Moral Purity (6 sessions) - 3 — John 3

0:00 Father God, thank you for your love. Thank you for the Lord Jesus. We thank you for your word that... Which provides us wisdom for an intelligent pathway of of obedience, Lord. So we we ask you, Lord, that you would guide us, pray that you'd bless this meeting, and pray that that your name would be honored.

0:18 We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Mhmm. So the original thought was that this would be on on moral moral purity, and we sort of made it a little broader trying to give a foundation and discuss moral responsibility. Started off by, by summarizing Genesis one through three and pulling out of it seven moral principles.

0:45 The the first two of the moral principles are that we... God is our creator, and we're responsible to obey him. And then the second one, God has provided moral standards, and they're coupled together. Second two or coupled together is that God allows us choices. And and then the second...

1:04 Next one is there are consequences to our choices. There's responsibility associated with them. Our verse was, don't be deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows that will he also reap.

1:18 Then the last three were God test us for our own good, builds character, and it and it enlightens us to... As our... As to our true spiritual state. The next one is that we are accountable to God. I'll...

1:36 Every man shall give account of himself to God, and we discussed how the great day of accountability for the Christian is is called the judgment seat of Christ, and we talked about that. Then we said there's a grit... There's a larger picture too in which there's there's the angelic realm and and there's a spiritual warfare going on. And and and we we mentioned the the the spiritual armor that we've been given, Ephesians six. Today, I want to discuss spiritual rebirth that is our our new life in Christ.

2:15 Though though there are suggestions of of new spiritual life in the Old Testament, it's not it's not clearly taught like it is in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus told Nicodemus, most assuredly, I say unto you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Then he added, do not marvel that I said unto you, you must be born again. When Nathan... When Nicodemus was confused, the Lord Jesus told him, that which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

2:49 Spiritual rebirth is absolutely necessary in order to participate in the kingdom of God. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God nor does corruption inherit incorruption. The flesh is our sinful inheritance from Adam. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. When we are born again, we become children of God receiving a new spiritual life, where that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

3:21 Those who are born again are said to have put away their old man and have to put on the new man. Paul told the Corinthians, Christ died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. Practically, this means that we should cease from the sinful behaviors of our unsaved years. Paul told the Colossians, you yourselves are to put off these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie one to another since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him.

4:08 That's Colossians three eight through 10. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians two twenty. So the first part of it says, I have been crucified with Christ.

4:30 It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The old me has been crucified, and the new me lives through Christ who lives in me. Then he says, the life which I now live in the flesh. So as long as we continue to live in these human bodies, we find that we still have the flesh with its selfish lust. Indeed, the believer has two opposing moral influences within him.

5:38 Galatians five deals with this subject. After that, we're given a thorough description of the works of the flesh and the fruits of the spirit. And then we're instructed, if we live in the spirit... If we're born again, if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. Inherent to this statement is the possibility that we might not walk in the spirit even though we have been born again by the holy spirit.

6:04 Furthermore, this encapsulates the struggle of the believer as he attempts to live the sanctified life of faith before God. Now the verse ends up with this statement. It says, the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. So there's two things. It's faith and the love of...

6:26 Faith faith in the Lord and love of the Lord. So so how do I walk in the spirit? Well, I have to... It has to be done by faith, and it has to be done with a sense of God's love. So faith is a motivating force, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.

6:46 Who is he that overcomes the world but he that believes that Jesus is the son of God? That's first John five four and five. Now in Hebrews eleven one, it says it says, now faith is the substance of things hoped or the evidence of things not seen. And, and I I know that in some translations, says it like this. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

7:22 So assurance and conviction go along with faith or they're the fruit of faith, maybe. Assurance is is that confidence that we have that what god says is certainly true, and what he says will happen will indeed happen. Substantially... That's that's assurance of things hoped for. Then it says that...

7:44 Then it's the conviction of things not seen. So conviction is just a little bit different. Conviction has the thought that that, God has said this. I believe it's true. Therefore, it's going to have an effect upon my life, conviction.

8:02 And and so these two go along with faith. Furthermore, love is the energizing force, and we already quoted several times. The love of Christ compels us. Now this leads to the subject of sanctification. God's purpose in our salvation is to have a special people dedicated to holy living.

8:27 Now this is this is Hebrew... Is Titus two eleven to 14. By the way, this is one of the best summaries of what Christianity is all about, actually. So let me just read those four verses. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and a glorious appearing of our great god and savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people who sell us of good works.

9:12 So it starts out with the grace of God. It brings salvation, and it... And it's offered to all men. And and when... It it doesn't stop with just salvation.

9:24 It... It's that which it is... Works in our lives after we're saved equally, grace, the grace of god. And and it... This is the way it works.

9:37 It it teaches us teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. That's that's what god wishes for us in our lives, soberly, righteously, and godly. Unying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. Then it gives us this hope of the future, which is part of faith. Right?

