Be not conformed to this world...

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2.

Is friendship with the ways of the world a bad thing?

Yes, if anyone thinks of the ways of this world as their friend, they are on the path of the enemy, the god of this world.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

Does God give some people a reprobate mind because of their sin?

Yes. Many people believe they can live any lifestyle they choose in direct contradiction to God's Word and still be considered saved. Sadly, because of their pro-longed intentional rejection of the Word of God, the Father Himself gave them up to their vile affections and gave them over to a reprobate mind.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:24-32.

Can anyone repent and be saved?

Yes. All things are possible with God.

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26.
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Mark 10:27.
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Luke 18:27.

In order to be saved, a person must confess their sin and repent from it according to the Father's will.

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:14.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

He knows everything and His Word is sharper than any double-edged sword.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.

That means His Word gives eternal life for the believer and eternal death for the unbeliever. The identity of anyone who won't repent is already known by God.

Thus, anyone claiming to be saved but does not desire to live by the Word of God as their lifestyle has a heart separated from God because of His Word.

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Isaiah 29:13.
He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Mark 7:6.
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Matthew 15:8.

He knows who the posers are.

are some people destined to be destroyed in hell?

Yes. Many people will not repent of their sins and yet claim in error to be saved, because God will not be mocked.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7.

The Word is God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2.

The Word will not be mocked.

Therefore, the identity of anyone who won't repent is already known by God. From His perspective, a person who refuses to repent of their sin is a vessel fitted for destruction according to the Father's will.

For example, the LBGTQ+ communities refuse the notion they are sinful and defend themselves by saying, "God made me this way." Remember, God gave them up, i.e., let them have, their chosen lifestyle filled with vile affections. He also gave them over to a reprobate mind to believe the lie He made them LGBTQ+. From that perspective, God made them vessels fitted for destruction in hell because He knows many of them won't repent.

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Romans 9:22-24.

Make no mistake in understanding, the same holds true for every sinner who will not repent.

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3 and 5.

The question we should be asking the LBGTQ+ community members, and all sinners, is this:

Are you a vessel fitted for destruction?

If they answer "Yes," tell them they can be born again and saved.
If they answer "No," inform or remind them LGBTQ+ lifestyles are vile and sinful according to the will of God, and repentance is required to be saved. Any refusal to repent merely proves they are, in fact, a vessel fitted for destruction. Thus, God may have made them that way.

Beware: LGBTQ+ lifestyles are not God's will, and anyone advocating such a lifestyle, participant or not, is a "worker of iniquity".

Workers of iniquity prove they are not of Christ Jesus and remain the lost. See Matthew 7:21-23, and Luke 13:26-27.

There is no temptation we cannot escape.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:13.

The Word is a way out of temptation.

How did Jesus resist the enemy, the devil?

The scriptures in Matthew chapter 4 and Luke chapter 4 recount the interaction between Jesus and the devil.

When the flesh of Jesus was physically weak from not eating, the devil tempted Him.

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Matthew 4:1-2.
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. Luke 4:1-2.

The devil tempted Jesus to perform a miracle to satisfy His flesh as if God's will was insufficient to sustain Him.

And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:3-4; see also, Luke 4:3-4.

When one temptation (enticement) ended, the next temptation began.

The devil tempted Jesus to prove Himself as God, as if He was insecure about His own sufficiency.

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Matthew 4:5-7; see also, Luke 4:9-12.

(The Word of God is God. It is not for show or a spectacle as some use it. God almighty has nothing to prove, and neither do you. God will use all of us to benefit others He has called to be saved through belief in Christ Jesus and the cross.)

The devil tempted Jesus again, pledging to give Him all of the riches and wealth of the world if Jesus would bow to the devil. Recall that the devil is the god of this world, and it has insinuated itself into all of the kingdoms of this world.

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matthew 4:8-10; see also, Luke 4:5-8.

Many people bow to the god of this world today believing God and His ways are insufficient. This is not to say work or wealth is evil, but the love of money is. If you value wealth (money) more than God, it is evil to you.

For example, the wealthy born again only support those ministries that teach and encourage an individual relationship with the Father through the Word and the Holy Ghost dwelling inside the believer. Otherwise, they, too, are supporting a middleman who obstructs man's pathway to the Father in heaven. For example, nobody should support the catholic religion because their entire religious system is built on a middleman that separates the individual from God.

