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            The Atonement sacrifice and the resurrection to life of the Lord Jesus Christ, is the basis for all forgiveness of sins; for conversion of hearts; and for the living hope of eternal life we have when our trust is on the Blood.  That promise and hope is for anyone who will believe and trust God in faith.

            Many professing Christians—who have been deceived to accept false doctrines—accuse true believers of trying to reach Heaven by their own works, instead of by the Blood of Christ.  There are millions of people who believe in the Atonement of Christ, and who think they will go to Heaven because Jesus died for them, but they do not trust on His shed Blood for anything in this life.

            The fact of the matter is this; there are many millions who will not get to Heaven, even though Jesus Christ died for them, because His Atonement sacrifice does not automatically take a person to Heaven, but only if they truly believe in what it accomplished for them, and then to be willing to trust God in faith to receive the benefits of that forgiveness.

            The atoning work of Jesus is the foundation of all hope of Heaven, because only the shed Blood of Christ, is able to cancel our sins, remove our guilt, and provide health, healing, protection, provisions, peace, and the all-important conversion of heart.  The most valued feature of the Atonement is the presence of God in our life.  It is our responsibility to accept by faith, what that Atonement for sin provides.

            If we do not receive the righteousness that this sacrifice gives; if we do not receive the healing power it provides; if we are not willing to obey Jesus’ teaching on finances; and if we are not inspired to practice every other truth on trust, then Christ’s Atonement would be of no use to us.  It would be like having money in a bank, but never drawing it out and never using it.  Jesus died for us, so He could offer those benefits to us.

            The ability to do God’s will is provided through Atonement.  This is not a religion of law, but is the true gospel of Christ.  Under God’s grace obedience is even more strict.  Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not murder.  If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’  But I say, if you are angry with someone [without a cause], you are subject to judgment!’” 

            Trying to obey the Law in our own strength brings failure, but living by faith under grace through the power of the Spirit brings success.  Romans 4:16 ”Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace.”

            Putting the Word into practice is evidence of our love for God.  Matthew 22:37-40 “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

            The teaching of the New Testament is an explanation of God’s will.  A tree has a main trunk with many branches producing fruit.  Fine points of God’s Truth are too often overlooked.  These two commandments on divine love are basic truths on trust extending to every detail of life.

            God’s Word gives instructions on everything.  It is as much God’s will to accept the blessing of children He gives us and not prevent them, as it is to follow His Word to not cheat, lie, or steal.  Jesus said Matthew 5:17 “I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, I came to fulfill them;” which He did on the cross—forgiving our sins and giving us His Spirit.  We can now obey the Word of God by the Spirit of God.  Matthew 5:19 ”Whosoever shall do and teach [these commandments], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

            Jesus told us to teach and do many things—like forgive others, forget what happened, and to make things right with our brother Matthew 5:23-24—before praying.  Jesus explained how serious mental adultery is 28, and that if our eye, hand, or foot causes us to sin 30, we would be much better off without them, than to keep sinning with them, and “be cast into hell.”

            Jesus told us not to swear at all; to not strike back, and be willing to give our coat and shirt if anyone demands them 39-40.  He said Matthew 5:41-42 "Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.  Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.”

            43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be [true] sons of your Father in heaven.”

            Another detail of God’s will concerns the family.  Ephesians 6:1-3 ”Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’"  Also Colossians 3:20 ”Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing to the Lord.”

            If husband and wife will take a scriptural attitude toward each other, and will calmly explain right ways to the children in love, God will make them obedient, and enable them to act right.  Ephesians 6:4 ”Fathers, do not irritate [provoke] your children, but bring them up tenderly with true Christian training [instruction] and advice.”  Parents must be in God’s will first, so the children can be next.

            The power of God must be depended on to give the children an obedient nature, and a willingness to follow instructions.  It is not our close relationship to the child that makes them obey, but our close relationship with the Father who gives them the desire and ability to obey.  King David said it was God who Psalm 18:47 ”subdues the peoples under me;” like the man at Gerasenes Mark 5:15.

            God is well able to subdue any child, when we take a right attitude toward Him—and toward the child.  Jesus said He would be with us in Spirit—until He returns in Person Matthew 28:20.  We are to train and to explain things to the children—in patience and love, by the ability only God can give Philippians 4:13.

            Another detail of God’s will is our submission to those in authority—unless their commands conflict with God’s Word.  When any request or law is against the will of God, we are to disobey it, even at the cost of our life—whether it be from a spouse, an employer, or the government.  If anyone’s advice is contrary to the Word of God, we must disobey the advice, and obey the Word.

            Those who followed Jezebel’s teaching Revelation 2 suffered much for doing so.  They obeyed her instead of God, and paid a serious price.  If they would have put God first, He would have protected them second, and they would have been spared much hardship and loss.

            Jesus said her teaching led His servants astray.  Revelation 2:20-22 ”I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.” 

            He added 23 “I will strike her children dead.  Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds”—whether you lived a life of faith or not.

            Scriptural fellowship is a frequently forgotten truth.  Guidelines are clearly explained 2 Corinthians 6:14 ”Do not be yoked together [come into close association] with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

            Unbelievers are those who do not accept, nor practice the full gospel of Jesus Christ.  Three qualifications of a true believer are—First, that they have truly confessed and forsaken their sins; Second, that they have surrendered their will to be God’s will; and Third, that they are practicing full obedience to the Word of God in the New Testament concerning every life issue.

            A true believer is willing to obey God’s Word for the healing of their body, for finances, in training children, all work-related issues, and in everything else.  A believer may not be obeying the Bible in every detail right away, because of not knowing all that it teaches; but they must be willing to learn, and ready to practice, God’s will for their life.  2 Timothy 2:15 ”Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

            If we are willing, God is ready to make His Word clear and plain.  When anyone opposes the truths of the Bible and refuses to walk by faith—whether on divine healing, with their money, at home, concerning employment, or with any other issue, they cease to be a believer at that point.

            Many say they accept Jesus as their Savior, but whenever a person accepts a Christ who is not the same today as He was in the Bible Hebrews 13:8, they have accepted a different Jesus and a different gospel—“the serpent deceived Eve” and false teachers preach ”another Jesus” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4—or another gospel Galatians 1:6, which is no gospel at all.

            Millions say they do not reject the Atonement of Christ, but unless He is Lord and Master of their life, they have rejected the true gospel of Christ.  The Bible presents Jesus as the only One who can forgive our sins, deliver us from Satan’s power, and free us from idols—like medicine, drugs, prescriptions, and pills.

            Jesus promises to deliver us in this present life, from anything Satan would bring upon us.  We are either a slave to the Lord as a believer, or enslaved to sins of the world like an unbeliever.  Whom we choose to obey, is our master Romans 6:16 “whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness.”

            As soon as the Jews rejected his teaching about the Atonement of Christ, the apostle Paul left their fellowship.  When they refused the same Christ who walked on earth, and was raised to life by the power of God, the apostle separated himself from them.  He shook his clothes in protest Acts 18:7, “left the synagogue and went next door”—to the house of a true believer.

            Scriptural fellowship is just one more detail of God’s will frequently overlooked—but one of many that cannot be omitted.