Seek the LORD and His Power

God’s beloved ones! 
I, a minister of the Kovel Church Vasyl Makarus,
greet you with the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: 

“Peace be to you!”
 

Since the beginning of the world's creation, people were either faithful to God or not faithful. In order to be faithful, it is necessary to believe in God's Word which one has heard and to follow It. That means to become alive and to live. The very fact that one has renounced his sinful way is a manifestation of a person's spiritual life. God does not desire the death of a sinner, He desires the sinner to turn away from his sins, and turn to God and to live forever. "As I live, said the Lord God, I do not desire the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezekiel 33:11).

There is a striking example of reviving in the Gospel: the meeting of a Samaritan woman with Jesus. It is narrated there how the woman (who had had five husbands before and was living with the sixth man who was not her husband) recognized Jesus as the Christ, and believed that He is the Son of God - the Messiah, and then went into the city to declare Him (John 4:4-42). This example testifies to the fact that Jesus revealed to the woman the possibility of receiving the living water in order to quicken her, as she was dead in her sins. When she asked for the living water, and the Lord gave her the living water, - the heart of that woman was filled with faith, so she could have eternal life. She became alive because of the fact that Jesus had pointed out her sins and revealed her secret; and she believed: "Jesus is God". And she carried the living water to other Samaritan people who also became alive after her preaching - they believed. It is said: "The man who does righteousness will be living by his faith …" (Romans 1:16-17e; Hebrews 10:38-39).

Why did Christ make that sinful woman a witness in Samaria? Why did He not condemn but was magnanimous to sinners and fornicators? It is because of the fact that Jesus came to this world to save sinners. By forgiving them, He showed THE GREAT POWER OF THE PEACE OF HIS LOVE in forgiving those who repent. The one who has repented and who does no more transgressions becomes FAITHFUL and A MAN WHO OVERCOMES in any specific situation and over any concrete sin which lives in the heart of that man and is at work in his flesh. But there is not one sin but a great many vices in a person, and he must knowingly condemn them in himself and overcome them. In such a way one can become better and better to be THE VICTOR who is born of God, who does not sin, and the evil one does not touch him. Whoever is born of God has authority over his sinful body; that is why he is able to keep himself from sin and he does so (Luke 14:26-33; Revelation 12:11; 1John 5:18).

From the First Epistle of John, chapter 5 verse 19c, we see plainly that the whole world is filled with wickedness: "…the whole world lies in wickedness". If a man can sometimes get angry, he hasn't come out of this present age (the world), that's why he abides in wickedness even if he is called a believer. That is why it is necessary to come out of this age (the world) with one's soul and dwell in Jesus Christ - in the Word. Having known the Word, we know God and, abiding in the True Son of God Jesus Christ - we then have eternal life.

In this way there should be no hesitation. One must advance only forward to obtain the comprehensive victory over sin, over every sins that Jesus called evil: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, malice, deceit, lasciviousness, envy, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evils come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23). One must notice that all these evils defile the man. But the Bride of Jesus Christ - the True Church - is without spot and wrinkle or any other blemish; and she is and will remain like this on the Earth till she will be caught up (1Thessalonians 4:13-18). The True Church is holy, because she has sanctified herself entirely: spirit, soul and body. If a person is not sanctified, then he is defiled, as there is no neutral position between sanctification and defilement. Therefore, if nowadays the man who is baptized with the Holy Spirit decides to defile himself with the deeds of the flesh that means he insults the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:26-31).

