“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12 NASB1995)

We live in a day and age, at least here in the USA we do, when so many who profess the name of Jesus are listening to the lies being taught them by other human beings, while they refuse to believe the truths that Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught in the Scriptures. And what I am referencing here is a half-truth false gospel message which is widely being adopted across the USA in place of the true gospel taught by Jesus and his apostles. They prefer the lies because the lies don’t require we obey God.

So, these false teachers of what they call “the gospel” convince so many people that a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ assures them of forgiveness of all sins and of eternal life with God, but regardless of how they live from that point forward. And many of them are emphatic about teaching that God makes no requirements of us other than “belief,” which they do not define. And so if we teach that faith in Jesus must result in us dying to sin and obeying God, they call that “works salvation.”

Now, when Jesus lived on the earth, what he taught was not received well and accepted by all people. Even most of the Jews, who knew what the Old Testament Scriptures taught, and who were even teachers of the Scriptures, refused Jesus’ teachings. And so they fought against him, and they tried to trip him up with his words so they would have cause to accuse him of wrong. And they called him all sorts of names, even associating him with the devil, because they refused to believe who he was and his gospel message.

So, when we who are genuine followers of Jesus Christ teach the words of Jesus and of his apostles, taught in the correct biblical context, and so we teach that God requires death to sin and obedience to his commands as part of faith which saves, we might sometimes, or many times, face opposition from those who are listening to the lies of other humans who are teaching what tickles itching ears and what does not require death to sin and obedience to God. So, they might proclaim that we are teaching lies.

So, we show them the Scriptures. We show them what Jesus and his apostles taught as God’s requirements for those who are of genuine faith in Jesus Christ. But even when faced with the written Scriptures, many of them will deny them and try to find some way around them, sometimes from their own imaginations, but often just reciting what they have heard other people teach as “the gospel.” For so many have been brainwashed that God does not require that they obey his commands or put sin to death in their lives.

But the grace of God is not a “get out of jail free card” based on lip service only. The grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. And Jesus taught that to come to him we must deny self, die to sin daily, and follow him in obedience to his commands. For Jesus put our sins to death on that cross so we will now die to sin and walk with him in obedience to his commands.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Yet, even when we are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, even by others who claim to be Christians, saved by grace, but who are twisting the Scriptures to teach lies, instead, we are blessed of God. We are blessed when people insult us and falsely say all kinds of evil against us on account of Jesus Christ and what he taught the people. So we are not to get angry. We are not to retaliate. But we are to rejoice and be glad, for our reward is in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets of the past.

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 7:13-14; Matthew 10:16-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; John 17:14; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-17; 2 Timothy 3:12; Philippians 3:7-11; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5; James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Hebrews 12:3-12; 1 John 3:13; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]

Only in Him

Based off Isaiah 30
An Original Work / February 19, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Woe to those who look to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus Christ;
Forming an alliance not in step with God;
Making their own plans, and praying not.

Willing not to listen to truth,
They close their ears to what is right.
Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages that bring cheer.

Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.

Your Lord will be gracious to you.
He cares all about you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of your sin
When you give your life up to Him.

Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be
When you bow to Him on your knees;
Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.

Now you will sing praises to Him.
He delivered you from your sin.
You’ll tell others now of His grace,
So they may see Christ face-to-face.

They Falsely Say
An Original Work / April 26, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love