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Hello and welcome to the
Middletown Baptist Church podcast,

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where we are proclaiming the
truth to the world.

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My name is Pastor Josh, and I
want to thank you for listening to

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this podcast.

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I hope that this podcast can
be a blessing to you and strengthen

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you in the word of God.

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Now, come along.

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Let's look into the Bible and
see what God has for us here today.

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If you have your Bibles this
morning, that's where we're going

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to be.

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Second Corinthians, chapter seven.

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We're going to be looking at
just verse number one.

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Now, I got to be completely
honest with you.

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We're not just going to stay
in verse number one.

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We're going to go to some
other places in scripture here this

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morning, but our main text is
going to be Second Corinthians, chapter

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seven, verse number one.

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Now, last week, what did we
look at?

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We looked at the biblical
understanding of separating ourselves

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from the influence of this world.

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To not be yoked with
unbelievers, to not be influenced

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by the ways of this world, but
to be living differently as children

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of God, living distinctly.

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And so what we saw in verse 14
of chapter 6 was this.

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We were told, be separate.

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Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers.

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For what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness,

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and what communion hath light
with darkness?

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And so the question was asked,
what part does a Christian have in

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this world?

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Well, that means this.

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We don't have a part in this world.

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All we have is an opportunity
to influence this world, to be the

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light in the darkness.

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The phrase was used to be in
the world, but not of the world.

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So many times we're tempted to
think that, you know what, because

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we're in the world, that we
need to start living like the world.

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We need to start living like unbelievers.

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And so the Bible tells us, no,
that when we are saved, when we are

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changed, when we are
transformed, we are called to be

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different.

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Not conformed to this world,
but transformed by the renewing of

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our minds, to be thinking
differently, to be thinking biblically.

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And so what we looked at was this.

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What we associate with will
eventually influence us.

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So the first question was, who
or what are we associating ourselves

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with?

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The second question is, what
is influencing us?

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Who is influencing us?

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Well, the truth is, is that if
we are yoked up, if we are joined

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in, tied together with the
world, our association is with the

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world, our influences then by
the world, and then ultimately we

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compromise and live like the world.

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But the Bible says That if
we're associated with the Lord in

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fellowship with him, we are
then influenced by him, taught by

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him, as Matthew 11 said, we
learn of him and become meek and

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humble.

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And ultimately we are then
separated and sanctified for the

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Master's use.

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And that's really what the
Christian life is all about.

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There's a term that I want you
to think about here this morning,

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and this is a term that we're
going to be using quite frequently

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here in this sermon.

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And that term is sanctification.

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Sanctification.

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The Bible says that as a
Christian, the moment that we trust

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in Jesus Christ as our Savior,
the moment faith, we are justified.

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Justified means we are
declared righteous.

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And so positionally,
positionally, we are sanctified,

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we are set aside as a born
again believer, we are now set aside

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into the family of man.

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Am I doing something wrong
this morning with this?

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Do I need to take off my jacket?

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My connection might use the pulpit.

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Oh, man.

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Lord, help me this morning.

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All right, I'll try to stay
behind the pulpit today.

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This is going to be.

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It's going to be interesting.

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All right.

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So we are then positionally sanctified.

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Positionally sanctified.

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Meaning this.

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We don't have to get any more saved.

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We don't have to get re saved.

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The Bible says that once we're
saved, we are saved for eternity.

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We are saved, secured and
sealed until the day of redemption.

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And so that's positionally sanctified.

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But there is something else in
sanctification, and that is our spiritual

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growth.

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And there's something called
progressive sanctification, which

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means this.

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In our life, from the moment
we are saved till we take our last

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breath, we are on a path of
spiritual growth.

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And we are called to grow more
and more like Christ.

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Not more and more like the
pastor, not more and more like a

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list of rules, but more and
more like Jesus Christ.

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And so the Bible tells us that
that is a progressive thing, meaning

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just at the moment I'm saved,
I am not where I should be in 20

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years, right?

