In this impactful episode of Classic Christianity Radio, Bob George delves into the fundamental truths about the Christian faith, tackling misconceptions about the role of the Holy Spirit and the concept of living by the flesh. Bob emphasizes the necessity of being indwelled by the Spirit of God rather than attempting to live the Christian life relying solely on human capability. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how walking by faith is the sole path to truly living a Christ-centered life, as well as find encouragement in the eternal certainty offered by God’s promise of astonishing grace.
Welcome to Classic Christianity Radio with Bob George. Bob’s clear, timeless teachings on the complete forgiveness and unconditional love of Jesus Christ will transform your life as you learn about God’s amazing grace. Let’s join Bob as he teaches us from God’s Word.
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It is all Him and it is none of us. There’s two lines of thought in regard more than that. But when you get to evangelical Christianity, you’ve got the idea that it all ties around the Holy Spirit. You’ve got one idea where people believe in the Holy Spirit, but believe that the Holy Spirit comes along beside you to help you or in Texas to help you to lead a good life. You also have another group that says that the role of the Holy Spirit is to come along beside and to help you to obey the law. Both of those are dead wrong. Because number one, he isn’t there to help you obey the law. He said to be dead to the law. So how could he be helping you to do what he said to die to? Think that one through. He didn’t come along to help you to live the Christian life. And I’m going to show you the truth of that. You had the apostles. Number one, you had, as I said, 4,000 years of God dealing with man in the Old Testament, showing them there’s not a way in the world that you can ever gain acceptance in my sight any way except by one way. What was it? Faith. That’s what the 11th chapter is all about. We’ll get to that next year. Faith. And so there’s only one way to please God, and that’s through faith, isn’t it? So he’s saying to us, you had that. And then Jesus appeared. And these men walked with Jesus for some three or four years. They saw everything that Jesus did. They walked hand in hand with the most marvelous human being that ever stepped upon this planet. The most loving person. human being that was ever here by far. Walked with him. Talked with him. Heard what Jesus said. He discipled them, did he not? He discipled them with words and he discipled them with actions, did he not? They saw it all. You couldn’t have gotten a better discipler than Jesus. He’s the best. He went through his death. He showed them in advance what that was all about, where I’m going to take away the sins of the world. They didn’t understand a chance. He was raised from the dead. Oh, that got their attention. Raised from the dead. Now I’ve seen it all. I’ve walked with Jesus. I’ve talked with Jesus. I’ve heard everything that he had to say. I’ve watched him model this life. And now I’ve seen him die for my sins. I’ve seen him raised from the dead, which was proof to me that he was God, and so that he said something about a Holy Spirit coming later. I don’t know for sure what that’s all about, but I’ve seen it all. Now, I’ve seen everything necessary in the gospel. I’ve lived with him, and I’ve seen his death, burial, and resurrection. seen everything I need to know. Wouldn’t you think that would be enough for you to go out and live a good life? I mean, if you had walked with Jesus, had the best teacher there was on the face of the earth, wouldn’t that say that that ought to be enough for you to follow him and walk in his life? Would it or not? To me, I’d think, yeah, wow, that’s pretty good. Was it? No. And that’s why I think those 50 days following the resurrection of Christ were there. He said, I’ve given you 4,000 years to show you you can’t do it. Now you’ve seen everything I came to do, and I’m going to show you you still can’t do it. There is not a way in the world, even if you were to walk with Jesus for all those years, seen everything he did, heard everything he said, there’s no way in the world you can live the Christian life. He said, the day of Pentecost is the day that I’m going to send my spirit to To live in you, not to walk beside you and teach you, but to live in you and to be your life. And when Christ is your life appears, you’ll appear with him. I’m not asking you to live the Christian life either with me or apart from me. You can’t do it. That’s my life, not yours. But I will come and live inside of you and I will produce my life in and through you just like a vine produces its life in and through a branch. Identically the same. And there’s only one thing that I ask a branch to do. Walk by faith in the vine. Because there’s not one thing that you can do that I’m pleased with apart from abiding in the vine. Any fruit that you think you’re producing is artificial fruit, and someone comes along and takes a bite of it, they’re going to have a mouthful of wax. Because it’s not real. It looks real. If you stand at a distance, it looks real. That’s why we don’t want to let people get too close to us. You might find out what I’m really like. So just stay away a little bit. Don’t ever bite into me. That’s why we do that. Because we’re phonies. And so the issue is that he’s saying to us, you