Message #33580

[Kilika]

1st video...(7:30 min)

"...but I need to be about the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and purifying my life in preparation for seeing Jesus at any moment."

While Brian shows he is well versed in scripture and understanding, he still bears the stains of churchianity "works" doctrine. God willing, he will better choose his words in trying to put into his own words what scripture already says. This is an example of where scripture talks of unknown tongues and having an interpretation with it so all would be edified. It always leads us back to the ultimate interpretation, the Word of God.

It's not about getting ready, it's not a process that man must undertake. The thief on the cross with Him shows us that. Jesus did ALL the work for us, so that all we do is believe with all of our heart and we are saved. It is the Spirit in us that purifies us. We have no part in that other than believing God does it for us.

Some tend to mistake an exhortation for a commandment. BIG difference. We are exhorted to"fight the good fight", and "do that which is good", and it may seem like we have to do all these "good works" in order to be saved, but those aren't commandments, they are exhortations/encouragements/suggestions, not required mandates in the traditional sense.

Now I do believe those words do serve as a commandment in the sense that because it is written, it will be so. So in that sense, they are even prophetic, that those who are saved will heed in the end those exhortations to do good without really realizing it, because it is the Spirit that moves them through life who will eventually lead us through an everlasting life.

When we are born-again, we are baptized with the Spirit, which is Jesus Christ in us, who washes clean "with the washing of water by the word".

Brian, we who are saved are already washed clean. The only thing left is for us to, "put off this corruptible" (leave the fleshly carnal body) and "we shall be changed" (we shall be like Him).

Yes, we "grow in grace" as we mature in the Word, growing in the knowledge of the truth from a child to a man who puts away childish things, but the younger is as much "purified" as any elder, as it says "and he that is chief, as he that doth serve". We are all one in Christ and are saved. Thank you Jesus.