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In 20 years, I should be
closer to the Lord.

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In 20 years, I should be more mature.

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In 20 years, I should be
following the Scriptures in a more

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real way.

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And so there's that
progressive sanctification.

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But then we also know that
there is going to be a day when we

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take our last breath and when
we are renewed in the Spirit and

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we are then saved from this world.

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Thank you.

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Appreciate that.

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We are saved from this world
and then we have something called

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perpetual sanctification.

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What is perpetual
Sanctification, that means one day

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we will be glorified, one day
we will be with our Savior, and there

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will be no more sin, there
will be no more sadness, there will

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be no more pain and suffering
and loss.

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And so that's the progressive sanctification.

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But then we get to perpetual sanctification.

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Now, in Second Corinthians,
chapter seven, what is Paul talking

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about here?

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Paul is talking about that
progressive sanctification, that

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spiritual growth process.

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And so he says in Second
Corinthians, chapter seven, Having,

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therefore, these promises.

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Now, what promises are we
talking about?

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What's the promises that were
given at the end of chapter six?

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Having, therefore, these promises.

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Dearly beloved, now he's
talking to believers here.

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Dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of

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the flesh and spirit.

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Now, we're going to talk about
that and what that means here in

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a few moments.

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But he says, because of God's
promises in our life, we then can

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cleanse ourselves from that
filthiness of our flesh and the filthiness

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of spirit.

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And then we see this phrase,
perfecting holiness in the fear of

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God.

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Now, when he says perfecting
holiness, he doesn't mean sinlessness.

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He's not expecting us to grow
closer to God and then eventually

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just stop sinning.

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That word perfecting means
completion or maturity.

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So he's speaking here of
spiritual maturity becoming more

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and more complete in our
understanding of who God is.

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And so our spiritual growth
process is this.

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We know him in salvation in
that positional sanctification.

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But then in that progressive
sanctification, we become more and

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more completely submitted to
our Savior.

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And it says how we do that
through the fear of God.

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So what promises is he talking
about here?

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Well, if you go back to the
last verse of chapter six, in verse

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18, he says, and I will be a
father unto you, and ye shall be

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my sons and daughters, saith
the Lord Almighty.

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Now, now what is going to make
us all right?

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Can you hear me now?

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All right, good.

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I'm mobile again.

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So we see here in verse number
17 how we can be the sons and daughters.

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How can we understand this truth?

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He says, wherefore come out
from among them?

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So he's asking us to separate.

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He's asking us to grow in our sanctification.

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And he says, the more that we
leave the world and come to him,

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he says, as more you are
separate and touch not the unclean

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thing.

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I will receive you and will be
a father unto you, and ye shall be

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my sons and daughters, saith
the Lord Almighty.

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So when Paul, in verse number
one of chapter seven is referring

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to these promises, he's
referring to the promise that the

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more we separate from the
world and the more we grow closer

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to him, the more we can
understand his love for us as a loving

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Heavenly Father.

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A verse that we could see that
would parallel this is in the book

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of James.

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The Lord is testing my
patience this morning, but we're

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gonna.

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We're gonna make it, guys.

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We're gonna make it.

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Promise you.

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This is a peek behind the veil
of technology.

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All right, so James, chapter four.

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If you have your Bibles turned
there with me, James, chapter four.

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What's he talking about here?

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He's talking about that growth
away from the world to God.

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And in James chapter four, we
see that there's this condemnation

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against our flesh.

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He says in verse one, from
whence comes wars and fightings among

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you?

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Come they not thence, even of
your own lust at war in your members.

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So he says, you have this war,
you have this fighting, you have

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this lust.

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Verse 2.

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And you desire and you don't have.

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And we see in verse number
four, he says, ye adulterers and

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adulteresses, know you not
that friendship of the world is enmity

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with God.

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He's explaining that the more
we love the world, the less we love

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God.

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And he says, whosoever
therefore will be a friend of the

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world is the enemy of God.

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But then we go down to verse
number six.

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He says, but he giveth more grace.

