"[Blessed] are they which [do hunger and thirst after [righteousness]: for they shall [be filled]." (Matthew 5:6)

This [righteousness] is not an inherent ability found among the unregenerate; nor can the unjust, by their own ability and efforts, can ever attain to a righteous standing before the Most Holy and Just God because of the fall of man, and as a result . . . all of us fall short of the Glory of God and are considered unprofitable in His sight. We see an example of this "self-righteousness" epitomized by the Pharisees; they could not hide their hypocrisy and iniquity before God, in whom all are naked and "opened" (Grk. tetrache lismena; lit., "to bend back or expose ones neck in preparation for beheading or sacrifice") before the flaming fire of the eyes of the LORD (Heb. 4:13; Rev. 1:14; 2:23; 19:12; et al.). The Roman Catholic Church and ALL false converts are under the delusion that they can "fool" God with their superficial cloak of "holiness" -- but it is only a matter of time before their sins will find them out (e.g., "pedophilia, pornography, and blatant hypocrisy"; cf. Num. 32:23; Lk. 8:17; 1 Cor. 4:5).

As I was led by the Spirit to write this message on the issue of sin, I was grieved knowing that sin is more prevalent today than it has ever been; especially since the time between the completion of the Canon of Scripture until today. The underlying issue of sin originates from the heart of an individual (cf. Ps. 14:1; Prov. 4:23; 10:11; 21:2; 24:12; Ezek. 11:21; Matt. 12:34; Lk. 6:45). As the Lord said, "cleanse FIRST that which is WITHIN the cup and platter." Now before I get into the specifics of sin, I want to make it crystal clear from the outset that one must be [absolutely certain] that he/she is indeed a child of God, and have been reborn through the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed on the Cross for all who would Believe from the heart. Anything apart from this will not give you the spiritual insight of what is written in this message, nor will you be able to comprehend the spiritual nature of God's Written Word (Isa. 6:9; Matt. 13:13; 22:29; Jn. 1:5; 1 Cor. 2:8,14).

"Therefore if any man be [in Christ], [he is a new creature] (Grk. "kainos"; i.e., "new in quality or kind"): [old things are passed away]; behold, [all things are become NEW]." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

No one can Truly Obey the First and Greatest Commandment without being born from above. Divine Love is not something that we can muster up or attain by deciding to oneself, "I will try my BEST not to get upset at my neighbor today if he/she decides to give me the evil eye." Attempting to do such as a means to Keep the Commandment to "Love our neighbor [as] ourselves" is NOT an act of Love empowered by the Holy Spirit; this only proves that our love isn't approved by God (cf. Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:10). The supernatural Love of God can only be expressed from our hearts when we become a "New Creature" in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). We must die to self in order that we may bear the fruit of Divine and Self-Sacrificial Love (Matt. 16:24; Mk. 8:34; Jn. 3:3-7; Rom. 6:4-8; Gal. 5:22-25). It is the Spirit of God and Christ that gives birth to TRUE LIFE within us (cf. Jn. 3:3; 6:63; Gal. 5:22-25).

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and [every one that loveth is BORN OF GOD, and knoweth God]. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is [OUR LOVE MADE PERFECT], that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:7-8,16-17)

The Apostle John is addressing Genuine believers as he uses the adjective [beloved] (Grk. agapetoi); and this is used ONLY of [True Christians] who possess the divine attribute of Unconditional Love. The one "that loveth" (Grk. pas o agapon  -- present active participle; "an impetus Love which is ongoing and continuous. This self-sacrificial Love can only flow out of the hearts of the regenerate, and those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 4:14; Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 10:23-24;13:4-7; Phil. 2:2-5; Col. 3:12-14). This is why this Divine Attribute of Unconditional Love is of the utmost importance if the one professing to be IN Christ has TRULY been born from above. Please do a self-examination of your inner being to determine if the Spirit bears witness with yours that you are indeed a child of God (Rom. 8:16; 2 Cor. 13:5; 1 Pet. 1:7).

