians 5:1-4
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.

Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.



And who did Paul warn that those who practiced the sins in Galatians 5:19-21 would not inherit the Kingdom of God?

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6
14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.

Hebrews 13:16, "but to do good and communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased".

Acts 26
19So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

Galatians 2
11When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned. 12For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

Every day we are able to find someone new to be a Blessing to.

Sweet!

Romans 2:12
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.”


See that part Christian’s aren’t under the law , and aren’t going to be judged by Moses law but rather the gospel has revealed mankinds judge and judgement

“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12:48-50‬ ‭

We can choose Moses if we choose the law but it’s going to mean an accusation

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:45-46‬ ‭KJV‬‬

See moses understood the messiahs words would judge the people and not his

“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭18:18-19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

moses understood way back then that Jesus words would be the words God requires of his people Peter understood also

“For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭3:22-24, 26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:42-44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As did Paul

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭17:30-31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

my point is we aren’t going to be judged by Moses words in the law , but by Christs words in the gospel.

So we don’t want to think we’re going to be judged by the law we aren’t we already were and we died to it and belong to another now

at he importance is big because Jesus taught contrary judgements to Moses for instance if we follow the law of Moses laws of marriage and divorce , if we keep his law we’re going to be guilty of adultery according to Jesus words about marriage and divorce

It’s important to know which testament word we belong to because they are for two different purposes one imputes every sin without mercy or pardon to make men guilty before God

The other remits sin and offers grace and mercy and truth to teach us life and promise us salvation

James 1
21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

James 2
14What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

Revelation 22:12“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.

Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.

Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.

Romans 2:6God “will repay each one according to his deeds.” 7To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.

Colossians 3: 25Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

Romans 14:
10Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11It is written:

“As surely as I live,

says the Lord,

every knee will bow before Me;

every tongue will confess to God.”

12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.