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So this shows the
characteristic of God that he is

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a God of grace.

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Wherefore he saith, God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace

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to the humble.

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So the call here is us as Christians.

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The more we want to see God
work in our life, the more we need

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to humble ourselves and die to
our pride, die to our own way of

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doing things, die to our own
desires, and therefore go closer

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to God.

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He says, submit yourselves
therefore to God.

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Resist the devil and he will
flee from you.

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Resist the enemy, resist the
world, resist our flesh.

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And what happens?

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Well, we submit ourselves
before God.

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And then verse 8 says this.

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Draw nigh to God, or draw
close, close to God.

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And the result of that is this.

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And he will draw nigh to you.

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Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners, and purify your hearts,

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ye double minded.

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And so the challenge for us
here in this passage and in Second

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Corinthians, chapter 7, is not
just to stop doing the things of

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this world.

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Not.

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Not just to separate ourselves
from the things of this world, but

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ultimately to chase after God,
to cling after him to draw nigh to

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him.

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And what's the result of that?

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He draws nigh to us.

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I use this analogy quite
frequently when it comes to that

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passage of Scripture.

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When we had our kids in store
when they were little, you know,

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obviously we didn't want them
to wander away and get lost and someone

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take them.

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And there was a time when
Micah was really little and he got

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on the other side of, like, a
display or something, and he didn't

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see me there, and he freaked out.

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Dad?

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Dad, where are you?

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He thought I had left him, right?

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Because I wasn't right in
front of him.

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He had allowed some distance
to come between us.

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00:11:02,673 --> 00:11:05,105
And then he lost sight of his father.

245
00:11:05,225 --> 00:11:07,257
And so in that moment, he
thought, maybe dad left me.

246
00:11:07,281 --> 00:11:08,705
Maybe dad forgot about me.

247
00:11:08,825 --> 00:11:11,161
Maybe dad left the store and
got in the car and went away.

248
00:11:11,273 --> 00:11:14,713
And so just because he didn't
see me, he felt like there was a

249
00:11:14,729 --> 00:11:15,145
separation.

250
00:11:15,185 --> 00:11:16,473
But the truth is, I was close.

251
00:11:16,529 --> 00:11:17,697
I could see him.

252
00:11:17,881 --> 00:11:20,481
And that's how it is in our
relationship with Jesus Christ.

253
00:11:20,593 --> 00:11:21,849
Jesus is there.

254
00:11:22,017 --> 00:11:24,441
Jesus is there with us, and
he's walking with us.

255
00:11:24,473 --> 00:11:28,281
But sometimes when our eyes
get off of him and our distractions

256
00:11:28,393 --> 00:11:30,897
pull us away, and maybe that
distraction is the world.

257
00:11:31,001 --> 00:11:33,537
Maybe the distraction is our
own desires.

258
00:11:33,601 --> 00:11:37,977
Maybe the distraction is our
money, our health, whatever that

259
00:11:38,001 --> 00:11:41,193
is, our hobbies, and that
distraction pulls us away and our

260
00:11:41,209 --> 00:11:41,897
eyes are off the Lord.

261
00:11:41,921 --> 00:11:43,121
It doesn't mean that God has
left us.

262
00:11:43,153 --> 00:11:43,811
It means this.

263
00:11:43,913 --> 00:11:46,807
When we turn around and lock
eyes with our Savior, when we turn

264
00:11:46,831 --> 00:11:50,423
around and desire after him,
he will draw nigh to us.

265
00:11:50,599 --> 00:11:53,207
And that's the understanding
that we have in this passage.

266
00:11:53,311 --> 00:11:55,687
And so in Second Corinthians,
chapter seven, he says this.

267
00:11:55,791 --> 00:11:58,455
Having therefore, these
promises, the title of the sermon

268
00:11:58,495 --> 00:12:02,875
this morning is Standing on
the Promises of God and Sanctification.

269
00:12:03,415 --> 00:12:07,487
We have to stand on the
promises of God in that process of

270
00:12:07,511 --> 00:12:08,159
sanctification.

