Randy Bell
21 Jan 2017

Be Sure You Are Going To Heaven

You Must Be Born Again

Before you can benefit from 7 Steps 2 Maturity, you must first be certain that you are a real Christian.

You must be born again! Jesus made it clear by declaring, “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.” [John 3:3 (AMP)]

There may be many voices in your life giving contradictory advice, but the only person who matters is God. His opinion is TRUTH. In fact, “Jesus said… I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.” [John 14:6 (AMP)]

Therefore understand, it is God alone, not me, that demands a miraculous rebirth must be experienced before anyone can get to heaven. You do know that the devil believes in God and is not going to heaven. Believing in God is not the same as being born again. Let me explain.

A long, long time ago the Creator of the Universe dealt with a rebellion in His kingdom. His close servant and trusted friend determined he would no longer take orders from God Almighty. One third of all His other subjects joined him in a mass rebellion that ended with them being cast out of heaven forever. They were temporarily placed into darkness, left for the time being, until they would be permanently placed into a terrible prison. This place was designed for them, not men. But later men also rebelled in the exact same way. So the Bible says, “He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” [Matt 25:41 (NKJV)].

So why is there a hell? It is very simple, for justice and fairness. God must punish crime in the same way that you understand murderers must be punished by our government. But, eternal beings must be given eternal punishment. Man was created by God and given life with the intention of living forever in direct contact and fellowship with Him.

So how does an eternal prison called hell affect you? By breaking God’s law people must face eternal punishment. Think of yourself driving down a street and entering a school zone while texting, and not watching the road. You look up after typing a long phrase too late to see a child in your path and you kill her. You failed to obey the law.

But in your perception you expect understanding from the police, after all, you “really” did not mean it! You stubbornly decide it was just an accident and you should be released after you say you are sorry. The parents should understand, right? But, the police come and arrest you for seriously breaking the law.

Your good attitude and intentions do not matter. Your past good life does not count even though all your friends believe you are a good person.  And, all the good deeds of your past do not erase this one terrible negligence on your part. You now must face the judge. This one action, yes this one single event, changes everything in your life forever.

Your day in court comes and you face the parents of the dead little girl. The judge enters and calls everyone to attention and your crimes are read aloud for all to hear. You did not take this day seriously and decided to defend yourself without a lawyer. You have a decision to make. You ask to approach the bench and give the judge many compliments to butter him up. You then offer a deal. “I promise to wash your car everyday for the rest of my life if you will call it even.”

Angered the judge blurts out, “The girl’s life is worth far more than a car wash. How dare you insult this court and the child’s parents. Step back  from me you wicked idiot!”

“Wait!’ you give a counter proposal. “I will give you a shoe shine each week. And cut the parent’s lawn twice a month.”

“You killed their child and you think that is fair?” screamed the judge.

Okay, okay I will give you $5000 and the parents $10,000, which is all I have!” You know that has to be a good deal and turn to get your debit card.

The judge firmly states, “Stop, there is only one thing valuable enough for your crime. Your life! You have cheapened life to mere money and little acts of kindness. Life is far too valuable. I sentence you to be executed.”

Most refuse to look at spiritual crime seriously. They expect God to understand. And false religion always tries to cheat just like this courtroom story. But just like the devil and all his demons we “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” [Romans 3:23 (NKJV)] We all have broken God’s laws. Sin is a criminal act of breaking the law of God and leaving the results of pain, hurt and destruction on others as real as killing that little girl. God hates all crime and does not want any person treated anyway except through love. God hates all disobedience to His law, because His law is the rule of how to love Him and others.

In God’s court He decides all crime has one verdict and punishment. “For the wages of sin is death” [Romans 6:23 (NKJV)]. Spiritual crime is so outrageous in God’s eyes He will not tolerate any weaker punishment than what He already levied against the devil and his angels. The reason is plain and simple. He has to be fair and just. He would be a crooked judge and a criminal himself if He favored anyone over Satan.

But false religion tries to bribe God for acceptance, blessings and eternal life. False believers try to earn their way to heaven. They think being a community organizer or helping poor people earns them the name of Christian. Some think joining a religion and doing some kind of ritual or spiritual activity is all that is needed.

Maybe being a nice person to everyone is good enough for God? In spite of God’s view of rebellion and sin, many think they get to heaven by being good people according to their judgment, and do not get serious about God’s moral law and rules. False religion tries to make a way to God in their way and by their terms.