cannot do it. I never expected you to do it. I never thought you would do it. I never thought you could do it. And that’s why I’m coming to live in you, so that I can do it in and through you. That’s true Christianity. You’ve got a huge segment in Christianity today saying, no, Jesus came to walk alongside of you to help you to do it. And so if he’s helping me to do it, and I do it, who did it? Who did it? Me. Oh, I had a little help from Jesus. You know, it’s kind of 80% me and 20% a little whipping cream. A little Jesus whipping cream never hurt anybody. And so we go out and try, because Jesus is helping me, to live the Christian life in the energy of our flesh, still in the energy of our flesh. Because I’m doing it. He’s helping me to live in my flesh. He is helping me to walk in the flesh. Is he? No. But I want to tell you, folks, there is a huge segment of evangelical Christianity. I mean huge, that that’s precisely what they teach. You have people who teach that there is no such thing as the indwelling spirit. That sounds like voodoo. You see, the evangelical Christian world has come along and said, boy, don’t talk about this Holy Spirit. That’s too charismatic sounding. And automatically they start placing you with some wild charismatic teaching. Isn’t that just like Satan? Take what the heart of the gospel is and say, don’t get so involved in that. That’s what the wildies are doing. I don’t care who’s doing it, what they’re doing. This is truth. I don’t care who’s doing it or isn’t doing it. This is what truth is. That if I’m the vine and you’re the branch, that the only way that you’re going to function as a branch is through abiding in the life of the vine. That life that’s produced, that fruit that’s produced is not yours, branch. It’s mine. You just get the privilege of bearing it. Do we understand that, guys? You cannot love in your own strength, can you? You can try. But can you love with God’s love and your own strength? No. Can you have joy? No. You can have a little happiness every now and then, but that’s short-lived. How about peace? Can you have some peace occasionally? Yeah, a little bit of peace. You can go out on a river bank and fish, have a little peace, but you’ve got to go home. Patience, kindness, goodness, what’s called the fruit of what? The fruit of what, guys? By flesh? Or is it called the fruit of the what? The spirit. Only spirit can produce that. This isn’t voodoo, guys. This is real. If this isn’t real, Jesus isn’t real. He’s the one who told me, Bob, it’s good for you that I’m going away. Because while I’m here, you’re dealing with me on the basis of the five senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. I’m going to deal with you on something totally different than that. It’s called spirit. You were born again of mom and dad. That’s flesh. I’m going to make you born again of the spirit. That’s God. And you cannot function apart from being born again of God. You can try. But it doesn’t make it. You know it doesn’t make it. We bounce prayers off of the ceiling. We know there’s an emptiness inside. We’re always seeking for something to bring me some happiness. I have no peace. I cannot rest. I’m always looking for something else. Looking for the next job. Looking for the next dollar. Looking for anything. Next girl. Next guy. Looking for anything to satisfy this empty heart. You know when you’re empty that you’re empty. I knew full well I was empty. I had the things of the world, but I was empty as a pork barrel inside without God living in me because God in the man is totally indispensable to the humanity of the man. And so faith is not dealing with sight. Faith is not dealing with feelings. Faith is not dealing with miracles. He gave those in order that we would believe his message. The only reason Jesus ever did a miracle, the reason he ever healed a person physically was so that we would listen to what he said spiritually. Because whatever you do that heals your body right now, you’re going to go into the grave sooner or later. It’s all temporary, is it not? But when you’re born again in the spirit, my friends, you’re told you have eternal life. Eternal life. Someone said to a man one time, I’m sorry to hear that you lost your wife. He said, oh, sir, when you lose something, you don’t know where they are. So I didn’t lose my wife. I know where she is. I’m just separated from her for a while. But I didn’t lose her. I know where she is. And folks, when we can live with that, we live with a peace in our hearts that passes all understanding. I want to tell you something. For Christians, you look at Christians and how they respond when people die. The world looks about. These people must be insensitive. These people don’t have any feelings. Why? They’re not moaning and groaning and wailing. And they’re saying, praise Jesus. What’s wrong with these people? Do they have any feelings or any heart? Do you think they understand that? Do you know what that’s called, folks? The peace of God that what? Passes what? All understanding. You cannot understand it on a human realm. It’s spiritual. And so, he’s saying to us that there’s one way that you’re going to function in this Christian life. You put your faith, not some of it, God. I am convinced that nothing can separate me from the love of God. I may do things to separate you from me, but I’m not ever going to be separated from the love of God. I know that as well as I know that I’m standing here right now.
