Finding the True Culture of the Spirit, the Soul and the Body in Christ (Track 2) - Chris Segun Onayinka www.livingwordmedia.org
Finding the True Culture of the Spirit, the Soul and the Body in Christ tr2
Adapted from Pastor Chris Segun Onayinka
1 Cor 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
When people start teaching about breaking sinful habits or how to walk away from from sin the focus often times will be on sin, and when you focus on sin you will never walk in righteousness, b/c we are not told to focus on sin, that’s not rally the teaching of God’s word.
Someone said that he felt like he hurt God, he committed the sin, and now God will come after him and maybe take his life. The thing is that God would rather be pleased if the person commit that sin again, than for that person to have that feeling that God’s coming after them because of their sin.
God has seen that sin in question, and many other sins, and He sent His Son to die for all those sins you have not yet committed. It’s not like you were a sinner when Jesus died; you weren’t even born then. And He did die for everybody. When the Bible says Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
In the Greek it carries and eternity, a whole race. It means Jesus Christ paid for your sins either way. He would rather you appreciate what He has done than depreciate what He’s done by thinking that He lied. And if He’s going to come after you because of your sins then He lied, it would mean He told us that Christ died for your sins but He’s lying.
2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. He will not impute the trespasses against them.
Here’s the thing, a person might eventually be able to not do anything wrong and then they’re feeling good about themselves, but they haven’t brought glory to God because there’s torment in fear. It’s really not about not sinning, we’ll see why as the teaching progresses.
When we’re in the study of God’s word, in a teaching session, two things happen:
you get information, the clarity of information in the teaching, so it’s important to pay attention
you pay attention to the explanation of God’s word as a good student
You are not just called to know the word you are also called to teach it. Paying attention is vital, illustrations, examples, details matter.
Don’t just get the information, but explanation also. Explanation will help you understand how you are to conduct yourself and also pass the information across. This helps us not to say the right thing the wrong way. And God has called Pastor not just to teach, but also to help people teach.
1 Cor 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
The issue was not that they changed their conduct but that they are now washed.
(ἀπολούω apolouō), vb. wash off; wash away; λούω louo is water, apo is away, like apokalypto take away covering
Ac 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord
Every time you have the word wash, the word louo is water, Paul addresses the literal with the figurative. He want it to register in our minds that he’s talking about water.
Ezek 36:24-25 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
When I see these kind of promises what gladdens the heart is that He says I WILL! If He said YOU SHALL that means I need to take actions, but it says HE WILL take you out… And that’s a promise we call ἐπαγγελία EPAGELIA in the Greek, which means a commitment;
The difference between the LAW and a PROMISE, in a law you do something, all you need to do in the promise is you believe.
Eternal life is a PROMISE Tit 1:2
All that God said He will do in Christ is a promise 2 Cor 1:20; Rom 15:8; Ac 13:32-33; Ac 1:4; Lk 24:49
He said it, and I need to do is believe; Abraham became righteous by God’s promise, God gave it to him by promise, that’s why it was accounted to him for righteousness, he believed.
If it’s a law, you begin to look for what am I supposed to do, what haven’t I done.
But if it’s a promise you believe it.
You believe a promise you obey the law.
When it says I WILL pour My Spirit… that’s a promise, and then it says your sons and daughters shall prophesy, because I pour out My Spirit.
Ezek 36:24-25 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. YOU SHALL BE CLEAN - promise-because I cleansed you.
We see the same word Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Carnal people could go ahead and look for water, but that’s not what He’s talking about.
Some people use makeup to always look cool...but since God cleansed you from filthiness, you’re the finest chap/gal in town.
Some people may appear clean and fine, but when they open their moth and speak, you’ll be shocked. You hear those F-words, and are thinking oh boy!
The CLEAN here doesn’t mean physical stuff, that would mean soap and water, but what he’s referring to is similar to John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
If I heard God say “I WILL SPRINKLE CLEAN WATER UPON YOU AND YOU SHALL BE CLEAN” and I just close my eyes and wait for water, Im just as carnal as the water Im waiting for.
