LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Just before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, the Lord Jesus spent one last evening with His disciples. He used this time to comfort and instruct them. He also gave His disciples this command: "Love one another." The Lord Jesus said,

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34

This command is found in many places in the Bible. Here are a few:

"This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Galatians 5:14

"For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." 1 John 3:11

"This commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." 1 John 4:21

"Above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 NKJB

This command that we love one another is given special importance by the Lord Jesus Himself. Jesus said that obedience to it would be the identifying mark of His disciples. He said,

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 13:35

What the Lord's Command Means

The command of the Lord Jesus that we love one another means two things:

Loving one another is not optional.

Christians are commanded to love one another. It is not a question of whether or not we want to love other believers. It is our Lord's command. Not to love another believer is to disobey Him. The Lord Jesus said,

"These things I command you, that you love one another." John 15:17

Loving one another means
loving every believer.

Loving one another does not mean loving only those believers to whom we are naturally attracted. It means loving every believer. The Apostle John said that loving one another is the proof that we have been truly born again. John wrote,

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."
1 John 3:14

The Different Kinds of Love

Since love is so important to the life of a believer, we need to understand what the Lord Jesus means when He commands us to love one another. The Greek language has several words to express the concept of love:

1. EROS — The word "eros" is used to describe the love of pleasure, the love of that which pleases me.

2. PHILIA — The word "philia" is used to describe the love of attraction. It is the warm love and affection that we have in a close friendship.

3. AGAPE — The word "agape" is used to describe the love of God. AGAPE love is that love which the Father has for His beloved Son. Jesus said to His Father, "You loved [AGAPE] Me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24) AGAPE love is also the love which God has for the human race. The Bible says,

"For God so loved [AGAPE] the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Amazingly, this AGAPE love is the very same love that Jesus commanded us to have for one another. Jesus said,

"This is My commandment, that you love [AGAPE] one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12

What is Agape Love?

It is not easy to define AGAPE love. It is something inward which shows itself in its actions. AGAPE love is most clearly seen in God's giving His Son to die for us while we were yet sinners. The Bible says,

"But God demonstrates His own [AGAPE] love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"In this is [AGAPE] love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [sacrifice] for our sins." 1 John 4:10

These verses help us to understand what AGAPE love really is. AGAPE love is that love which gives and sacrifices for the highest good of another person. The main characteristic of AGAPE love is that it is utterly unselfish. It does not seek its own interests but always seeks the best interests of the other person.

Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians is called the "love chapter" because it tells us how love acts. Here is the way AGAPE love expresses itself:

(NOTE: The Greek word used in 1 Corinthians 13 is "agape" (pronounced a-ga-pay). It is best translated "love" rather than "charity" as in the King James Version.)

God's Provision of Love

In ourselves we do not have the kind of love that the Lord commands. But God never commands us to do something without enabling us to do it.

How does God enable us to love one another with AGAPE love? He gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that dwells in the Father and in the Lord Jesus now dwells in us. That AGAPE love which is in God's heart flows to us and through us to others by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says,

"...the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:5

AGAPE love does not come from our self-efforts or anything in us. It is the "fruit of the Spirit." The Bible says,

"The fruit of the Spirit is [AGAPE] love..." Galatians 5:22

God's love flows through us to others as we yield ourselves to Him to be channels for His love. We can say to someone, "I love you because God has placed within me His wonderful love for you." This AGAPE love is so powerful that it can enable us to love even our enemies.

It was AGAPE love that enabled the first martyr, Stephen, to pray for the very men who were stoning him to death.

How to Love Someone you don't Love

Though we are one with all other believers in our spirit, we are entirely different from others in our souls or personalities. Because our personalities are so different, we are naturally attracted to some people and not attracted to others. This is not sinful. God made us different from one another, and therefore we have different likes and dislikes. Jesus did not say that we must like every believer; He said that we must love them. To not love a fellow Christian is sin. The Bible says,

"He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
1 John 3:14-15

Right now, God may be speaking to you about someone you do not love. It may be a relative, a fellow church member, or someone else. You may be saying, "I know that I should love that person, but how do I do it?" Here are the steps:

STEP 1: I must confess my lack of love as sin.

