Caffeine Effects On The Body

Caffeine Effects on the Body

I don't drink soda or Coffee, or anything with Caffeine in it for that matter....and do you know why? It's because caffeine has a huge impact on the Brain. First off remember an energy chemical that works in the body called ATP or adenosine triphosphate. When it goes through a cycle it gives off one phosphate and gives us an energy and then becomes plan adenosine. It keeps giving off these phosphates. From three, to two, to one...until it's just plan old adenosine. No more energy to give. So as adenosine levels build up during the course of your day in your body, we have adenosine receptors in our Brain that register that rise. Well as it rises it's gives us that feeling of being tired. Well when we go to sleep our body does a ton of things to repair and restore those levels so when we wake up we feel refreshed the next day.

Well guess what Caffeine does.....it blocks all of your adenosine receptors in your Brain. So when those adenosine levels build up, your body can't register those rise in levels to the Brain because those receptors are blocked by the Caffeine. So you get the illusion that your not tired even though you don't have more energy in your body. It's like beating your neurons and body to death. You deplete your body's vital energy reserves. So this is giving you the illusion that you have energy and the neurons are very active and all turned on because they think the adenosine is not there because it's blocked by the Caffeine. At the same time Caffeine constricts arteries. So when that happens you get less blood flow to the Brain.

So when people suddenly stop taking high doses of Caffeine two things happen. 1. The blood vessels dilate and you get horrible pounding headaches. 2. All of this adenosine now registers again and you get this horrible fatigue. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks for the body to process all that and for you to get your normal energy level back.

So most people after 2 to 3 days who don't know this say, "man I feel like crap and have no energy, I need my Caffeine to get my energy level back". Thats why you shouldn't drink Caffeine, you don't need it!! Especially those kind of people who drink 3 to 4 liters of soda a day or 3 pots of coffee a day. Chocolate also has Caffeine in it as well.

Caffeine has a huge impact on the body and how you function. It has a 6 hour half life. For example say you drink one cup of coffee with 120 mg of Caffeine in it at 9:00am. At 3:00pm you now have 60 mg left in the body from that one cup. Then at 9:00pm you still have 30 mg left. Then at 3:00am you have 15mg...ect ect do the math. It takes that long to get it out of your system. So if you drink two cups you would have 240 mgs at 9am, then 120 mg at 3pm, then 60 mg at 9:00pm. Then 30 mg still at 3am. Again ect ect...do the math....it's bad and people who depend on Caffeine have huge problems and are killing there body's without realizing it. So the more you drink and/or take it affects you.

So because of this people have messed up sleep cycles, and higher annixity levels. Caffeine also lowers the Seizure threshold. You are more prone to getting seizures when you have high amounts of caffeine in your body. So people who have seizures shouldn't have caffeine at all period. I hope you find this interesting and search for yourself to see how bad caffeine is for the body. 

An Alert Enemy & Spiritualism - Part 3

Continuing from part 2....Spiritualism has made it's way into churches, coffee shops, the work place, clubs, and even found welcome in legislative bodies, and like Bible times even in the courts of Kings and leaders of high places throughout history. By representing the most evil of sinners as in heaven, Satan says to the world: "No matter whether you believe or disbelieve God and the Bible, live as you please. Heaven is your home." But the Word of God says, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness" -  Isaiah 5:20.

Today now in 2014 Spiritualism is one of the biggest attacks Satan uses to get people to turn away from God or to never have that "God experience" that we all need to encounter in our lives. Spiritualism is now adopting a Christian appearance, but it can not deny or hide it's teaching. It professes to accept Christ and the Bible, but it interprets the Bible in a way that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart. It dwells on love as the chief attribute of God, but it degrades this love to a weak sentimentalism. God's condemnations of sin, the requirements of His holy law, are kept out of sight. Fables lead men and women to reject the Bible as the foundation of their faith. Christ is denied as surely as before, but most people do not recognize the deception. Few people don't understand how powerful and how real tampering with spiritualism is. Many tamper with it merely out of curiosity. Most people would hate the idea and be horrified at the thought of yielding to the spirits control, but they dare to go onto forbidden ground and the destroyer exercises his power on them against their will. If he can get them to submit their minds to his direction just once, he will hold them captive. Nothing but the power of God in earnest prayer can save them at this point.....this is why it's so dangerous to play with this kind of force.