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There’s another thing I know. I know that my sins… have not been placed on Jesus and that he’s still hanging on the cross and able, therefore, that if I confess that he’ll hang on the cross and forgive me. I know that is not true. What I do know is true is that Jesus took away my sins from his eyes forever throughout all eternity. That I do know. And therefore, I know that I am a forgiven person. I didn’t deserve it. I certainly didn’t earn it. It’s just what he did for me. Why did he do it? He loves me. He loves me. Now I say, how could you do that? How could you love me? Well, same reason I love Richard. It’s a mystery for both of you. God loves you. He loves you so much that he demonstrated his love towards you. And that while we were lost, dead sinners, Christ died for us. Isn’t that amazing, guys? Why would someone want to do that? Why didn’t he just leave us? Because he loved us. And he’s saying, the only thing that I want out of you is to believe me. Just believe me. parent will do that with a child literally think about it when you’re raising your kids all i want you to do is believe me because believe me i as a parent don’t have anything except goodwill for you i there’s nothing that i want bad for you to happen so believe me trust me and that’s all god’s saying believe me trust me i know what’s best for you i know what is good for you i know what you need you don’t even know what you need but i do Trust me. Believe in me. And I’ll make your paths straight. It’s all faith, guys. It’s all faith, not in me, but faith in him. Our role is to say, Lord, apart from you, I can do nothing. I’ve proven that to myself. How many of you have proven to yourself that you can’t live the Christian life? That should just take a second to get your hand up on that. I mean, it ought to just flash up automatically. Amen. You can’t live it. You can’t give it. You can’t live it. So why are we still trying in order to make ourselves look good to other Christians? Folks, God says there’s one thing that pleases me, and that’s you learn to walk by faith. Now, once you’ve learned to walk by faith, there’s some additives. Let’s go to 2 Peter. 2 Peter in the first chapter. Beginning in verse 5. Excuse me, did I say 1 Peter or 2 Peter? 2 Peter, I was at 1 Peter. Verse five, for this reason. Now, what’s the first reason? Because, as it says in verse three, his divine power has given you everything that you need for life and God. How many of you believe that? How many of you believe that he’s given you everything you need for life? Now, guys, do you need to go out to artificial things or do you think maybe what he provided is good enough for us? Where in the world the apples come from and the pears and the. How many have ever eaten a pomegranate? Have you ever seen anything packaged like that in your life? I mean, seriously, you’re talking about a packaging company. That thing is unbelievable. How many of you have never seen a pomegranate? Go buy one and just cut it open and look at it. It’s unbelievable. Well, who did that? The Big Bang Theory? He’s given us everything, guys. Now, when the word says everything, it means there’s nothing else that you need. Everything that you need for life. Is there anything else? If we needed anything else for life, we’d all be dead, right? We’ve got air. We’ve got food. We’ve got everything we need to be alive. And for godliness, he gave you everything now that you need. Who did he give you for what you need in godliness? Himself. I’ve given you myself. So I’ve given you everything you need for life and godliness. Now, where do we get to know that? Through our knowledge of him, of him, who called us by his own glory and goodness. He allows us to participate in this divine nature. We get an opportunity to participate, we’re told, in the divine nature and escape the corruption of this world caused by evil desires. Folks, evil desires are going to kill you. Evil desires are what wipe us out. Evil desires that we have, and we have to recognize them as what they are, they’re evil. Because, folks, I want to tell you something. Righteousness is never alone. It always has company. It’s always called evil. Wherever you have goodness, you always got evil right there next to it. Always is there. And God’s saying, that evil will destroy you. It’ll destroy you. It’s for our own good. Now, for this reason, it says, make every effort to add to your faith. Now, he’s saying, the foundation of everything we do is faith. Believing in him. So I’m going to add to faith goodness. And to goodness, knowledge about who? Jesus. Add to your knowledge self-control. That’s how do you keep myself under the control of God. To that self-control, perseverance, the ability to hang in there with coming to what Paul said, I’m convinced nothing can separate me from the love of God. Godliness, brotherly kindness, and a brotherly kindness love. Love. God’s love. Now he says, if you possess these qualities in increasing measure. In other words, that isn’t one thing you just say, oh God, please give