WHAT HE SAID is WHAT WILL CLENSE YOU! “I WILL” God’s word does not need any agent but has enough power in itself to bring itself to pass, to do what it says, what He sent it to do, accomplish the purpose for which it was sent.
YOU ARE CLEAN BY THE WORD that God spoke unto you Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word...
How do I know I’m clean from my filthiness? - God says I AM!
How do you act on God’s word? - You believe it!
When the team went out for evangelism to prostitutes, they would take money and pay them as though they were costumers, and go inside to preach to them. Some would get born again, receive the Holy Ghost speak in tongues and go to denominational church and do well; but the “evangelism team” would still refer to them as “prostitutes”. But God said she’s clean! And it’s not just that “God declared the end from the beginning” He said she’s clean! Sin before God is not in varying degrees of gravity, yet when when some sin by lying for instance many think it’s more acceptable than when someone was sinning by fornication.
When folks “testify” or share their story of the “life” transformations as an ex-anything, they would say something like “before Jesus I did this and that, had so and so, went to such and such places..”. But it’s not the right thing to do to “win souls”. Although God said “their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” people won’t forget, and may, even if subconsciously hold their past against their present or future.
Most people testifying like that go back to their old ways b/c it gave them the mentality that “they have changed their ways” and they didn’t; they only received grace, and that should be the message. How a person adjusted and is now fitting into a “churchy culture” doesn’t give God glory. The focus should be God and His saving grace, not a person and changing ways.
You can boldly say “I AM CLEAN BY THE WORD!”
You’re not clean because your next behavior is something.
I am clean by the word and that’s what we call the baptism in the New Testament
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
This washing is not your conduct. (παλιγγενεσία palingenesia - rebirth, regeneration, new generation is the implication)
Baptism of water which John the baptist performed (Lk 3:3 ...preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins ) means nothing to you; John was pointing out what Jesus was going to do; and that’s why Jesus never baptized anybody with water even though His disciples did, He didn’t, He doesn’t. It’snot a sign of faith, it doesn’t do anything. John was supposed to stop at Jesus, when Jesus went into that water it’s not because He was a sinner, but He was going to identify with us; He was going to be made sin for us who knew no sin (2 Cor 5:21), He was going to go to hell for us, He was going to be risen from the dead for us and that was why John baptized Jesus that way. (Jn 1;29)... Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. That was what the baptism was for. He was going to take away sin of the whole world, and being a lamb meant He was going to be sacrificial, He was going to be identified with sin.
Water baptism, and things that have to do with other physical, material things like cross, oil, feet washing...they stay for long as rituals...people are long drawn into traditions usually won’t accept what you say; don’t waste your energy, just lay out the scriptures and keep going about your business.
Col 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [substance]is of Christ.
1 Pet 3:20-21 ...when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water [the ark was to prepare people for safety].21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
He’s not talking about water baptism, that would be putting away of the filth of the flesh and it doesn;t deal with who you are or touches your heart; that water baptism is in the heart in the conscience.
Baptism we speak of in the New Covenant is the baptism into the death of Jesus Christ, where people’s sins are washed. Im baptized in the New Covenant by the word that God speaks.
Col 2:11-13 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Rom 6:4-5 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection
This baptism he’s talking about CANNOT be water.
Washing away of sins will mean the forgiveness of sins
When it says you are clean it’ll mean you are forgiven
And you know this - BY THE WORD
You mustn’t rely on your CHANGING feelings and experience, you must rely on UNCHANGING word of God.
To be washed is to be forgiven
Apolouo - washing away, remission of sins - aphesis - taking away of sins. Not taking away so the person will never sin, but taking away from your relationship with God; It will not be the basis of your relationship, God will not relate and deal with you based on your failings. WHAT JESUS HAS DONE will be the basis of God relating with you - that’s what forgiveness means.
If you are WASHED that means you’re BRAND NEW MAN, BRAND NEW PERSON; you are clean, you are washed by the WORD. Not how one feels, or whether all their sins are confessed.
If you think about it, confession of sins breeds sin consciousness, self-righteousness consciousness. There is no Scripture that asks a Christian to be confessing their sins.