That lack of love in my heart, which we will call "unlove," is sin. When my heart attitude is wrong, I must acknowledge it and confess it to God as sin. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin confessed as sin, but it does not cleanse me when I excuse myself.

Next, I must exercise my will and choose to be delivered from the sin of unlove. Love is not just a matter of the will, but I will never be delivered from the sin of unlove unless I exercise my will and choose to be delivered. I must say, "I choose to be delivered from this sin of unlove."

STEP 2: I must count on the fact that, in Christ, I died to the sin of unlove.

I can be delivered from any sin by counting on the fact that, in Christ, I died to that sin. The Bible says,

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" Romans 6:1-2 NKJB

No Christian should continue to live in sin. Why? Because, in Christ, he died to sin. And in Christ, we died to the sin of unlove. Let us make these verses personal:

What shall I say then? Shall I continue in this sin of unlove, that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall I, who died to this sin of unlove, live any longer in it?

Must I be a slave to this sin of unlove the rest of my life? No! God's Word says that I died to this sin. I must step out in faith, believing God's Word.

STEP 3: I must choose to love that person.

I cannot control my feelings, but I can control my will. I cannot make myself have a feeling of love toward someone, but I can choose to love that person. If I make that choice and hold to it, I will find that my feelings will, in time, follow the choice of my will. The important thing to remember is this: I am controlled by the decision of my will and not by my feelings.

You may say, "But what if that person doesn't respond to my love?" You can love him anyway. Jesus said,

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." Matthew 5:43-44

STEP 4: I must trust God to do what I cannot do.

Paul said in Romans 7 that he could "will" or choose what is right, but that he could not of his own ability do it. Paul learned that he had to depend on the Holy Spirit within him to enable him to do it.

This is true of us also. I may choose to love someone I don't love but I will discover that in myself I cannot do it. I must depend on the Holy Spirit within me to enable me to do it. He will do this, but I must make the decision. I must say to God, "Lord, I choose to love that person. In myself I cannot do it. I am trusting You to enable me to do it."

God is always ready to enable us to carry out a decision that is in accordance with His Word. But we must choose it. The Bible says,

"You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you..." Job 22:28

STEP 5: I must pray that person into my heart.

Sometimes, even after I have asked God to work, nothing seems to happen. What do I do next? I begin to pray for that person. I pray that God will bless that person. I pray that God will bless him and help him. Often, as I pray earnestly and sincerely for God's blessing upon the other person, God works in my heart to change me.

STEP 6: I must earnestly seek to change my attitude
toward that person.

To be critical of another believer, or to not love him because he is not like me, is to fail to see God's wonderful plan. God wanted us to be different from each other! He made us all different that each of us might in a special way display the glories of Christ. When I see God's great plan, I will appreciate and esteem every believer because he is precious to the Lord and able in a special, unique way to manifest the glories of Christ.

STEP 7: I may need to go
see that person.

Sometimes God works a miracle when we go to see a person and talk with him. We often find, to our surprise, love welling up in our heart for that person. Jesus told the man with the withered arm to stretch forth his arm. As he obeyed the Lord, he found God's power flowing into him, enabling him to do what he could not do before.

STEP 8: I must plan positive behavior.

If you do not love someone, do for him what you would do if you did love him.

You may say, "But wouldn't I be acting like a hypocrite if I did that?" No, you would not. You have within you Christ's life and your sinful self-life. You must choose which one you will express. It is not being hypocritical if you choose to express Christ's life and His love to someone even though you do not feel like it.

You do not have to have a feeling of love to act in love. The Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, said,

The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we learn one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love them. (1)

Love Enables People to See the Unseen

How can people "see" the unseen God? There is only one way—they must see Him in His people. The Apostle John said,

"No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us." 1 John 4:12

What is John saying here? He is saying this, "No one can see God with his eyes. If we love one another, other people can 'see' the invisible God as they see His love manifested in us." This AGAPE love is powerful beyond measure.

Out of Russia comes this story of a young girl named "Mary" who was imprisoned for her faith in Jesus Christ. It is a story that reveals the power of AGAPE love. From her prison cell, "Mary" wrote,

I am still in the same place of exile. There is a Godless society here; one of the members became especially attached to me. She said, "I cannot understand what sort of person you are; so many here insult and abuse you, but you love them all." She caused me much suffering, but I prayed for her earnestly.

