Finding the True Culture of the Spirit, the Soul and the Body in Christ 3
Finding the True Culture of the Spirit, the Soul and the Body in Christ tr3
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.
Many times in dealing with what we call sinful habits many go by the logical roots. The first thing people create in the minds of someone is that if you sin you paint a picture that God is angry with you but they don’t have scripture for it. That when you sin God is angry with you. Depending on when you got born again, for instance if you got born again and years later you experience what you call you met the word then - somewhere in you, you will be doubting the word.
Ex: Very first time I read a book by John Olsteen “reigning in life” I know the scriptures he was quoting but I looked and I checked the verses he was writing there (Rom 5:17) . The reasons doubt comes in is because you’re not sufficiently exposed to the truth of the word. When you are sufficiently exposed those kind of thought patterns don’t come back again.
John Wesley example: He believed sanctification is gradual , and in life you aren’t sanctified by faith but you progress in it. Its called the second work of grace. John Wesley found out in his lifetime that his theory didn’t work though because it’s not scriptural.
If you remove forgiveness of sins from the new covenant everything falls down dead on arrival.
I believe in godliness, they were pursuing the culture of the spirit soul and body. His theory eventually failed thought. All the wrong expressions that people get stem from bible interpretation.
Find the true culture of the spirit soul and body. in Christ.
1 Cor 6:11
Word washed is Washed away. It’s the word Apolouo which means washed away.
You are washed by the word. You are cleaned by the word that I have spoken unto you.
I am washed because God said so. I believe I receive that God said I am washed.
Eze 36:25
A word they use here is justified. If you back track he said that the unrighteous should not inherit the kingdom of God. In case you think the righteous is someone who is living right, unrighteous means someone who has not accepted the gift of righteousness.
Because righteousness comes by faith. Go back up to 1 Cor 1:30
Christ has been made unto us righteousness. So in reading 1 Cor who will not be righteous? The man who has not received Jesus.
When it says the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God, you don’t work to inherit. You receive an inheritance, someone else does the work and you receive it.
Those traits could be linked to some of you in verse 11. He is talking of the traits mentioned in verses 9 and 10.
Some of you means these traits can be linked to some of you. the word some doesn’t necessarily mean a few, the word some just means several of you in the Greek.
It’s the word these people were some of you.
Last word you are justified which is the word dikaioo
It’s an old word it’s used to discharge and acquit someone. It’s a practice of treating the accused as free from guilt.
The society and the law will not see the person as guilty at all. Now there is a difference between pardon and righteousness and justification.
Pardon will mean you have done wrong, we will let you go and don’t want to punish you.
Dikaioo means you are discharged and acquitted. That is you are not to be blamed.
Notice he didn't say you were justified. You are justified such were some of you.
Look at an example: IT means you are treated as someone that did not do those things.
Romans 4:1- gives us an example.
Remember the difference with a promise and a law. You obey the law and you receive the promise. (you believe it)
Word counted simply means it was reckoned to him in Romans 4:3.
Verse 5 He discharges and acquits the ungodly.
Historically Abraham was an idol worshiper. His faith is counted for righteousness.
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Verse 6,7,8 together. That means that practice, that act, two people were worshiping an idol, one of them believes in Jesus. Without looking at his change of behavior, God stops referring to him as an idol worshiper. Because he has believed. So if two of them commit sin this person who has believed, it will not be put in his account. Because there has been a penalty paid on his behalf by someone. That’s the legal ground reason. So here it is, that’s why it says such were some of you. That’s the language of righteousness. He is not saying they have changed their behavior but you even see later some of them still practicing those things. But they will not be regarded as sinners. they will not be regarded by their old names because they have been justified. Not that their practice have been justified but they have been justified.
Look at Abraham, he not once or twice, there were two occasions that he told a lie and God didn’t talk about it. Another occasion that he went after his house girl and he didn’t rape her, they had a relationship, she had a child for him. It was in the flesh. All that God said was walk before me and you will be perfect. That’s what you can call spiritual growth. He has already been made righteous, so it’s now for him to walk.
That’s why when you see David or Abraham you will not find any single statement about their faults.
Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
After they believed they still fell into sin and it was not reckoned unto their account. You read about Samson in Hebrews and then you go back to Judges and you say which Samson is this one? The same Samson who committed suicide.
Example: There was a woman who committed suicide. She was a christian. Her niece said all that work she did for the Lord and now she is going to hell. Pastor said why? where is the scripture and verse for that? She said Judas. I said why do you think Judas went to hell. She said because he killed himself. I sat down and I said look, those people who speak fear and they die is that not suicide? Do you have to bring out a knife. Jesus said that just by looking at someone in hating the person in you heart you are guilty of murder right? She said “yae but this one..” I said no, do you know of Samson in the bible? I said he committed suicide and he’s in Hebrews 11. By faith he has obtained a good report. The holy spirit stopped at his exploits and left all the nonsense that he did.
Brother Hagin was talking about a fellow that was crying because he thought he committed an unpardonable sin. If a person commits an unpardonable sin he wouldn’t be concerned about it. He was even crying.
You can have an opinion about God that is a lie and you will live like that for the rest of your life. Something that does not exist.
I am declared righteous. You have to recognize that you are righteous.
When I see a christian who fell into any sort of sin except if the person is a non repentant hypocrite, I will say sit down. The first lecture I do is to tell you who you are in Christ.
Ex: Someone was crying about what he did to Pastor Chris. I said if you keep crying I’ll walk out of the room. He said but sir I did this. He said, but I told you what Jesus did.
Recognition is the first thing.
When someone is in condemnation he will repeat the same thing. It will actually strengthen sin because the strength of sin is the law. Often times those people will drop out of fellowship.
Philemon 6 So you would acknowledge the fact
Every time you go to confess your sins to God you are building sin consciousness. It doesn’t mean you don’t acknowledge the fact that you committed a sin. You acknowledge the greater facts of God’s word. I say boldly that my sins he has forgiven and he has cleansed me of all unrighteousness. That’s the confession of faith in the new covenant.
Because Hebrews 10 says those people who kept saying those things it never took away sin. It only brought the remembrance of it every year.
When someone says I don’t want to serve the Lord I say look, if you don’t serve him again he isn’t going to do anything to you. You won’t lose your job. God isn’t angry you didn’t come to church. You won’t lose your health. That’s why people are confused that those who are serving lose their jobs and those who aren’t serving lose their jobs. They were taught wrong.
If you like you can walk away from the ushering department. It doesn’t mean something bad will happen to you.
So people often times , that’s why they serve. They serve the Lord out of fear because they think if they don’t serve him something will happen. His temper will not flair up.
Philemon 6
Communication of faith- the word means to share. That word is the koinonia - to participate, to share.
Second word is “effectual”- where you have energeo, - that which is effective.
The last one is epignosis - where you have acknowledging which is precise understanding.
There is a participation of faith where you share your faith amongst believers firstly.
Believers receive from your faith. Secondly among unbelievers.
This becomes effectual, It becomes effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing that is in you in Christ. So recognition of who you are in Christ affects people who know you, people who relate with you.
Our fellowship is with the father.
1st Corinthians 1:9 God has called us to the fellowship of his Son.
1st John 1:3 says our fellowship is with the father and with the Son Jesus Christ.
The father in Christ has shared Himself with us. That’s the first thing.
Fellowship in this context has to do with oneness. Pa
Colossians 1:12 It says he has made us qualified to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Word partakers is the greek word meris, it has to do with a part and is used for a district in topography.
It says he has given us a part. What part? of the inheritance of the saints in the light. So we already have that.
We have fellowship with the father and fellowship in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Notice something, there is a vital fellowship. when we say a Christian backslides, that’s an old testament word but it has a new testament application.
Some people say when you backslide your fellowship is there but your relationship is broken, don’t know where they get that from.
When you backslide your relationship with the father is intact and your fellowship is intact.
What is effected is the effectiveness of your fellowship with others.
It says that the communication of your faith is effectual.
That is the only thing that has to do with something that you will do.
Your fellowship with the father is based on Jesus Christ 2Pet 1:3-4
You are a partaker of the divine nature koinonos (partaker) and meknos? As He is so are we.. That is the eternal concept, we are born of God.
Rom8:15 We have the spirit of adoption. We are one spirit with him.
