“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.” (James 1:16-18 NASB1995)

Now this is in the context of the teaching about how God tempts no one to sin and so we should not blame God if we should ever be tempted to sin. And if we are indeed tempted (led into) sin, and so we give in to that sin, it is not God’s fault but our own. Yet, as this continues on, there is a broader picture here beyond just what has already been spoken. We who believe in Jesus Christ serve an unchanging God. He is who he has always been and always will be, so he does not teach one thing and then teach the opposite.

So, what this means for us, when we are studying the Scriptures, especially the ones taught under the New Covenant relationship God has with his people Israel (Jew and Gentile by faith in Jesus Christ), is that when the Scriptures appear to us to contradict each other, we should not just go with the one which we like the best because it makes us feel good or because it doesn’t seem as severe as the others. But we should compare Scripture with Scripture and we must read them in their appropriate biblical context, too.

For many people are misinterpreting the teachings of Christ and of his New Testament apostles, largely because they are being taught Scriptures out of their appropriate biblical context, and so they are getting a distorted message which will, thus, not agree with other Scriptures which teach the opposite. And so many people ignore the Scriptures they don’t like, and they embrace the ones taught out of context, because they give them more freedom to live however they want to live while assuring them of salvation.

But God does not teach us that faith in Jesus Christ, which comes from God and not from human flesh, is just words we say in a prayer to receive Christ and now we are forgiven all sins and heaven is guaranteed us when we die. Yet, that is the “gospel” message which appears the majority are teaching today and that the majority are believing. Yet, God teaches us that faith, which is of God, must result in us denying self, dying to sin daily, by the Spirit, and us walking (in conduct) in obedience to our Lord’s commands.

Now this does not mean if we should ever sin just once that we are cut off from God. God does not demand that we remain sinless, but he does instruct us that we are no longer to make sin our practice, and that obedience to our Lord and to his commands must now be what we practice, in the power of God (see 1 John 2:1-6). And this is not permission to sin, but it is a recognition that we might sin sometime. However, if sin is our habit, and not obedience to our Lord’s commands, we do not have eternal life with God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

So, please take this to heart, for where we will spend eternity depends on us believing and living the truth of the gospel, and not the lies of Satan.

Living Sacrifices

Based off Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6:11-14 NIV
An Original Work / September 14, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Oh, holy ones, I counsel you,
In view of God’s mercy,
To give yourselves to God in love
As living offerings,
Pleasing to God, holy in love.
This is your true worship.
Do not conform to worldly lives.
Let God transform you today.
Then you’ll be able to
Test and approve of what
God’s will is – His pleasing
And perfect will. Oh, holy ones,
I counsel you – Offer yourselves unto God.

Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Do not be conceited.
Humble yourselves before your God.
Do not be self-righteous.
The strength you have to live in love
Comes from your Lord God, so
Live your new lives in pow’r of God.
Be changed in heart, mind and will.
Do this because of what
Christ did for you when
He died on the cross to save
The world from sin. Oh, holy ones,
I counsel you – Humble yourselves before God.

Oh, holy ones, I counsel you –
Count yourselves dead to sin,
But be alive to God in Christ.
Do not let sin reign in
Your earthly lives so you
Obey its evil desires.
Offer yourselves unto your God
As those who’ve been born again.
For sin shall no longer be
Your lord and master.
Give of yourselves to God
For righteousness. Oh, holy ones,
I counsel you – Be alive to God in Christ.

No Variation or Shifting Shadow
An Original Work / January 23, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love