All who willfully cherish known sin are inviting Satan's temptations. They separate themselves from God and the watch care of His angels, leaving themselves without any protection. Isaiah 8:19-20 says, "When they say to you, seek those who are mediums and wizards who whisper and mutter, should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." If people had been willing to accept the Bible truth concerning our human nature and the condition of the dead, they would see in spiritualism Satan's power and lying wonders. But so many people close there eyes to the light with rune stones, magic, fairy's, pendents, weegie boards, etc. Satan waves his snares around them. Those of us who oppose spiritualism attack Satan and his angels. He can quote Scripture and will twist its teaching. Those who intend to stand in this time of danger must understand for themselves what the Bible teaches.

Remember those who comfort themselves with the assurance that there is no punishment for the sinner, who reject the truths that Heaven has provided as a defense for the day for trouble, will accept the lies that Satan offers, the deceptive claims of spiritualism.  

An Alert Enemy & Spiritualism - Part 2

So continuing off of part 1. I think some of the greatest danger in this life is to believe that the devil and his evil angels (or demons) don't exist. Many accept their suggestions while they think they are following their own wisdom. As we are living in the end times here in 2014 Satan is and will continue to attack with his greatest power to deceive. He spreads everywhere the belief that he does not exist. It is his policy to conceal himself and his way of working. Satan is afraid that we will become acquainted with his deceptions. To disguise his real character, he has influenced people to portray him as something to ridicule or despise. Like the classic devil dressed in red with the red pitch fork in his hand....so many people by into that and think nothing of it. Remember that the devil wants you to accept his lies to the point that you believe in them so much that it becomes second nature to you. Then he can quick deceiving you anymore because you already believe the lies he has told you. Next victim at that point.....and this happens with us not even realizing it. Satan is very pleased to be painted as comical, misshapen, half animal, half human. He is pleased to hear his name used in jokes and mockery because he has masked himself with superb skill. Many people ask "Does such a being really exist?". Because Satan can easily control the minds of those who are unaware of his influence, the Word of God reveals to us his secret forces, and this puts us on guard. 

Another good point to keep in mind. Satan on one occasion came along when the angels came into present themselves before the Lord. Satan come to bow to the Lord, but to carry forward his evil plans against the righteous found in Job 1:6. Satan is present when Christians gather for worship working diligently to control the minds of the worshipers. As he sees the messenger of God studying the Bible he notices the subject to be presented. Then Satan uses his subtle skills and shrewdness so that the message may not reach those who he is deceiving on that very point. The one who most needs the warning will be urged into some business transaction, phone call, emergency, ect, ect. Whatever he can cause to happen to prevent you from hearing the message. Satan see's the Lords people burdened because of the darkness that surrounds the people. He hears their prayers for divine grace and power to break the spell of indifference and laziness. Then with renewed zeal Satan tempts people to indulge their appetites or gratify themselves, and by doing this he dulls their perceptions so that they fail to hear the very things they most need to learn. Because Satan knows most of all that all who neglect to pray, study, and read the Bible will be overcome by his attacks. So he invents every possible diversion to occupy the mind. Remember Satan knows the Bible inside and out, backwards and forward....don't think that he doesn't. He used to be second in command to God. Satan's right hand helpers are always active when God is at work. They will describe the most earnest, self-denying servants of Christ as deceived or deceivers. Their work is to misrepresent the motives of every single noble deed, to spread doubts, and arouse suspicion in the minds of the inexperienced. We can always easily see whose children they are, whose example they follow, and whose work they do. "You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16 and Revelation 12:10).

Satan can produce a counterfeit that so closely resembles the truth that it deceives those who are willing to be deceived, who want to avoid the sacrifice that the truth demands.

