Bible Questions Answered:
“...do you have
to be perfect...?
Ronny/ Vilparaiso,
Indiana U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
No, we will never
reach perfection in this life, but doing our very best, we must. How
could we do any less for The One who has given His all for you and
me?
Thousands of
individuals around our world, unknown by us, suffer and die every
year, because they are Christians. What does our faith cost us? Are
we daily taking up our cross and following the Savior?
Matthew 10:22 KJV
And ye shall be
hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endureth to the end
shall be saved.
Daily- Christian Persecution:
322 Christian people killed because of their faith.
(7,100 Martyrs in 2016)
312 Christian Churches and buildings destroyed.
(2,400 churches burnt in 2016)
722 Acts of violence against Christian people. Rapes, beatings,
arrests, abductions etc.
The Pew Research Center, over 75% of the world’s population lives
in areas with severe religious restrictions (Christian).
The United States Department of State, Christians in more than 60
countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding
neighbors because of their belief in Jesus Christ.
Salvation is absolutely free, and unearned, and yet discipleship
will cost you everything!
Job 11:13-15 KJV
13 If thou
prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward Him;
14 If iniquity
be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in
thy tabernacles.
15 For then
shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be
steadfast, and shalt not fear:
Job 23:11 KJV
My foot hath
held His steps, His way have I kept, and not declined.
Psalm 57:7 ESV
My heart is
steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!
Psalm 112:6,7
NASB
6 For he will
never be shaken; The righteous will be remembered forever.
7 He will not
fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in The Lord.
Isaiah 26:3 NASB
The steadfast
of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.
Luke 14:25-30,33 NLT Jesus
25 A large
crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them,
26 “If you
want to be My disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone
else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and
sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be My
disciple.
27 And if you
do not carry your own cross and follow Me, you cannot be My disciple.
28 “But don’t
begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a
building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough
money to finish it?
29 Otherwise,
you might complete only the foundation before running out of money,
and then everyone would laugh at you.
30 They would
say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t
afford to finish it!’
33 So you
cannot become My disciple without giving up everything you own.
Acts 2:42 KJV
And they
continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and
in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 11:23,24
NLT
23 When he
arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with
joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.
24 Barnabas was
a good man, full of The Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many
people were brought to The Lord.
Romans 5:3-5 NLT
3 We can
rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that
they help us develop endurance.
4 And endurance
develops strength of character, and character strengthens our
confident hope of salvation.
5 And this hope
will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us,
because He has given us The Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His
love.
I Corinthians
4:1,2 KJV
1 Let a man so
account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the
mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it
is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
I Corinthians
15:58 KJV
Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the
work of The Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain
in the Lord.
I Corinthians
16:13 NLT
Be on guard.
Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
Galatians 5:1
KJV
Stand fast
therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be
not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 6:9
KJV
And let us not
be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not.
Ephesians
4:13,14 KJV
13 Till we all
come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of The Son Of
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ:
14 That we
henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Philippians 1:27
KJV
Only let your
conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I
come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that
ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the
faith of The Gospel;
Colossians 2:5
KJV
For though I be
absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in The Spirit, joying and
beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
I Thessalonians
1:1-3 ESV
1 Paul,
Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God The
Father and The Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
2 We give
thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our
prayers,
3 remembering
before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and
steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
II Thessalonians
2:2,3,15 NLT
2 Don’t be so
easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that
the day of The
Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to
have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly
from us.
3 Don’t be
fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a
great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is
revealed—the one who brings destruction.
15 With all
these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep
a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and
by letter.
II Thessalonians
3:5 NLT
May The Lord
lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love
of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
II Timothy 2:15
KJV
Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of Truth.
Hebrews 3:14 KJV
For we are made
partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end;
Hebrews
10:23,35,36 KJV
23 Let us hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is
faithful that promised;)
35 Cast not
away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of
reward.
36 For ye have
need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might
receive the promise.
James 1:12 KJV
Blessed is the
man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive
the crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love
Him.
I Peter 5:8,9
KJV
8 Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist
steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
II Peter 1:5-7
ESV
5 For this very
reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and
virtue with knowledge,
6 and knowledge
with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and
steadfastness with Godliness,
7 and Godliness
with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
II Peter 3:17
KJV
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware
lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own steadfastness.
Prayer:
Oh Lord, in the faithful, loving example you have given to us, help
us to be steadfast until the end!
I Corinthians
15:58 KJV
Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the
work of
The Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in The Lord.
Psalm 25:10 ESV
All the paths
of The Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who
keep His covenant and His testimonies.
Daniel 6:26 KJV
I make a
decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear
before The God of Daniel: for He is The Living God, and steadfast
for ever..."
Great
Is Thy Faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou for ever will be
Chorus;
Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside
Author: Thomas L. Chisholm 1866-1960
Music: William M. Runan 1870-1957
Hear the music, copy and paste the following URL into your web
browser and hit enter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTKIqmdfHSk
Lamentations
3:22,23 KJV
22 It is of The
Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion's fail
not.
23 They are new
every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
