“So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as HE did to us.” Acts 15:8
Chapter 2 ended with the statement that standing one’s ground for truth and righteousness is the hallmark trait of the true and sincere believer. It is a clear way to identify those who really do walk with God. I could also state this in the reverse. If you observe that a “self-identified” believer fails to stand for truth and righteousness, it is the giveaway mark of the insincere believer. This is the person who talks the talk; but does not walk the walk.
They would like to have you believe that God is embodied within their sins, lies, deceptions and other ungodly behaviors. Or, that God is somehow embodied within their “earthly-focused” desires and compromises. They often offer solutions that are designed to circumvent rather than validate the truth. Let me be very clear. God’s Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and, if truth is not in the person or the situation, then clearly the living eternal God of truth is also not in the person or situation. God knows your heart. HE walks with those who walk with HIM.
“Good is the opposite of evil, life is the opposite of death, and sin is the opposite of devotion to the LORD.”
Sirach 33:14 GNB
“Behold, all souls are MINE; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is MINE; the soul who sins shall die.”
Ezekiel 18:4