Sealed by God
Do you know as a Christian God has put His mark on you? When we believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, all according to the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit seals us with God’s mark. This means all spirit beings know that we belong to God.
in Whom also you, after hearing the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Whom also having believed, you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise – Ephesians 1:13.
As part of our salvation, we are sealed until the day of complete redemption. This guarantees we will receive in full what God has promised to us.
and stop grieving the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you are sealed until a day of full redemption – Ephesians 4:30
As ones who are sealed, we belong to God and therefore Satan cannot touch us. That is right, contrary to what the movies and false religions like the Catholic Church and other false pastors claiming to cast out demons would want us to believe, we cannot be touched by any demon because they know we belong to God.
We intuitively know that everyone born out from God does not habitually sin, but the one born out from God guards himself and the malignantly evil one does not touch him. – 1 John 5:18
Of all the things that this world can throw at us, the reality is we belong to God. Therefore, we really should walk in a worthy manner of God who called us into His Own Kingdom and glory, having our conduct of those who are citizens of the heavens and walk according to the Gospel of the Christ as His children.
Only you live as a citizen in a worthy manner of the Gospel of the Christ, in order that whether I come and see you, or whether I depart, I will hear the things concerning you, that you stand in one spirit, one soul, while together contending in the faith of the Gospel. – Philippians 1:27
Remember, He did not leave us alone. He gave us the Holy Spirit and left us with His peace so that we can walk through this world with an unruffled mind, knowing that we truly are ones who belong to the living God. So let us set our minds on things above and walk as a citizen in a worthy manner of the Gospel of the Christ.
The Methods of Satan – Stealing
Stealing is taking something that belongs to another person that you have no right or permission to possess. It is a major theme in the world system. In many occupations, “theft” is seen as something acceptable. This can be done by overcharging, fake sale prices, getting others to pay for something they did not need, or selling them something that is not what it was presented to be. However, for Christians, stealing should not be a part of our lives.
The one stealing, let him steal no more, but rather labor, while working with his hand the good in order that he should have to give to the one having need – Ephesians 4:27-28
If we are going to suffer for something, let it be for doing what is right.
For let none of you suffer as a murderer, nor thief, nor wrong doer, nor as a busybody, but as Christians, not ashamed, and let him show a proper opinion of God in the midst of this – 1 Peter 4:15, 16
Ultimately stealing comes back to acting independently from God, which is exactly what Satan wants all of us to do. We are not looking at things as they really are and not paying attention to what God’s will is for our lives. Remember, that when we ask according to God’s will, He will give it to us. Therefore, stealing should not be apart of our lives because it is not taking God at His Word. We need to learn to be content within whatever situation God allows us to be in.
Not that according to need I speak, for I on my part have learned in which I am to be self-sufficient (Satisfied with one’s lot). – Philippians 4:11
When the temptation for stealing comes to us we need to remind ourselves of who we are and who we belong to. We are not part of this world system. Yes, we live in it, but we do not belong to it and do not use it up to its full. Rather, let us work with our hands while being honest so that we have to give to our fellow Christians who are in need and in all situations show a proper opinion of God through our actions.
Colossians – Knowing His Will
Because of this we also, from the first day we heard, do not cease communicating in worship and asking concerning you in order that you should be filled with the full experiential knowledge of His desirous will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, Colossians 1:9
1 John Overview Part 2
And we intuitively know the Son of God has come and He gave to us a working of the mind in order that we should experientially know the truth and we are in the truth, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the truth of God and the eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols, Amen.
The Methods of Satan – Corrupt Communication
What comes out of our mouth matters. It is not just about foul language, but any words that are rotten. Especially in today society the value of true, honest, and good words that are intended to build up and meet the need are of great value because what we listen to every day coming out of the mouths of our social medias, leaders, and news organizations is rotten. Words can help or words can hurt. Words can convey the truth or communicate lies. How we say things is really more important than a lot of times we realize. Rotten words are words that are likened to rotten fruit, they negatively impact everything they are around. These are not limited to foul language, but any word that seeks to corrupt. We often refer to this type of speech today as politically correct. Satan will take advantage of any situation to tempt a saint to use words that are rotten. Do we really want to give a place for the devil in our lives?
Stop letting every rotten word proceed out from your mouth, but what is good (beneficial) towards building up the need in order to give grace to the listener. – Ephesians 4:29
The way we should speak is with grace. Since grace is an attitude whereby we give a benefit without consideration of merit, we do not respond in kind to a person in the way we speak. Rather, we speak in a manner that reflects who we are in Christ, regardless of whether or not they deserve it.
