₦airaland Forum

DrummaBoy: Thank you Gombs

OP, please study what DB wrote... it's quite edifying and scripturally sound.

kuss: it's the word that changes people
preach the word only
campaign can not stop anything
has anti abortion campaign be able to stop abortion
has anti gay campaign be able to stop gay
some Catholics, hinduist, Mohammedan ete have heard the word and have converted
speek the word only
there's no amount of campaign that can stop a Catholic from worshipping mary or Muslim from worshiping Allah
those that have been converted are those that heard the word
thanks

Gbam..

^^^
Standing ovation...wow!

(Minus the tithe part), this is an outstanding piece...esp the "in very rare occasions" part

An Unbeatable Partnership · TUESDAY 15th July· 

And all things are of God, who hath … given to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

God’s number one passion is to save souls. He proved His commitment to this by sending Jesus to die to save humanity (John 3:16). Despite God’s commitment to saving the lost, He wills to do it through us—His children; He has committed to us "the ministry of reconciliation"; this task has been assigned to us.

In the Book of Acts, chapter ten, we read about Cornelius, a Roman centurion. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; therefore, God had mercy on him and sent an angel to him. Nevertheless, the angel couldn’t lead him to Christ, because it’s not the responsibility of angels to preach the Gospel by ministering the words of salvation. They don’t have that honour. The angel told him to send men to Joppa to ask for Peter. Peter came and proclaimed the Gospel to Cornelius, and he and his household received Christ that day.

Your relevance in God’s plan for the salvation of the world can’t be overstated. He wants to reach out to people through you, and because He knows you won’t be able to achieve this by your own ability, He gave you the Holy Spirit to be with you, and in you. He’s your partner in soul-winning, and that is an unbeatable partnership. He has come into you to make you an able, competent, and effective minister of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 3:6). His presence in you makes your life supernatural.

Recall what He did with Peter, who, on three occasions, denied the Lord, being afraid of persecution from the Jews. However, when he received the Holy Spirit, he became so bold that he ministered the Gospel to a large assembly, and on that occasion, three thousand people gave their hearts to Christ. The moment you receive the Holy Spirit, power comes into you. That power, which is the dynamic ability to cause changes (Acts 1:, gives you the ability to be a bold witness of the resurrected Christ.

Confession...
The Lord has anointed me with the Holy Spirit, and with power to be an effective minister of reconciliation, spreading the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with passion, fervour and dedication. I’m yielded always to the Holy Spirit who is my Senior Partner in soulwinning, and together we make an unbeatable team, bringing salvation to people everywhere. Halleluiah.

Further Study: 
2 Corinthians 6:1; We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

1 Corinthians 1:9 aMP;

2 Corinthians 3:5-6
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
 6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

1 year Bible reading plan: Acts 23:12-35 Job 40-42
2 year Bible reading plan: Galatians 4:12-20 Isaiah 35

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee289/3_finger_pete/Plutocrat_zps377835d6.gif

Oh dear Lord Jesus!
What a thread...what level of desperation!

I prophesy doom for this project, why? Because He that sits on High is laughing. If only u guys would channel this energy for soul winning and building... £50 can get an outreach program done...and more than 20 sould would receive Christ into their hearts... but rather like Judas, you folks care about the monetary part before salvation.

In few months time, I'd bring up this thread and see the reports so far....

Candour: Hmm my friend Gombs, at long last, you have the maturity to invite me to a sensible thread away from the 'sham caricature' you and Kenny created and subjected yourselves to recently.

This topic was treated some time ago. See this link. https://www.nairaland.com/1155998/restitution-christs-teaching-church-old#13754550

Maybe we can start from there.

Meanwhile, why didn't you invite pastor Jo?

He's been busy...Mid year Pastor's Refresher Course and ICLC...

Meanwhile, I can't make a head or tail of the thread above.... let's start here. Thanks

Finally a thread on restitution... I dnt think one should, 2 Corinthians 5 : 17 makes me don't have much savour for it, but what if the person who does wrong is already born again? He should then ask for forgiveness and refrain from such.

Goshen, drummaboy, kunle, candour....make una come and edify me on this topic

The Same Lineage of Faith- Monday, July 14th

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire..
Hebrews 11:32-34

The Apostle Paul makes a very powerful claim in 2 Corinthians 4:13, referring to the new creation as having the same spirit of faith with the patriarchs of faith in the Bible: “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.” He actually quoted a portion of scripture in the Old Testament, precisely Psalms 116:10, one of the psalms of David. Here, he remembers the exploits of David and affirms that we have the same spirit of faith as David.