But please consider this, a strict fundamental belief that God’s Word is the standard of right and wrong for all people, in every place, and for all time is not false religion. The Bible is absolute truth and God rules over the earth with His standards. Like it or not. For example, I was born in the U.S.A. and without my consent or choice must follow the authority and law of the land. In the exact same way, your Creator rules the universe and all nations and people fall under His laws and authority.  Therefore, strong convictions that God’s Bible is absolutely true, and must be followed, is not false religion, but facing reality.

Everyone knows that there is a clear difference between law abiding citizens and active criminals here in America. Citizens are able and expected to obey the law.  But criminals break the law and are punished, and their rights are removed by the judge. Well, the same is true for God’s Word and His Law. God expects you to obey His commands.

But remember God says all have sinned [committed crimes] and are guilty before Jesus, the Eternal Judge. Because the first man and woman rebelled against God, no one can fully follow God’s Law today because we are all born without the strength to obey it. Even so, God looks into our eyes and judges us guilty criminals by His just Laws from the Bible. We can’t get around this! So how can we become law abiding citizens in God’s eyes, when from birth we are nothing but rebels?

Let’s go back to our courtroom. If false religion tries to bribe the judge for release from punishment, what is true religion? After the judge gives the verdict of the death penalty, a clamour comes from behind you. In walks a man, and the judge asks, “What is it my son?”

“Father, I will give you my life instead of this guilty, wicked person standing before you. Then fairness will stand and your honor preserved. Life for a life, and the true value of the crime will be paid. Then the devil and all his slaves will never be able to point their fingers in your face and call you a hypocrite.”

The Judge loves His Son Jesus, but in mercy gives His approval. He allows His Son to be executed for your crime and the crimes of everyone because His son never broke the law in even a small way. He was totally innocent. Because He was innocent, He could be punished for others. This is true religion, justice fulfilled, but mercy given to guilty criminals.

But, He makes His ruling with a very narrow application. This gift of forgiveness will only be given with the following stipulations:

1/ No one who claims they are a good person, innocent of evil, will ever enter His eternal heaven. Only His Law will be the judgment of right and wrong, and His Law will expose their crimes, and their good intentions and motives will not matter.

“There is no one righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips. 14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths, 17 and the path of peace they have not known. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that whatever the law says speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment. 20 For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin ⌊comes⌋ through the law. [Romans 3:10-20 (HCSB)]

2/ When any person wanting a relationship with God, the Creator and Judge, approaches Him, they must begin on His terms not theirs. His will and nature are clearly revealed in the Holy Bible, nowhere else. To find God you do not need to search the world, you only need to read the Bible,  His love letter to mankind.

You Must Turn Around And Follow Jesus

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” [John 14:6 (NLT)]

God will greatly help you here because the Holy Spirit works powerfully to show you your crimes. Be honest and face the truth about yourself. The Bible is clear and lists sin and remember God’s Word says,

“From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent ( change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” [Matt 4:17 (AMP)]

“Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins.” [Acts 2:38 (NLT)]

1/ THE LAW OF GOD MUST BE EXAMINED AND FACED JUST LIKE YOU WOULD IN A COURTROOM Why? because the law of God creates guilt

[Exodus 20, Matthew 5-7, Galatians 5, Ephesians 2] 

“Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.” [Romans 3:19 (NLT)]

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” [Gal 5:19-21 (NLT)]

2/ RESPOND TO YOUR GUILTY VERDICT WITH FULL ADMISSION OF YOUR SPECIFIC CRIMES, FOLLOWED WITH DEEP SADNESS – Why? because guilt creates godly sorrow

“For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret; but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death].“ [2 Cor 7:10 (AMP)]

3/ FULLY REPENT AND FOLLOW JESUS  [JUST LIKE YOU ARE HIS SLAVE], WHO IS YOUR NEW LORD – Why? because only deep godly sorrow creates true repentance

““For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation…”

“Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.” [Eph 4:28 (AMP)]

True repentance means first to stop your crime, and in our example of a thief, that is only the first step because this is only partial repentance. Next the Bible explains that the thief must get a job and earn his money. But if you stop here then this is still partial repentance because it does not deal with the heart of the sin, which is GREED. A greedy person steals and cheats, but a fearful or careful greedy person just works hard to stuff his own pockets without stealing. That is why the Bible explains that true and full repentance is only proven when the ex-thief makes a 180 and joyfully gives some of his hard earned money to needy people.