Your words always in grace, seasoned with salt, to know how it is necessary to answer each one. – Colossians 4:6
Be slow to speak, and quick to listen. Listen with purpose, that is, listen to respond to what is said, not waiting to say something.
So that, my beloved brethren, every man be swift to listen, slow to speak, slow to wrath – James 1:19
How we handle are tongue also expresses to those around us our faith. If we think to be religious and cannot control our tongue, we only fool ourselves.
If someone thinks to be religious among you and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this religion is worthless, James 1:26
We fall on many things; words do not need to be one of those. Let us as we mature, take the time to pay attention to what we are saying and learn to speak in a way that benefits others.
For we all stumble on many things, if someone does not stumble in word, this one is a mature man, inherently able to bridle also the whole body – James 3:2
Satan will take advantage of us in any way he can. Let us not give him place in our words; rather, let us learn to speak in grace, seeking to always use our words for good so that the only thing we convey with the way we speak is who we are in Christ. This means we will speak the truth, not sugar coat things. For the truth is beneficial to others. However, when we convey that truth with grace, we will have a far greater impact on the one listening than if we use rotten language.
The Methods of Satan – An Unforgiving Spirit
Among the saints, holding each other accountable for our actions is important. We are one body and when one part suffers, we all suffer. When you wrong one of the members, you wrong them all. Unfortunately, in this day and age of the Laodicean church which only serves God in name, many will not take this act of love and just move to another assembly that will not hold them accountable. However, for those who do accept the correction and repent (change their mind), we, as an assembly, need to be gracious to them.
In the first letter to the assembly in Corinth, Paul had to deal with a situation where the church was boasting about allowing one within their members that was doing something so heinous that even the Gentiles would not do – and that is setting the bar really low.
Actually, it is heard among you a fornicator and such a fornicator that would not even be named among the Gentiles, so that someone to have the wife of the father – 1 Corinthians 5:1
Paul rebukes that assembly for not dealing with this situation properly and even boasting about it.
And you are high-minded and not rather mourn in order that he should be taken out from your midst, the one doing this work – 1 Corinthians 5:2
Having followed Paul’s instructions and rebuking this one and not permitting him to assemble with them anymore, after this one repented – that is truly change the mind and therefore ceased the sin, they refused to allow him back. Paul then addresses this issue in the second letter to the assembly.
This punishment to such a one was sufficient, which [punishment] was by the many, so that rather on the contrary you should be gracious and to come alongside, lest too much grief should devour this one – 2 Corinthians 2:6-7
We do not want to give Satan an advantage over us. Yes, there are times where punishment has to be administered by the assembly to one who refuses to stop sinning. Whether stealing, lying, causing divisions, involvement in fornication, or any other work that is contrary to the Christian life and refusing to stop when corrected, the assembly, out of love, should reject this one until they repent.
Now to whom you are gracious concerning something, I also. For also since I was gracious concerning something to whom I was gracious because of you in the presence of Christ, in order that we should not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his way of thinking. – 2 Corinthians 2:10, 11
The point of correction should always be to restore. It should never be to reject. There are times where we mess things up really bad and need to be called out for our actions and corrected, but we as an assembly should never take it so far that a brother is swallowed up by grief because of the punishment upon them. We should seek to restore this one and assist with overcoming the temptation that has caught them, while not forgetting we ourselves are not immune.
Brethren, if also a man is overtaken in some trespass, you, the spiritual ones, restore (knit together) such a one in a spirit of objectivity of mind, scoping out yourselves lest you are tempted – Galatians 6:1
Being gracious to someone does not mean you forget what they did nor allow a person to be in a position where they can do it again. Grace is an attitude whereby we give a benefit without consideration of merit. When it comes to being gracious concerning another saint’s sin, when they have repented of that work, and we are talking true repentance, not saying sorry, but an actual change of mind, meaning they will never do that again and will even seek to correct the situation if God permits, we need to treat that saint as a member of the body and care for them so that Satan does not use our unwillingness to be gracious to them against us, or them. This may include permanent separation from certain areas and people within the assembly, and certainly does not excuse them from the consequences of their actions, but as part of the body of the Christ we are to still allow them to benefit from the fellowship and grow in their Christian life with the saints.