Experience: (Jesus is LORD, Messiah)
Husband of a beautiful wife (41-years and counting); Father of three-beautiful children and a handsome grandson
Professional Experience:
---United States Marine Corps 1/1 - 0311 - NCO
---Retired 31-year veteran of the Houston Police Department (Uniformed Patrol/Motorcycle Officer/Commercial Helicopter Police Patrol Pilot
---Education: Master's Degree/University of Houston at Clear Lake
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Today’s vehicular NOISE is yesterday’s smoking in public places. Educating our local, county, state, legislators concerning the physiological harm done and the destruction to daily quality of life can change things and lobbying our representatives at the federal level can initiate financial coercion upon the states to comply with Title 40 and muffler labeling and 80dB(A) mandates delegated to the States for enforcement. Doing NOTHING ensures failure….at least make a stand for what is right.
Redemption, salvation, born-again, does NOT negate the influence of the old Adamic sin-nature integral with the flesh (Romans 5:12). The rebirth in Jesus performed by the indwelling Holy Spirit concerning those who trust in Jesus as Messiah (John 3:3-5; 2 Corinthians 5:17) simply transforms the spirit of man into one that “desires” obedience, seeks to please the Father through the production of divine fruit (John 15:8; Galatians 5:16-23) but a spiritual inner war ensues between the old flesh and the new spirit and there are times where the old flesh is successful in compromising the new spirit via word, thought, deed, but the Spirit convicts the redeemed conscience and provides the new man the solace of 1 John 1:9 in order that intimacy and fellowship with the Father can be restored, intimacy stymied by disobedience; though eternal relationship is secure via the Spirit as Guarantor (Ephesians 1:13-14) the new spirit wars against the flesh during daily sanctification and this war, battles won, battles lost, will continue until the fleshly tent, that is the body of man, is taken down through death and the spirit is set free from the incessant tug/temptation of disobedience. It is in Jesus by faith that the redeemed ultimately succeed and are victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Though the redeemed in Jesus are declared “not guilty” by the Father as a result of New Covenant promise (Hebrews 8:12), the redeemed will, unfortunately, fall short of perfection BUT the Father agrees by New Covenant promise to not see the failings of the redeemed in Jesus but the Father chooses to only see the absolute perfection of His dear Son over the life of those who have trusted in Jesus’ atonement at Golgotha; this, due the glorious imputation/gifting of Jesus’ righteousness over the life of the one who “believes” that Jesus is Messiah (2 Corinthians 5:21).
To clarify, a Christian does sin but the one redeemed by the Holy Spirit does not revel or glorify in their sin through continued, willful, disobedience but the Christian is quick to repent, apologize, strive for perfection, moving forward in assurance that they are the Father’s prize possession due Jesus’ faithfulness, Jesus’ obedience, eternally.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching another to obey and honor Elohim’s Old Covenant Law as long as the student understands that obedience to laws does not equate to salvation from the “second death” in Hell nor does keeping laws, rules, edicts, equate to establishing righteousness (a right standing) with the Father (Galatians 5:16; Romans 3:20-23).
One can only find life, salvation, redemption, the rebirth, forgiveness of sin, by believing, trusting, in Jesus as Messiah/Savior who died on the Cross as blood atonement for our sin (Leviticus 17:11; Matthew 26:28; John 14:6; John 3).
Also know that in the New Covenant, the pursuit of letters/laws/edicts/traditions, though honorable, doesn’t please the Father concerning righteousness (Isaiah 64:6) but it is the production of divine fruit, obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit, that glorifies the Father and proves one to be a disciple of Jesus (John 15:8). Through the production of divine fruit, every jot and tittle of the Law is fulfilled (Galatians 5:16-26).
Why did Jesus insist that His Disciples wait on the appearance of the Holy Spirit before beginning their ministry concerning the Gospel? Acts 1:1-11
Jesus’ introduction into Time through the virgin birth (Luke 1) and His entire ministry (John 1:33; Luke 4:1) was wholly reliant upon the work and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had laid aside certain deific attributes in order to take-on flesh and humble Himself as a “man” (Philippians 2:5-11); therefore, Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit’s anointing to defeat Satan (1 John 3:8b), to perform signs, wonders, miracles, and Jesus knew that void the Spirit’s presence and full anointing in the lives of the Disciples, they would be like sheep headed to the slaughter.
This is why Jesus said that those in His presence who had attributed His miracles of healing and exorcism to works of the Devil would NEVER be forgiven for the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because it was the Holy Spirit who anointed Jesus to comply with the Father’s will in all things (Matthew 12:32).
Can a Christian walk according to the flesh rather than according to the Spirit?
Won’t happen. If one is truly “born again” by faith in Jesus and the Holy Spirit is their Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father (John 3:3-5; Ephesians 1:13-14), they can’t compromise with the World void a crippling accusatory conscience; in other words, a true Christian cannot function day-to-day living in sinful compromise with the World; the Spirit will NOT allow it.
The greatest gift Jesus provides us along with eternal life in the Kingdom is a life of peace, contentment, joy, fellowship, through the Holy Spirit…once these gifts are tasted and internalized, there is nothing that satisfies the Christian but intimacy with the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. NOTHING in the World can replace or substitute the JOY of the Spirit’s anointing with peace and contentment irrespective of the World’s allure. If one can walk according to the World they don’t belong Jesus, they are NOT a Christian; therefore, it’s an oxymoron…a continually compromising Christian is a contradiction in terms.
Subsequent His atonement for sin and resurrection, why didn’t Jesus remain on Earth and rule? Why allow this present chaos?