Another time she asked me whether I could love her. Somehow I stretched out my hands toward her. We embraced each other, and began to cry. Now we pray together...Her name is Barbara. (2)

Barbara accepted Christ as her personal Savior and testified boldly of her faith in Christ before all. Because of her fearless testimony, she was beaten and imprisoned. Mary wrote,

Yesterday, for the first time I saw our dear Barbara in prison. She looked very thin, pale, and with marks of beatings. The only bright thing about her were her eyes, bright and filled with heavenly peace and joy...I asked her through the bars, "Barbara, are you not sorry for what you have done?"

"No," she firmly responded. "If they would free me, I would go again and tell my comrades about the marvelous love of Christ. I am very glad that the Lord loves me so much and counts me worthy to suffer for Him."

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE VIEWER THAT IS INTERESTED IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

Who Is Jesus?

There are those who say Jesus was a Jewish rabbi who lived a little over two thousand years ago; no more, no less. There are, also, those who say that Christ Jesus is the son of God. Quite logically the question arises, "How can God have a son. 'He doesn't have a body nor a wife?'"

Jesus once asked His disciples who others believed Him to be. Their reply was, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Jesus said, " Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."¹

To answer the question, "Who is Jesus?," we need to go way back in time (even before time began.)

The Bible says of Jesus, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him."²

Since Jesus was born to a young girl by the name of Mary, how could He have created all things?

Christ Jesus did not appear on the scene when He was born a man. No, He has always been.¹

A little over two thousand years ago, God sent Jesus into the world. Prior to that, God spoke to mankind through the prophets. In the last days, however, He chose to speak to mankind face to face through His Son.²

How do we know that Jesus is whom He claims to be? Words come easy, where's the proof?

One day, a paralytic lying on a mat was brought to Jesus in hopes that He would heal him. In response, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Some of the religious leaders, however, accused Jesus of blasphemy (for only God can forgive sin.) Knowing their thoughts, however, Jesus said to them, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . ." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.¹

While here, Jesus performed many miracles. Just to name a few: He raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, healed the sick, cast out demons, calmed the storm, walked on water, fed over 5000 people with but two fish and five loaves of bread, and most importantly, bodily rose from the grave after being crucified on the cross of Calvary, on Golgotha, outside of Jerusalem. His life, and what He did, testify to His claims; His resurrection being the most astonishing.

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to many over a period of forty days. In fact, He appeared to over 500 of His followers before He ascended to heaven.¹

At that time there was a Jewish religious leader by the name of Saul who did every thing he could to stop the growth of Christianity. In fact he was on his way to Damascus to arrest all who claimed to be a follower of the Way (the Way being Christ Jesus.) His intention was to return them to Jerusalem as prisoners. This took place after Jesus' ascension to heaven.

While on his way to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Saul. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around Saul, and when he fell to the ground, he heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, " He replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Saul was taken into Damascus and for three days he was blind.

At that time, Jesus , in a vision, instructed Ananias (a disciple in Damascus) to pray for Saul in order to restore his sight. Ananias was hesitant to do so; he was afraid of Saul because of all that he had been doing to destroy the Church.

Upon placing his hands on Saul, however, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. Immediately Saul got up, was baptized as a follower of Jesus, and after taking some food, regained his strength.²

From that point forward, Saul (who became the apostle Paul) was one of the greatest Christian evangelist of his time. Ultimately, he was martyred in Rome under emperor Nero's orders.

Not only was the apostle Paul martyred proclaiming the resurrection of Christ Jesus, but ten of the original twelve apostles likewise died a martyr's death proclaiming the resurrection. No one would be willing to die, as they did, for a lie.

Online research by the Living Testimonies Ministries Evangelical Christian Church

What to do with our feelings
Fear, guilt, shame, low self-esteem, etc.

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Before I begin, I want to make it clear that I am only speaking of the stronghold/behavioral aspect of fear, guilt, etc. There ARE spirits of guilt, fear, worthlessness, etc. that can also be a factor and must be addressed (and driven out). However, if all we do is address the spirits but leave the strongholds in place, they are liable to return. This teaching deals strictly with the behavioral piece of the puzzle.