10:34 The glorious appearing is also pretty neat because because we're told in in the prophetic scriptures that that that approximately seven years after the rapture, that the lord Jesus is going to come down. He's gonna come with 10 thousands of his saints, it says, and and he... He'll set up his millennial kingdom. And guess what? We'll be a part of it.

10:58 And that's put before us as an energizing as an energizing truth to be grasped by faith. And then the the the last verse, fourteenth verse is kind of a summary verse. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous of good works. Sanctification is being set apart to God. Our savior has given himself for us in order to purify for himself his own special people, of good works.

11:35 I love that. He he would purify for himself his own special people, zealous of good works. It's like god has selected us, and we're we're his special people, and we're set aside for his purpose. Now I I would I would call that, positional sanctification. It's true.

11:55 We're set aside for him whether we are living completely within that. We're set we're set apart for him. But but there is a practical sanctification, a practical side of sanctification in which God works in us through his holy spirit to conform us to the image of Christ himself. This starts at the time of spiritual rebirth and continues the remainder of the the believer's life here on Earth. Here's a couple of really good verses on sanctification.

12:26 The first one is first Thessalonians four three through five. For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust. And I I like the the way it expressed it here, particularly, that's how it says that you should know how to possess your own body. And it's like it's like it's it's like it's looking at us as though we're stewards of this body or of this life, perhaps, we could say, that to to live it for him. And it will have a sanctifying effect on us if we can look at it that way.

13:10 The second verse is from the next chapter. It's first Thessalonians five twenty two to 24. Starts out like this. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the god of peace himself sanctify you completely that you may...

13:25 That that... And and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it. Amen. Great verses.

13:41 The the whole reference that one again, Don. That... Okay. That's that's first Thessalonians five twenty two through 24. I don't have a handout tonight, but I will get you one by next week.

14:35 I noticed that mister Darby translates it intelligent service. The the idea is it's not done in ignorance. It's done with an... With the knowledge of god's will. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

15:00 Okay. This living sacrifice was to be holy, acceptable to God, indicating the moral character of this living sacrifice. Paul told the Philippians concerning himself. He says, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed. Listen to that.

15:22 My earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness as always. So now Christ will be magnified in my body. Sanctification? What do think? Whether by life or by death, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

15:43 This living sacrifice refers to the sacrificial way that we are to live our lives, and it is said to be intelligent service, not done in ignorance, but rather in obedience to god's revealed will in the scripture. Paul continues his plea for intelligent service in our sacrificial living saying, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The fact that it's intelligent service points to the importance of avoiding the tainted thinking of the world and of renewing the mind by focusing on the lord and on the truth presented in his holy word. So we we had read that it it said be transformed by the renewing of the mind. It is transformational and life changing, the...

16:43 This this living sacrifice idea. Transformational life changing, providing a way that we can live our lives in godliness and holiness. It is accomplished as a dim... Discipline, spending time daily reading and meditating on the word of God. I can't help but think that we're talking about the quiet times, the the spiritual quiet times with the Lord in the morning.

17:08 Dwell upon the Lord, making him your focus. Uh-huh. For we all with unveiled face... This this is... We've had this verse before.

17:17 We we all with unveiled face beholding us in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. I just love that verse. It's like we're looking in a mirror and and we we we we take on his image. That's neat. Christ himself provides the motivation.

17:37 The love of Christ compels us. Okay. Three points, and then we'll be done. Okay. It says be be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

17:48 This is this is Ephesians four twenty three. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. The mind of man is the battleground for the spiritual battle. Okay. So it's...

17:59 This is... We're talking about thought life. Okay? Okay. Here's here's a good verse for that.

18:05 Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in god for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. This is this is the objective. I I would I would think that others would have to agree.

18:39 That's a that's a pretty high standard on it, but but that's what that's what the apostle Paul attempted to do, and that's what we should attempt to do. There's a really good verse in Colossians. If you then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sits, where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God. And then here's the verse. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

19:08 It's a it's it's... The mind is a battleground. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, your life is hidden with Christ and God. Okay.

19:20 So so the next the next thought relative to this this spiritual battle of the mind, we're sustained by god's grace through faith. We're sustained by god's grace through faith. And here's our verse. Beware lest any of you fall from your own steadfastness being led away by the error of the wicked, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Second Peter three seventeen and eighteen.

19:52 The apostle Paul said that God said to him, my grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness. And we do live by faith. There... There's a...

20:22 There are two great resources, the Holy Spirit and the word of God. The Holy Spirit is is... The the indwelling Holy Spirit is God's provision for our weakness. And here's our verse. It's Ephesians three sixteen and seventeen.

20:38 Strengthen with all might according to his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love. And finally, the word of God is our resource for practical sanctification. And probably, the... One of the outstanding verses is from Psalms... Or or or, excuse me, it's from John 17.

21:03 Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. And and Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.

21:21 All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. The word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged serve... Sword. It's a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And finally, desire, the sincere milk of the word.

21:37 So so I think that that covers the material that I wanted to cover tonight. So I guess this is