THERE ARE CONDITIONS
By W. G. Guy
Colossians 1:21-23 – And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: IF ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,
Note the word “IF”; which is a conditional word. It means that there are conditions that need to be met in order to receive of what is provided. Too many people assume that what God has provided is automatically given. This is not the case as there are conditions that God has established that must be met. This is not referring to “works”; it is simply referring to FAITH – continuing in faith!
The word faith comes from the Greek word pistos which means assurance, confidence, faith and fidelity. People seem to ignore the fidelity portion of pistos, which means faithfulness; thus obedience to the faith. Thus one of the conditions that are referred to in the above scripture means to remain faithful at all times; believing and trusting God, His Word and promises to you. Being grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, regardless of the opposition or conflict it causes you as you live in this vile world.
Hebrews 10:22-24 – let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Why are we to remain faithful to Him and His Word? This is because He has called us to be His witnesses in this world of sin, violence and corruption.
Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
This also means that we, as believers in Christ, are going against the flow of all that is in the world and its systems.
1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Going against the worldly flow is not easy, but is very challenging. This requires us to make serious choices in how we conduct ourselves, especially as we are seen by others. The apostle Paul stated such of those who he ministered to at Corinth.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 – Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
It appears that it is high time for the church to re-focus on Jesus, and for the very purpose that the church exists; to be His witness in the earth. Our witness is to be in truth and in power. That truth and power is in Him and by His Spirit as stated in Acts 1:8 above. The real purpose of the church is to assemble in one accord and to grow into the fullness of Christ; having Him formed in us so we look, speak and act like Him – Christ’s ones, or Christians.
Ephesians 4:11-13 – And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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:
One of the conditions that are missing in most churches is the spiritual growth to maturity that enables us to walk and move in the demonstrated power of God that Jesus said we are to operate in; as did the early church.
John 14:12-13 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Do you see the works that Jesus did being done in churches today? NO! Why? obviously because the necessary CONDITIONS are not being met.
Hebrews 10:35-39 – Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
We need to get our focus back on Jesus Christ and the power that is given to Him for us to use to be His witnesses. FAITH and faithfulness is the condition we all must meet. The power to witness is His that He works in and through us who believe.
Matthew 28:18-20 – And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Note that all that Jesus commanded and provided is to be with us even unto the end of the world. The apostle Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus for this very purpose.
Ephesians 3:14-21 – For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
What is the power that works in us? His LOVE and FAITH, along with our faithfulness and obedience to Him! So the question is, do you meet the conditions to be His witness in this world. Are you able to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. Jesus has given us all that we need to walk in the victory.
1 John 5:3-5 – For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The early church walked and functioned in His divine power by the authority of His name. It’s about time that we who are true believers of His church did the same; being His witnesses.
Mark 16:17-20 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Our condition to meet is to believe Him and His Word, and He will do the work as we witness of Him: it is as simple as that!
THERE ARE CONDITIONS
By W. G. Guy
Colossians 1:21-23 – And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: IF ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,
Note the word “IF”; which is a conditional word. It means that there are conditions that need to be met in order to receive of what is provided. Too many people assume that what God has provided is automatically given. This is not the case as there are conditions that God has established that must be met. This is not referring to “works”; it is simply referring to FAITH – continuing in faith!
The word faith comes from the Greek word pistos which means assurance, confidence, faith and fidelity. People seem to ignore the fidelity portion of pistos, which means faithfulness; thus obedience to the faith. Thus one of the conditions that are referred to in the above scripture means to remain faithful at all times; believing and trusting God, His Word and promises to you. Being grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, regardless of the opposition or conflict it causes you as you live in this vile world.
Hebrews 10:22-24 – let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Why are we to remain faithful to Him and His Word? This is because He has called us to be His witnesses in this world of sin, violence and corruption.
Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
This also means that we, as believers in Christ, are going against the flow of all that is in the world and its systems.
1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Going against the worldly flow is not easy, but is very challenging. This requires us to make serious choices in how we conduct ourselves, especially as we are seen by others. The apostle Paul stated such of those who he ministered to at Corinth.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 – Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
It appears that it is high time for the church to re-focus on Jesus, and for the very purpose that the church exists; to be His witness in the earth. Our witness is to be in truth and in power. That truth and power is in Him and by His Spirit as stated in Acts 1:8 above. The real purpose of the church is to assemble in one accord and to grow into the fullness of Christ; having Him formed in us so we look, speak and act like Him – Christ’s ones, or Christians.
Ephesians 4:11-13 – And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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:
One of the conditions that are missing in most churches is the spiritual growth to maturity that enables us to walk and move in the demonstrated power of God that Jesus said we are to operate in; as did the early church.
John 14:12-13 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Do you see the works that Jesus did being done in churches today? NO! Why? obviously because the necessary CONDITIONS are not being met.
Hebrews 10:35-39 – Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
We need to get our focus back on Jesus Christ and the power that is given to Him for us to use to be His witnesses. FAITH and faithfulness is the condition we all must meet. The power to witness is His that He works in and through us who believe.
Matthew 28:18-20 – And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Note that all that Jesus commanded and provided is to be with us even unto the end of the world. The apostle Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus for this very purpose.
Ephesians 3:14-21 – For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
What is the power that works in us? His LOVE and FAITH, along with our faithfulness and obedience to Him! So the question is, do you meet the conditions to be His witness in this world. Are you able to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. Jesus has given us all that we need to walk in the victory.
1 John 5:3-5 – For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The early church walked and functioned in His divine power by the authority of His name. It’s about time that we who are true believers of His church did the same; being His witnesses.
Mark 16:17-20 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Our condition to meet is to believe Him and His Word, and He will do the work as we witness of Him: it is as simple as that!