The belief that spirits of the dead returning to help the living has prepared the way for modern spiritualism, and it's gotten stronger over the last 5 years. I dated a women in New York City who was into spiritualism and it's such a powerful deceiving lie by the enemy, I prayed for her everyday, but with all things it's up to our freewill to choose to listen to God or not. She closed the door on God. The question is if the dead are entrusting with knowledge far beyond what they had before, then why not return to earth and instruct the living? If spirits of the dead hover around their friends on earth, why not communicate with them? How can those who believe in human consciousness in death reject "divine light" that comes through glorified spirits? Here is a channel that people think is sacred but which Satan uses. Fallen angels appear as messengers from the spirit world. Remember the prince of evil has power to bring before people the appearance of departed friends and loved ones. Evil angels can take form of dead loved ones, and they do this to trick humans living still on the earth. When people see UFO's or other alien life forms, or big foot.....are they real? Yes they are real but they didn't come from God. Those people are being tricked by Satan and his angels into thinking they are real, but they are really evil angels just taking other forms.This counterfeit is perfect, reproduced with amazing exactness. Many take comfort in the assurance that their loved ones are enjoying heaven. Without suspecting danger, they open their lives "to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" - 1 Timothy 4:1.

While it is true that the results of trickery have often been presented as genuine manifestations, there have also been clear exhibitions of supernatural power, the direct work of evil angels. Many believe that spiritualism is nothing more than human fraud. When they come face to face with happenings that they cannot explain (such as seeing big foot or an alien from space) as anything but supernatural, they will be deceived and will accept them as the great power of God.

Remember a good example found in Exodus 7:10-12......With help from Satan Pharaoh's magicians counterfeited the work of God. Another example, Paul testifies that before the coming of the Lord we will see  "the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception" - 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10. In the book of Revelation, Revelation 13:13, 14 John declares, "He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do."

This is not an issue of predicting mere tricks. People are deceived by the miracles that Satan's agents actually do, that are real....and not that they only pretend to do. Satan temps us with what we know or are into. Satan notes the sins of each individual is inclined to commit and then makes sure that opportunities come along to gratify the tendency. He temps people through intemperance, leading them to weaken their physical, mental, and moral power. Satan is such a bastard and he destroys thousands through indulgence of passion, brutalizing the entire nature. To complete his work, the agents of Satan declare that "true knowledge places a person above all law", that "whatever is, is right," that "God does not condemn," and that "all sins....are innocent." When people believe that desire is the highest law, that liberty is license, that they are accountable only to themselves, who can be surprised that corruption flourishes every where? Great numbers of people eagerly accept the urgings of lust. Satan sweeps into his net thousands who profess to follow Christ.

The beauty is that God has given enough light to us to detect the snare. The very foundation of spiritualism is at war with Bible scripture. The Bible declares that the dead know nothing, that their thoughts have perished. They have no joys or sorrows of those still alive on earth.

An Alert Enemy & Spiritualism - Part 1

Don't doubt for a second that evil forces don't exist. All you have to do is look around in the news, internet, tv, radio, ect ect.....you to see the work of evil, with all the pain and loss it brings.Satan and his evil angels are very alert to this world and all humans living in it. This enemy is intruding his presence into every household, every street, every nation, in all the churches across the world, in national councils, in courts of justice, just everywhere!! No place on earth is safe to hide from the forces of Satan's wrath. Our enemy (Satan) is very busy perplexing, deceiving, seducing, and ruining the souls and bodies of men, women, and children. He breaks up families, planting seeds of hatred, strife, rebellion, and murder.....and the world seems to think that God has decreed these things and so they must exist. All who are not committed followers of Christ are servants of Satan even if they don't realize it or not. When Christians choose to associate with the ungodly, they expose themselves to temptation. Satan hides himself from view and draws his deceptive covering over their eyes.

Following worldly customs converts the church to the world and never the world to Christ. Familiarity with sin will cause it to seem less repulsive and right in your eyes of justification. But when we encounter trails because we are doing what God wants, we may be sure that He will protect us. But if we place ourselves where we will be tempted, sooner or later we will fall....and the enemy knows this and plays on it. The tempter often works most successfully through those whom we least suspect of being under his control. Talent and culture are gifts of God, but when these gifts lead away from Him, they become a trap. (I know I experienced this myself when playing the drums with the Wizards of Winter and touring in PA, NJ, and NY. It pulled me away from God and into this trap because Satan knows what we like as much as God does, and what temptations will work on us). Many people with cultured intellects, talents, and pleasant manners are polished instruments in the hands of Satan.