There is an eschatological plan in-play; that plan was announced in Genesis 3:15 and the battle strategy for victory declared in Genesis 3:21. Jesus tells you that His Kingdom is NOT of this World and His servants that fight for Him are of a different Realm than this temporary Realm of Time and physics.
Jesus has been granted complete dominance over Time and Eternity (John 3:35) and He IS in complete control but the purposes for the creation of Time are playing-out according a specific eschatological strategy and what might seem like chaos in the World to you is actually a battle strategy that will stymie rebellion in the New Jerusalem, an eternal Kingdom replete with “free will” to manifest subsequent the destruction of Time, Earth, this temporary Universe.
Does God forgive a person of sin after knowing the truth of sin and God’s will for our life? Does God forgive a Christian who sins? Hebrews 10:26
First of all, “Knowing” the Truth and “Acknowledging” the Truth that initiates New Covenant relationship are two-different things. Does God forgive the Christian who sins? A true Christian does not find pleasure in sin and seeks to avoid sin at all cost; therefore, no Christian willfully continues to live in sin and rebellion, a life of willful sin runs contrary to a life seeking intimacy with our Creator (2 Corinthians 5:17). With that said, every Christian sins in word, thought or deed due the old Adamic sin-nature that is integral with the flesh (Romans 7).
The Christian has been forgiven of past, present, future, sin via New Covenant promise (Hebrews 8:12); hence, the inclusion of 1 John 1:9 given the Christian to “restore intimacy” with our Lord when we compromise with our old sin nature…we ask forgiveness not to restore divine relationship which is secure in Jesus and Guaranteed by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14), but we ask forgiveness to restore intimacy and fellowship much like we apologize to a good friend for wronging them…the relationship is secure but we can offend our friend and that offense creates a chasm…we apologize to our friend to restore intimacy, no different with our God. The relationship between the Christian and the Father is secure by New Covenant promise (Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 8:12) but intimacy is realized through obedience, the production of divine fruit (John 15:8; Galatians 5:16-23).
Christianity, theologically speaking, is NOT a religion but a divine relationship with our Creator granted us by grace (unmerited favor we cannot earn) through faith (trusting-believing with a sincere heart) that Jesus is Messiah, God, Elohim, who became flesh to provide me blood atonement for my sin, a sin-debt owed the Father that I could NEVER pay myself due my Adamic sin-nature.
Religions, theologically speaking, teach that it is possible for sinful mankind to strive, work, labor, to do good, to please our Creator by the work and labor of our hands and will and IF we work sufficiently, do enough good things, be sufficiently “good” by keeping laws-rules-edicts, we can possibly “earn” God’s favor and find life with God in Eternity. This is a lie of religion, a lie of Satan, a lie of religious cults, a path to a life of heartache and futility, path to the second death in Hell.
Are you a Christian? What are two “signs” of a true Christian and disciple of Jesus?
If you’re truly “born again” (John 3:3), the Holy Spirit that indwells you and is your Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father (Ephesians 1:13-14) will daily guide you in sanctification (a setting apart) from the World system of demonic rebellion (Galatians 5:16). This is but one sign that you are truly “born again” and belong to Jesus…YOU WILL produce divine fruit that glorifies the Father and confirms your eternal status as Jesus’ disciple; therefore, if you hold yourself out to be a Christian but this divine fruit is not present (Galatians 5:16-23), you have every right and obligation to reconsider the veracity of your relationship with the Father…no fruit, no desire for fruit? You’re not in divine relationship.
Remember, we don’t “work” or produce divine fruit to be saved or earn our salvation BUT we produce divine fruit because we are saved by grace through faith and the Spirit produces fruit through us via daily sanctification (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
The second sign of true New Covenant relationship is your response to this question: Is Jesus God/Elohim/Eternally who became flesh to provide you blood atonement for your sin? If your answer is yes, the Holy Spirit indwells you; if your answer is NO, you belong to the Devil and you are Satan’s servant, NOT the servant of Jesus and you’re absent the Holy Spirit (John 8:24).
What does it mean to “blaspheme the Holy Spirit” today?
In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 3, the blasphemy that Jesus accused the Jewish leadership of committing involved their accusation that Jesus’ miracles were the result of demonic possession or that Jesus was performing these miracles by the power of Satan when Jesus was performing those miracles by the power and anointing of the divine Holy Spirit; therefore, they had blasphemed the Holy Spirit by calling Him Satan; consider this, it was these in the Jewish audience who had personally witnessed Messiah in the flesh and were eye witnesses of Messiah’s miracles and the work of the Spirit; therefore, they would NEVER be forgiven for this most atrocious demonically inspired accusation and insult.
It’s important to note that this eternal condemnation was directed ONLY at those in this unique context as Jesus walked upon this Earth in flesh and said eternal condemnation is NOT possible today as we are NOT in said Biblical context as Jesus is NOT among the masses performing, openly, the miracles He performed in that Day; therefore, blasphemy in the context of Mark 3 is NOT possible today.
Lastly, it’s important to note that the ONLY sin that will never be forgiven is rejecting the call of the Holy Spirit on one’s life to repent and believe the Gospel; that is, if one dies in an unrepentant state, they will NEVER be forgiven as Judgment/condemnation is their future. If one dies rejecting Jesus, they have blasphemed the Sprit by calling Him a liar concerning the precepts of the Gospel; therefore, in today’s context, blasphemy of the Spirit is “rejecting Jesus as Messiah.”
"RickeyD" Holtsclaw 