Jungle

 

In order to gain a human spirit, we must first believe in Christ. We mentioned how easy this is, just a few paragraphs ago, 'Father, I believe in Christ.' This is a very short thought and needs only be done once in a persons life. Once saved, always saved.

Simultaneously with ones belief in Christ, the Holy Spirit regenerates inside of you, a human spirit. Into that human spirit is imputed eternal life. Now you are a believer in Christ, possessing body, soul, and spirit.

The human spirit is important because it becomes the link funneling Gods Word through your human spirit and into your soul. See the diagram of the soul of the believer vs. the unbeliever.

Once saved we continue to commit sins. Lets face it, after we have been saved, we are not miraculously made perfect. We all have flaws, we all have a sin nature. Believers can be just as horrible and obnoxious as unbelievers in this world. So the next principle to understand is that of fellowship.

Fellowship briefly is that sphere wherein God has created a means for us to approach Him in sinless perfection. At the Cross, Christ paid the price for sin. All of mans sins were judged, but they were not forgiven, and that is a very important distinction which we need to understand. Yes, when we believe in Christ we are saved and we will go to heaven. But as we continue to live here on earth we are held responsible for how we conduct our lives.

God does not just let us go about doing bad things to others. And there are believers out there who are real jerks, even worse. So what is this fellowship all about. Well, through confession of sin, God has provided a means for us to cleanse ourselves, which is the process of placing us into fellowship. Briefly, when we are saved, at that moment we are in fellowship with God. When we commit our first sin following salvation, which could come minutes or hours after you were saved, then the commission of that sin, whatever it might have been, kicked you out of fellowship. In order to get back into fellowship you are commanded to confess your sins. You are commanded to confess them to God the Father (to whom all prayer is directed). By the way this confession is personal and private. It is not a public matter. It is not something that you do with a priest, wife, family member, fellow worker, or grandma. Your confession is between you and God and no one else. This brings the concept of forgiveness, which only God can do. No human being has the power or right to forgive you of your sins.

Through confession you are in effect saying that you acknowledge your sins, that you are taking responsibility for them, and that you are placing them in Gods hands for handling. This is not an emotional matter. There will be no bells, or music, no lightening bolts, no seizures, nor anything else related to the senses. Slipping into and out of fellowship is unseen and unfelt.

Once you confess your sins (list them to God as you would a grocery list), then you are back in fellowship, cleansed, washed, shoes removed and standing on holy ground, in His fortress, in His temple, and any of a number of synonymous phrases used in the Bible to signify fellowship.

Now is the time to post a prayer.

End Of Lesson

Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.