2 Timothy 3:1-5 this know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away

In these days (the last days) we should be taking what is said in these scriptures seriously and examine our lives and let the truth do, what is supposed to do which is to set us free.

The scriptures speak of a people who have a “form of godliness” so when looking at them we must say that it’s talking to “church people” only Christians can have a “form of godliness”. Some who doesn’t believe can’t have a form of godliness because they are simply ungodly, so it can only be a believer who can have a form of godliness.

So what does “form of godliness” look like? Well as I have stated it is a Christian but a Christian who is a “lovers of their own selves”, a Christian who has not taken up his cross, a Christian that not denied himself. It is a Christian that has started off in the Spirit but is in the flesh.

How can I say that well we look at “the fruit” covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. These fruits are the fruits of the flesh which Paul warned us about in Gal 5:19-21.

The “fruit” in your life is not something we do; it is something we are. The fruit show us what’s on the inside it is what we are and there lies the subtlety and power.

Self-sins dwell deep within us and are a part of our nature (the flesh) and the manifestations of these sins, egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion, are tolerated in the leadership of the church and we end up with self-promotion in the guise of Christ promotion.

You would think that with the instruction of the doctrines of man's depravity and the necessity for justification through the righteousness of Christ alone would deliver us from the power of the self (flesh); but, it does not work out that way. Self can live un-rebuked in the leadership of the church.

So how do we deal with the Flesh, we must present our bodies a living sacrifice, and invite the cross to its deadly work in us, insist on the work to be done and it will. The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective, it does not keep its victim hanging there forever. Blessings

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Colin Murray

by murrcolr on 2012/11/18 7:38:16


The “fruit” in your life is not something we do; it is something we are. The fruit show us what’s on the inside it is what we are and there lies the subtlety and power.

Croref,

Even Christian's 'in name only' produce fruit. Evil doers produce fruit. That fruit is the product of their inner self, not Fruit of the Spirit of God.

I think murrcolr was speaking of how their actions speak for them. I agree with him.

Some who are 'in name only' are practiced at hiding their inner self but God is All Seeing.

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Janice

Quote: I believe we are given new life from above that we might become "fruit bearers.

True we should “become” fruit bearers

Quote: We have surrendered our life to Him

That is the issue have we fully surrendered all to Christ and God’s will when we were justified, or do we retain the control, if we are honest we would admit that we haven’t surrendered all we first believed.

Look at what Paul says in Rom 12 1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

Notice he calls them Brethren so there believers what does he say “present your bodies a living sacrifice” why does he say that to them if they have surrendered all when they first believed?

Further to that he says “but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” the word transformed means to be changed into another form. By what means the “renewing of your the mind” the mind is a part of the soul.

So after first believing we should present our bodies a living sacrifice and be completely changed into another form by the renewing of our soul (mind.)

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Colin Murray

murrcolr wrote:

"In these days (the last days) we should be taking what is said in these scriptures seriously and examine our lives and let the truth do, what is supposed to do which is to set us free."

Whyd do you believe these are the "last days" based on the scripture you quoted?

The types of persons described in that scripture have been around since time immemorial.

All that being said, I certainly agree that we should be examining ourselves in light of this scripture.

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Todd

Quote: The types of persons described in that scripture have been around since time immemorial

True but not in the numbers that around today.

Quote: Whyd do you believe these are the "last days" based on the scripture you quoted?

The scripture that I used said "that in the last days perilous times shall come"

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Colin Murray

by White_Stone on 2012/11/18 9:36:41

Croref,

Even Christian's 'in name only' produce fruit. Evil doers produce fruit. That fruit is the product of their inner self, not Fruit of the Spirit of God.

I think murrcolr was speaking of how their actions speak for them. I agree with him.

Some who are 'in name only' are practiced at hiding their inner self but God is All Seeing.