In the sharing of our faith where we now fellowship our faith with others. That’s where the problem is, where there are conditions, where things can go wrong. In the sense of what we just read now, that the communication of your faith would become effectual by the acknowledgment of every good thin in you in Christ.
That communication which is the fellowship of your faith in you becomes effective, men benefit from you continually. Believers and non-believers.
2Cor6:15 What part has he that believes and an infidel. They have nothing in common. That’s what fellowship is. It is established what we have in common with the father. WE are born of the spirit, we have in common with Jesus Christ, he is the first begotten among many brethren.
We have an active participation where others benefit from our walk in the word.
I can only be as effective as what I know about myself in Christ.
So what do I do? Epignosis, acknowledgement, a complete comprehension of what is mine in Christ. It means who I am in Christ ought to be of a blessing to other people that relate with me. It’s not just my confessing it, “as he is so am I. I am a temple of the Holy Ghost”. It ought to be a vital ministry to other people. That is why he said that the communication of your faith becomes effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing in Christ.
Walking in love.. it has nothing to do with God. It has to do with your relationship with other people. What we call christian conduct is your relationship with other people. How you relate with or to others.
Paul used the word knowledge several times.
Eph3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God
Example: I remember I shared on Joel 2 when I was a young preacher. The preacher came up to preach about the love of Christ after me and he preached on Eph 3:19. I was crying too even though I had just finished preaching. In the mind of everybody the attention was on us
Paul used two words here:
The word, to know which is ginosko. It means to realize by experience; To see things the way they are (Lk 8:10 - unto you it is given to know the mysteries).
The other word, knowledge is gnosis. It means applied knowledge, it’s a particular knowledge (referred to the love of Christ here).
KJV if that verse is confusing because you wonder what knowledge is he talking about, but the way it was put is “ Gnosis - applied/specific knowledge, then it says to know or to realize”
The word that can assist our understanding is “surpassing”, he used it already in Eph 1:19
Hyperballo is the word for exceeding and means (throw/pass) something beyond target. It’s first seen in
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power
Put the word knowledge before passes, to know the love of Christ, which a specific knowledge surpasses.
And to know [to realize] the love of Christ, [a specific knowledge] which [above all] [sur-]passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God
Eph3:19 Amp [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]
He is saying the knowledge of the love of Christ is an exceeding knowledge. So the surpassing is the knowledge of the love of Christ. He is saying there is a specific knowledge that is above all. The love of Christ for you [ though many people are conditioned to see/read it as their love for Christ], when you realize it, it is far above, it is specific knowledge.
Eph 1:19-2:1 this is his love he is talking about. When he says you will be filled with all the fullness of God it is his love. Link chapter 1 with chapter 3 it’s the same thing, you’re filled with the fulness of God.
...the fulness of him that filleth all in all. And you... So He fills all in all and you...
So what specific knowledge is surpassing (Hyperballo) where is that knowledge?
So where should that knowledge be exceeding?
In your mind!
You need to remind yourself that if “I stop doing what I am doing it will not change God’s love for me”. It’s good to say it to your self
MOTIVE: You need to do it because you love him; not because if i don’t do it something is going to happen.
Scripture says “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” Rom 5:8.
When you didn’t like Him or want Him He died for you.
That is a specific knowledge that should dominate your mind.
The love of Christ.
The reason many of us struggle with habits is because we have the wrong atmospheres in our minds.
When we “meet the word” we don’t just come to meet the word we unlearn many things.
Fear is unacceptable it doesn’t honor God. Whether it is a fear of sin, (Col 2:21) fear of something you have heard somewhere. Or the fear of God’s anger or the God who is impatient with you, quick to get angry...
Paul said God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself not imputing their trespasses. So where did you get that from? He was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. How many have ever felt that God was angry with you?
In John 8 Jesus met the lady that everyone was about to stone. They said Moses said we should stone this woman for adultery, but adultery is not a one person act, where was the man?
Jesussays he that has no sin let him cast the first stone.
Then Jesus asked the lady “where are your accusers?”; (same as the word used for the devil - accuser)
He said neither do I condemn you go and sin no more. What came first? The gift of no condemnation.
Notice: Jesus didn’t repeat what they said she did. Very vital.