271
00:12:08,207 --> 00:12:11,007
Folks, you're never going to
grow in your understanding of who

272
00:12:11,031 --> 00:12:13,263
he is if you don't trust in
his promises.

273
00:12:13,439 --> 00:12:16,591
You're never gonna grow in
your understanding of his love and

274
00:12:16,623 --> 00:12:19,743
his grace and his forgiveness
and ultimately the application of

275
00:12:19,759 --> 00:12:22,303
those things in your life if
you do not stand on the promises

276
00:12:22,359 --> 00:12:22,967
of God.

277
00:12:23,071 --> 00:12:25,639
We must trust in the truth of
God in our lives.

278
00:12:25,687 --> 00:12:29,475
We must believe that he will
do what he says he will do.

279
00:12:29,775 --> 00:12:31,743
Now I'm gonna ask my two
children to come up here.

280
00:12:31,759 --> 00:12:33,575
Now that I'm mobile, I can
come down here.

281
00:12:33,695 --> 00:12:34,023
Okay.

282
00:12:34,039 --> 00:12:35,271
Mike and Nora, come on up here.

283
00:12:35,383 --> 00:12:38,121
We didn't prepare for this
this morning.

284
00:12:38,313 --> 00:12:41,009
So they are not prepared, and
so I don't know how they're going

285
00:12:41,017 --> 00:12:41,593
to respond to this.

286
00:12:41,609 --> 00:12:43,185
So I'm going to have them
stand up here.

287
00:12:43,305 --> 00:12:44,045
All right?

288
00:12:44,465 --> 00:12:46,025
Micah, Nora, stand over here.

289
00:12:46,065 --> 00:12:46,449
Okay.

290
00:12:46,537 --> 00:12:47,137
Okay.

291
00:12:47,281 --> 00:12:48,539
So what does verse 7 say?

292
00:12:48,582 --> 00:12:50,657
Verse 7 says, we have to stand
on the promises.

293
00:12:50,761 --> 00:12:52,737
What was the promise in
chapter six?

294
00:12:52,881 --> 00:12:56,281
That when they would draw nigh
to their father, their father would

295
00:12:56,313 --> 00:12:59,377
show them what it means to
understand love and grace, and he

296
00:12:59,401 --> 00:13:00,921
would reward them for that.

297
00:13:01,073 --> 00:13:03,665
And so does dad love you guys?

298
00:13:03,785 --> 00:13:04,445
Yes.

299
00:13:05,125 --> 00:13:05,901
Does dad love you?

300
00:13:05,933 --> 00:13:06,653
She's nervous.

301
00:13:06,749 --> 00:13:07,213
Okay.

302
00:13:07,309 --> 00:13:07,677
How do you.

303
00:13:07,701 --> 00:13:08,933
All right, Micah, you're the speaker.

304
00:13:09,029 --> 00:13:11,225
So how do you know that dad
loves you?

305
00:13:13,965 --> 00:13:14,869
I show it to you.

306
00:13:14,917 --> 00:13:16,225
How do I show it to you?

307
00:13:20,165 --> 00:13:21,021
You don't know.

308
00:13:21,133 --> 00:13:21,825
Okay.

309
00:13:22,125 --> 00:13:24,797
So have I ever told you I love you?

310
00:13:24,901 --> 00:13:25,325
Yes.

311
00:13:25,405 --> 00:13:26,105
Okay.

312
00:13:26,485 --> 00:13:28,029
Do I ever do things for you?

313
00:13:28,157 --> 00:13:28,541
Yes.

314
00:13:28,613 --> 00:13:29,125
Okay.

315
00:13:29,245 --> 00:13:30,959
Do I take care of you if
you're hurt?

316
00:13:31,117 --> 00:13:31,643
Okay.

317
00:13:31,739 --> 00:13:35,779
So I've told him and I've told
Nora that I love them, right?

318
00:13:35,907 --> 00:13:37,975
And I've shown them that I
love them.

