Post by lesbrewer on Apr 23, 2022 16:42:59 GMT
GOT HOLINESS?
“ Having therefore these promises, beloved friends, let us purify ourselves from all defilement of body and of spirit, and secure perfect holiness through the fear of God. 2nd Corinthians 7:1
“ Perfecting holiness (epitelountes hagiosunēn). Not merely negative goodness (cleansing), but aggressive and progressive (present tense of epiteleō) holiness, not a sudden attainment of complete holiness, but a continuous process.” Roberts Word Pictures
Holiness is something we are suppose to strive for, in other words devote serious effort and energy to; is to strive for something. We have a responsibility to be doers of the word, not just hearers only. When we are doers of the word, we are being obedient to those principles or a code of conduct, to precepts or the commandments of the perfect law of liberty, and the protocols or the procedures of our faith; hence recognizing the structure and ministers of the body of Christ.
Jesus said: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:14
One cannot be a disciple in the truest sense without being obedient to the commands of the Lord. One cannot have fellowship in the truest sense without being obedient to the Lord. Obedience is our responsibility. Yes, Christ may live in me, yes I may have faith in Christ, but if I do not yield my spirit, soul, and body to the Lord, I am not living by the power that was imputed in me that power is the ability to be obedient to the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.
(1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
(2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2 KJV
Why would the Spirit exhort us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, if we have no responsibility to yield it to him. When we yield our whole self to him, then he is able to live through us, if we could not hinder him, which we can through disobedience; why does he put the responsibility upon us to yield?
(12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:12-16 KJV
Once again, we see an exhortation, actually an imperative to not yield the facilities of our body’s to sinful deeds. It explicitly tells us we are not under the law, but under grace, but he responsibility to keep ourselves pure is ours. We can’t just throw up our hands and say I have faith, I am under grace, I don’t have to do anything, but this passage disputes that irresponsible claim. It proclaims that what you yield your member to, is who you serve. See we have the power to transform and prove the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God in our lives through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8 KJV
Brethren let us keep the faith by being spiritually minded, by yielding to God our whole spirit, soul, and body, presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, despising the carnal mind and allowing the Spirit to express itself through us in word and in deed to the Glory of our Heavenly Father. Selah!
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
Apostle D.R. Ritchie
“ Having therefore these promises, beloved friends, let us purify ourselves from all defilement of body and of spirit, and secure perfect holiness through the fear of God. 2nd Corinthians 7:1
“ Perfecting holiness (epitelountes hagiosunēn). Not merely negative goodness (cleansing), but aggressive and progressive (present tense of epiteleō) holiness, not a sudden attainment of complete holiness, but a continuous process.” Roberts Word Pictures
Holiness is something we are suppose to strive for, in other words devote serious effort and energy to; is to strive for something. We have a responsibility to be doers of the word, not just hearers only. When we are doers of the word, we are being obedient to those principles or a code of conduct, to precepts or the commandments of the perfect law of liberty, and the protocols or the procedures of our faith; hence recognizing the structure and ministers of the body of Christ.
Jesus said: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:14
One cannot be a disciple in the truest sense without being obedient to the commands of the Lord. One cannot have fellowship in the truest sense without being obedient to the Lord. Obedience is our responsibility. Yes, Christ may live in me, yes I may have faith in Christ, but if I do not yield my spirit, soul, and body to the Lord, I am not living by the power that was imputed in me that power is the ability to be obedient to the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.
(1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
(2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2 KJV
Why would the Spirit exhort us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, if we have no responsibility to yield it to him. When we yield our whole self to him, then he is able to live through us, if we could not hinder him, which we can through disobedience; why does he put the responsibility upon us to yield?
(12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Romans 6:12-16 KJV
Once again, we see an exhortation, actually an imperative to not yield the facilities of our body’s to sinful deeds. It explicitly tells us we are not under the law, but under grace, but he responsibility to keep ourselves pure is ours. We can’t just throw up our hands and say I have faith, I am under grace, I don’t have to do anything, but this passage disputes that irresponsible claim. It proclaims that what you yield your member to, is who you serve. See we have the power to transform and prove the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God in our lives through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8 KJV
Brethren let us keep the faith by being spiritually minded, by yielding to God our whole spirit, soul, and body, presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, despising the carnal mind and allowing the Spirit to express itself through us in word and in deed to the Glory of our Heavenly Father. Selah!
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
Apostle D.R. Ritchie