How do we resist the enemy, the devil?

The same way Jesus did. Jesus always wore the whole armor of God and used the Word of God in Him to resist the enemy whenever He was tempted. We successfully resist the same way. We submit ourselves to God as all-sufficient for us. We rely on the mind of Christ (the Word dwelling in us) while wearing the armor of God, standing ready to be led by the Holy Ghost that also dwells in us. The Spirit will tell us what to say and do. It works every time, and we get stronger (more reliant on the Spirit) every time. That's why we rejoice!

Let's learn of Jesus the Word! Everyone starts with the New Testament (the new covenant) of the Word of God. The Old Testament is the old covenant. It's there for foundational support.

What are the weapons of our warfare?

Obviously, the weapons we use against the enemy do not come from us as carnal humans; they come from God, the Spirit.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)...2 Corinthians 10:3-4.

Remember, the Holy Ghost teaches us all things and reminds us of whatever Jesus said.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26.

The devil tempted Jesus and quoted the Word, albeit contextually incorrect. Still, the enemy recognizes the power of the Word and seeks to corrupt it and make it of no effect. Jesus used the Word to resist (repel) the enemy and its temptations. Therefore, we do two things:

1. Dismiss the thought that God is insufficient for us as Jesus-the Word did with the mind of Christ;

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:5-6;

and

2. Wear the armor of God and trust in it to stand firm against the enticements of the enemy.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil....Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-11, and 13.
Whom [your adversary the devil] resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5:9.

Steadfast in the faith requires being strong in the Lord knowing our Father (God) and His ways are sufficient for us. That is the mind of Christ. The power of the Lord's might is the whole armor of God we wear because we are His children, born again of His Spirit.

How do we set others on a course to be free from the enemy?

Those of us who see the lost should instruct them in meekness as Jesus did, but meekness does not mean weakness or hiding the truth. We use the authority and power over all the enemy's power when we wear the armor of God and speak the Word of God.

...And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17.

God's Word is true, powerful, and sharper than any double-edged sword. Use it to vanquish the enemy, not eviscerate those taken captive by the enemy.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

In fact, the Bible says the Word brings truth, and the truth shall set them free.

...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32.

If they don't want the truth, or refuse to repent to get it, they don't want to be free from the sin they enjoy. Do we pity them? Yes, because they are damned and have no idea how lost they are or they wouldn't choose to remain lost and damned.

The born again do not fear.

The only thing the enemy can give you is fear. Don't take it. Stay believing always.

Fearlessness from the Law of God (Old Testament)

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy 31:6.

Fearlessness from the New Covenant (New Testament)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7.

Fearlessness from the power of the Spirit within all who are born again in Christ Jesus!

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:19-20 (emphasis added).

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

Our battle is keeping God first. The battlefield is our flesh and mind.

We all have weaknesses in the flesh. Whenever we value the things of the world more desirable than the things of God, lust is conjured in our minds and we are enticed in the body by the temptation of opportunity from the enemy to sin.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8.

Whenever we think about fulfilling our lust for carnal satisfaction, we ignore the sufficiency of God and make ourselves prone to sin. Challenging the sufficiency of God IS the pathway of destruction the enemy (the devil) knows all about. Recall God bound the enemy in a state of terror (fear) for challenging God's sufficiency.

...thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Ezekial 28:19.

And, God did not send the enemy to terrorize mankind or give us a spirit of fear.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7.
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19.

Although we are born again, we have the flesh of a sinful, carnal human like everyone. Like everyone, our flesh has a will of the flesh. The will of the flesh opposes the will of God because all flesh is sinful by nature. However, the weapons of our warfare against the enemy's enticements are of the Spirit of God and not carnal because the enemy isn't carnal even though its enticements are for the natural (carnal) man.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14.

For completeness, the unsaved have no weapons against the enemy.

The enemy knows everyone. This is the enemy's world.

We must know, the enemy is the evil spirit in the world. It attacks us through our sinful flesh. The enemy has watched us our entire lives, looking to provide us with an opportunity to sin.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8.

The unbeliever is totally unaware and easy prey because a fleshly life is all they know. We must help them come to know the Gospel of Salvation.

