by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 5, 2020 | Daily Encouragement |
‘For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. ‘
Galatians 2:18
In other words, Paul is saying he couldn’t go back and undo all the horrible things he did to the believing Jews before his Damascus road experience because if he did, that would elevate his works (legalism) above God’s grace. And that can never happen. Why? Read on.
Galatians 2:21
I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.’
Plain enough? The moment we try to do something, anything to gain favor with God we take Christ off the cross. And we are cursed (anathema) Galatians 1:8,9.
Remember the letter to the Galatian church was written in response to Judiazers (Acts 15:1,5) that were coming in behind Paul trying to convince Paul’s Gentile converts that they were not saved by faith alone in the finished work of the cross alone but that they needed to be circumcised and keep the law. Sadly, it’s no different today!!! It may not be circumcision but man has added much to Paul’s gospel which then makes it no gospel at all.
For more read…
When was salvation apart from the Mosaic Law?
by Jamie Pantastico | Jul 24, 2020 | Daily Encouragement |
Christians Submitted to Government…
When the coronavirus first came on the scene in March 2020, it was projected to kill millions of American citizens (2.2 million).
Americans across the country did the right thing and followed government guidelines like washing our hands, social distancing and sheltering in place. Willfully following what our leaders told us to do faced with the potential for mass casualties was the right thing to do.
The threat was taken seriously by all Americans and still is but we now know the projections were dead wrong. We also know that COVID-19 isn’t what the government portrayed it to be and expected government restrictions to ease in accordance with new data, the science. Remember we were told two weeks at the most to flatten the curve.
On the contrary, the government has gone full-tyrannical at every level imposing more and more restrictions on healthy people that have not only taken away our God-given right to worship but have added severe punishment for not obeying their unlawful decrees in the form of fines and even arrest.
With the help of the sinister mainstream media, these tyrannical governors and mayors nationwide have been broadcasting a consistent message of death and despair. “Fearmongering” the masses.
As believers we don’t rebel against the government we obey God. And now more than ever is it time for the body of Christ to obey God.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
– the ‘First Amendment’ to the Bill of Rights
The Apostle Paul and Peter Rebelled Against Government
There are many examples throughout Scripture describing believers rebelling against the government. Below is just one example of many.
The same author of Romans 13 is the same person that rebelled against government leadership in Acts 16 and Acts 23. This post will touch on the events in Acts 16.
Paul boldly and openly protested his arrest, beating, and imprisonment by the local government in Philippi.
Why?
Because Paul and Silas were punished severely without a trial. As Roman citizens, their “RIGHT” to a trial under Roman law never happened. Paul knew his rights ‘under Roman law’ were violated and called the government officials out on this fact. Eventually, when the Roman magistrates were confronted with the truth they were afraid and immediately released Paul and Silas.
It’s Clear Why We Must Obey God Over Men
First, law-abiding citizens in America have had their God-given ‘RIGHTS’ taken from them which should never happen under any circumstance. Secondly, Government officials have made unlawful decrees superseding the law of the land “the United States Constitution” giving all power to the executive level of State and Municipal government. In other words, these tyrannical Governors and Mayors are knowingly avoiding the legislative process and taking a dictatorial approach to governance. In doing so the people have zero representation.
Most local governments (Governors & Mayors) have dreamed up decrees banning Christians from Worshiping, conducting in-home Bible Studies and in some states, Christians are even banned from singing.
These are not laws! There must be a legislative process before the government can create laws. Shockingly most Christians and Pastors have decided to go along with having their right to worship God and even sing praises to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ taken from them. Breaking the clear command from God not to forsake the assembly…
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25
Pastors should be ashamed of themselves by cowering to the local magistrates instead of obeying God. They not only rebel against God but forsake their flocks.
During this perplexing and chaotic time in our country and around the world believers need each other more than ever. Not being able to fellowship and worship God is not only being disobedient to what God commanded but it is adding tremendous hardship to an already difficult time for the body of Christ.
