Blue Lights Flashing On Your Six [A Bible Devotional]

[Read Matt 5 and Rom 7 and Eph5:8-10]

Yesterday I was pondering two different perspectives of the "Law." Specifically, the Speed Limit. It dawned on me that the "Speed Limit" was never intended to be construed: "...this is how fast you should be going." As though the Law was meant to be interpreted in the sense of what is "*allowable.*" The Law's purpose is not to designate what is allowable but to establish what is *CONDEMNED.* As Paul conveyed it Romans7, stating that the Law has no power to justify because the Law's purpose serves ONLY to condemn -and so no one can be saved by obeying the Law [because all are guilty of breaking the Law and need to be forgiven; the Law is NOT capable of forgiving -only God can forgive... ...which is why Paul explains that salvation is by the grace of God and not our works- Eph2:8,9 ... ...albeit, vs10 reveals that we are not altogether exempted from good works because we were, indeed, created to do good works.(sorry got sidetracked :) ].

As I pondered upon it longer, I realized that this same "tunnel-vision" view of the Law [i.e. "That's what it says; that's what I'll do."] is the view for which Jesus was "correcting" the teaching of the religious leaders... ...for instance, we read in Matthew5 how the religious teachers taught "do not
murder... ... ...do not commit adultery..." -Jesus corrected this "tunnel-vision" interpretation of the Law by explaining, [in retrospect to idea of the Speed Limit sign], that "do not kill" was the "Limit." However, Jesus revolutionized the "tunnel-vision" view of the Law by expanding the interpretation beyond the mere "limit"so that His followers would realize that it's not about the "Limit" but about the heart... ...for instance, Jesus said that if you were furious with your brother then you were virtually guilty of the very reason the Law "Do not murder" was established.

The Law [including a Speed Limit sign :p ] is there to CONDEMN you if you go beyond the limit prescribed -so wouldn't it be wise to keep a safe distance under the "limit" to avoid inadvertently transgressing the Law? Are you furious with anyone..? ...are you guilty of looking at "eye-candy"{lust of the eyes}..? If so, it's time to ease back on the pedal!

I can guarantee you this one thing: If, every time you see a Speed Limit sign, you bear in mind Jesus' "revolutionary" [though not really "revolutionary" so much as "*intended*"] way of interpreting the Law **AND ABIDE BY IT** -you will never get a speeding ticket :) 

IN HOT PURSUIT

The Scriptures dictate that those who "continue to practice (i.e. habitually commit) sin"{cf. 1John3:4-10 below} will not inherit the kingdom of God-
@ Gal5:
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
Gal 5:21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, !!and things like these!! I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
@ 1John3:
1Jn 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
1Jn 3:5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
1Jn 3:6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
1Jn 3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
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...if it were impossible to live holy day by day; then the Scriptures would not teach expressly and explicitly that we are to BE HOLY{1Peter1:15-16}... ...and to "PURSUE... ...holiness without which no one will see the Lord"{Heb12:14}.
The Greek word in Heb12:14 translated "follow"{KJV} and "pursue" in other versions is: διώκω / diōkō [G1377]. This word is used in extra-biblical texts to describe the pursuit of a predator for its prey... ...if you have ever watched an Animal Kingdom documentary where a lioness is "pursuing" her prey and doesn't stop until she takes it down -then this is the idea being conveyed in Heb12:14 when we are commanded to "*pursue*... ...holiness."
If this does not describe your attitude towards obtaining holiness then according to Heb12:14, without such "pursuit-" "NO ONE will see the Lord."
In closing, call to mind: Philippians2:12-13... ...where Paul admits that he has not yet reached perfection; but that he continues to "follow after"{διώκω / diōkō [G1377]} that to which he is called -i.e. holiness/perfection... ...every day we should becoming more and more like Jesus as we διώκω / diōkō ["fervently pursue" (G1377)] holiness{Heb12:14}...

@ 1John2:6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

@ John15:6 If anyone does not abide in me [i.e. if anyone does not walk in the same way in which I walk{cf. 1John2:6}] he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
["Thrown away like a branch... ...to be burned" is an unequivocal allusion to condemnation in the lake of fire.{cf. Rev21:8}]

Operating System (OS): Holiness 7 -service pack (sp): "eternity"

A thought occurred to me just now; as I was studying the Scriptures; and this analogy in my mind was quite profound... ...I hope it is as profound and meaningful to anyone else who reads this...

I imagined the human soul{i.e. body, mind and will} as a computer hard drive... ...as everyone might know, the hard drive is what contains the programming for your PC; everything your PC does is dependent upon the operating system which is programmed upon the hard drive.

When we are "born-again" it's like when you upgrade your PC's operating system--> i.e. the operating system is renewed and improved while [if all goes well with the PC upgrade unsure emoticon ] all your files stay intact. The "files" of one's soul are the soul's life experiences which do not get deleted...