Jesus said to have faith in God (the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost).

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Mark 11:22.

The Holy Ghost (Spirit of Truth) tells us what to do in every situation, but we must listen.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26.

...Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

James 4:7-8.

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Matthew 26:41; see also, Mark 14:38.

Did Jesus fight the enemy, the devil?

No. He rebuked the devil's temptations using the Word of God and went on about the Father's business of sharing the gospel (good news) of salvation for all who will believe it.

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36.

That's what the born again do and we go on about the Father's business like Jesus did.

Do we fight the enemy, the devil?

No. If Jesus said we have been given the power over all the power of the enemy, the devil, why fight the enemy? The enemy knows the born again believer has the power of the Spirit over it, but it wants you to forget or ignore it. How can we have power over all the enemy's power but still want to fight it? That's stupid and goes against the will of God.

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19.

Remember, Jesus said, don't rejoice in the fact you have power of all the power of the enemy, but rejoice you live forever.

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20.

Remember the Word says the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God, the Spirit. How can our weapons be mighty through God who gives us power over all the power of the enemy and then still find ourselves in a predicament where we are tasked to fight the enemy, also a spirit? Again, this makes no sense.

So, let's look to the New Testament of Word of God and find out what the word says about fight under the new covenant. The Word talks about fighting the good fight of faith.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2 Timothy 4:7.

Our fight is to love the Lord thy God with all of our being.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:37.
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mark 12:30.
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Luke 10:27.

If we do that, the Spirit takes care of all the pathway to heaven stuff. Hence, the enemy has no power over us. The battle is with our own flesh. That's the "spiritual warfare" we are in.

Did Jesus engage in "spiritual warfare" while He walked the earth?

No. He took authority over the enemy and commanded it to shut up and get out of His way as He continued to do the Father's work in spreading the good news (gospel) of salvation for all who believe. That is not external warfare. It is the exercise of God’s will in power because nothing shall prevail against the power of God, even in concept, because there is no possibility for the Spirit of God ever to be successfully challenged.

People may think they can challenge God but cannot. If they do, they do the work of the devil who is bound to hell because of that same sentiment. That's how the enemy deceives even the very elect of God. Thus, there is no external warfare. Again, Jesus rebuked the enemy's fleshly temptations by the Word of God, the Spirit in Him.

(For completeness, there is a spiritual battle in the end when Jesus returns with His angels and casts the devil and all evil into hell, but that is not now.)

Do we engage in "spiritual warfare" while we walk the earth?

No, but some how the answer seems like it should be "yes" because of what the faulty religious doctrines teach. If we look to Jesus as our example as we should and know we have the faith of Jesus when we are born again, we too engage the enemy the same way Jesus did.

That leaves what some call “spiritual warfare” against the enemy, but the title is misleading. Any spiritual warfare we face now is in us as the enemy uses outside influences causing us to live outside-in (worldy and a friend of the world) rather than inside-out by the Spirit. As the born again, any "spiritual warfare" is confined to us living "inside-out' by the Spirit and fighting the ways of the world (the will of the enemy) from creeping in, not with the devil outside of us. Of course, there are evil people and factions in the world that try to overpower or even kill us, but we don't fear anyone that can kill our bodies.

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. Luke 12:4.
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28.

Do we "wrestle" against the enemy, the devil?

From the reference of the born again, the battle is within ourselves even though some of the principalities, powers, rulers, and others in high places in this world, are often led by the enemy, the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12.

The god of this world, the enemy, is there to distract us from who we are, and we wrestle with the enemy's distractions.

The battlefield is in our mind and body.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 4:4.
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Mark 4:19.
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. Luke 8:14.

(Consider the madness in the world today: Gender fluidity, the Alphabet+ culture, love of money and praise of riches over God, etc. Therefore, if our weak sinful flesh leads us to hell if we aren’t born again of the Spirit, how then can that same sinful flesh fight the devil and be successful when the devil truly is the epitome of sin and hell itself as the literal walls (vessel) of hell? It can't.)

What is the war we wage?

Everyone who is born again is set about to share the gospel of salvation. In this world we encounter an enemy that wants to stop us. We must:

Believe we have power over all the power of the enemy.

Saved.Church

Albany, Oregon

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