As we read the New Testament Bible, we see the Word of God which shows us how we, who belong to God, are to live on this present earth.
I John 3:24 And he that keepeth HIS commandments dwelleth in HIM, and HE in him. And hereby we know that HE abideth in us, by the Spirit which HE hath given us.
When we belong to God, HE gives us HIS Holy Spirit to live in us and to teach us and to guide us.
We follow the Spirit of God, walking in HIM as we do HIS instructions.
We no longer follow the will of our own flesh as we once did. Now we follow that which the Spirit of God shows us, walking in the Word of God and walking in the will of God.
We keep our flesh crucified with Christ, the Word, as we do the Word, refusing to obey that which our flesh desires.
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Now we are born again by God by HIS Spirit and HIS Spirit lives in us.
1 Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
It is not that we go to church. Now we are the church, for God is in us by HIS Spirit and we now follow HIM.
Therefore Jesus says to us:
John 10:27-30 MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of MY hand. MY Father, which gave them ME, is greater than all; and no (none) is able to pluck them out of MY Father's hand. I and my Father are one.
After we are born again by God and have HIS Spirit, we want to read the Bible. We want to hear things of God. We are new creations, created by God by HIS Spirit who speaks God's word to us.lo
I Cor. 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
We no longer live the way we once lived. We no longer desire to do and to say those things we once did and said. We are now new creatures, created by God by HIS Spirit Who now lives in us.
Now we serve God instead of serving ourselves as we once did.
We abide in God's Word and we walk in HIS Word, obeying HIM.
God changed us. It is not that we changed ourselves. God changed us! Now we are born again by God by HIS Spirit.
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After we are born again and have God's Spirit living in us, we do the works of the Spirit of God.
Galatians 5
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
(For the Spirit fulfills the law for the Spirit does not hate as does the flesh.)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft (superstitions), hatred, variance (arguing: to vary against), emulations (trying to outdo others), wrath (desiring vengeance against others), strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft (superstitions), hatred, variance (arguing: to vary against), emulations (trying to outdo others), wrath (desiring vengeance against others), strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Instead of beating people as we once did, now, because of the Spirit that is in us, we want to help other people. The Holy Spirit would never seek adultery or fornication for that would hurt other people. Now because of the Spirit that is in us we walk in love toward others. It is not that we try to love. We love them because of that Spirit Who loves and lives in us. Now love and all the fruits of the Spirit are inside of us because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us. It is not that we try to do the works of the Spirit. We do godliness because that Spirit in us is godly. And we walk in that Holy Spirit as we follow that which HE shows us to do.
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