me and bloop, there it is. This is what’s called maturity. As you grow in your knowledge of Christ, these things will be produced in you. They’re already there. He’s going to produce them in you. He says, if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they’ll keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t say ineffective and unproductive in your work for Jesus. He said it’ll keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of Christ. He wants us to have a total knowledge of him, of Jesus. If anyone does not have these qualities in increasing measure, so you can’t really measure it, you know whether you’re growing in these things or not. If you don’t have them, here’s what your problem is. You’re nearsighted and blind. You know what? When you’re nearsighted, who are you looking at? When you’re nearsighted, what are you looking at? You. That’s your problem. You’re looking at you instead of him. And you’re blind to him. very much alive to yourself and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from what, guys? His past sins. You think you can grow and mature when you’re still dealing with your sins? Not according to God. I’m not even sure you’d be born again if you’re still dealing with them. When I read Hebrews, I’m not sure about that. But I’m telling you, if I was sitting there right now still dealing with them, I’d deal with it right now. I’ll guarantee you, I’d deal with that right now. The same way that I had to. Lord, after I chewed my daughter out for not picking up the peaches, went into my wild tirade with her, got down on my knees and said, Oh, Lord, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I already knew. 1 John wasn’t real. But here I was asking, oh, God, please forgive me. It’s like the Lord said, I’m so sick of hearing that, I don’t know what to do. What do you think I did with the cross, Bob? Well, that’s right. You forgave me, didn’t you, Lord? Yeah, you did. But, Lord, I’m sorry. You really sorry, Bob? Ooh, sorry. Well, then go tell Debbie. I said, I’m not that sorry. I’d rather talk to you about it. He said, I know. That’s what you’ve been doing for years. talking to me instead of talking to the people you insult. Now get off of your self-righteous knees and realize that my forgiveness is yours. Now go out and seek the forgiveness of your daughter. And that day I said, Lord, it’s the last time I’ll ever insult you by asking me to do what you’ve already done. From this day forth, I’ll never insult you by asking me to forgive me again. But I will thank you profusely for the fact that you already have. Was I born again that day? I don’t know. Don’t think so. But I want to tell you, there wasn’t any growth until that day. According to Scripture, you can’t grow in godliness, brotherly kindness, love, when you’re still dealing with what God said is finished. I don’t care who’s listening to this today, whether you’re an educated theologian or a seminary president. or a successful Christian business person, or just a normal person, I’m saying to you that God does not accept 99.9%. You’re either going to take this and run with it, or the Bible says you may not be saved. It doesn’t say because of your actions. It doesn’t say without your actions it’s impossible to please God. Without faith. And you’re not putting faith in Jesus when you’re still dealing with what he said is finished. I don’t care who you are. Let’s pray. Father, we want to thank you that we have one in whom we can put our faith. I thank you that our faith is not predicated on feelings. It’s not predicated upon miracles or signs and wonders. It’s not predicated on what I see. We’re told that faith is a substance of things not seen. It’s a spiritual birth, not a physical birth. We are born again the day that we accept these truths by faith. We have nothing to lose, everything to gain. then all we need to do is to be able to say thank you, Jesus. If there’s one within my voice today that has understood the fact that they can’t, they’ve tried, but they can’t do it, that today they’ll say, Jesus, I’m ready for you to do it. I’m ready for you to take control of my life. I want to thank you for your unbelievable gift of forgiveness to me. Of how you looked down from that cross as if I was the only person on the face of the earth and said, Father, forgive him. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. And for that unbelievable plan of yours of entering into my death with you so that I could enter into your resurrection with you. I thank you for that. By a mere act of faith of saying to Jesus right now, Father, I need you. Thank you that you took away my sins at the cross never to see them again. So that being raised from the dead, you can raise me from my state of spiritual death and come alive in you to start a new life altogether. No longer living for myself, but living to please the living God who lives in me. And I pray these things in Jesus’ name and for his sake.
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Until next time, walk in faith, be good to one another, and praise the Lord. Amen.