As you can see, true repentance means to stop your way of saying and doing things, change your mind on how you reason and make decisions, and leave your selfish lifestyle behind forever. Then, make the teachings of Jesus your new path in the future. This is the narrow road where you make it your one priority to please and obey Jesus Christ, your brand new boss. You must fully follow His doctrines, His commands, and His example. Repentance is turning away from EVERYTHING Christ says is wrong and evil, and embracing EVERYTHING He says is right and important to do.

Dear God,

I realize you are my Creator and Judge, the One who gives us all life, and the only one who is good and just. Because of this, you have the right to establish the law of right and wrong for the whole world and I now bow to your authority. I have broken your law in these ways _____________________________ [fill in the blank], and I am grieved and sorry for how I have acted.

Please forgive me! I accept your offer of forgiveness through Jesus dying in the place of my judgment. I now turn from all the crimes I am practicing, I have no excuses, and I am grateful for your mercy. I choose to follow You, my Lord Jesus by obedience to Your commandments all my days.

 

REMEMBER, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO LEAVE THE LIFE OF CRIME AND OBEY FROM THIS DAY FORWARD – THIS IS THE NARROW ROAD

Here are some important things to know. The big idea is your relationships with God, your family, friends, and neighbors. Begin with the basics.

1. “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” [Matt 7:12 (NLT)] Make sure you act in love, do not react. God’s concern is that you think about what you would like from others. How do you want them to treat you? What do you want from others? Then do not wait, act first in love. Do you want people to talk to you or include you in activities? Don’t wait speak kindly to others no matter how they speak to you. Read the Bible and see how Jesus speaks, acts, and deals with people. Follow his lead.

2. Not everyone actually follows Jesus, don’t be discouraged. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

3. God will be with you as you listen to Him and follow His teaching. 24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” [Matt 7:21-27 (NLT)]

4. Choose to love others even when they do not give love back to you. 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” [Matt 22:37-40 (NLT)]

Make sure you understand this, all the Old Testament is the written instructions on how to fully love God and man. When you hate a person you steal from them, hurt them, lie to them and so on. But when you love God, you prove by obeying what He instructs. And you prove that you love others when you do what God instructs in His Word to do for others.

BUT WHAT IF I FAIL? OF COURSE YOU WILL FAIL MANY TIMES! BUT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GOD’S MIGHTY GRACE THAT GIVES YOU NEW DESIRES AND STRENGTH TO OBEY YOUR NEW LORD SO TRUST HIM.

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.”

“4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” [1 John 2:1-7 (NLT)]

Give yourself a break at first and remember you are a new baby in the faith. Don’t be discouraged, and do not let failure define who you are! You will find God’s strength because He gives His Holy Spirit to you and you gain the power to obey consistently. Give God time to work inside you, trust Him.

THIS IS IMPORTANT…

1. Read your Bible start with John and Matthew 5-7.

2. Find a church that teaches the Bible literally, because there you have friends that will help and encourage you. But be careful there are false preachers that will try to deceive you.

3. Get baptized to publicly pronounce your faith in Jesus.

4. Study the four phases of spiritual life and the seven steps to maturity for a solid foundation.

5. You can contact me through the website, KLPTV.ORG for any questions and/or if you just need a friend to help you on your spiritual journey.

Welcome to the Narrow Road!

Randy Bell

Email: randy@KLPTV.ORG

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Randy Bell
21 Jan 2017

Phase 3 Mature Servant: focus is adding godliness, brotherly kindness and sacrificial love, Step 5: adding all diligence to [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety),

Step 5: With All Diligence Add Godliness To Your Steadfastness

“and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety),” 2 Peter 1:6 (AMP)

Steps 5-7 have everything to do with passion. Step 5 is experiencing a loving passion for God. Then Step 6 creates a passion to love fellow believers. And finally, Step 7 focuses on passion for the lost world around us.

Upon graduation from your final exam, you then stand firm against the testing and temptations of the devil and live in the full power of God inside your spirit, which means, you are now ready to begin Step 5. Yes, now you can claim God’s Word that says “you are strong and vigorous, and the Word of God is [always] abiding in you (in your hearts), and you have been victorious over the wicked one.” [1 John 2:14 AMP] Celebrate and rejoice! No longer are you bouncing in and out of obedience, but instead, you are walking consistently in the Spirit and experiencing the victory over the enemy.

In the natural world, this is understood by completing school, getting your diploma, and beginning your life as an adult. New job or career, stability to live on your own, and taking responsibility for yourself are all ahead of you. Phase three of your spiritual life is true maturity with huge challenges and responsibilities now in your hands.