Heb 10:22
1 Cor 6:19-20 Your body is bought with a price… price means value - τιμή (timē), honor; value; price.
That word is used when it has to do with giving to God, means God honors your body for His spirit living in you.
Like some collectors would pay thousand of dollars for a piece of paper Winston Churchill scribbled notes on during WW-II they value that, it has nothing to do with how I see it as a piece of paper. God values, honors your body, He paid for it, He says it’s His (temple), He recognizes it as of great value.
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil [sin]conscience, and our bodies washed with pure [unadulterated, not mixed, clean] water.
Means my physical body is clean; it is not a problem, it was purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. God calls your body His temple.
Rom 12:1 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.
In our minds, on the subconscious level we sometimes think “present your bodies AS a living sacrifice...”
That would be like YOU MAKE YOUR BODY a living sacrifice.
The word PRESENT παρίστημι (paristēmi), present; be present; stand by. 2 Tim 2:15 uses the same word in “study TO SHOW yourself approved” it is to DISPLAY it; It means displaying goods on the market shelves, and those whatever goods don’t become what they are BECAUSE you brought it out to display it, you are only showing what it is as goods.
When it says παρίστημι (paristēmi), present your body, it means it is HOLY, ACCEPTABLE, LIVING SACRIFICE.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. STUDY is the word be diligent, he’s talking about a Teaching Ministry of God’s word is in the context. You need to be diligent and teach, so that it’s evident (displayed)and people will know you’ve studied well, and people will now you’re approved of God, so SHOW YOURSELF as approved of God...
So when it says PRESENT your bodies it means bring it out of the shop! Show off your body, as though you’d want to show off a fancy piece of clothing item; You don’t show off to God of course, paristemi is used for others.
Acceptable unto God Paul used the word acceptable a couple of times elsewhere, Eph 5:2 (wellpleasing to God), Heb 13:21 (wellpleasing in His sight) It’s already pleasant to God, acceptable to Him, you will just show it off.
Holy - ἅγιος (hagios), holy; holy one. Sacred to God.
When it says living sacrifice - sacrifice is unto someone, you body belongs to Him.
You must “paristemi” so that people will know your body belongs to Him, dressing immodestly or carelessly doesn’t do that though.
Why is your body is holy?- because God said so
Why is it acceptable? - Because God said so!
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Mortal means subject to death or vulnerable to it.
But few verses later it says Rom 8:21-23 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Redemption is when something is paid for and go there and pick it up...
Everything is paid for; you are holy!
False humility may attempt to say “oh it’s just my spirit that’s holy” but the body has been paid for, so your body is holy.
Does holy mean sinless? - no; it means sacred, for sacred purposes, for purposes only God would dictate.
Ex 3:5 says Moses was standing on holy ground, and it doesn’t mean the land doesn’t sin; when the holy day was declared it simply means that everyth you are going to be doing that day you are going to be doing for the Lord. It doesn’t mean that day does not lie. When they bring the animals to the temple they all it holy unto the Lord, doesn’t mean the animal doesn’t bite. It simply means it’s for the Lord.
When it says you body is holy it simply means it’s for the Lord.
Heb 10:12-14 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
The word there is “make holy” ἁγιάζω (hagiazō), sanctify; make holy.
Another word “perfected” τελειόω (teleioō), complete; perfect; finish. accomplish a mission.
Jesus has done everything that had to be done concerning your body.
Somehow people overlook when a preacher gets angry, a parishioner lies, bears false witness, but when it comes to women folks go extreme… if your right hand makes you sin you take it off. What if everything made you sin? - you just don’t understand what Jesus was saying.
Let’s talk about the FIRST LAW Paul is teaching us here in changing a lifestyle.
There was a brother that said he couldn’t continue doing follow up because he did so-and-so, it wasn’t fornication just so you know.
Pastor asked him, but when we see you in the church all the time and we sing “ my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness...” are you singing to the Lord or posing as a choir member? If you don’t mean it why sing it?
The person replied “I know how I feel”...
And that may be the problem, it’s not about how you feel, it’s about what God said!
Don’t get it wrong we, the believers mourn when we do wrong scripturally, but we don’t bemoan.
