Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
How many of you have reached into the closet and filled up a bucket of water so you could start mopping the floor? Water has been used as a cleaning agent for thousands of years, and is constantly used to clean many different things. After gathering up a large pile of dirty clothes, people would take them down to the river to wash them. When a cowboy came into town, many of them would take a nice hot bath to wash all of the dirt from their bodies. Even after a large meal, people will fill up their kitchen sink and soak all of their dirty dishes so they are clean for the next day. In modern times, people will buy a special token at the gas station so they can wash all of the mud from their vehicles.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Water is very important in cleaning things, but God has provided us with something to clean the places that water can never reach, inside of the heart. To do this cleansing process he has provided us with the teachings of His Holy Word. Like rinsing dirty dishes, our hearts must be sprinkled with God’s Truth so we can correct the error of our way. Through faith and a humble heart, we must rid ourselves of everything that is displeasing to God, transforming from the children of disobedience, into the perfect children of God.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17
When we are baptized into the name of Christ, God cleanses us from our sinful past so we can begin a new walk with Him, but this is only the first step in many that will need to be taken in order to enter eternal life. We will have to completely cleanse ourselves by turning away from sin, and submitting to the will of God.
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
Knowing that God is going to punish sin and those involved with it, should cause you to walk in reverence towards Him. To become sanctified, we must accept and believe the truth of the Gospel. Those who profess to follow Christ must depart from iniquity and mortify the deeds of the flesh. This is why God has given us scripture, to correct us from the error of our way, and put us on the path of Life.
2 Timothy 3 ¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63
The only way that we can ever become pleasing unto God is through faithful obedience to His will. Those who say otherwise are in the bond of iniquity, blinded by the devil and enslaved to the sinful nature.
John 8 ³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ³³ They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³⁴ Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. ³⁵ And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. ³⁶ If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Scripture is clear that in order to enter eternal life, we must overcome the sinful nature. After all, heaven is a place prepared for saints, not for sinners who won’t repent. In order to overcome all things, You must first accept that the things that you are doing are outside the teachings of our faith. If one cannot accept that simple truth, then they will never turn away from sin, and will perish because of it. You must realize that what you are doing is wrong in the eyes of God, and then humbly submit to His will.
“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” 2 Thessalonians 2:13
This is why the truth of the Gospel must be preached, so people can turn from darkness to the light.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
But there will be many people who will refuse to go through the purification process because they love their sins more than Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 4 ¹ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; ² Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Peter 2 ¹ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
Sanctification begins by departing from iniquity.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19
Many people will quickly profess to believe in Jesus, but if they rebel against the things that He teaches, they aren’t even a disciple. How can they be a follower of Christ if they don’t follow? As the beloved Apostle John taught, people such as these don’t even have God.
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9
1 John 2 ⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
To obtain eternal life will require a love for the truth. You must possess a great desire to serve and obey God from the heart.
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10
We need an apple supply of water to wash our clothes, and in order to purify our hearts, we will need a liberal dose of God’s Holy Word. It’s going to require some effort on your part to cleanse yourself from iniquity, and the best advice that I have for any of you, is to plunge your hearts deep inside of the Word of God, and….
….. Start Scrubbing
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious goups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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