We cannot serve two masters; we cannot have a good eye (spiritual mind) and a bad eye (carnal mind) at the same time (Matthew 6:22-24)... we must stop serving Satan by beginning to serve God. We cannot sit at the table of God and the table of demons (1 Corinthians 10:21-22). We cannot have fellowship with darkness and light simultaneously (2 Corinthians 6:14). We cannot be operating under the power of Satan and the power of God at the same time (Acts 26:17-20). A kingdom divided against itself will fall (Mark 3:24). The double minded cannot receive anything from God (including the blood and remission of sins) (James 1:7-8). We can only be an instrument of righteousness or a instrument of unrighteousness - we cannot be both (Romans 6:12-14). We must begin to be one of righteousness before we can stop being one of unrighteousness. The old must die before the new can be born (1 Corinthians 15:36).
A carnal mind makes us an enemy of God (Romans 8:6-7). God resists those who are opposing His will (1 Peter 3:10-12). We are enemies in our mind by wicked works (Colossians 1:21). We must submit to His will in order to be reconciled with Him (James 4:7-10). We must get rid of the carnal mind before we can come to God seeking mercy (Ezekiel 18:31). This is done through self-crucifixion where we remove ourselves from the throne and allow God to get on. This is done by obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22) - obeying from the heart the form of doctrine we receive (the gospel of Jesus Christ) (Romans 6:17).
Repentance comes before salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10). Repentance is a work of faith (James 2:17). Repentance begins when we are awakened to God's love for us and the whole world and we decide He deserves for us to seek, love and honor Him (Romans 2:4; John 12:32). Godly sorrow comes from seeing our's and other's sin as God sees it. We then diligently work to rid ourself of all forms of sin, whether it be of the heart or of life (2 Corinthians 7:11; Hosea 10:12; Isaiah 55:6-7). We can only come into fellowship with God and thus contact with the Blood of Christ after we have begun walking in the light (1 John 1:7). And we must remain walking in the light to continue to be cleansed from all sin (any occasional disobedience that we may commit) (1 John 2:1).
We must die with Christ in order to be raised to newness of life (Romans 6:4-8). We die with Christ by denying self (Matthew 16:24-26), laying aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness (James 1:21-22) and becoming a new creature - all old things (sinful habits done away with) (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). This is done by "putting off the sinful flesh" through the Baptism of Death (the baptism of repentance) (Colossians 2:11-12; Colossians 3:5-7), by "crucifying the old man with his passions and desires" (Galatians 5:19-25). We must pluck out the evil eye of the flesh (carnal mind) (Mark 7:21-23) and the hand and feet that cause us to sin (deeds) (Mark 9:43-48).
We reap what we sow, if we are sowing to the flesh, we will reap death (Galatians 6:7-9). When a person turns to God they begin sowing to the spirit and thus they will reap life. Obedience leads to righteousness and this leads to eternal life (Romans 6:22; Romans 6:15-17). He who sins is of the devil (1 John 3:7-9), he who sins is a slave to sin (John 8:34) so we must stop sinning before we can be born of God (Romans 6:6). A good tree cannot bear bad fruits (Matthew 7:17-19) and a good spring cannot bring forth bitter water (James 3:11-14).
Choose today who YOU will SERVE!
See, I have set
before you today life and good, death and evil... blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:15-19)