It is essential to notice that the Holy Spirit descends upon a fleshly man so that he can become the spiritual man: CLEAN AND HOLY. "HAVING PURIFIED your souls in the obedience of the truth through the Spirit …" (1Peter 1:22-25). "…For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity to work iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness to work holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and having become servants to God, YOUR FRUITS IS HOLINESS, and the result thereof is life everlasting" (Romans 6:19-22f). If a person does not become holy in the way the Holy Spirit teaches us, he will find himself among the foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). To prevent this, one must fulfill the Scripture. First of all, one must continuously condemn oneself, so that everything sinful would be condemned in oneself before the Day of Judgment. "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" (1Corinthians 11:31c). And while the call continues and there is an opportunity of repentance, one must act in the same way that Jesus said to the adulteress: "Go, and from this time do not sin any more" (John 8:11a). One must decide to serve the Lord knowingly and steadfastly, because "we are not of them who draw back to perdition …", "…no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God" (Hebrews 10:39f; Luke 9:61-62d). Lot's wife was not faithful, therefore, she looked back and died - she became a pillar of salt. She died on the way of life. That means that any sin is death. The most terrible thing is the fact that if a person continues to sin, he can die the second death, from which there is no repentance (Revelation 21:8). Adam died the first death in the Garden of Eden after he had sinned. The second death is backsliding. A person starts to die the second death when he continues to sin after repentance and after WATER and SPIRITUAL BAPTISMS. With his sins he again crucifies God's Son in himself. He becomes dead to God the second time, but alive to the ruler of this world: "And you were dead, in your crimes and sins - in which you were living in the past, which used to make up your way of life when you were living by the principles of this world, obeying the ruler who dominates the air, the spirit who is at work in the sons of rebellion …" (Ephesians 2:1-3); "For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance;seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame …" (Hebrews 6:4-8g).

People commit all sins in darkness, in ignorance, "…the people without understanding will come to ruin" (Hosea 4:11-14b). One must hasten to save oneself from ignorance and death in order not to perish. But how and in what way? The Apostle Paul cautioned even such a man as Timothy to SAVE HIMSELF, taking heed to himself, and to the teaching. This means 'watch your life and teaching closely. Persevere in them' (1Timothy 4:13-16). It is said in the Book of Revelation 21:7-8: "He who overcomes will inherit all this and I will be to him God, and he will be to Me son. But as for cowards and the unfaithful, and the polluted, and murderers, fornicators, and those who practise magic or worship idols, and all liars - the portion allotted to them will be in the Lake which burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death." People who overcome cannot be cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, immoral persons (adulterers and fornicators), sorcerers, idolaters or liars. Why does the Scripture focus on "all liars"? This is because there are different types of liars. The most common type of lie is the one when people make a promise and do not fulfill their promises; when they repent and sin again, lying to themselves, people say that, it is impossible to fulfill all God's commandments. It is said in the Gospel that people will be responsible not only for deeds but also for idle words in the Day of Judgment (Matthew 12:35-37). Therefore, one must consider whether it is worth it to go into the lake of fire for a word or a few minutes of sinful pleasure, to be in torment there with the devil forever? Isn't it better to be THE MAN WHO OVERCOMES? Therefore now, after THE SPIRITUAL BAPTISM, it depends on each of us where we will spend our eternity, as each one has the freedom of choice. Ever since we have believed that Jesus Christ came to save His people from their sins, we must question ourselves continuously: from which sins, and how must we work out THE PROCESS OF SALVATION in each of us? What does that SALVATION mean which we need to work out? (Matthew 1:21; Philippians 2:12-16).

In the Epistle of James 1:1-15-27, it is affirmed that death is born the moment a person commits a sin, because of the lust is at work in a man - this is the authority of death. In the 21st verse we read: "…receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able TO SAVE your souls." To save from what? From sins, from lusts, from longings - from death. So saved people are those who have fulfilled the Word. Therefore, salvation depends on each of us. My salvation depends on me. The salvation of anyone who is called depends upon him. But, at first, we must find out and learn what is called sin according to the Gospel, which deeds and acts cause people to not enter the Kingdom of Heaven and stay on the cursed earth, in hell.

In the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians and the Ephesians we are shown deeds, coming from the longings of the flesh, the desires of the flesh: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, impurity, debauchery, idol-worship, sorcery, enmities, quarrels, envying, wrath, disputes, dissensions, heresies, hatred, murders, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, even as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:16-21). "This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in understanding, estranged from the life of God by reason of the ignorance which is in them, by reason of the hardness of their hearts, who having cast off all feeling, have given themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greedy unsatisfied lust. But you have not so learned Christ; If so be that you have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: That you put off everything concerning your former manner of life, that is, the old man, who is being corrupted with the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, who after God is created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be you angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his own hands what is good, in order that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth: but that which is good, to the edification of faith: that it may administer grace to the hearers. Never insult the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed on the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:17-32).