Spiritually, this means it is time to serve the living God. A servant of God fully and completely dedicates himself to fulfill the will of God. You have learned like a student. But now it is time to act! Like the knights of old, he fights the good fight, as Paul states. At first, you are a rookie and will make rookie mistakes unless you listen carefully to your leaders and spiritual authorities.

Matthew 5:14-16 (AMP)
14  You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16  Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.

But let’s start with right foundations. In a word, this means fully embracing true devotion to God. You must be steadfast in your focus to love your Lord! It is time to ignite your passion for the Lord your God.

First let’s look at the word, godliness or piety which is confusing and misunderstood by many. But to truly progress in your spiritual maturity you must fully understand and diligently develop true godliness. The Greek word that is translated godliness “refers to piety, man’s obligation of reverence toward God.” [Bible Knowledge Commentary] This means the core of your being must be filled by “a deep, reverential, religious fear; not only worshipping God with every becoming outward act, but adoring, loving, and magnifying him in the heart…” [Adam Clarke’s Commentary]

But you must clearly understand what the Bible means by worship. This Greek word “is from εὐ, well, and σέβομαι, to worship so that the radical idea is worship rightly directed.”  Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament continues by explaining, “Worship, however, is to be understood in its etymological sense, worth-ship, or reverence paid to worth, whether in God or man… In classical Greek the word is not confined to religion, but means also piety in the fulfilment of human relations …‘The recognition of dependence upon the gods, the confession of human dependence, the tribute of homage which man renders in the certainty that he needs their favor—all this is εὐσέβεια, manifest in conduct and conversation, in sacrifice and prayer’ (Nägelsbach, cited by Cremer). This definition may be almost literally transferred to the Christian word. It embraces the confession of the one living and true God, and life corresponding to this knowledge.”

Everything depends on your heart, no true spiritual life will happen unless you actually and fully love God. A deep passion must burn inside your soul! You may have started your religious interest in selfishness. Maybe you wanted God to solve your problems, give you peace, have a better life, or a myriad of purely self-centered motives. None of these are valid and the sooner you see that this is hypocrisy the better. Everything and I mean everything hinges on this truth… “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'” [Matt 22:37 (NKJV)]

Is God worth your devotion and love? Do you passionately LOVE God?

Self-dependence and self-reliance are the wicked sins of pride. God resists the proud. But godliness is the complete reliance upon the supernatural guidance, grace, and power of the living God. He is everything to you, and more important than your life, wife, children, job, reputation, and self-respect. There must be a complete and total abandonment of everything that you are and have, by surrendering yourself to His control.

You live only for GOD! He is your all-consuming passion. Everything else you do and say is by His command because this proves you see His worth. What He says in a matter is more valuable than anyone else’s opinion. His wisdom exceeds the experts in any field of science or philosophy. His directions on where you live, who you marry, your future plans, your family choices, and what you do with your money and time are all given up to Him.

Let me prove it.

Our Lord showed us to follow Him in this narrow way of life because He lived it. “I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.” [John 12:49-50 (NLT)]

Absolute obedience to the Words and divine guidance of the Father was the one and only thing that Jesus followed. He did not deviate from the Father’s directions. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does.” [John 5:19-20 (NKJV)]

To add godliness to your life you must make strong and clear choices. You must stop adding your ideas, dreams, wisdom, rational reasoning, and practical applications for your life. Shave down your words and actions to fully comply with His Words! Do not add to His words. Learn to anchor yourself on His instructions. When you ignore His direct commands and call it grace, even when you say you are serving him, you have entered into a dark and broad road of false faith.

BUT JESUS DID MAKE CLEAR CHOICES AND CALLS YOU TO FOLLOW HIM!

The Lord Jesus proclaimed, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” [Matt 10:34-39 (NKJV)]

Remember, Christ was not popular in His country. The community of Jews tried to assassinate Him (Luke 4:28-30). His words were rejected by the majority of His followers (John 6:66).  Religious leaders and the vast majority wanted him crucified. He warned us, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” [Matt 5:11-12 (NKJV)] It takes real love to stick to the unpopular and hated leader in town, but the first apostles proved their devotion to Jesus.

The Kingdom of God must consume you. Your prayer must be, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” Yes, Christ must be your king, your LORD! “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple… So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” [Luke 14:26-27, 33 (NKJV)] A captured slave would resent these words, but a person wholly in love with God will welcome and embrace these words with joy.

Do you love God enough to actually worship Him?