Salvation in the simple terms means you will not be convicted for sin. It means you will not be condemned for sin.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:38-39 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
These are absolute statements.
God is not two personalities.
You shouldn’t have that mindset.
Fear of sin or God’s anger should never be a motivation - it is unbelief.
You can’t have faith and unbelief in the same place. It means you do not believe who God says he is?
The vision you should carry in your mind is the vision of the word of god, What did God say, What did Jesus demonstrate? Not someone’s raving rants.
To know the love of Christ that is above all things, specific knowledge but surpassing.
Fear will never glorify God it is the wrong motivation.
Sometimes we have been trained in the negative. You want to travel and you are in the bus. You want to pray, “in Jesus name… “let us all confess our sins just in case something happens” and the person praying will say I saw accident or incident at night etc..
Seriously, praying about accidents? (“Let us not be accosted by the devil in an accident”?)
You know you can pray about a journey without mentioning accidents.
You don’t have to pray and recognize the devil in your prayer.
African culture trained people to pray with fire.
You can train yourself positively and not negatively.
The reverence of God is not because of torment but it’s because of respect.
You don’t have to pray against, pray for...
You live right to honor God, it’s not to avoid punishment; nothing will happen to you.
Don’t train your mind like that. Even if something goes wrong what effects the believer is, oh wow, this misrepresents the Father. Rom 8:1 is absolutely clear: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Don’t have a negative feeling. FIRST DEAL WITH THAT FEELING.
Get off FEAR, get off GUILTY/SIN CONSCIENTIOUSNESS, and RECEIVE...
The more you focus on and say your old sins and mistakes the more you strengthening it… STOP THERE!!! Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love [God’s love is so perfect for you] casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
(There is no fear in love this has to be God’s love for you)
God loves you so perfectly he doesn’t want you to fear him.
Fear has , that word fear is Phobon it means great fear. It has torment.
The word torment was also used by Jesus in Matt 25:46 it means punishment Kolasis in the greek. An idea that something will happen to you evil. It means great fear, it means torment or punishment, it is the idea that something evil will happen to you.
He that fears has not matured in the love of God.
Perfect love casts out fear. God has loved us. There is no fear or torment in it.
There is no anticipation of punishment in that LOVE. God has loved us, there is no fear in it or anticipation of punishment in that love.
Before this he was talking about God loving us, now he’s talking about us loving others.
It’s not that we loved him, we love others because he first loved us. It’s the word proton agapao.
1John 4:19 we love because first loved is us, first loved is proton agapao. First love means bedrock, its a prototype love. Same word John used in Rev 2:4 he said you have left your first love.
When he says you have left your first love it means you have departed from the love of God for you.
Proton agapao, your first love, God’s’ love for you.
He said there is no fear in that love. Any local church where the love of God doesn’t run deep don’t stay there.
II Cor 13:10 whatever correction we receive from the Lord will build us and not destroy. God rebukes us but it is not to tear down it is to build up. Love of God must permeate your discipline.
God rebukes us but it is not to tear down it is to build up. To edification and not to destruction.
Heb 12:5-10 Whom the lord loves he chasteneth. This statement was taken from Proverbs 3:12 (from whom the lord loves he corrects)
chasteneth means to speak and correct. It doesn’t mean to kill or sickness or disease. King James translators added the word scourges but it is not in the originals for that work chasteneth.
Word live in verse 9 has to do with vitality to walk properly and perfectly (this is the result).
He corrects us so that we can be partakers of God’s holiness. There’s no destruction in God’s correction. How does he do it? He does it by teaching and preaching.
2nd Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2nd Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine [teaching].
Remove that atmosphere of fear from you. He will correct you and you will feel sorry;
When we are teaching like this and you hear things you think oh this is bad someone should not be doing this, that feeling of sorrow you have is because you are a son. But when you now slip into unworthiness, it’s the knowledge you’ve picked up from somewhere;
You must deal with and do away with the feeling of unworthiness or fear.
Look at how Paul deals with it 1st Cor 6:2,3,9,15,16,19 “know ye not?”
You can feel the way an unbeliever should feel if you don’t recognize this.
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?
Know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost?