Feelings do not necessarily speak truth. If you feel guilty, it does not mean that you are guilty. Many times, feelings merely tell us what is going on in our thought life (or what we are really believing). If we think we are guilty, there will be feelings of guilt as the fruit of those thoughts or beliefs. It's sort of like feeling a hot stove; feelings are meant to help alert us of something that is wrong. Feelings should not be ignored, but properly interpreted. For example, if you feel guilty, don't start thinking "Oh, it must be true. I need to go confess my sins again and go try to dot every i and cross every t." That is letting feelings tell us what to do, and feelings can be (and often are) wrong.

When we begin to feel guilty, we need to instead get to the root of the problem and address it with God's Word. What does God's Word say about our guilt? It tells us that if we confess our sin and forsake it, we are forgiven and cleansed of whatever kind of unrighteousness that we've committed. When we choose to believe that over how we feel, then our feelings will begin to change because they are merely the fruit of our thoughts and beliefs. In this case, our feelings were wrong because our belief was wrong. Remember, feelings are just the fruit of our thoughts and beliefs. If we feel wrong, then it wouldn't hurt to stop and ask ourselves what we believe. Do we believe that when a man confesses his sin and believes upon Christ, that he is forgiven? Or do we, in the back of our minds, wonder if we've sinned too badly, or if we need to do something before we can be forgiven? Our feelings can be a great revealer of what we are really believing under the surface.

It is important to be balanced when dealing with our feelings. I don't think it's healthy to completely ignore our feelings, but I can assure you that it is not healthy to go by our feelings either. The key is to learn how to discern what our feelings are really telling us, and then get to the root of the problem. Feelings of guilt, for example, do not necessarily mean that we are indeed guilty, but rather that our beliefs are not rooted and grounded on God's Word like they ought to be.

A dirty conscience should not be ignored, but rather investigated. False guilt is an indication of a faulty belief. Is a clean conscience important according to God's Word? Yes!

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:14

So with that said, I believe it is important to have a clean conscience. But we can only have that clean conscience when we stand firm on God's Word and believe what it really says about the forgiveness of our sins. When we truly believe that the Blood of Christ has paid the full price for our failures, only then can we have a truly clean conscience. As long as we think that we've messed up too badly, or need to do something before we can be forgiven, we will live with a dirty conscience. That is because we don't truly believe we are forgiven, and when we don't believe that we're forgiven, how on earth can we expect to feel like it? We can't!

Fear is another feeling which is completely unnecessary in the life of a believer. How do we know this? God's Word tells us that perfect love casts out all fear. For those who think that fear is a natural and unavoidable feeling, God's Word tells us that "He who fears has not been made perfect in love."

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

Got fears? Don't believe them, but rather seek to be established and made perfect in God's great love for you. That will dispel those fears. What most people do is go by their feelings and believe them, rather than seeing them as a warning that something isn't right in their beliefs or thought lives. That is where many well intending Christians go in the ditch. Another ditch is to completely ignore those feelings (or warning signs), and do nothing about them. The question I ask you is, what are you doing about those feelings? Are you going by what you feel as if it were truth? Or are you asking yourself, "What am I thinking or believing that may not be aligned with God's Word?"

Fear, like false guilt, is a result of believing something other than God's Word. False guilt is when we choose to believe an imagination that has risen itself against the knowledge of God (see 2 Corinthians 10:4-5), even though God's Word assures us that when we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us of any sort of unrighteousness that we've committed.

Now of course, not all feelings should be interpreted as a fault in our thoughts or beliefs. There are times when then Holy Spirit will give a person an uneasy feeling about a situation (discernment), or maybe a burden to pray over somebody that we normally wouldn't pray over. These types of feelings are used by God as a means to communicate with our spirits, and should not be ignored.

However, what I am talking about in this teaching is feelings of low self-esteem, fear, false guilt, shame, etc. Feelings along these lines are spelled out clearly in God's Word as being completely unnecessary for the children of God. What these types of feelings (false guilt, fear, etc.) have in common is that they are rooted in a belief or imagination that has risen itself against the knowledge of God (what is spoken clearly in His Word).