START WITH A PERSONAL CEREMONY WITH GOD

1/ Like a wedding ceremony, willfully proclaim your love for God and become a true disciple. In marriage, you forsake all others and devote yourself only to your mate. Your life from the day of your wedding is forever changed to “we” and no longer “me.” All other relationships drop to secondary status. You build a life and future together. In the same fashion, present your absolute devotion to the Lord Jesus because He is worth leaving everything to follow Him. Give Him all your heart! Do everything in your power to love him with all your mind and strength.

2/ Like the honeymoon, decisively give your body to the Lord. The apostle Paul explains it by saying, “I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” [Romans 12:1 (AMP)]

3/ With every ounce of your strength deepen your relationship by lovingly offering your body every day and hour as a continual sacrifice of total worship and service to Him alone. Remember everyone has a job, they also did so in Jesus’ day. This does not negate this priority of godliness. Our Lord calls us to really love Him passionately. “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”

You must understand that true worship is not singing a few religious songs that you like but diligently giving your life in sacrificial service for your Lord every day. “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a devouring fire.” [Heb 12:28-29 (NLT])

4/ Allow your thinking and life to be consumed with God’s word, God’s ways, God’s ideals, God’s attitudes, and His will. Allow God to fully change you in every way. “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” [Romans 12:1-2 (AMP)]

Remember “perfect” means complete and finished. Press forward allowing God full control of your life, and full access to your mind and heart. Devote yourself to His strength until you find rest by fully depending on your God. Passionately live as a light for the world to see so that God receives the glory.

Once you come to the place that you really love God more than anyone or anything on this planet, you will finally be able to move to the next step of maturity. Only when you become a true worshiper of the Lord, will you be able to add selfless brotherly kindness to your lifestyle.

But for now, focus on exercising your steadfastness and adding godliness to your life.

Randy Bell
21 Jan 2017

Phase 3 Mature Servant: focus is adding godliness, brotherly kindness and sacrificial love, Step 6: adding your diligence to [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection

Step 6: With All Diligence Add Brotherly Kindness To Your Godliness

“And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection…” [2 Peter 1:7 AMP]

Steps 5-7 have everything to do with passion. Step 5 is experiencing a loving passion for God. Then Step 6 creates a passion to love fellow believers. And finally, Step 7 focuses on passionate love for the lost world around us.

As you mature, true, deep change grips your heart and soul. God’s passion and love bleeds through your soul. As John explains in 1 John 2:14, once you have a relationship with God that can be described by these words, “you have known Him…”, you find this deep and personal connection profoundly alters your spiritual DNA. Like spiritual fathers, mothers and grandparents, the third [mature]and fourth [teacher] phases of your spiritual journey floods your life with Christlike passion for others.

Godliness is rare in America, and from the polling and experiences of people, it seems to be rare in the local church. Not all the accusations are true, obviously, they were all false as they attacked Christ, but enough evidence points to this reality today to conclude that we are suffering from the vacuum of godlessness.

Less than 35% of Americans even attend church on any weekend. So, before you hope to travel in this narrow road of “fraternal affection,” we will have to see the “Christian” critics and quitters come back to church consistently and prove they have “brotherly love (kindness).” This cannot be you.

Divorcing from your fellow believers, and claiming the local church does not meet your needs, proves John’s warnings. “Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark. [10] Those who love other believers live in the light. Nothing will destroy the faith of those who live in the light. [11] Those who hate other believers are in the dark and live in the dark. They don’t know where they’re going, because they can’t see in the dark.” [1 John 2:9-11 GW]

John spells it out for us. “They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong.” [1 John 2:19 from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.]

Remember, John explains, “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” Darkness is clearly Satan and His domain.

Ephesians 6:12

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Col. 1:13

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

1 Thes. 5:4-5

“But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. [5] Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.”

The excuses for staying away from weekend church gatherings are endless and sickening. But the fact is, anybody who loves sports proves it by how he lives and supports his team. On the weekends and day off, he puts off chores and family to watch the game. Or she sneaks to the gym for dance, exercise, and tennis. People spend many hours doing what they really want and love, and ignore what they hate.

The Greek word is “to detest (especially to persecute); by extension to love less :- hate (-ful).” To love football more than joining the Christian team at a local church gathering, is loving “religion” less. It is loving your Christian brother LESS! And this is the point, whether people are willing to admit the word “hate” or “detest” for what they feel about the church. There is no love, that’s for sure. Anyone in this state, is in darkness, and not a Christian, whether they protest my words or not!