2nd Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
He makes a distinction, that’s the kind of recognition you must have. The feeling of unworthiness is unbelief because by the blood of Jesus Christ you have been declared fit and proper, that is worthy.
1st Cor6:20 you are bought word taken from word agorazo where things of value are bought. He says you are bought with a price.
Where were you bought? Were you bought from Christ? You were bought from that list in verses 9-10. That means God saw a fornicator, and he placed value on the person.
You were not bought because you did something valuable. You were bought the way you were.
God goes to the market and he sees a robber, a fornicator, an adulterer and he places value.
He bought you the way you were from v. 9-10. He says my blood is on this person. So It is not your conduct it is what he has done that places value on you. Value was placed on you. YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE BOUGHT.
The one that places value on you is not your conduct it is what he has done.
So from that point he sees someone who is using their body for prostitution and says i am going to live here.
He came to dwell in sinners by paying the price. So the issue is the value HE placed on you. You are his house today. So you will treat yourself as one who has value. Unworthiness is evil. Value is placed on you.
Look at example of Judas. Everything Jesus said -Judas was there.
Matt 27: 3-5 Look at what happened with Judas. This is what unworthiness can do. Did Jesus need him to hang himself? No
Judges 16:28-30 Samson prayed that he may be at once avenged of the Philistines for his two eyes and he said I pray thee only this once - unworthiness. Samson said just once.
David said take not your Holy Spirit from me.
If you wallow in unworthiness you will do crazy things. IT will not change the habit you are looking at, it will strengthen it.
2nd Cor 2:5 , 2nd Cor 2:7 -11 When Paul gave instruction to the brother who was in sin he quickly called the church. We shouldn’t let people wallow in pity. Satan will take advantage of it. Paul said confirm your love for him. It will help such people straighten up.
Example: I remember a friend of mine, there was a friend of mine who backslid. A minister friend said we should start treating him like a man of God. We started to act like that and he straightened up! Many times we will finish people and it’s hypocrisy.
When Paul said if a brother is overtaken in a fault, restore him, it means restore him unto the brethren. It doesn’t mean restore unto the Lord.
Many times we make it difficult for people to straighten out when we give them enough sorrow to wallow in. You can make people commit suicide by belaboring on their wrongs. Don’t hammer on your wife or husband or children when they do wrongs.
If you want them to change be positive, speak God’s word;
Say: I know you will live up to the word, I know you will do the right thing, I know you will tell the truth.
Every time my kids have issues, I just say well, I just look at them and I speak faith. Even when they do the wrong thing.
Belaboring with guilt does not make the people change. God changed us by believing in us. He called us sons despite knowing we were going to do wrong here and there.
If you want people to change be positive, speak God’s word. I know you will live up to the word, I know you will do the right thing.
God changed us by believing in us. Br Hagin said it’s good enough to know God has forgiven you; but what is wrong with most of us is that we have not forgiven ourselves.
People don’t forgive easily they will have you in their book of life. Think about how we say the Corinthian fornicator. The woman with the issue of blood (Is that who she is in Christ?).
Those atmospheres must be removed in your mind If you are to glorify God 1 Cor 6:20 .
Fear of sin and punishment can’t glorify God. He died so that you could receive the gift of no condemnation.
So the first thing we must do is to recognize. That’s knowing it in your consciousness. Sit down with materials and listen until you can quote it verse for verse to the point where when the pastor breaths - breath; until it sinks into you.
Many times it is in the battle of the mindset. The bible says there are people that 1 Cor 8:7 In them until today remains the consciousness of an idol even through there’s no idol. That means that something that doesn’t even exist is disturbing their conduct. And they will have dreams. How many know that your dreams and your visions change when you start listening to God’s word. You take care of that, you recognize. You train your mind to consciously focus on who you are in Christ.
1- put word of God first place
2- meditate on it consistently
3- Confess God’s word
I told someone look “If you are ready to fight you will win. So far all you have told me is what they have said about you. You have yet to say what God has said. Spend one night and spend the entire night confessing who you are in Christ and when you step out the next morning what they have said will not effect you. You will straighten up, glorify God and do much more exploits in ministry.”
