Once in a senior Sunday school class, a man who was a long term member made the statement that he had the rapture and he didn’t need anything else.

Sadly, there are many Christians who feel that “once saved always saved” excuses them from any other duties as a Christian. That is not so!

 They lack understanding of the new covenant that Jesus Christ preached about in the “Sermon on the Mount.” Under the old law you literally had to commit an act of sin to be guilty, but under the new covenant Christ makes it very clear that if a person harbors evil in their heart they are guilty of sinning. Everything we do in life should be spiritual, not of the flesh. But how can we do this? Through Jesus who lives in us! Jesus made the supreme sacrifice once and for all so our sins are forgiven and remains our advocate forever.

Hebrews 10:10 We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.

14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.

17  Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.

Matthew 5:21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.

22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, you fool, will be liable to the hell of fire.

27 You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery.

28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

31 It was also said, whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.

32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.

34 But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

38 You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

39 But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

43 You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

4 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

How is it possible to be perfect as God our Father is perfect?

1John 3: 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

The whole book of 1 John is a further expansion of the spiritual laws of Christ.

If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then now is your time, this is why you are reading this now! Jesus is knocking on your door! Open to Him now! Receive Him into your life! God bless you! Amen!