WHAT IS TO BE THE SINNERS RESPONSE

Its been quite some time since I have published anything on this blog. It has been intentional for two reasons. One being that time as of late as been little and precious. The second reason is to allow the last of my five blogs to marinate with time. I can’t think of anything that I have written that has been I feel so vitally important. Its easy to read something and just go over it and cast it off. My hope is that in the last of these blogs. They have been read and re read over time. And even raised the the thought and prayer of many for revelation in this subject.

I hope that the truth of the word of GOD has impacted the minds of every reader on this last series. “WHERE IS THE SINNER’S PRAYER?” and “WHAT IS THE SINNERS PRAYER?”

WHAT IS TO BE THE SINNER’S RESPONSE???

I am reminded of Paul’s question of such and perhaps much more direct when he asked the church of Galatians.

Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?    KJV

It was a question to a church but that were at one time like all of us, were sinners. 

The question Paul is asking of the Galatians is what happened to you? Who tricked you? Who has cast a spell upon you that you should not obey the truth?

Galatians you know quite well Jesus Christ is the one crucified for you. You know this. What has happened to you that you would not obey the truth?

Then Paul asks three more questions that tells us what happens when you obey the truth.

Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

There is something that will cause a sinner to be transformed from a sinner to a sinner saved by grace. And this we see with the obedience of the truth. Its easy to see that when the Galatians and all that follow Christ arrive to the knowledge of where the beginning is and what that beginning looks like. That is the knowledge of Jesus Christ leads us all just like the Galatians to obedience by the receiving of the Holy Ghost. Which is HIS Spirit in us.

In the beginning when the Spirit of Christ was poured out. It was the same for the Jews in the beginning. In Acts chapter 2. What was preached? Better yet, who was preached?

Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:      KJV

Hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth. When you hear these words that Peter preached, Jesus of Nazareth, one can easily see where the sinner is to arrive. The exact place where the church of Galatia had arrived and yet in our text had left.

Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

They had left off the Spirit. Now it was perfection by the flesh. I don’t want to go off on a tangent here but this is exactly what we are seeing in the “church world” today. To many churches and yet, no Spirit. To many churches and yet no Jesus Christ in them.

When you obey the Lord Jesus Christ there is but one place you can arrive. Just as Peter preached Jesus. The sinner arrived to the place of this one singular question that matters to us all. A question that we should all ask ourselves. A question that Paul was asking a church that had gotten away from it.

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?     KJV

If we are concerned about our arrival to salvation. Then should we not ask and pray the question the sinners asked. “What shall we do?”

The answer Peter gave was the answer that the Galatian church had once arrived to but suddenly thought that the power was within themselves to improve upon what only the Holy Ghost can only do.

Just as Peter gave the answer, so too is our answer.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.     KJV

This is where the gospel of Abraham took them. All the families of the earth shall be blessed. This is where the gospel took those of Acts 2. And this is where the gospel took the Galatian church. And this is where your faith is to take you as well. 

Obedience to the faith will always bring us to the arriving of HIS SPIRIT IN US. It is Christ in us the hope of glory.

Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.     KJV