People who do not submit to this Apostles' teaching remain fleshly. There is another kind of people - those who are Christ's people. It is said about them in the Epistle to the Galatians 5:22-24b: "those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts (desires, longings)". THIS IS THE WAY, and the labour and the aim of life, and the possibility of becoming a new man - A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST JESUS. For "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus; for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ. In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus" (2Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:26-28a). Thus, there are no more sinful emotions - this means OUR EARTHLY NATURE IS MORTIFIED: "Mortify, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: fornication, impurity, passion, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is the service of idols …" (Colossians 3:5-11). As a result, THE MAN WHO OVERCOMES IS REVEALED TO BE A SON OF GOD, because he is not led by the desires of the flesh and sinful thoughts, but by God's Spirit, God's Word; therefore, he is SAVED FROM HIS SINS.

And what should you do when you know that something should not be done but you still long for it? You must abstain from sin and beg God to give you THE VICTORIOUS POWER, which is needed to overcome the longing, so that you would not long to sin, but have the comprehensive victory over some concrete sin, so that you rule over your body and your desires. We must not permit our desires to rule over us under any circumstances. It is necessary that we rule over our desires. In such a way, by the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the flesh and become alive, justified and saved, that means Christ's people - ones who belong to Christ (Isaiah 53:11-12; Romans 5:6-9).

Concerning forgiveness: God gives forgiveness to a person who, believing in the name of Jesus Christ has repented. If you repented sincerely and act never more in the way you used to, then you receive forgiveness from God in the name of Jesus Christ (1John 1:9). Therefore, one should believe in the Gospel to such an extent that you will not commit sin or even think of sinning. It means to become holy - or, more precisely, your body and spirit must become sanctified.

It was mentioned above that all those who have been baptized with THE HOLY SPIRIT must not sin in order not to die the second death, from which there is no repentance, in order not to become eternal prisoners of hell. All those who did not repent in time will remain in their sins. These people are not forgiven. They abide in the first death, which they inherited from Adam and later from their fathers. Their souls are in wickedness: these souls are in hell, in Sheol. That's why for all mankind there is only one way out of the curse: to repent today, as there may be no tomorrow (Luke 13:1-5).

How can one accomplish repentance (repentance as a continuing process)? What stages of spiritual growth must every man pass through? What does the Truth say about it in the Holy Scripture? The Apostle Peter preached: "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38b). We read further, that those who had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit must arm themselves against their sinful nature: "…we ourselves, having the beginning of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, the redemption of our body" (Romans 8:23).

The next stage is to receive SPIRITUAL GIFTS from God, so that the possibility of achieving spiritual perfection would be open. We read about it: "…Earnestly desire the superior gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way" (1Corinthians 12:27-31). We must perfect ourselves in the knowledge of God and be filled with "…THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL in all wisdom and spiritual understanding …" (Colossians 1:9-10c). "Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection …" (Hebrews 6:1-2b). Going "from faith to faith", "from strength to strength [from power to power]", we are to advance forward "until we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, into a perfect man, into the measure of the age of fullness of Christ" (Romans 1:17; Psalm 84:7; Ephesians 4:13).

Attaining each subsequent, greater measure of THE POWER OF THE PEACE OF GOD'S LOVE should not be discontinued in oneself, in any of us, as long as we live on earth. Jesus lives eternally. Already, we, too, must LIVE ETERNALLY now too - be conformed to the likeness of God, we must live in love, fulfilling His Word. God's Word is always leading a faithful heart - this is the Way of Truth. SONS OF THE DAY grow in this Way, the ones who have "BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, HAVING ESCAPED from the corruption that is in the world by lust" (1Thessalonians 5:5-8; 2Peter 1:4b). It is possible to attain this measure of spiritual growth only then when we love with all the heart the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Who teaches us what is best for us.

Each of us must continuously stand guard over our own heart and watch unto in prayer in order to have freedom in our hearts. And it must be not only in prayers but also in everyday life, in all places wherever we are (Colossians 4:2-4). Jesus said: "Take heed, watch and pray …" (Mark 13:31-33-37d). We must do it continuously - "Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about, seeking someone to devour" (1Peter 5:8). To watch means to be led by God's Spirit: "And all those who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God", "Blessed is the people that know the trumpet's sound! They walk, O LORD! in the light of Your countenance" (Romans 8:14a; Psalm 89:15). Therefore "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1John 1:7d).