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

 

Online research by:

LIVING TESTIMONIES MINISTRIES EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH

 

 

What to do when you are experiencing Fear

(2 Timothy 1:7 KJV)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

(Romans 8:15 KJV)
For ye have not received the spirit of bond- age again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

(1 John 4:18 KJV)
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

(Psalm 91:1 KJV)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

(Psalm 91:4-7 KJV)
(4) He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth {shall be thy} shield and buckler. (5) Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; {nor} for the arrow {that} flieth by day; (6) {Nor} for the pestilence {that} walk- eth in darkness; {nor} for the destruction {that} wast- eth at noonday. (7) A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; {but} it shall not come nigh thee.

(Psalm 91:10-11 KJV)
(10) There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. (11) For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

(Proverbs 3:25-26 KJV)
(25) Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. (26) For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

(Isaiah 54:14 KJV)
In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

(Psalm 56:11 KJV)
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

(Psalm 23:4-5 KJV)
(4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou {art} with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup Runneth over.

(Romans 8:29,31,35-39 KJV)
(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate {to be} conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many breth- ren. (31) What shall we then say to these things? If God {be} for us, who {can be} against us? (35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? {shall} tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Psalm 31:24 KJV)
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

(John 14:27 KJV)
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

(Psalm 27:1,3 KJV)
(1) The Lord {is} my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord {is} the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

(3) Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this {will} I {be} confi- dent.

(Hebrews 13:6 KJV)
So that we may boldly say, The Lord {is} my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Online research by the Living Testimonies Ministries Evangelical Christian Church

What the Bible has to say about Obedience

(Deuteronomy 11:26-28 KJV) (26) Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; (27) A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: (28) And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other Gods, which ye have not known.

(1 Samuel 15:22 KJV) (22) And Samuel said, Hath the Lord {as great} delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey {is} better than sacrifice, {and} to hearken than the fat of rams.

(Isaiah 48:18 KJV) (18) O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

(Jeremiah 7:23 KJV) (23) But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

(John 14:15,21 KJV) (15) If ye love me, keep my commandments. (21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

(Acts 5:29 KJV) (29) Then Peter and the {other} apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

(1 John 2:3-6 KJV) (3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. (6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

(1 Kings 3:14 KJV) (14) And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

(Psalms 143:10 KJV) (10) Teach me to do thy will; for thou {art} my God: thy spirit {is} good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

(Deuteronomy 5:1,32,33 KJV) (1) And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. (32) Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (33) Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and {that it may be} well with you, and {that} ye may prolong {your} days in the land which ye shall possess.

(Colossians 3:22-24 KJV) (22) Servants, obey in all things {your} masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: (23) And whatsoever ye do, do {it} heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

(1 Peter 2:13-20 KJV) (13) Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; (14) Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. (15) For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: (16) As free, and not using {your} liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. (17) Honour all {men}. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. (18) Servants, {be} subject to {your} masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (19) For this {is} thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. (20) For what glory {is it}, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer {for it}, ye take it patiently, this {is} acceptable with God.

(Ephesians 6:1 KJV) (1) Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

(Colossians 3:20-24 KJV) (20) Children, obey {your} parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. (21) Fathers, provoke not your children {to anger}, lest they be discouraged. (22) Servants, obey in all things {your} masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: (23) And whatsoever ye do, do {it} heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Online research by the Living Testimonies Ministries Evangelical Christian Church

What the Bible has to say about Faith

(Hebrews 11:1 KJV)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

(Romans 10:17 KJV)
So then faith {cometh} by hearing, and hear- ing by the word of God.

(Romans 12:3 KJV)
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think {of himself} more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

(Hebrews 12:2 KJV)
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of {our} faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(Matthew 17:20 KJV)
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this moun- tain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

(Mark 11:22-24 KJV)
(22) And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. (23) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. (24) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive {them}, and ye shall have {them}.

(Romans 1:17 KJV)
For therein is the righteousness of God re- vealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

(2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV)
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

(Hebrews 11:6 KJV)
But without faith {it is} impossible to please {him}: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and {that} he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

(1 Peter 1:7-9 KJV)
(7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (8) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see {him} not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy un- speakable and full of glory: (9) Receiving the end of your faith, {even} the salvation of your {souls}.

(1 John 5:4 KJV)
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, {even} our faith.