It Takes a Godly Person to Love Other Christians

So the whole concept of this step is clear,  it takes a god-like person to love people in close quarters who are not your children or relatives. It takes a commitment of kindness to put up with people’s flaws and weaknesses, their cultural differences, and their immature attitudes and actions. Parents do this with their kids, but many Christians refuse to see that some fellow believers are spiritual babies or children.

If you are a spiritual child you want to think of yourself and not others. To only focus on getting spiritually fed and supported is selfish and childlike. Conflict and problems always follow children, and if you are a parent you know this. Read 1 Corinthians and see how much trouble an immature church can get into. But mature, godly people find the Lord enlarging their hearts to be kind to their Christian family no matter what.

And this brotherly kindness does not come easily, it takes a lot of forgiveness, patience, and a whole lot of godliness to develop true brotherly love for the people who make up a local congregation of the church. This is why Peter says to exercise [use] your godliness to develop brotherly kindness. This is not an easy step for anyone. It takes diligence and willpower to love Christians that are not likable.

And remember this, we are not led to believe that you receive a membership card from heaven, making you a member of the large international group called the “Church” in some kind of abstract way, ignoring the real world of a local church of Christians.

You are not free from being joined to the team of a hard working group of local people, “the called out ones” of your city. For example, you cannot be an NFL player, unless you are a member of a local NFL team. Once you are off the local team, you may be qualified, but unless another team picks you up, you are retired and just a fan. God has no fans, He only has players called disciples.

You must take a position on a team and take on the responsibility of helping your team members accomplish the goals God gives. Also you must encourage and help fellow members develop their skills which makes your team stronger. And you most definitely must learn to work together for the good of the Kingdom.

Take the first church as the pattern. Acts chapter two describes the powerful start of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Three thousand believed the words of Peter, left their circle of friends and united into a brand new community of people who also were committed to Jesus. They did not just believe in their heads, go back to the way they lived, and expect to go to heaven. Repentance demanded a total, revolutionary change of direction and life immediately.

Here is the Word, “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”

“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

“46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

True salvation brings radical change and a new allegiance that is supernaturally imprinted inside a new Christian. “And they continued steadfastly” is based on a Greek word with powerful meaning. It covers these actions, “to be earnest towards, i.e. (to a thing) to persevere, be constantly diligent, or (in a place) to attend assiduously all the exercises, or (to a person) to adhere closely to (as a servitor) :- attend (give self) continually (upon), continue (in, instant in, with), wait on (continually).”

The Acts record reveals the instantaneous reversal of three thousand people from their old lifestyle and the cementing of a new “team” of furiously committed people to Christ and each other. Their love bonded them into a strong and unbreakable fellowship. They went to extremes in their care for and support of each other, even though many just met! Obviously, the core leaders, were with Jesus about three years, but the heart of God’s care was created inside these new disciples very quickly.

And we too are ordered to focus and keep the family together just like they did so long ago. “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…” [1 Peter 1:22 NKJV] And repeated again “Continue to love each other.” [Hebrews 13:1 GW]

The Godly Serve and Help Others Through Brotherly Love

But, the work comes after the initial excitement of new life and the supernatural grace that surges inside the young Christian. Mature believers must work hard to keep the unity of the team by nurturing the babes and immature in Christ, being examples of patience and love, and leading in the purposes and work of God.

Paul challenges believers to be diligent and work hard at this. “Through the peace that ties you together, do your best to maintain the unity that the Spirit gives… This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard.” [Ephes. 4:3, 13 GW]

Peter adds, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” [1 Peter 3:8,9 NKJV]

After holding to the conviction that it is God’s will, we unite and love as brothers, and the next step is actually developing brotherly affection for the saints. Remember the Lord taught, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [Matthew 6:2] This means investing in your spiritual family, by focusing on serving and helping them in the faith, their value will grow in your heart.

This is how we are instructed to accomplish this change of heart. “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”

The more you intentionally invest in your Christian brothers, the more you will cherish them! The full depth of this exciting spiritual step is that you become consumed with the growth and blessing of your fellow believers. They are more important to you than anything of this world. If you think of sports, it would be like being a player-coach.