We can't forget the inspired warning ringing down the centuries to out time here in 2014. "be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" - 1 Peter 5:8. We need to put on the armor of God like it says in Ephesians 6:11. "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil". Remember our enemy is preparing for his last campaign as we are living in the end times now in 2014. All who follow Jesus will have conflicts with this enemy.....following Christ costs and requires sacrifice of our earthly goals, dreams, accomplishments, agendas, and even sometimes our lives. As Christians we need to always imitate a divine pattern and loving spirit towards others, putting them first instead of our needs and our goals, and our lives. The more we do that the more of a target for the attacks of Satan we become in this world.

Remember that all evil angels oppose God's plans. The evil spirits which are evil angels were originally created sinless by God. They were equal in nature, power, and glory with the holy beings that are now God's messengers.....the good angels. But now they are fallen because of sin, and they have joined together to dishonor God and destroy humanity. United with Satan in rebellion, they cooperate with him in warfare against divine authority In the new testament of the Bible it clearly states that people have been possessed with demons. These people were not simply suffering with disease from natural causes. Christ recognized the direct presence and influence of evil spirits. The demons possessed men at Gadara. They were wretched maniacs, writhing, foaming at the mouth, raging, cutting themselves, ect ect. There bleeding and disfigured bodies, and deranged minds made a spectacle that pleased the prince of darkness. Remember one of the demons controlling the sufferers said, "My name is Legion, for we are many". - Mark 5:9. In the Roman army during the days of Jesus on Earth legion's consisted of anywhere from 3 to 5 thousand men. But at the command of Jesus the demons fled from their victims, leaving them subdued, inteligent, and gentle. But the demons then swept a heard of pigs into the sea. Of course to the people of Gadara, the loss outweighted the blessing Christ had just brought and so they asked the divine Healer Jesus to leave in Matthew 8:24-34. By blaming Jesus for their loss, Satan stirred up the selfish fears of the people and prevented them from listening to His words.

But what is key to remember is Christ allowed the evil spirits to destroy the pigs as a rebuke to Jews who were raising unclean animals for profit. If Christ had not restrained the demons, they would have plunged not only the pigs, but also their keepers and owners into the sea. Furthermore God permitted this event so that the disciples could witness the cruel power of Satan on both people and animals, and so they would not be deceived by his dark delusions. Jesus also wanted the people to see His power to break Satan's hold and release his captives. Though Jesus himself went away, the men He had so amazingly delivered remained there to tell about the mercy of their Father.

The Bible of course records other accounts of these kind of examples. The daughter of the Syrophenician women, severely afflicted with a devil when Jesus cast out by His word in Mark 7:25-30. In Mark 9:17-27 a youth who had a spirit who had often "thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destory him. Also another example I will mention is the maniac tormented by a spirit of an unclean devil who disturbed the Sabbath quiet at Capernaum in Luke 4:33-36. In all of these examples Jesus healed them all and addresses the demons as intelligent beings, commanding him not to torment his victim ever again. Also there were some who tried to get supernatural power such as Simon Magus, Elymas the sorcerer, and the slave girl who followed Paul and Silas at Philippi in Acts 8:9, 18; 13:8, 16:16-18.

The 7 Myths Of Forgiveness

1. Forgiveness Does Not Mean Restored Trust 

When we forgive we get changed, not the person who did us wrong. The person's character who did you wrong is still the same. It's damaged and needs to be transformed and healed by Christ before you can develop trust with that person again. Remember actions speak louder then words, look for the change in actions to see if there character truly has changed. If not then it's like putting your hand back into the pocket with the snake, your going to get bit and/or burned again by that person.


