Sin is the most destructive force in the universe. The greatest tragedy in the Church is Christians believing that God somehow condones the very thing He went to great expense to free them from.
God's grace is grace to win, not grace to sin!
He has saved us from sin NOT saved us in sin! He has saved us out of sin, not saved us to sin!
1 John 1:6-7 - "[So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents]. (7) But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations]."
The above passage is very important, and often misquoted and misunderstood.
Essentially it is dealing with the destabilized condition of the double minded person that James describes in his epistle.
What's true in the natural state of things for the natural man is more true and binding for the supernatural Spirit filled disciple of Jesus Christ.
Even the natural man cannot be called honest if he is a thief.
Can the blood washed believer be a sinner and still be called a believer? Well, he may be a believer (but so is the devil), but he is not, nor ever will be, a true disciple.
The TRUE disciple of Christ. True, unbroken fellowship (yes, it can be broken and even severed), by disciples living in the blood washed state of purity and righteousness, sanctified (set apart) not as a work of the Law, but in faith in what they believe Christ does in them through the Holy Spirit.
The disciple of Jesus Christ by nature of their closeness in their relationship with Him, and by faith that Jesus is all that the Word says He is, and that His dealing with sin in the believer is efficacious and unbreakable as far as His end is concerned, will trust the work of the Cross for every moment of their existence and not place in jeopardy the salvation that has been won for them.
The believer as a result of the Cross has the advantage that Lucifer didn't have, that Adam didn't have, that the Sons of God (angels of Genesis 6) didn't have.
We have the advantage of the blood washing power of the Cross and the subsequent Baptism of Holy Ghost Fire!
The task at hand when dealing with sin in the Church is not whether God has provided THE remedy, but getting followers to believe it! There's Paul's haunting words again: "What shall we say then?"
When followers believe it they become disciples. They leave behind the life of habitually sinning and confessing. Continual brokenness and restoration. Unstable, double minded.
Verse 7 has become so misunderstood that many have been duped into believing that the normal Christian life is comprised of breaking fellowship with God and begging to be restored. Not occasionally, but on a daily basis! God forbid!
No, no, no! The proper understanding is that Jesus cleanses us from sin, and then keeps us cleansed! There are so many who do not believe this that it appears to the observer that it is the opposite! This testifies more to Christ being a failure than a Savior.
However, some will not be kept. Some will take side trips to Darkness. Sometimes they make it back to the Light. Often they do not. It's tragic because it never had to be that way, and don't you allow others to convince you that it does.
Walk in the Light. Take up your Cross daily and follow Him. The Blood of Jesus will continually keep and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
What is it about the Church of Jesus Christ being a Church "without spot or wrinkle" that we are not getting?
Keepin' it Real,
Pastor Kevin <><
Monday, June 21, 2010
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