The Light of the Son of God can enlighten every man and every darkness. And only then the mind and the heart become enlightened, and that person becomes able to notice his smallest transgressions and even his sinful thoughts. Only then a person begins to STRUGGLE within himself. THIS STRUGGLE is a process of confrontation, when "the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. They are in conflict with each other …", "And every man that strives for mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, but not with uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (Galatians 5:16-17-26; 1Corinthians 9:25-27c). But a faithful man stands on the side of the Spirit and, therefore, he becomes THE ONE WHO OVERCOMES and grows spiritually, although he has not overcome all his sins but he has only begun to overcome them. In order to overcome oneself, one must renounce oneself and all that one has, one must love purity with all his heart and pray diligently, because The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force [by God's Power], and those who take it by storm are seizing it (Matthew 11:12). Salvation is worked out when one gets the Power from God through diligent prayers and supplications: "…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12c).

Many people do not consider what SALVATION is and how it can be worked out. The Angel said about Jesus: "He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The essence of salvation consists of being freed by God from the slavery of sin and from the guilt of sin. How does sin differ from the guilt of sin? Sin lives in a man continuously - "I am fleshly, sold under sin" (Romans 7:14d). The sin living in a man, - this is the ability to sin, this is the law of sin and death. This inner rottenness of a man does not show up until after a certain time. But as soon as sin becomes evident through the deeds of the flesh, then this is the guilt of sin. The Israelites made sacrifices for the guilt of sin, but the ability to sin remained in the people. This means that sin could not be destroyed in the conscience of men until the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Thus, they always brought the so-called "sin-offerings". Many people of our time are two thousand years behind because of the fact that they restrict themselves to just one prayer: "Lord, forgive my sin which I have committed", like those ancient people did. They do not realize that they live in a new time with new possibilities. The Heavenly Father opened up The New and Living Way through His Son Jesus Christ: "Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me" (John 14:6b). We can receive not only forgiveness on this Way but also atonement, justification and sanctification of our spirit, soul and body.

As we know from experience, it is necessary to pray sincerely with full faith and to state specifically what you want to receive from God: "Our Heavenly Father, in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ Who overcame and died for the sins of the whole world, and believing in the Power of the Blood of Jesus Christ - the Blood of the New Covenant - I ask You to let me, too, be THE MAN WHO OVERCOMES …". After some time of continuous sincere prayers have passed, and God will give you the victory over the specific sin you were praying to overcome, and the joy of salvation will increase in you. If the victory increases, the joy also increases. This way you attain perfect joy. And so the possibility is opened up to overcome, destroy and exterminate sin IN YOURSELF completely. It will not defile your body anymore and your conscience will be cleansed, because it is written: "…whoever is born of God does not sin; …and the evil one does not touch him" (1John 5:18). A person is happy if his conscience is purified by Jesus Christ by His Holy Blood! THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE in Christ Jesus rules in his heart after this purification, the law that has set him free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). We read: "Says the Lord: "I will put My laws into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be My people. They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all will know Me, from their least to their greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more" (Hebrews 8:8-10-12b). In such a state a person will not only be forgiven but will rule over himself (Proverbs 16:32). A person who rules over his own feelings is saved from his sins: he no longer is a slave, but he is free because he has ETERNAL REDEMPTION which was obtained by Jesus Christ with His Holy Blood: "…For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer, being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: How much more, then, will the Blood of Christ, Who by the Holy Spirit offered Himself unblemished unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living and true God!" (Hebrews 9:11-13-14).

Anyone can exercise the right to be one who overcomes. God "desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth" (1Timothy 2:3-4b). God's Angels also wait for our adoption, the redemption of our body and the manifestation of the sons of God. "We know that all the Creations [God's Angels] have been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the Creations, we ourselves, having the beginning of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, the redemption of our body" (Romans 8:22-23). We must feel in ourselves the necessity of THIS ADOPTION, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY. As it is written: "Purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD!", "Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit…", "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead, in regard to sin; and the Spirit is alive in regard to righteousness" (Isaiah 52:11; 2Corinthians 7:1g; Romans 8:10). If Christ reigns in us, then He rules us, and we are His royal priesthood: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: who in time past were no people, but now are God's people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy" (1Peter 2:9-10b). 