2. Forgiveness Does Not Come After The Offender Says There Sorry 

We need to forgive them in our own hearts to free us from the damage it can do in our own lives if we hold onto it. Then if the offender also says sorry, well that's great too and you want that as well. but saying sorry and having true repentance for the sickness in your heart that lead you to make/do the bad choice/sin is totally different. Most people who say they are sorry really do mean it when they say, but they are also thinking about ways to do it again and not get caught next time. True repentance that leads to true reconciliation is when your are sorry for the sick heart and mind that lead you to do the bad deed.


3. Forgiveness Does Not Equal Salvation 

We need a “Remedy” (God dieing on the cross for our sins) and “Trust” in the one who provided the remedy so we will follow God. Jesus's death on the cross wasn't enough, it was just the "Remedy". We then also need "Trust" in God so we will follow God and take the remedy he provided on the cross.


4. Forgiveness Does Not Mean What They Did Was Ok 

No that person who did you wrong is still wrong and should know that for themselves, and you should let them know this fact in a kind loving way.


5. Forgiveness Does Not Lead To Greater Vulnerability 

When you get burned you lose the ability to tell the difference between touches of play, touches of aggression, and touches of love….everything hurts. We must heal the wounds. So don't hold onto hate or anger thinking that it makes you strong and/or will make you a weak person if you extend forgiveness to someone. Holding onto it only eats you alive and causes stress.....stress you will carry around forever if you don't deal with it with Christ! 


6. Forgiveness Does Not Mean We Have To Forget 

Jesus forgives our sins, but that doesn't mean they are erased from the record books in heaven. At the final judgment God knows all of our past sins and bad things we have done. They are apart of our history and will never go away......but here is the beautiful part. Jesus died for our sins and loves us so much that when he judges us he judges us with our new transformed heart and characters that we received when we gave our life to Christ when we accepted him, understood him, believed in him, trusted in him with faith, and love Him as our Father in heaven. If you do that Christ judges us based on our new characters....so our sins that are in our past don't apply as far as our salvation is concerned. That doesn't give us a licence to sin, but a choice to remember the past, but don't forget so we don't repeat it again. That's why actions speak louder then words.....look for them so you can ask yourself......has that person real changed? How are they different? Is it safe to start to rebuild a relationship with that person? There character will give you all the evidence you need.


7. Forgiveness Does Not Mean The Offender Gets Away With It 

Jesus knows everything and nobody can get away with it in His eye. Jesus will judge all fairly in the end, and justice will be served. Remember the soul and character gets damaged in the person who did us wrong, so they are paying the price already here on earth as they live. Imagine you are raped as a little kid by your uncle. Would you want to live your life recovering from the damage or live as your uncle going around raping kids all the time. I mean would you want to live that other life? No way!! Imagine living your uncle's life and you go around raping kids day after day after day. Of course you would pick your own life....and why would you? Because something much deeper gets damaged in the person who does us wrong. Imagine how damaged that uncles character must be to rap kids everyday and rest easy at night. There character might be beyond repair, might be eternally lost.

Is The Bible Accurate?

1.     How do we know the Bible is accurate and true?

There are three manuscripts from which all Bibles in all languages are translated. The Bible was written in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.  You’ve got the “Textus Receptus”, which means “Received Text” in Latin. 

The word “Holy Bible” or “Santa Biblia” means “Holy Book” – the word “Bible” means “Book”. Martin Luther felt that it was the most dependable text, and the King James Version and the New King James Version in English are translated from the Textus Receptus.

There are two other manuscripts that have been questioned by many. That’s the Vaticanus, which was found in the Vatican library.  It’s an old manuscript which have some inconsistencies with the Vaticanus manuscript.  Martin Luther said in his words it’s ‘a bastardized version.

The other was one called the Sinaiticus.  The Sinaiticus was found on St. Catherine’s monastery. They found it in a dump which would make it suspicious! So the Sinaiticus had some of the same inconsistencies as the Vaticanus manuscript. They did use all of those manuscripts in creating the New International Version (NIV) Bible.  For instance in the NIV Bible, the story where the woman is caught in the act of adultery in the book of John, That story wasn’t in the Vaticanus version, and so there are some very beautiful stories that just are missing from these other manuscripts. When we talk about the manuscripts this only applies to the New Testament, because the Old Testament is much more dependable.  The Jews have kept it very secure and up-to-date, and there are very few inconsistencies, which are also proven by the Dead Sea Scrolls.  The questionable manuscripts are the ones that pertain to the New Testament.