(Matthew 9:20-22 KJV)
(20) And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind {him}, and touched the hem of his garment: (21) For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. (22) But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

(Matthew 9:28-29 KJV)
(28) And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. (29) Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

(Mark 9:23 KJV)
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things {are} possible to him that believeth.

(James 5:14-15a KJV)
(14) Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (15) And the prayer of faith shall save the sick.

Online research by the Living Testimonies Ministries Evangelical Christian Church 

What does the Bible mean when it says Christ descended into hell?

It may be that the Lord did descend into the place of confined demonic spirits (tartarus) to make a glorious proclamation of the fact of the victory accomplished through the cross (1 Pet. 3:18-20). But Christ did not go there to redeem anyone nor to release Old Testament saints. As I understand it, God’s redeemed were in Paradise or Abraham’s bosom, probably some place in the heavenlies and when the curtain in the temple was rent, signifying the way into the Holy of Holies had been opened, they were allowed immediate access into God’s presence.

Some try to take the reference in Ephesians 4:8, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.” to refer to the emptying of Paradise or Abraham’s bosom, but such an understanding of this statement is really contrary to its cultural and biblical usage. Behind this is the ancient picture of the Roman triumph where the victorious general in the field of battle road up to the Capitaline Hill on a white horse leading his captives, enemies taken in war, in a triumphant procession. Also in the procession were his troops and the spoils of war which he gave to his soldiers. The Old Testament souls in paradise were not the enemy. This is simply an idiom which means he defeated the enemy and made the enemy his captives. Thus, he was free to give gifts to the church.

The reference to Christ descending to the lower part of the earth is simply a reference to the grave though it may simply be a reference to his incarnation. The following is a good summary of the different opinions on Ephesias 4 taken from The Bible Knowledge Commentary:

Verses 9-11 serve as a commentary on two words of the quotation in verse 8, namely,ascended (vv. 9-10) and “gave” (v. 11). In verses 9-10 Paul commented on the words He ascended. These two verses are parenthetical in thought because the issue of the passage is the giving of gifts. Before Christ could ascend He had to descend. What is meant by to the lower, earthly regions, literally, “into the lower parts of earth”? The genitive “of” can be taken in three ways: (1) “Into the lower parts, namely, the earth” (a genitive of apposition). This would refer to Christ’s incarnation, His “descent” to the earth. (2) “Into the parts lower than the earth” (a genitive of comparison). This would mean that Christ descended into hades between His death and resurrection. (3) “Into the lower parts which belong to the earth” (a genitive of possession). This would refer to Christ’s death and His burial in the grave. The third view best fits the context because in His death Christ had victory over sin and redeemed those who would be given as “gifts” to the church.

In Revelation 6, “Hades” refers to the underworld, the prison and temporary quarters of the souls of unbelievers between their death and the time of the Great White Throne Judgment. This is the compartment called torments in Luke 16:23 and is where all unbelievers are held until the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20. The point of Revelation 6:7-8 is that the aftermath the pale horse rider is war, famine, and death. With war and famine people fall prey to a plague and the wild beasts of the earth and since most are unbelievers, they end up in hades.

Below are definitions of hell and related words:

HELL In common usage, this term refers to the place of future punishment for the wicked. The word properly translated “hell” in the New Testament is the Greek Geenna or Gehenna, a place in the Valley of Hinnom where human sacrifices had been offered and where continuous burning of rubbish made it an apt illustration of the eternal lake of fire (cf. Matt. 5:22). Other words like sheol or hades are improperly translated by this term.

SHEOL The general idea of this word is “the place of the dead” including the grave (cf. Num. 16:30,33; Ps. 16:10), and the unseen place of those who have departed from this life, the place of departed spirits of both the righteous (Gen. 37:35) and the wicked (Prov. 9:18).

HADES This word is basically the New Testament counterpart of the Sheol. It refers to the unseen world in general, but specifically to the abode of the unsaved dead between death and the final judgment at the great white throne (cf. Lk. 16:23 and Rev. 20:11-15). It differs from hell in that it is temporary while hell is permanent.

LAKE OF FIRE Refers to the eternal state of the wicked who are forever separated from God and consigned to a special abode of suffering because of their rejection of Christ or their lack of the righteousness of Christ. It is equivalent to and identified with the second death in Revelation 20:14.

 

Online research by the Living Testimonies Ministries Evangelical Christian Church

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