Using Romans 13 as an excuse not to worship is the pinnacle of absurdity. It is a complete misrepresentation and twisting of Scripture.
We Must Obey God over Man
Again, given what we now know about the coronavirus; the data and the science. And understanding that Romans 13 isn’t instructing believers to obey the government over God. We must not forsake the assembling of ourselves…not for another day and never again.
The apostle Paul makes so clear why we as individual members of the body of Christ rely on each other no matter where we are in the world. Please read the passages below to see how important we are to each other and why not forsaking the assembly is a command.
We are all part of one body, the body of Christ
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
I Corinthians 12:13-19
‘But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. ‘
I Corinthians 12:20-25
‘And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.’
I Corinthians 12:26
In Conclusion
Pastors, elders, and members of the body of Christ must assemble now! We know enough about this virus to take all the necessary precautions. But we can no longer obey government decrees that forbid or hinder healthy blood-bought believers from worshiping of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We have both the truth of God and the law of the land on our side and the tyrannical Governors and Mayors will lose because they fear the truth.
Christians Don’t Rebel Against Civil Authority We Obey God
by Jamie Pantastico | Jul 22, 2020 | Daily Encouragement |
God set us free from the slave market of sin, delivered us out of the domain of darkness and placed us into the body of Christ, cleaned us up from the inside out (our new nature) we are a new creation with our new home in the heavenlies. He set our feet upon a Rock, indwelling us with His Spirit, being sealed with the Holy Spirit, giving us the ultimate hope.
And we got it all free for nothing because there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. God justified us because we believed by faith alone in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) for our salvation.
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
It is the power of the ‘gospel’ alone that saves mankind because there is no amount of work a person can do to save them from the penalty of sin. Salvation is by faith alone in the finished work of the cross!
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ‘
Romans 1:16
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
by Jamie Pantastico | Jul 16, 2020 | Daily Encouragement |
II Corinthians 5:20,21
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
First and foremost we are Christ’s ambassadors; we are the extension of Heaven here on earth. To do what? God leaves us here to share the good news with the lost world around us. If Christians don’t do it, who will?
Secondarily but just as important is that each of us as individuals and as members of the body of Christ, being indwelt with the Holy Spirit are the only restraining force holding back the flood gates of evil. As Paul makes so clear in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 that the Church is a dam in the world’s river of iniquity.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He (the body of Christ) who now restrains will do so until He (the body of Christ) is taken out of the way.
II Thessalonians 2:7
One day He is going to call us out (1 Corinthians 15:51,52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), and that river of wickedness will flow over this planet like it never has before. But until that happens, we are to share the gospel and be that dam in the river of evil.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
Ephesians 5:11-13
by Jamie Pantastico | Jul 14, 2020 | Daily Encouragement |
This post is in response to several new believers that were questioning themselves on whether or not to pray because they felt their daily walk was off the mark. My first response was we are not under law we are under grace (Romans 6:14). Read on…
‘Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’
Hebrews 4:16
God wants us to commune with Him. This is what prayer is all about. It’s a two-way street. God speaks to us through his Word; we speak to Him through prayer.
For believers that hesitate or have fear and trepidation about coming to God with your prayer needs because you’re thinking you missed the mark. Stop that thinking immediately. As believers, there is no more condemnation, not because of anything that we have done but because Christ shed His blood and died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead three days later. The sin dilemma was taken care of at the cross.
Christ purged our sins; past, present, and future sins. The culmination of God’s plan of salvation is complete when Christ rose from the dead.
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Hebrews 1:3
So therefore there is no more condemnation.
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
We, believers, have the great High Priest, Jesus Christ, and He knows exactly what we are going through.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:14-15
Conclusion
The bottom line is Christ wants to hear from us and tells us so clearly that because of what He did on our behalf, the work of the cross; we are to go boldly to Him with our needs. And for believers, we need Him all the time, so don’t hesitate but go boldly to Christ in prayer.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