As a born-again believer, God has included in our new "operating system" the maintenance program and "antivirus" protection combo called "the Holy Spirit." This “programming” works along side of God’s newly installed operating system to insure that the "PC"{i.e. the soul} functions properly for its intended purpose{i.e. to imitate Jesus (cf. Rom8:29/1John2:6)} and that no access is allowed to harmful "files" which could lead to a virus resulting in corrupting the OS.

The evidence that your programming has been updated by God and that the "Holy Spirit" is installed [and active] will be manifested by: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control;{Gal5:22-23} -and a mind set and determined upon pleasing God in all things{Php2:13/1Cor10:31}.

The evidences of a virus will be manifest by: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.{Gal5:19-21}.

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**Warning:** Even the BEST antivirus cannot protect your PC from a virus if you INTENTIONALLY and HABITUALLY expose your PC to threats:

--> Heb10:

Heb 10:26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Heb 10:27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

Heb 10:28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Heb 10:29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

Heb 10:30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people."

Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

--> 1John3

1Jn 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

1Jn 3:5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

1Jn 3:6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

1Jn 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

1Jn 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

1Jn 3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

[Pay special attention to 1John3:4; i.e. "lawlessness" -and then read the next passage]

--> Matt7

Mat 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

Mat 7:23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of LAWLESSNESS.'

^^"Lawlessness"^^ is the deliberate and habitual sin which one trivializes and/or for which one is not genuinely repentful. "Lawlessness" corrupts God's programming... ...and any ignored "virus" will eventually lead to "lawlessness." Paul warned of the consequences of ignoring “viruses”--> “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”{Gal5:19-21}.

What OS Are You Running? -and is your antivirus ACTIVE?!

With THE WORD and a word for the Day: Calumniate

...perhaps one of the most asked, and concerning, questions about the Bible is : What is the "unpardonable" sin- e.g. "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit."

The Greek word translated "blasphemy" in Mark3:29 is βλασφημέω / blasphēmeō [G987]. This Grk word means to calumniate the character of another. What does "calumniate" mean? I'm glad you were wondering so that I could tell you...

Calumniate basically means to damage the reputation of another. [How many know that one's actions{not just words} can often result in the defamation of an entire corporation?]
In reference to blasphemy of/calumniating the Holy Spirit, this is when a professing born-again follower of Christ [and "partaker of the Holy Spirit"{cf. Heb6:4}]  premeditates and knowingly commits sin despite having conviction from the Holy Spirit against that sin. Such behavior is not only an offense to the Holy Spirit{Eph4:30}; but also, is defamatory of the Christian-walk which is guided by the Holy Spirit. [Someone may ask: "How is it defamatory if no one knows about it?" -Well, "the eyes of the Lord are in every place..."{Pro15:3} ...and He's the main Witness all should be concerned about since it's His Spirit we are calumniating.] How do I justify such an emphatic statement concerning the presumed scriptural-ly elusive: "unpardonable sin?"

Some suggest that "the unpardonable sin" nowhere dictated in the Scriptures... ...but let's first talk about the word "nowhere." I'm sure most have been given a word puzzle in which you were told to construct a word list making as many words as you can from the word "____." Well, I'm going to address just two words extracted from "nowhere."
Obviously, we all know that "no-where" means not to be found anywhere... ...but is it true that the "unpardonable sin" is no-where to be found explained in the Scriptures? -Or is the answer NOW-HERE: In the chapters of Heb6:4-6 and Heb10:26-31 we are given a clear and decisive occasion for which sin would be "unpardonable:"
} Hebrews 6:4-6
Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

} Hebrews 10:26-31
Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

...so let's sum it up: Jesus informs us that blaspheming the Holy Spirit is unpardonable; Heb6:4-6 and Heb10:26-31 informs us that it is unpardonable to sin with premeditated knowledge of that sin... ...thus "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit" aka "the unpardonable sin" is to calumniate the Holy Spirit through sin(s) of commission.

Suffice to say, if you have confessed all known sins{the Holy Spirit will reveal it} and genuinely repented of those sins, then according to 1John1:9, God is "*just*"{meaning that He will discern whether one has genuinely repented} and we can trust that, if our repentance is genuine, He will "forgive us and **cleanse us of all unrighteousness.**" So, if you know, through the Holy Spirit, that *right now* you have confessed and repented of all sins for which the Holy Spirit has convicted you -then *right now* you are "cleansed of ALL unrighteousness" and therefore not [/no longer] guilty of "the unpardonable sin." If while reading this the Holy Spirit convicts you of any sin then confess and genuinely repent right now to receive forgiveness and cleansing... ...then follow Jesus' advice: "You are to no longer continue in sin"{cf. John5:14/John8:11}.

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cf. Calumniate-  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calumniate