This Supernatural Love is also directed to those who are not loved by others, and such people need to be loved by us (cf. Rom. 12:15; Heb. 6:10; 1 Pet. 2:17). There are many "self-professing" Christians who rely on their unregenerate heart for guidance; and this is why it is crucial for them to examine themselves in light of the Totality of Scripture -- lest they deceive themselves (cf. Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 13:5; Gal. 5:18; 2 Pet. 1:10-11). Sadly, Christianity has become a religion of hypocrisy as false converts naming the name of Jesus Christ are no different than the unbelieving world, and sometimes even much worse. This sort of false witness is one of the reasons why many do NOT want to associate with Christians, or have no desire to become one; they see these false converts as holier than thou hypocritical liars who have no right to be associated with the name of Christ.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

God is Love; and NOT love is God, so we want to counterbalance between the distinction of God's Holiness, Justice, Righteousness, and understand its relation to His Divine Love. Example: The sofa [is] blue, rather than blue [is] the sofa. Failure to understand this Biblical concept can lead to a misunderstanding regarding the Immutable Attributes and the Nature of the Godhead. The God of the Bible does not act on a whim, nor is He capricious in nature as the god of Islam. The Divine Love of the True God must dole out retribution for sin due to His Immutable Nature and Attributes. If this were not the case, then this would be an act of injustice on His part -- and we know that such can never be the case.

"If ye [KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS], ye shall [ABIDE IN MY LOVE]; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." (John 15:10)

In Closing:

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, [WHEN SAW WE THEE] an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And [these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal]." (Matthew 25:41-16)

Those who are Truly born again do not take into account their "righteous" acts done in front of others to boost their feigned pretense of holiness. There will be many who will stand on that Great Day of the Lord God Almighty who will expect to enter into the Kingdom of God and Christ only to be taken away by the harvesters to be cast into outer darkness and the Eternal Lake of Fire (Matt. 7:21-23; 24:40-42). Then there will be the humble who do NOT see any intrinsic righteousness in and of themselves; these men and women will be surprised when the Lord will give them their Eternal rewards they have stored up in Heaven. It is the wretched who are justified by the Blood of the Lamb; the holier than thou, self-righteous hypocrites, devoid of any fruit bearing, will join the Devil and his angels to be consigned to Eternal Punishment.

"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is [the Saviour of all men], specially of those that believe." (1 Timothy 4:10)

God's Grace and Love is manifested in this world as He causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust; this is known as Common Grace, and He is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe in Him and His Beloved Son. (cf. Ps. 145:9; Matt. 5:43-45; 1 Tim. 4:10). How is God the Savior of all men? This Biblical text has been misinterpreted using eisegesis from Universalists; it does not imply that every human being will eventually be saved. God is the Savior of all men in the sense that NO ONE "alive" as we speak deserves to take another breath; ALL have sinned against God and deserve the due penalty for their sins, which is death -- "both physical and spiritual" (Ps. 51:5; 58:3; Rom. 3:23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:3).

The Imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ does not simply give us a righteousness that is NOT our own, it also conforms us to the Image of the Son of God (cf. Jn. 13:14-15; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 11:1; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 5:22-23; Phil. 2:4-5; 3:8-11; 1 Jn. 2:6). Be NOT deceived, if you are "loving" in word only, or simply teaching others to love but you yourself are doing it NOT, then this only makes your testimony worse than an unbeliever (cf. Matt. 6:14-15; 23:3; Jn. 13:34-35; Rom. 2:13,20-24; Jas. 1:22). The Divine Love of God shed abroad in our hearts will be made manifest not only IN DEED, but in TRUTH (Rom. 5:5; Jas. 2:1-26; 1 Jn. 3:7-8,18; 4:19). Righteousness is not merely adhering to the Commands of Scripture out of concern that this alone is deemed righteous in the eyes of God; it is doing what God Loves, and to express His righteousness in TRUTH, and from the HEART out of Sacrificial Love for God and others.

God Bless!