Some Deleted Verses in the New Testament that are not found in the NIV Bible

Matthew 17:21

Mark 7:16, 9:44, 9:46, 11:26, 15:28, 16:9-20

Luke 17:36, 23:17

John 5:4

Acts 8:37, 15:34, 24:7, 28:29

Justification

Ok I think we should go over justification to start 
things off. To justify means “to demonstrate or to prove to be just, right or valid. To declare free of blame and free of the guilt and penalty attached to grievous sin. Therefore justification is a legal declaration of innocence. If you’re justified you’re declared just. According to the Bible every human (except Jesus) who has ever lived has sinned and is guilty for crimes punishable by death. To be justified by Christ means that the Lord declares you to be forgiven untainted by the crimes you have committed against Him. Yet who has the right to be declared justified without the grace of God, especially when even just one sin disqualifies a person from eternal life? Christ’s character stands in place of your character, (and my character) and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned. Justification means God looks upon you “like just-as-if-ication”. He looks upon you ”just as if” you had never sinned. Instead of seeing your filthy rags (even though you sinned and those facts did happen in history as part of your life), God sees the righteousness of His Son in your place, and you are accounted righteousness. I mean how cool is that right?

But sadly most people continue to live in open rebellion against God. So how do we obtain that justification? Most people in church or even outside of church will give you different answers…..from faith to works. Well it’s irrelevant because all that matters is what the Bible has to say about it.

 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). According to this verse, salvation is a gift. 

Romans 6:23 highlights this idea when it says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Justification is apparently not something for which we work. Well salvation is a gift, and thus by definition you cannot earn it. Have you ever received a gift that you earned? If so, it wasn’t a gift, because anything ceases to be a gift if you’ve done something to earn it. If you can only take possession of something with a payment, whether it’s money, a trade, or service….even after the fact, well then it’s not really a gift. 

Romans 5:17,18 says, “For if by one man’s [Adam] offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Jesus] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life”. 

This free gift results in justification. According to the Bible, are we justified by works or by a gift that comes in response to faith? The Bible is clear on this but lets dive deeper.Luke was a gentile who really understood the teachings of Jesus, especially when it concerned justification through faith as a gift. Here is what it says in Luke chapter 18.

“And he spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:9–14). 

As you know one of the problems in the time of Christ was that many of the religious leaders believed they were made righteous by their good deeds. They trusted in their own righteousness while they looked down on others as worthless sinners. The Pharisee was a part of a sect of Judaism known for its rigid stance of obeying the law, while tax collectors (publicans) were associated with a very loose and scandalous lifestyle. Pharisees might have been considered the obvious choice for eternal life by most people of Jesus day, but Jesus had different ideas. Notice that the Pharisee is said to pray “thus with himself.” In other words, he’s praying to himself and not so much to God. He goes on to thank God that he’s not like the worst sinners of the world, and more than that, he reminds God that he tithes and fasts regularly. It’s probably an honest resume, and technically it’s a good one. “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the … Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). 

But instead of thanking God for His goodness in humility, he’s thanking God for his resume as a point of pride. The tax collector however doesn’t even feel worthy to approach the front of the temple….instead, he stands back and cowers before the altar. His feelings of guilt and shame cause him to bow his head and beat on his breast, a sign of repentance….a genuine display of his sorrow for sin. He pleads to God to be merciful on him, a lowly sinner. Where the Pharisee has so much to offer God, the publican has nothing good to offer. Also unlike the Pharisee, he’s appealing solely to God’s mercy. My point is that according to Christ, the one who went home justified that day was the reviled tax collector, which means the respected Pharisee did not, even though he was paying his tithe, fasting twice a week, and most likely living an exemplary religious life of obedience. But where do works play into all of this….aren’t works connected with justification? 