319
00:13:38,275 --> 00:13:41,147
And so the truth is that they
have to trust in the fact that I

320
00:13:41,171 --> 00:13:43,055
will keep that promise in my life.

321
00:13:43,675 --> 00:13:47,187
As they get older, they have
to trust that dad will continue to

322
00:13:47,211 --> 00:13:47,787
love them.

323
00:13:47,891 --> 00:13:50,507
Now, the truth is, today I'm
going to make a promise to them,

324
00:13:50,571 --> 00:13:52,563
and we'll see if they believe
this or not.

325
00:13:52,699 --> 00:13:54,535
I've got two dollar bills here.

326
00:13:55,515 --> 00:13:56,895
I got a dollar bill.

327
00:13:57,655 --> 00:13:59,075
She liked that, right?

328
00:13:59,535 --> 00:14:00,591
She liked that dollar bill.

329
00:14:00,623 --> 00:14:01,775
She'll wake up for that.

330
00:14:01,895 --> 00:14:05,679
So I got a whole dollar bill
right here, okay?

331
00:14:05,727 --> 00:14:06,295
It's legitimate.

332
00:14:06,335 --> 00:14:07,271
You can check it out.

333
00:14:07,383 --> 00:14:08,351
Whole dollar bill.

334
00:14:08,463 --> 00:14:08,863
Check it out.

335
00:14:08,879 --> 00:14:09,911
But you're gonna have to give
it back.

336
00:14:09,983 --> 00:14:12,031
Now, my promise to them.

337
00:14:12,183 --> 00:14:15,487
My promise to them is if
they're good and if they listen in

338
00:14:15,511 --> 00:14:16,535
this service today.

339
00:14:16,655 --> 00:14:18,711
Now, parents, I'm not saying
you should do this, okay?

340
00:14:18,743 --> 00:14:19,991
Don't bribe your children.

341
00:14:20,183 --> 00:14:23,463
But if they're good today in
this service, I will let you have

342
00:14:23,519 --> 00:14:24,335
these two holes.

343
00:14:24,375 --> 00:14:27,097
Well, you can have $1 each,
and we can go to the Dollar Store.

344
00:14:27,121 --> 00:14:28,729
Is the Dollar Store a dollar anymore?

345
00:14:28,897 --> 00:14:30,925
Oh, man, I'm in trouble.

346
00:14:31,905 --> 00:14:35,209
Well, anyway, you can go to
Dollar Store, and I'll pitch in a

347
00:14:35,217 --> 00:14:38,617
couple other quarters for you,
and you can take that.

348
00:14:38,641 --> 00:14:38,865
Okay?

349
00:14:38,905 --> 00:14:41,337
Now, do you believe me, if
you're good, that I will give this

350
00:14:41,361 --> 00:14:42,049
to you?

351
00:14:42,217 --> 00:14:42,665
Yes.

352
00:14:42,745 --> 00:14:43,065
Okay.

353
00:14:43,105 --> 00:14:43,281
Yes.

354
00:14:43,313 --> 00:14:44,145
Do you believe that?

355
00:14:44,265 --> 00:14:45,033
Okay.

356
00:14:45,209 --> 00:14:47,993
So now the true test is if
you're going to go and actually live

357
00:14:48,049 --> 00:14:51,063
that, are you going to go and
be good and pay attention, Listen

358
00:14:51,079 --> 00:14:53,663
to your father, maybe all Right.

359
00:14:53,679 --> 00:14:53,927
We'll see.

360
00:14:53,951 --> 00:14:55,355
All right, you guys go ahead,
go back.

361
00:14:56,055 --> 00:14:59,175
That's a silly way to look at
it, but really what it is is that

362
00:14:59,215 --> 00:15:04,623
God tells us these promises
and he says, look, I not only tell

363
00:15:04,639 --> 00:15:08,439
you that these promises are
true, but I also keep these promises

364
00:15:08,527 --> 00:15:10,115
in my life.

