Accepting Christ Jesus - Disciples Path Ministry
Disciples Path Ministry
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Accepting Christ Jesus Doesn’t Change You
Disciples Path Ministry — Saint Augustine, FloridaSometimes we all tend to forget our minimal knowledge and even less wisdom. There is a realm in everyone’s mind where one is truly present and exists. Some refer to this place as one’s core. I believe that every human being, in their center, knows the Truth of God, but most choose to ignore it. By suppressing that knowledge, they are unable to participate in the grace, blessings, and salvation offered through a seed of wisdom with which we are all born. I encourage everyone to follow the truth—wherever it may lead! Being a true Christian is not easy — but it is simple.
Accepting Christ Jesus does not change you or your relationship with Him. Only time can do that. I don’t mean we need to study and memorize Scripture always. I don’t mean we need to attend church every single week and volunteer for every church activity. I also don’t say by using the word “time” that we have to be old in our years. What I do mean is that you must be spiritually mature enough to learn to love as Christ Jesus loves. As I previously said — being a true Christian is not easy — but it is simple.
It both saddens and upsets me that so many people, around the world, so easily fall prey to Satan and his demons. Rather than reject Satan and his demons’ lies, they fall victim (willingly) to his deceptions. He offers a strange new world where good is evil and evil is good. Satan is a master at blurring the line between right and wrong. True Christians, being spiritually mature, can easily see through the sociological and psychological twists Satan is successfully orchestrating. True Christians understand, accept, and look forward to a life that is about making choices every day—all day! We strive with all our might to keep God’s Spirit dwelling in us. We believe that only by God’s Spirit dwelling in us do we have eternal life dwelling in us! Created in God’s image, we are born for eternal purposes.
I will share more on the soul and immortality in future narratives, but I would be remiss if I did not share some points for clarity. The following will be brief and a high-level overview. I begin with information about the soul and then immortality.
The Hebrew word for soul is nephesh. Nephesh means a living, breathing creature. It is used to describe human beings, but also animals and even a dead body. The word soul used in the NT (New Testament) and translated from the Greek language is psuche. Psuche can mean breath, life, mind, us, and even the word you. What you need to know is that souls can die (Ezek. 18:4, 20). Now let’s address immortality.
Only God has immortality. Immortality is something humans must seek for (1 Tim. 6:16; Rom. 2:7). Immortality is something that all Believers must put on at the resurrection. It is a gift from God for all those that believe in Him (Jn. 3:16). Immortality is not and cannot be given before repentance and baptism. A person can forfeit this gift and lose it (Heb. 6: 4-6). Again, I say that to have God’s Spirit dwelling in oneself is to have eternal life dwelling within. However, we must endure until the end of life in the converted state (1 Jn. 5:11). It is God’s Spirit that gives life — and God’s Spirit is eternal! As long as God’s Spirit remains in someone, they have eternal life. However, they are not immortal. They are not immortal because they have not yet put on immortality!
Remember, we are created in God’s image for eternal purposes. Even so, accepting Christ Jesus does not change you. We must be born again, permitting us to be changed within. We must remain converted. We cannot merely talk the talk — we must walk the walk every day and all day!
Sometimes we are not sure why God puts someone in our path. I believe you are put in my path to help me, and I pray that I am in your path to help you. We both must endeavor with all we have in us to learn to love as Christ Jesus loves — Amen.