Of course they are, but the operative word is “connected.” Justification does not depend on works. This is very very important to understand, so I want to give you this example. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:21). But wait and here is a point of confusion….doesn’t James contradict Paul’s message in Romans 3:26: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” 

Is the Bible contradicting itself? Ok the Bible clearly says we’re saved by grace through faith. How then can we deal with James? If you’re confused right now on this point that’s okay because I was too when I first dove into this topic trust me. Plus the apostles and early church leaders were also confused. But we have a clear answer from the Bible. We know that the Holy Spirit inspired both writers, and that both of these passages are Holy Scripture. Is the Bible still trustworthy? Yes!! Without any question. Here is another verse in James to understand this perplexing verse: “Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?”. Faith, then, works together with works. How? 

When we read the word “perfect” in this sentence, it means complete. When used in the sentence, it means Abraham’s works by faith were made manifest that is….they gave evidence to his faith. Meaning….his works proved he was justified! The problem stems from the fact that Paul and James are talking to two different groups of believers. Paul was dealing with Jewish believers who were trying to force gentile converts to keep all of the law of Moses in order to be justified. Paul responded to this by saying that people can’t earn salvation, but rather it comes as a free gift of God. However in James, James is dealing with new converts who have come into the church believing that since they’re justified by faith obedience doesn’t really matter. 

Let’s go back to the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector again because I like it haha….no mainly because I think it’s a good illustration to use from the Bible. When the tax collector repented and asked God for mercy, Jesus said he went home justified. Here are some good questions to ask….Did the publican know he was justified when he went home? Likewise should a person know when they’re justified? To answer these questions I want to ask you another set of questions…..If we’re saved by faith, should we know it? Should the publican have asked for mercy not expecting to receive it? We should readily acknowledge that the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts to give us the peace that God has heard our prayers. I have prayed about certain problems that come up sometimes in life….but then later feel a sudden peace overflood my soul. It’s that feeling that your prayer got through to God and it’s all in His very capable hands. All Christians should be experiencing this. So, I believe the tax collector went home knowing he was justified in the eyes of His God.

God says, “You’re forgiven” to the tax collector. Is he therefore a different man? In one way, he certainly is. He came as a sinner to stand humbly before God, and now he goes home covered with Christ’s righteousness. But the bigger question is will he behave differently now that he knows he’s been justified?.....this is key. I strongly believe that if you’re truly saved you will show a definite change in behavior. The fruit of the Spirit will be made manifested in you. The things of this world will grow strangely dim. Again by their fruits you will know them.

Ok another thought….Imagine that for whatever reason, Pilate told his soldiers, “I want to let one of those thieves hanging with Jesus go.” So his soldiers choose the one who Christ guaranteed access to heaven on resurrection day, and they remove the nails and bind his hands and feet so that he will heal. He’s scarred for life of course, but he lives. Do you think he would have been different? Would he have returned to the sins that put him in bondage before the moment Christ freely gave him forgiveness? If he did willingly return to the sins of his past do you think he was a true believer on the cross? I’m asking this because to me real justification can be witnessed by the attitude and behavior of the one who has been saved. Don’t ever ever fall for the lie that Christians are never to talk about good works because that makes them legalists. That is total crap!! The Bible is filled with apostles and prophets talking about how important good works are in this world. It’s not a sin to do good and it’s not wrong to stop sinning. “also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid” (1 Timothy 5:25). This passage shows us that the works of the saved are evident because they are good.

You’ll know a saved person by their fruit! (1 Timothy 6:18)  reiterates, “That they do good, that they be rich in good works.”When you’re saved in Christ, a new power is given you to live a new life. This is what James is talking about when he says, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” (James 2:23). 

That’s how a man is justified by works: Abraham believed…that was his “works.” He believed enough to offer up his own son. Jesus supports this interpretation of course in the new testament. John 6:28, 29 is an extremely important passage about works and faith. “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Are we saved by works? Yes! What are those works? “This is the work … that ye believe.” Does it take effort to believe? Yes it does!! Sometimes you don’t feel like believing and you need to pray that God will give you the courage and strength to believe in His Word. 

There is an effort involved in trusting God because our whole nature has been driven to believe in the lies of the devil. He makes us doubt by twisting the evidence, and we doubt those things we cannot see. So God knows it takes effort to believe that we must choose it. But if you pray, He will gladly help you believe.