David had the anointing of the Holy Spirit working in his life; and as a young lad,he tore a lion and a bear apart with his bare hands, on two separate occasions. He slew the great Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines, and won the victory for Israel. David’s faith-filled words to the seemingly invincible giant, Goliath of Gath, are very inspiring. He said to him, “This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand. And I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (1 Samuel 17:46). What a faith proclamation!

You can live everyday in total victory, by putting your faith to work as others did in Bible days. The Bible says for us to be “...followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12). This refers to those who, through faith, faced and overcame whatever obstacle was before them. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, the prophets of old, the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles have all set for us examples of faith to emulate. We’re of the same faith-lineage. We believe and speak in agreement with our heavenly Father; we proclaim His words and they produce the desired results.

Confession. ...
I walk by the same principles of faith by which my heavenly Father made the heavens and the earth! Today, by my confessions of faith,I’m framing my world and causing the circumstances of my life to synchronize with God’s perfect will for me in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Further Study:
Hebrews 13:5-6.
5. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6.So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. ;

Romans 4:16-17.
16.Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.

17.(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Daily Scripture Reading
1 Year Bible Reading Plan: Acts 22:22-23:1-11, Job 36-39

2 Year Bible Reading Plan: Galatians 4:1-11, Isaiah 34

BabaGnoni: oic...
Please may I know why and how you arrived at and concluded that "the new creation did not come at the cross"?
Also, please can I have the scripture(s) to perform a Berean on what you based "new creation came after the resurrection" on?

No altercations, just want to gain an understanding of this stance.
Thank you Gombs in advance.

Go to google cache...and extract the Word of Faith thread...page 7 I think...knock urself out

Let's not derail

BabaGnoni: [img]http://postimg.org/image/80ujz1f8f/[/img]
...he should be very grateful for a mere only 6-MONTHS data nairaland lost

he made a special monumental blunder within dat time frame...notable of it is when he said the new creation came at the cross,n not after d resurection.

is it jst me or what?why does pagan 9ja post always seems like he is angry?

now,pagans,atheist and anti tithe crew all gang up against tithing,anti tithers claim it has been abolished by the new testament,pagan n atheists claim it is fraud.. .i laugh.i am not ignorant of d wiles of the devil sha

fyi, if churches are taxed,what makes u think it wont grow even bigger?how much can u take from d ocean? dnt u get it?the new creatioo finance and economy is not of this world?

The Fruit-bearing Part Of The Vine . Sunday, June 13th .

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23 ).

The Capital letter “S” used for “Spirit” in the verse above is quite misleading to the original meaning of that verse. Many have thought that because it’s a capital “S” then Paul must be talking about the Holy Spirit, but that couldn't possibly be, because the Holy Spirit doesn’t bear fruits. There’s no where in the Scriptures that suggests that He does. The opening verse actually refers to the recreated human spirit; the spirit that's born again.

Recall the words of Jesus in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches….” The branches are the fruit-bearing part of a tree. Jesus didn’t say, “I am the vine and the Holy Ghost is the branch,” no. He said “YOU,” referring to the believing ones: We’re the fruit-bearing part of the Vine. When Jesus uttered those words, He conveyed a deep spiritual truth showing us that, first, we have the same life as He does. Secondly, we have the same Name. This is indicative of a life of ever-increasing glory, as you keep bearing fruits. Halleluiah.

The Master also said in John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain….” This isn't talking about a one-off experience, but a life of limitless possibilities and unending productivity. God isn't interested in you just producing fruits, but that your fruits continually increase. Just as the farmer prunes his trees in order to harvest more fruits, so also the Lord prunes His body that it may bear more fruits (John 15:2).

Confession...
I'm a member of the body of Christ, of His flesh and of His bones. I’m manifesting the fruits of the new creation life. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering,gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance are products of my recreated human spirit. I live out the life of righteousness in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Further Study: Ephesians 4:22-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.;

John 15:1-5 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Daily Scripture Reading

1 Year Bible Reading Plan: Acts 21:37-22:1-21, Job 32-35

2 Year Bible Reading Plan: Galatians 3:23-29, Isaiah 33

Scyllapatron: the christian god is broke, he needs money, he needs money, he needs money .
pay your tithe, pay your tithe, or he will not bless you. ...
he needs money.

Dry!

frosbel: To Preach the Tithe while using the money for purposes which are unknown and not under the control of the tithers is FRAUD and Day Light Robbery.