Many people remain indifferent towards their sanctification. And it is no wonder. How can a person know GOD'S WILL, THAT IS OUR SANCTIFICATION if heretofore he has not learned what deeds defile man? How do we know how to cure a disease if we do not know what disease it is? The Gospel points out the defilement that occurs through a man's tongue: "the tongue is placed among our members, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell …" (James 3:5-18). How can it happen that our tongue is ruled by the fiery hell? Why do thoughts seemingly belong to us but in fact they are death itself according to the Gospel, and a body seemingly belongs to us but it is called the body in which death is clothed: "For the mind of the flesh is death …" and "O wretched man that I am! who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 8:6e; 7:24). Thus, our tongue, our thoughts and our body must not remain under the authority of fiery hell and death - we must sanctify ourselves. It is said in the Gospel that a person's tongue is like the rudder of a ship directed by the helmsman. You should well know that if your helmsman has decided to quarrel with somebody, then the helmsman in your heart is not the right one. Change your helmsman or else he will lead you to destruction. Jesus said: "You offspring of snakes, how are you, being evil, able to say good things? because out of the heart's store come the words of the mouth" (Matthew 12:34e). It is also said: "Whoever sin not in word, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body" (James 3:2). A man who has learned to bridle his tongue, becomes spiritually perfect and he is able to bridle his body, his desires and his emotions. Our words turn out to be not so insignificant and inoffensive. Our words are the measure of our sanctification, because "a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45c). We must have a responsible attitude toward our words, "for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned", and "that for every idle word that men will speak, they will answer on the Day of Judgment" (Matthew 12:36-37). If a person believes that he will give an account before God even for his words, he will learn to overcome his emotions and will not speak idle words. Let God bless you in this way of achieving of the comprehensive victory over yourself, so that you go out through the door from the earth that is cursed because of the sin of Adam (John 10:9; Genesis 3:17). One must analyze and see which deeds will stay on the cursed earth and descend into the lake of fire, and which deeds will go up into Heaven (Revelation 21:8). Because it is written: "Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their wealth, and their tumult, and all that rejoices them, will go down into it","And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. "Yea," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labours, and their deeds will follow them" (Isaiah 5:14, Revelation 14:13).

It is necessary that all who have believed choose the narrow way and the strait gate in order to enter life (Matthew 7:13-14). In the Kingdom of Christ and God will be those who are Christ's people, who have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts (Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 5:1-5). It is necessary to be longing for the living water and to be one who overcomes, in order to pass from death into life and to BE GOD'S SON. "And He Who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I make everything new." And He said unto me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said unto me, "It is done! I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the living water without payment. He who overcomes will inherit all this and I will be to him God, and he will be to Me son" (Revelation 21:5-7). How can we achieve ALL THIS in practice?

The Apostle Paul calls all people who believe to leave the first principles of the teaching of Christ and to go on unto spiritual perfection. And how do we finish the construction of the ground floor? We start building the next floor. It is said in the Epistle to the Hebrews (chapter 6 verses 1-3) that WATER and SPIRITUAL BAPTISMS are the beginning of the foundation of the teaching of Christ. Therefore, on this foundation you "yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1Peter 2:1-5-11d). Who is the spiritually perfect man? This is a person who, because of practice, has his senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:13-14). He has attained to such a spiritual level when he has made the new heart and the new spirit while he is still living on earth, in order not to die with an old heart, not to die the second death from which there is no repentance (Ezekiel 18:31-32; Revelation 21:8). Those who sanctified themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, in order that their spirit, soul and body become holy - THEY ARE THE SONS OF THE FIRST RESURRECTION, blessed and holy (Revelation 20:6). Reading the Gospel, we know that only a few people are called holy. But we must sanctify ourselves: "…I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy …" (Leviticus 11:44c). The Apostle Paul wrote: "…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy …" (Romans 12:1-2c). Therefore, we must think how to make our body a living and holy sacrifice, while our body desires the deeds of this age (the world) in which sin and lusts have entered and rule over people. In regard to this, the following is said: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in its lusts", "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world and by sin death: and so death passed upon all men, because in whom all have sinned"; but we are granted the possibility to "become partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust" (Romans 6:12f; Romans 5:12h; 2Peter 1:3-4-11g).