And in some churches people even have red chair for those that are caught in a sinful act, and they make a person sit there; that’s nonsense, although when churches do that they’re trying to protect the image of the church from the world at the expense of that brother’s restoration. There are better ways to address these issues and everybody doesn’t have to know.
When Paul spoke about a brother in 1 Cor 5 it had nothing to do with the fact that he had his father’s wife, that wasn’t the issue. The issue was that the guy wasn’t remorseful about it. I think if they were to excommunicate everybody that had sin issues Corinthian church would have closed down, don’t come back again… The ATTITUDE that brother had, that’s what was wrong there. Just like some folks they RUN CRAZY and they don’t give a thoughtful care about it.
First Law if you’re going to make a change of conduct is that you must SEPARATE MORALITY from SPIRITUALITY
We will see the difference in a little bit.
Morality will always point to SELF
I’m keeping myself for my husband, so that he will know..
that’s not spirituality, any devil-infested lady can do that
Morality will point to you, for instance if the president of the country is known not to be corrupt… that’s good record, that’s good enough to cast vote for him, but not good enough not to take him to hell, because he’s not a christian.
It’s that attitude that a person doesn’t need the gospel because they don’t smoke, they don’t lie, yet he tells his parents he’s not around when he’s around, they don’t drink, etc; that one will say “there are two laws to go heaven, love your neighbor, don’t lie and don’t cheat anybody...” But if that person is wrong when it comes to the Gospel (Eternity), and it means they could be wrong in anything also. Taking advise from such a one would need to be with extreme caution. If someone was to quote Rom 3:23 he would have asked, ok which one have I sinned, point it out to me. If anything, this kind of pride can take a person to hell. Might as well start lying so that you can be saved. Christ died for you.
Morality is about YOU, Im this and Im that, “I fast two days a week” ( Lk 18:11-14 ) You’re proud.
Let no flesh glory in His presence 1 Cor 1:29,31 He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
When it comes to believers, their SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY GOT SAVED.
Godly living is bout Jesus, while morality is about you...
The first thing Paul teaches is the law of recognition.
You must recognize!
Philem 1:6 that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging [recognition] of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
ἐπίγνωσις (epignōsis), knowledge; recognition. - Complete comprehension of what is yours in Christ.
In Bible study there’s something called The Law of Emphasis, and Paul emphasizes something in 1 Cor 6:2,3,9,15,16,19, KNOW YE NOT? x 6
That’s 6 times in 20 verses, by ratio 1/3 of your victory over sinful habits is TO KNOW to recognize. Paul consistently reiterating this in the chapter.
That’s the first way out of the habit - TO KNOW. The word KNOW there is different from epignosis.
οἶδα oida; perf. of 1491a; to have seen or perceived, hence to know:—appreciate(1), aware(3), become learned(1), conscious(1), having a knowledge(1), knew(16), knew … about(1), know(216), know about(1), know how(9), knowing(36), known(4), known about(1), knows(15), knows how(1), realize(1), realizing(2), recognize(3), unaware(1), understand(5), understanding(1).
Almost like REMEMBER, it’s something you’ve read up on, been taught and then recollect. You recall it, then you appreciate it. Being conscious of.
In each of those verses if we were to write it today, we’d say REMEMBER… and that means they must have been taught those things; bc if they hadn’t been taughttold they couldn’t be expected to “knowrecallremember” and consequently appreciate those facts.
RECALL that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost...Paul must have spent good amount of time teaching them about who they are in Christ.
The first thing Paul teaches is to recognize.
You must recognize!
You must recall the truth of God’s word.
Pastor went for evangelism in South Africa, where they nicknamed the city - The land of sin; ladies would come out half dressed and then men will come and take them away… and when someone said they had to be careful, in response Pastor said, “for what?” and the reason was to dissipate the consciousness that “we are helpless” in there. What communication has darkness with light? Consciousness over the years that I can never be tempted by an unbeliever will thus be fortified.