“So those of us who have a strong {faith} must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose {faith} is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves. [2] We should all be concerned about our neighbor and the good things that will build his faith. [3] Christ did not think only of himself. Rather, as Scripture says, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” [4] Everything written long ago was written to teach us so that we would have confidence through the endurance and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. [5] May God, who gives you this endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other by following the example of Christ Jesus. [6] Then, having the same goal, you will praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. [7] Therefore, accept each other in the same way that Christ accepted you. He did this to bring glory to God.” [Romans 15:1-7 GW]

“Brothers and sisters, I encourage all of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to agree with each other and not to split into opposing groups. I want you to be united in your understanding and opinions.” [1 Cor. 1:10 GW] Therefore, you must know the tricks and traps of the devil. “False prophets were among God’s people {in the past}, as false teachers will be among you. They will secretly bring in their own destructive teachings. They will deny [contradict] the Lord, who has bought them, and they will bring themselves swift destruction.” [2 Peter 2:1 GW]

Now before you get false ideas, I want to make sure you understand that unity and harmony does not mean compromise and acceptance of false doctrine or evil practices. The early church was united and devoted to the apostles’ doctrine. To keep the unity of all for the sake of maturing them to be like Christ demands that the church will have to remove false Christians from their team.

God’s word instruct us, “Now, what I meant was that you should not associate with people who call themselves brothers or sisters in the Christian faith but live in sexual sin, are greedy, worship false gods, use abusive language, get drunk, or are dishonest. Don’t eat with such people.” [1 Cor. 5:11 GW] “Brothers and sisters, I urge you to watch out for those people who create divisions and who make others fall away {from the Christian faith} by teaching doctrine that is not the same as you have learned. Stay away from them.” [Romans 16:17 GW]

Don’t be confused here! It is loving and kind to stop children from hurting themselves or someone else. It is also normal to protect children. And parents always correct and guide their children. This is the power and importance of Christian fellowship. God established the positions of mature church leaders: missionaries, evangelists, preachers, teachers and pastors to guide and protect the infants and immature from themselves and the devil. Like shepherds of old they are raised up to supervise the fulfillment of all these things: the unity and fellowship of the team, the maturing and strengthening of the team, and the safety and protection of the team.

Fellowship is living out brotherly kindness through the powerful bond of the passionate love of God. “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high,

He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. [Ephesians 4:1-16 NKJV]

So What is Necessary For You to Achieve Step 6?

1/ Decide that the church, yes, the organized church with spiritual leaders, is God’s church. Yes there are false teachers and false cults and movements. So be careful and find God’s people. It does not matter what you like, it matters who they are. If you have divided yourself from them you are in error and resistant to God’s authority. Humble yourself and repent, and quickly find a local congregation of Christians that follow the clear teaching of the Bible, and submit to the pastor’s authority.

2/ Then commit yourself to the work of the ministry of fellowship. And be clear, fellowship is living the “one another commands” within the local church of the New Testament. This is the only way to develop brotherly affection, diligently exercising your passion for God by loving the people He loves deeply, His family, which now is your eternal family.

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Randy Bell
21 Jan 2017

Phase 3 Mature Servant: focus is adding godliness, brotherly kindness and sacrificial love, Phase 4 Godly Leader: focus on deepening sacrificial love, leading and mentoring, Step 7: adding all diligence to [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] sacrificial love.

Step 7: With All Diligence Add Genuine Love To Your Brotherly Kindness

“make every effort… to Christian affection add love.” [2 Peter 1:7 (GW)]

Steps 5-7 have everything to do with passion. Step 5 is experiencing a loving passion for God. Then Step 6 creates a passion for fellow believers. And finally, Step 7 focuses on passion for the lost world around us. We must let God enlarge our hearts step by step. In our life as a Christian, we are commanded to climb to the final height of God’s purpose for man by adding genuine love [agape] to our brotherly kindness.

The construction remember, says, “make every effort… to Christian affection add love. [2 Peter 1:7 (GW)] This is a progression because you are to add agape love to brotherly kindness. Therefore, brotherly love must be already practiced before you can add something new to this spiritual phase of life. Loving your Christian family is one thing, but passionately sacrificing your life for the general community [your neighbors and the enemies of God] is the ultimate act of love.

Genuine love is not magic, or unheard of in the secular world. For example, if your child, or father, mother [a close relative] were to contract a deadly disease or suffer a terrible accident and need a $250,000 operation, and did not have insurance to cover it, would you sell your home, car, furniture, cash in all investments, etc. to save their life? Almost everyone would do it in a heartbeat because your genuine love for your loved ones drives you to such sacrifice. You would not even have to think about it!

But, what if I needed the operation, would you do it for me? Every one of you would pray for me! Some might send a small donation. But the reality is, most of you would shrug your shoulders, comment on how heaven is a better place, and let me die!