Beyond which door and into which age did sin lure Cain? And from where? God warned Cain: "…sin is lying at your door; it wants to control you, but you must rule over it" (Genesis 4:7). Through his disobedience to God's Word - "RULE over sin" - Cain's soul turned his face to sin, and his back to God to go out the door, leaving the Word of God (Jeremiah 2:27; 7:23-24). Cain was not always as we imagine him. He brought offerings to God and perhaps thought that he was a good believer. But his deeds were evil (1John 3:12). The same thing happens today. Thinking that they serve God, people can please the ruler of this world, that means the devil, who attracts to himself. But he does not only attract. He attracts and also, with the aid of lusts and desires, he wars against the soul (1Peter 2:11). In which age can a soul die: in this temporal age or after death? The soul can die only in this age - THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH. What is the difference between the dying of the body and the dying of the soul? The dying of the body is a physical death. The dying of the soul occurs when sins worthy of death are committed (Romans 1:21-32). We understand that a person's soul is eternal. But where and when must the eternal soul receive eternal life in order to avoid the second death? Rereading the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, I ask myself about those invited to supper: did they turn down the invitation knowingly? Those who had bought a piece of ground and oxen, they made excuses but the one who had married did not excuse himself. The master was angry with the people who were invited and said: "None of those men who were invited will taste of my supper …", because all who had been called did not choose the Will of the Master so they could become the chosen ones. They lost the possibility TO LIVE FOREVER (Luke 14:15-24b). These sons of anger remained fleshly: those who fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the mind (Ephesians 2:1-3). Therefore we must mortify our earthly members and desires of flesh in ourselves (Colossians 3:5-6). Only in such a way people begin to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Only in such a way they become disciples of Jesus Christ (Luke 14:26,33). Only in such a way can God's people attain to the fullness (Ephesians 4:13, 17-24). This is the way to victory through struggle.

The Apostle Peter wrote: "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul" (1Peter 2:11c). All we understand that wars break out between hostile parties on the border where their territory ends and the enemy's territory begins. That is why we need to determine the limits of our territory, so we can know what to defend. Therefore, if the lusts of the flesh war against the soul, it means that our soul and our body are enemies. Man is, may be compared to a territory, divided between two ages (worlds) in which the body and the soul rule. The lusts and the thoughts of the flesh rule over the body - this is working death. And our soul is alive, because God revived our soul through Jesus Christ, at the very moment when He baptized us with the Holy Spirit and confirmed this, having granted The Gift of Speaking With Other Tongues (languages). "When Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in other tongues and to prophesy" (Acts 19:6a). Our soul is the living territory where Spiritual thoughts reign, bringing: Life and Peace. "…For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be …" (Romans 8:4-5-7-9b).

Different desires are born within a person independently of his will. The voice of the flesh repeats: "I want", and the voice of the Spirit says: "You must not". Then his consciousness, called "I", decides which side to choose: the side of the flesh or the side of the Spirit. Nobody subdues by force the will of this "I" after the baptism with the Holy Spirit; it is a matter of choice. The person is FREE in his own free-will-choice, he is standing on the border of the two ages (worlds): this age (world) and that age (world). He is choosing a master for himself. In the Garden of Eden, Eve chose the will of the old serpent - the devil - and she died for that (Genesis 3:1-21). Since then, all people on the earth are born of the flesh and blood; they are born spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-3). And only God in His mercy revives a person's soul by calling him on HIS WAY OF LIFE. The person becomes FREEas the master of his destiny (Galatians 5:1,13; 1Corinthians 11:31). Through the lusts of the flesh this age (world) wants to subdue the soul again; it wants to lead the soul under the authority of death, to imprison the soul in THE SECOND DEATH from which there is no repentance (Revelation 21:8). The Other World - the Age of God's Word - this is the House of God, THE ARK OF ETERNAL SALVATION, the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus Christ Himself - The Word. As we fulfill the commandments of God, the Word begin to abide in us, taking the place of the deeds of the flesh, which were judged and overcome by us. In such a way, we obtain the ability to mortify the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit (Romans 8:12-14). This is eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven, which grows like a measure of leaven in three measures of flour until everything is leavened - SANCTIFIED. Our spirit, soul, and body become the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 13:20-21). Only THE WIFE - the Church of Jesus Christ - sanctifies herself and becomes the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. "…One of the seven Angels Who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues, came, and He spoke with me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the Wife, the Lamb's Bride" (Revelation 21:9b).

It is my heart's desire to be a witness of Jesus Christ under all circumstances, to please God, to live in holy faith until the end and to fulfill the holy commandments. I want to sing aloud with synchronous singing in my heart's feelings the Spiritual Songs by the Holy Spirit in Other Tongues with love for holiness, with the joyfulness of God's freedom as a sacrifice to God. I wish the same to all of you (Ephesians 5:19; Psalm 100).

Grace be with all those who have true love for our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

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