In fact , Tithing should be criminalised and those who break the law should be locked up until they repent.

i forgot to add u and zikky. . .been a while,hope u r good?

Kunle, Goshen, Drummaboy, Candour, Shedemidemi... food don done o...come and feast

Goshen360: Well, for me, I am a teacher of God's truth. The truth is Christian teachings and sound doctrines are water down today. I am not hear to boast but I want to tell everyone here that, [size=20pt]when God gave me a mandate to His truth, God said to be, I should not look at the face of men but rather speak the truth in season. [/size] Here is what God said to me from His word, Mark 12:14 (NIV),

They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

Many people have swallowed lies, heresies, and doctrines being preached by demons on the pulpit. Take a loot at this:

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 tim. 4:3 (NIV)

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Peter 2:1 (NIV)

Notice in 2 Peter 2:1. There was false prophets among the people of old BUT in our days, there will be FALSE TEACHERS.

I personally do not disregard or discredit my friend and brother, Joagbage because "Paul plants and Appolos" waters, to all the glory of God. We promote God's kingdom. However, As a teacher of God's word, WE CANNOT EXPLAIN SCRIPTURES WITH OUR HEAD KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, IDEAS OR USING VAIN WORDS BUT RATHER INTERPRET SCRIPTURES WITH SCRIPTURES. This is where Christianity has missed it and we have all sorts of different doctrines and yet we read same bible. The problem lies in our interpretation. God cannot mis-lead us if we allow scriptures to interpret itself and this is the method have was taught in my bible school and this is what am doing.

God bless you all.

hmmm Goshen.. 2 years down the line, what happened?


can i highlight some of what you said which of course is part of 'God gave you a mandate' in these two years?

And ummmm...u r not a teacher of God's truth... a pundit would best fit

i had to resurrect this page... i find it hillarious and worthy of review after all these years...

now, shall we mark transcript?

Faith For The Triumphant Life � Saturday 12th July

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).


The Apostle Paul in the verse above lets us know that God always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ Jesus. We?ve been called to a life of success, joy, health, righteousness, and boundless possibilities. Glory to God!

The one who?s born again reigns over Satan and the negativities of life. Someone might say, "But my experiences aren?t just in line with the triumphant life; rather, it?s the exact opposite."

The first thing you need is to accept that the triumphant life is the right of every believer. However, it takes understanding and the walk of faith to live this transcendent life. God is a "faith-God." He operates by faith and as His offspring, we?re to do the same. The Bible says without faith it?s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We walk by faith and not by sight or sensory perception (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith is living in and by the Word.

It?s God?s will and desire that you live joyfully, reigning and winning every day in life, through the Word.

Prayer...

Dear Father, I thank you for causing me always to triumph in Christ, and for granting me wisdom to excel in all things, to the glory of your Name. I live in health, prosperity and joy always, celebrating my victory over Satan, the world, and all the negativities of life! Thank you for giving me such a triumphant life, in Jesus? Name. Amen.

Further Study: 1 John 4:4; John 16:33

1 year Bible reading plan: Acts 21:17-36 Job 29-31

2 year Bible reading plan: Galatians 3:13-22 Isaiah 32

macof: Christianity nd Islam strive on fear. They feed you fear and then control you with it

this is the bedrock of both religions

Go study the bible with an unbiased and unfouled mind... God said "Fear not".. He is so serious on that instruction

For instance, the King James Version says “Fear not” or “Be not afraid” 103 times.. Jesus dont want us to fear or be afraid.. look at this example below..

Matt 14:22-23 KJV

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in [size=16pt]fear.[/size]

27 But Jesus [size=16pt]immediately[/size] said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 [size=16pt]Immediately [/size]Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

notice how Jesus immediately moved to quench their fear... He was walking, but the moment he sensed their fear, he moved immediately to quench it...how then do folks think Christianity is about fear? the fact u were afraid when u heard the truth (or maybe the way twas said to you) does not mean Christianity is about fear...finally, this is what paul said to young pastor Timothy

2 Timothy 1:7King James Version (KJV)
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a [size=16pt]sound mind.[/size]

hmmmm...*passing by

God is not limited by time or space...so, prayer online or offline is very much same and effective, the receiver only need to activate their faith by believing, for faith comes by hearing by God's word...and they shall surely have the desired result

Kunle, Goshen, Drummaboy, Candour, Shedemidemi etc


[size=30pt]come and feast o[/size]

GLORIOUS THINGS ARE SPOKEN OF YOU - Friday, July 11th

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God (Hebrews 10:7).