The point is, “for God so loved the world that He gave us His Son.” God has more passionate, genuine love for every person on this planet than most people love their children. And beyond that, even though many love their kids like this, most do not even love their own spouse that much. Moms will put up with anything from their children, love them unconditionally and do anything for them, but divorce their husband for purely selfish reasons because of disappointments and disagreements. Even many criminals will die for their children but hate and hurt everyone else.

This is where the supernatural must come in, and why we are commanded to expand our hearts to practice genuine love as a controlling motive and focus of our mature faith. We are born selfish, so this extreme focus of life is the complete opposite. Brotherly kindness expands your heart to love fellow Christians with the same love you practice with close family. But, agape love greatly enlarges your heart beyond the church family, to love the world like Christ does, by continually sacrificing to save them from eternal damnation in hell! Only God’s power in a narrow road follower of Jesus can make such changes in a person.

The apostle Paul explains it in his second letter to the church at Corinth, Greece. “For if we have been beside ourselves, it has been for God’s glory; or if we are now in our right senses, it is in order to be of service to you. For the love of Christ overmasters us, the conclusion at which we have arrived being this—that One having died for all, His death was their death, and that He died for all in order that the living may no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again.”

“Therefore for the future we know no one simply as a man. Even if we have known Christ as a man, yet now we do so no longer. So that if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has appointed us to serve in the ministry of reconciliation. We are to tell how God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men’s transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation. On Christ’s behalf therefore we come as ambassadors, God, as it were, making entreaty through our lips: we, on Christ’s behalf, beseech men to be reconciled to God.” [2 Cor 5:13-20 (WEY)]

Here is the definition from the Greek language for constraineth (KJV) [overmasters] = from (sun) and (echo); to hold together, i.e. to compress (the ears, with a crowd or siege) or arrest (a prisoner); figurative to compel, perplex, afflict, preoccupy :- constrain, hold, keep in, press, lie sick of, stop, be in a strait, straiten, be taken with, throng. – [Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary].

I hope you can see that Paul explains that this type of love is God’s passion driving, pressing and controlling believers through grace [Phil. 2:13, the desire and power to do God’s will] to no longer live selfishly, but instead, focus and follow the will of Jesus with the same love He shared when sacrificing His life. He joyfully gave His life on the cross of torture and death for all mankind.

He has appointed all followers of Jesus to serve in His ministry of reconciliation, by broadcasting the message of His sacrifice. He sends us for the same reason the Father sent Him [John 20:21]. We must “make every effort” to be living sacrifices [Romans 12], and diligently spread the good news to the whole world. Without agape love driving you, you will not passionately accomplish this! And believe me, this clearly explains the reason John claims this is phase four, or the ultimate phase of Kingdom Living! It is the height of love for God and man.

Now here is the shocker for many believers, it is not a special calling for an elite few, but in time and with training from God, He intends to move you and everyone of His narrow road followers to this fourth phase of your life [Phase 4]! “For although, considering the long time you have been believers, you ought now to be teachers of others…” [Heb 5:12 (WEY)]

Let those words sink into you! Many Christians make excuses that they do not have to be a missionary, pastor, preacher, teacher, etc. because they have not been led or called to do it, as if you need a special bonk on the head before you are responsible for the world going to hell forever!

If you are truly born again, the grace of God will push you to do His will and join His ministry team! If you are a hypocrite, keep making excuses, you will end up in hell with the world anyway. And without agape love, you will ignore the fate worse than the death of your child, as you watch your community, nation, and world rush to eternal judgment.

The mature believer must see that their mission from God is the Great Commission of Matthew 28. The strong and faithful servant of God must have a passion for the lost world that launches him into serving in the ministry of reconciliation that the Lord leads them to join. This does not mean that you must be full-time missionaries but it might. This does not mean you become a pastor of a church, but it might. What it does mean is that your focus of ministry melts together with your job, whether you are a teacher, plumber, banker, or scientist. The apostle Paul’s job was a tent-maker, but he is known as a great missionary.

The older, mature leader must see that the mentoring and training of the immature and mature disciples rest upon their shoulders. The fire cannot go out! The passion and mission of God must be passed faithfully unto the next generations until Christ literally comes back to earth. Again “considering the long time you have been believers, you ought now to be teachers of others…”

Even in business and industry, good retired workers are treasured and called back as mentors and consultants to establish the base of work and employees. It is sad that in our day, most churches see the elderly as out of touch with “new innovations” and not valuable. I hope they wake up soon, the salvation and spiritual life of the church needs old-fashioned Biblical principles. God has not changed and His Word was established long ago.

We must go back to God’s Word as the only foundation of faith AND PRACTICE!

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