That is why some of us have not learned to walk in love because you have told people they have done this done that etc.. You tell your husband, you are in the office and you say I am only telling you etc.. what you have done is make it difficult to walk in love. What if you spent all night and spoke God’s word the same way. It’s a battle of WORDS. Rather than have people condemn you, speak God’s word and they will not have an effect on you again, but you are meditating on what they have said; That is the issue.
You keep the shield of faith on, you say I am strengthening up by the power of the Holy Spirit, I am bringing glory to God, my conduct glorifies God.
You do that and next time something happens that tries to bring up a guilt conscious you will know. You will recognize. You will put on consciously, I put on the bowels of mercy (when someone has offended you. You put it on. Choose to walk in love.
Pastor gave example of someone he found something out about and he chose to walk in love. He said I will not get involved with evil speaking. If he hates me I will love him. Love wins. Love has always won.
Minister told Pastor f you want to destroy your ministry get into hatred for other people. Just LOVE PEOPLE - When you do it you are protecting yourself.
Wear the word. Remember you will put it on. That is how you should be dressed.
1 Peter 3:4 ...the ornament [it’s italicized] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
What is fashionable to God is meekness and quietness. That is the true fashion of a christian. It is the true culture of spirit soul and body.
He goes on to explain in context this is a woman married to an unbelieving husband. He says go to Sara who called her husband Lord.
He is saying it is in how you speak and how you conduct yourself.
Meekness and quietness in how you speak. What is valuable, what did God give you to wear? Meekness and quietness. That is what is fitting for the spirit , soul and body in Christ.
Eph 2:10 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Eph 3:20 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 4 now it’s time to work. Put on.
The way you go out and you pick your colors for your clothes, the same way you will say love, peace, gentleness, self control... You will wear it consciously before you appear before men.
Eph 4 :25-29 he said you will put away lying, anger. So in putting on in verse 25 you will also put away. Verse 29 Let no corrupt communication out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers
We don’t use swear words, it doesn’t minister grace to the hearers, we consciously speak words of grace. That is who we are.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Many people have misinterpreted this. Prior to this he mentioned bitterness, wrath, etc. The word grieve is Lupeo . It means to cause pain and disaffection. It is used by Paul here to speak of something unnatural, or uncomfortable. He is actually talking about unforgiveness, bitterness, wrath, anger, ill will.
He says you are sealed in verse 30, that word is sphragizo, it means ownership and permanent validity. He is saying you are already sealed but what you are doing is unnatural to the seal and sealer. This is not the culture of the spirit.
Word sealed is also used in Rom 15:28, II Cor John 3:33, Jn 6:27, John 6:27, Rom 15:28, II Cor 1:22. It is a seal of permanence so you don’t do what annoys that seal. What is unnatural, unbecoming. What he is talking about it forgiveness.
When you forgive people you can’t have wrath, anger.
Malice is when you say something to tear people down. He says forgive as God has forgiven you in Christ.
In short, we wear these things because we are born that way. It is unnatural for me to have bitterness.
I must see it like that.
By the time I confess God’s word it will become uncomfortable for me.
When you utter a word about a brother or someone you will know it that what you have said is unnatural.
You will know, that means you are wearing the wrong garment.
It says let your light so shine before me that they will see your good works and Glorify God in heaven.
The real issue with living right is to glorify God.
It’s not because we are afraid something will happen.
Ask yourself, does it matter to me to glorify God?
Do I value glorifying God?
In my mind I have taken away sin consciousness, I have taken away fear of punishment, I have taken away unworthiness.
All I am looking out for is to glorify the father.
To bestow the honor that belongs to him.
How? By my good works.
Jesus did that, he said I have glorified You; I have bestowed honor on you.
Why must I straighten out my conduct, walk worthy of the Lord, watch how I speak and what I put on? Because I want to glorify God. Unlike the unbelieving man who is trying to be moral [to be called Mr Integrity], no, I am doing this so that the Lord will be glorified and his work will be honored among men.
We’ve taken away sin consciousness, fear of punishment, unworthiness.
God values this and I value it too. I value self control, I value patience. I value forgiveness. I value purity of the body, I value it. I value speaking grace in my words I value it because God does. I love because he first loved me. Amen
The true culture of spirit, soul and body is meekness and quietness.