The Lord Jesus, while He walked the earth, lived out the perfect will of God; He walked in a preordained destiny. He located His destiny and purpose in the written Word, and fulfilled the glorious things that had been spoken of Him.

Luke 4:17-21 shows us how the Lord entered into His destiny. It reads, “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” The Master recognized and acknowledged publicly that these verses were written concerning Him. He knew what His identity and mission were; His destiny was clearly spelt out in the Word.

Psalms 87:3 says, “Glorious things are spoken of thee O city of God” ; that refers to you—the new creation in Christ Jesus—you’re the city of God. Glorious things are spoken of you in the Word: glorious things about your heritage, placement, ability, liberty, and privileges in Christ Jesus. Your responsibility is to look into the Word to locate, and enter into, the glorious things that are written of you, and fulfil your destiny.

Your destiny is in the Word of God, and it’s been settled; it’s not determined by your family background, country of residence or the government of the day. You’ve been destined for greatness, set apart for a life of victory and triumph from glory to glory. 1 John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” This means your origin is in God; you hail from Him, and you’re already victorious over Satan and the adversities of life. This is your destiny. Personalize this and other glorious things written of you in the Word, and walk in the light of them. Halleluiah!


Confession. ..
I know who I am! I’m the effulgence of God’s glory; the radiance of His grace and beauty! I walk in the light of His glory today, manifesting His righteousness, and unveiling His wisdom that’s inherent in my spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.


Further Study
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Psalm 87:3
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.


DAILY SCRIPTURE READING

1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Acts 21:1-16 Job 25-28

2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Galatians 3:1-12 Isaiah 31

redcliff: He just explained it.

is there righteousness without faith? is there faith without love?

advocate666: Satan loves you but doesn't care if you love don't him back.

Satan is not a money doubler. He will never ask you for tithes. All his gifts are free.

Satan will never threaten to punish you for being human and behaving like one.

Not interested!

https://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee289/3_finger_pete/Plutocrat_zps377835d6.gif

feedthenation: Burundi's lower house of parliament has passed a bill intended to curb the country's "proliferation of churches".
A government survey last year found there were 557 denominations practising in the small Central African state.
New regulations would require churches to have at least 500 members and a proper building.
Evangelical churches mushroomed during and after the long ethnic-based civil war, which officially ended in 2005 after some 300,000 people had died.
The BBC's Prime Ndikumagenge in the capital, Bujumbura, says the bill received the unanimous support of MPs in the National Assembly and is unlikely to face much opposition in the Senate.
If no changes are made to the draft legislation, it must be signed by the president within 30 days or sent back to parliament for a second reading.
Once signed into law, churches would have a year to comply with the new regulations.
For a foreign church to be allowed to register, it would have to show that it had 1,000 followers.

Abuse scandals
Our correspondent says it is common to see makeshift tents where worshippers gather by the side of the road on Sundays.
Anyone can set themselves up as a preacher and there have been a few scandals over the years involving some of the smaller churches, he says
Some preachers have been accused of manipulating or abusing their followers.
One reported case involved a preacher who said that barren women wanting to conceive should sleep with him.
Most of Burundi's nine million inhabitants are Christian, and some also follow traditional beliefs.
During the parliamentary debate on Wednesday, MP Jean Minani asked for those following these animist beliefs to be given the right to worship as they wanted.
Animist worshippers pray and perform rituals in the open to communicate with their ancestors or their god Imana.
But Interior Minister Edouard Nduwimana dismissed such practices as "backward".
President Pierre Nkurunziza - a former rebel who was first elected president in 2005 - is a born-again Christian and his wife is a preacher in an evangelical church.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28245419

Not possible, not when I'm still praying for churches and ministers of the gospel

saintlawr: 1 John 5:17
[size=16pt]All unrighteousness is sin: [/size]and there is a sin not unto death.
sin is sin ....stop this heresy

Very true.. unrighteousness is the absence of faith and love of God, for our righteousness is of faith, and faith can’t work without love . Check throughout the Bible, all those bible declared as unrighteous lack one or both of Love and Faith
Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Phi 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:


Etc etc

Quick quiz, is there righteousness without faith? Is their faith without love?

redcliff: You are getting it wrong..That is a very wrong benchmark in every sense of its meaning..

How? ? Why?

redcliff: I understand what benchmark is. I hear it every other day in class. What you are trying to say is something in the likes of yardatick used to measure sin right?