Another town in Ghana they visited (with outreach?) where they were worshipping sex. People were having sex in an open place, and in the middle of the town they had a statue of male sexual organ, and someone said “Jesus” but if I was somewhere where they always fight? - That’s sin-consciousness. Point being - DO NOT ELEVATE SIN
It’s not like some sins are too big fro the blood of Jesus and will require additional resurrection power to be dealt with. After some preaching in that place a young girl came and knelt down, recieved the Lord… Tried to tell a sad story of her parents dying etc, but parents are dying all over the world and people turn out fine...
You recognize that you are sacred. You’re the temple of the Holy Ghost; irrespective of what circumstances we may find ourselves in.
On a business trip in one West African country was a similar sexually loose environment, so some serious businessmen began to joke around, probing, Pastor just kept a straight face.
PRESENT your body, a deliberate action, and the next day they didn’t call me to go out.
Somebody asked to bring a girl into Pastor’s room and was forbidden from doing so. No was the answer. Or if someone is offering you alcohol...
You are sanctified, and in these kinds of situations you are presenting yourself.
You are sanctified, the first thing is you recognize it.
1 Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Glorify there is “δοξάσατε”- δοξάζω (doxazō) but the point is you don’t glorify God to God, you glorify God to men. (Mt 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ) Demonstrate that to others, glorify God.
1 Thes 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You’r sanctified, spirit soul and body!
And certain things you must not say, for instance you shouldn’t say “well, that is how we are in our family”
The law of recognition still works here, you are recognizing something by saying things like that.
Words are important, we’ll talk about it in a moment.
Whether we like it or not genes are very strong; Pastor’s dad and his dad and his brother are quite temperamental. Pastor’s dad could get angry at the drop of the hat, and when he got angry the whole world came down crashing. He’d raise his voice and get angry. Pastor watched it and genetically and naturally picked up certain things from him, and Pastor became temperamental, and kept saying that he was his father’s son, thus became adjusted to such lifestyle. That anger or whatever negative habit it might be is not natural for a Christian. But once we recognize a behaviour pattern and pick it up it becomes as a second nature to us.
Just as we wouldn’t readily admit (recognize) that our parents are dull we should also purposely fail to recognize any negative trait. If you fail to recognize it, you fail to act on it.
Use your words to speak forth what you want to see in your life. As a Christian it’s not acceptable to get easily angry, so speak that about yourself: “I AM NOT EASILY ANGERED”
Do not let the anger cooperate with the devil to cost people and cause people to be harmed or deprived of something. Remember as your father is so are you in this world(1 Jn 4:17b), but let it be your Father God and not a temperamental human being father. Don’t pick up the wrong things from your parents; there are things you like about your parents and they agree with what you are in Christ. Being emotional does not agree with what you are in Chris, being musically inclined may… You need to recognize the good, godly things.
What does God call your body? - His temple
What do you call your body? - His temple
That’s how you glorify God!
Ac 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Has He cleansed your body? - Yes
Is your body common or holy? - Holy
So do not call it common; He has cleansed you, and you are clean.
This is the FIRST LAW - THE LAW OF RECOGNITION
You must recognize who you are in Christ.
You must recognize what God has done.
If you are to walk in victory, you must first of all recognize why there is a victory for you.
RECOGNIZE IT
RECALL IT
GET TO KNOW IT (know ye not?)
ENSURE YOU ALWAYS RECALL THE RIGHT THINGS
recognize
remember
acknowledge
SECOND LAW is the LAW OF ATTIRE, WEARING, PUTTING UP/ON, GURDING UP (Eph 6:14)
I recognize I am in Christ
I recognize I have the fruit of the spirit
I recognize I have the nature of God
I recognize I have the life of God
I recognize is what I do first, second thing is I put it on.
I can recognize and not put it on, and also
I can put some of it on without recognizing it: that would be the works of the law;
Rom 13:13-14 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
That “putting on” is a consciousness - something you do consciously,
ἐνδύω enduō; from 1722 and the same as 1416; to clothe or be clothed with (in the sense of sinking into a garment):—clothed(6), dressed(1), enter(1), put(21)
It means to be buried in it
Gal 3:27 ...as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Lk 24 :49 … ye be endued with power from on high.
Put on means it will come on you.
When enuo is used for something people are going to see it; so when he says “put on” it means let people see it.