365
00:15:10,535 --> 00:15:12,503
He keeps those promises in our lives.

366
00:15:12,639 --> 00:15:15,635
And so therefore, what happens
is that God tells us to believe,

367
00:15:16,135 --> 00:15:20,007
he displays the proof of why
we should believe, and he keeps his

368
00:15:20,031 --> 00:15:21,275
word in those rewards.

369
00:15:21,575 --> 00:15:22,807
Sanctification.

370
00:15:22,991 --> 00:15:26,119
When we go back to that, those
three steps of sanctification, look

371
00:15:26,127 --> 00:15:27,807
at the rewards in all those
steps, right?

372
00:15:27,871 --> 00:15:30,391
The reward in the first step
is knowing that we have everlasting

373
00:15:30,423 --> 00:15:31,687
life, right?

374
00:15:31,751 --> 00:15:35,063
Being in the family of God,
that's a reward in and of itself.

375
00:15:35,119 --> 00:15:36,695
When we're saved, that is a blessing.

376
00:15:36,735 --> 00:15:37,335
That is a gift.

377
00:15:37,375 --> 00:15:38,475
That is a reward.

378
00:15:39,255 --> 00:15:42,943
But secondly, there are
blessings in that progressive sanctification,

379
00:15:42,999 --> 00:15:43,575
right?

380
00:15:43,735 --> 00:15:47,325
There's a blessing in knowing
His Word, gaining knowledge from

381
00:15:47,365 --> 00:15:51,253
His Word, seeing how God's
Word helps us in our life, and having

382
00:15:51,309 --> 00:15:54,893
maturity and having spiritual
growth and being able to share the

383
00:15:54,909 --> 00:15:55,949
love of God with other people.

384
00:15:55,997 --> 00:15:57,389
There's blessings there, too.

385
00:15:57,517 --> 00:16:00,669
And then the ultimate blessing
is in that perpetual sanctification

386
00:16:00,717 --> 00:16:02,745
when we get to be with our
Savior forever.

387
00:16:03,085 --> 00:16:06,357
And so what God does is
essentially he says this, look, in

388
00:16:06,461 --> 00:16:11,237
our relationship as a father
and as a child, I am giving you all

389
00:16:11,261 --> 00:16:13,741
of these blessings, and I'm
giving you all of these promises.

390
00:16:13,813 --> 00:16:18,115
And really spiritual growth is
just this trusting and living in

391
00:16:18,155 --> 00:16:19,179
those promises.

392
00:16:19,347 --> 00:16:21,975
And so go back with me to
second Corinthians, chapter seven.

393
00:16:22,275 --> 00:16:26,851
He says, having therefore,
these promises, what were those promises?

394
00:16:26,963 --> 00:16:29,635
Well, one of those promises
would be that when we separate ourselves

395
00:16:29,675 --> 00:16:33,307
from the ways of this world,
he would then show us what it means

396
00:16:33,371 --> 00:16:36,875
to have that loving father and
be sons and daughters.

397
00:16:37,035 --> 00:16:39,995
Even if you go back to Second
Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 17,

398
00:16:40,075 --> 00:16:43,043
he says, Therefore, if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature.

399
00:16:43,099 --> 00:16:44,219
Old things are passed away.

400
00:16:44,267 --> 00:16:46,709
Behold, all things are become new.

401
00:16:46,797 --> 00:16:49,397
That's talking about that
positional sanctification.

402
00:16:49,461 --> 00:16:51,373
You're now a new creation in Christ.

403
00:16:51,509 --> 00:16:53,901
And now he's going to walk
with us as a loving heavenly Father.

404
00:16:53,933 --> 00:16:57,865
And so as we draw nigh to God,
he draws nigh to us.

405
00:16:58,485 --> 00:17:00,421
And so I want you to think
about that here this morning.

406
00:17:00,453 --> 00:17:03,253
What are the promises of God
in your life?

407
00:17:03,429 --> 00:17:05,661
Well, you say, well, the
promise of God in my life is whatever

408
00:17:05,693 --> 00:17:06,325
I want it to be.