Am saying outside faith and love anything we do is sin... so the standard for defining sin is faith and love.

redcliff: You cannot "benchmark" sin...sin is sin..

Look up the meaning of benchmark! ...

If our faith has a standard by which it can be measured, if our knowledge has a standard by which it is measured...why shouldn't sin have a benchmark? (Standard by which it is measured)

 Ephesians 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

The underlined is the benchmark our our Christianity! There is a standard of measurement

... I’ll just give you a little idea of what this is, and that will begin to help your personal study. I’ll read you a few scriptures. The first one will be from Romans chapter 14. In discussing what to eat and what not to eat and whether eating food made for idols was right or wrong and so on, Paul made a conclusive statement that is very enlightening: “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” [Romans 14:23].

Now, that’s the first thing you have to understand because we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us “…we walk by faith, not by sight”. The Bible says in Romans 9:8that those who are the children of the flesh [which means the children of the senses] are not the children of God. Those who are the children of God are the children of faith.

The Bible says that we are the children of faith because we are the children of faithful Abraham. So, we walk by faith.The bible says “Without faith it is impossible to please God” [Hebrews 11:6]. That tells you how important faith is–-without it, it is impossible to please God. You can’t please Him without faith, no matter what you do. So, you need faith and faith is encapsulated in the gospel. When you hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, faith comes with it. When you accept the gospel, faith is automatically imparted to your spirit from day-one that you gave your life to Christ. That’s what the bible tells us in Romans chapter 12, when you read from verse 3: “…God hath dealt to everyone the measure of faith” [Romans 12:3]. It’s that seed of faith that’s in the gospel. So, that’s the first thing you need to know: that anything that is not of faith is sin. That establishes it. So, in your walk with God, you must walk with Him by faith because whatever you do outside of faith, God says it’s sin.

The second thing, you’d learn from the next scriptures I’ll show to you. Romans Chapter 13, beginning with verse 8: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law” [Romans 13:8]. He that loves another hath fulfilled the law. Now, he’s talking about the law God gave to Moses–the cardinal law of God. That’s what he’s looking at. Then he goes on in verse 9 to say: “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” [Romans 13:9]. Then in verse 10, he says “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” [Romans 13:10]. Love is the fulfilling of the law.

So, there are going to be two things to look at here: fulfilling the law or transgressing the law. You’re either fulfilling the law or you’re transgressing the law. So, he says if you walk in love, you fulfill the law. Alright, let me read to you from the 1st epistle of St. John Chapter 3 in verse 4: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” [1 John 3:4]. Now that’s pretty simple: if love is the fulfilling of the law, it means to “not-walk-in-love” is the transgressing of the law. If you don’t walk in love, you transgress the law. Love is the fulfilling of the law and the opposite of love is selfishness.

So, he says “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” [1 John 3:4]. The statement he just made is based on the principle. He says “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for [which means because] sin is the transgression of the law” [1 John 3:4]. So, that’s a principle like he gave us a principle that we read earlier, that whatsoever is not faith is sin. And now he says sin is defined as the transgression of the law and love is the fulfilling of the law.

So, if you don’t walk in love, you transgress the law. If you want to know the benchmark for sin–how do you measure sin? How do you know when your act is an act of sin? Or your thought is a thought of sin? Two things: one, is it by faith in God, his Word? Does it fulfill the requirements of love? Which means is it in love? Because “faith works by love.” Otherwise, faith would be no faith. Faith in God, faith in His word functions by love. So, this is the simple principle for understanding sin, the simple principle for measuring what sin is: [size=16pt]Faith and Love.[/size]

So, he tells us that all the commandments are fulfilled in one statement to love your neighbor as yourself. Then, Jesus took it higher, He says, you’re to love not as yourself but as Christ loved you. Then, He said “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” [John 15:13]. So, you go beyond – sometimes, some people say I can’t please you and displease myself. No! You can please someone even when you didn’t have pleasure in giving up what you had to give up. See, your pleasure becomes doing what you’re supposed to do. You take pleasure in fulfilling God’s righteous requirements; when you fulfill the righteousness of God, that should be your joy, not when you fulfill your own desires.

Everyone can take the communion. Why? Because they belong to Jesus Christ, old and young alike, and there is no scriptural demarcation where it says old or young should not take it, not the old only. Everyone who believes in Jesus. If he says but this children are too young to believe, well their parents have believe for them, they are sanctified by God because they belong to God’s children, so that’s what it’s about.