None of us wear clothes nobody sees. It must be seen.
First law - recognition
Second law - you must wear it
1 Jn4:11-20
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him [The word HIM is not in the greek], because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
we love because He has loved us, He gave us His spirit so that men can see Him through us. When I love my brother, I recognize what God has done for me, then I demonstrate it to others; just like forgiveness of sins.
The depth of how i understand God’s forgiveness is how i forgive others.
If I don’t know that, if I can’t recognize how much God has forgiven me I can’t forgive others.
How do I forgive? I forgive as God has forgiven.
These are the parameters of how a believer forgives - as God has forgiven. Eph 4:32
How did God forgive? - He forgave and forgotten; this forgetting means He will not keep records of it, He will not refer to it in your relationship.
That forgiveness comes from and is based on what he has done.
I forgive this way and I love this way...
1 Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
It starts FROM GOD TO OTHERS
Mt 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
God doesn’t need your light; men need your light, people in your environment need your light...your society, your friends, your spouse, your kids, people in your office need your light… LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN...
How will they glorify your Father? - doxano - they will see what you have done.
It’s men that see your light.
Mt 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We are to be conscious of how we act before men, then we are conscious what you wear before men. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 4:22-32 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. [ The new man is after God, and that’s why we said it’s not morality ] [How are we to put on this New Man?] Wherefore putting away lying [one would lie to his neighbor, not to God. when we put away lying it is God we’re glorifying], speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more [ people don’t steal from God, they do it to one another] : but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth [swear words, curse words, f-words], but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers [ my communication to the people must be the communication of the New man]. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness [ b- it’s a state of the heart, theres a pain and a hurt in the heart that has not been let go; it’s if a person wronged you and every time you’re reminded of that person it comes back to you- that’s bitterness- put it away, recognize the new life in Christ ], and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice [ m- is not just me not talking to you; but it’s to say something about someone to bring down their reputation] : And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
All these negatives are taken away by forgiving one another. Bitterness in people’s heart as they pray, as they respond, marriages get destroyed by bitterness; some even keep diaries as “blacklist” books. I wish they’d keep the word of God like that detailed account of who did what and how...when people keep bitterness, malice, anger around they are giving room to the devil (Eph 4:27). The devil stays around those areas, and he can help you justify what you’re doing.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. What is the character of Christ Jesus? He forgives - you forgive; He is faithful - you take away lying; It is you that will do it yourself, you will recognize and put on. Paul had taught it like it was changing clothes, if it’s something you wore in the past - remove it and wear New Man in Christ garments. You are going to be conscious of what you wear. When we are dressing for somebody for special occasion we are conscious of what we wear. People will notice and complement “a nice outfit”.
God did not love us in His mind, He loved us in His actions;
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
There must be an action. WALK IN LOVE
Eph 5:1-2 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Followers means to mimic something, act like someone - μιμητής, οῦ m: (derivative of μιμέομαι ‘to imitate,’ 41.44) one who imitates someone else—‘imitator, one who does what others do.’ μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε ‘be my imitators’ 1 Cor 11:1.
PUT ON
Col 3:12-15 same word is used
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
People need to see your good conduct.
1 Pet 3:2 YOU can win them with your conduct... While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear…
The glory of God does not come from what you posses, but who you are and what you do.
Don’t learn relationships from the world, learn it from the word.
We have a new garment in Christ, Put it on, Wear it, Show it off, People must see it.
I form new habits by RECOGNIZING and PUTTING IT ON
How do I wear my new garment in Christ?
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
First you acknowledge it in the word and affirm it with your words.
I declare Im meek
I declare Im a forgive being
I declare that my life will bring the glory to God.
(if someone offended you, speak to yourself before speaking to that person; the soul of a person and their body respond to words; anything spiritual and natural respond to words. )
I have no bitterness towards anybody
I walk in love
My body is the temple of God
I speak the truth
When I’m saying these things I’m putting it on.
Im what the Word says I am
You put it on by speaking. You want to control your body then use your words.
We put on the Lord Jesus, We let our light so shine before men.
We are created unto good works which God has ordained that we walk in them Eph 2:10