409
00:17:06,365 --> 00:17:08,733
No, the promises of God are
found in His Word.

410
00:17:08,909 --> 00:17:12,523
And one of the promises here
is that as we separate from the world.

411
00:17:12,669 --> 00:17:14,439
We die to our flesh.

412
00:17:14,567 --> 00:17:16,983
We put off the old man and we
put on the new.

413
00:17:17,039 --> 00:17:21,231
God rewards us with knowing
that he is with us through the ups

414
00:17:21,263 --> 00:17:22,223
and through the downs.

415
00:17:22,279 --> 00:17:23,271
He is a teacher.

416
00:17:23,343 --> 00:17:24,351
He is a comforter.

417
00:17:24,463 --> 00:17:25,855
He is a provider.

418
00:17:26,015 --> 00:17:27,567
He is the one who has saved us.

419
00:17:27,591 --> 00:17:28,847
He has forgiven us.

420
00:17:28,991 --> 00:17:31,727
He transforms us, and he
equips us to do the work that he

421
00:17:31,751 --> 00:17:33,567
has called us to do.

422
00:17:33,751 --> 00:17:37,199
And so in Second Corinthians,
chapter seven, he says, knowing these

423
00:17:37,247 --> 00:17:39,441
promises, what does he tell us
to do?

424
00:17:39,583 --> 00:17:43,905
Let us cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness of the flesh.

425
00:17:44,365 --> 00:17:47,745
Meaning, we need to stop
feeding our flesh.

426
00:17:48,965 --> 00:17:53,925
We need to stop living like
the world, become more and more like.

427
00:17:54,005 --> 00:17:56,533
Scripture says that we are
called to be.

428
00:17:56,629 --> 00:17:58,197
Be more and more like Christ.

429
00:17:58,381 --> 00:17:59,957
Learn from him, grow in him.

430
00:18:00,021 --> 00:18:02,277
But then he says something
very interesting in the second part

431
00:18:02,301 --> 00:18:02,461
there.

432
00:18:02,493 --> 00:18:04,269
He says, and spirit.

433
00:18:04,357 --> 00:18:06,061
Filthiness of the flesh and spirit.

434
00:18:06,093 --> 00:18:07,803
So what he's saying here is this.

435
00:18:07,909 --> 00:18:10,751
The change is not just an
outward change.

436
00:18:10,863 --> 00:18:12,663
Are there going to be outward
changes in our life?

437
00:18:12,719 --> 00:18:13,431
Of course.

438
00:18:13,583 --> 00:18:17,199
The more we grow like Christ,
the more we become like him.

439
00:18:17,287 --> 00:18:20,751
The more we mature in our
sanctification process, the more

440
00:18:20,783 --> 00:18:22,783
we understand his love and his grace.

441
00:18:22,879 --> 00:18:25,635
There are going to be things
in our life that change on the outside.

442
00:18:25,975 --> 00:18:27,599
We're going to stop doing things.

443
00:18:27,687 --> 00:18:29,375
We're going to stop looking
like the world.

444
00:18:29,455 --> 00:18:32,231
We're going to stop responding
to the things of the world the way

445
00:18:32,263 --> 00:18:34,079
that the world tells us to
respond to them.

446
00:18:34,167 --> 00:18:35,767
We're going to stop being distracted.

447
00:18:35,831 --> 00:18:37,695
We're going to have less outbursts.

448
00:18:37,775 --> 00:18:40,655
We're going to have less
corruption in what we do.

449
00:18:40,695 --> 00:18:44,035
But then what we see here is
that it's not just an outward change.

450
00:18:44,775 --> 00:18:47,127
More importantly, I would
challenge you to think about it this

451
00:18:47,151 --> 00:18:48,023
morning is this.

452
00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:49,431
It is an inward change.

453
00:18:49,503 --> 00:18:52,095
It's the inward change that
affects the outward.

454
00:18:52,215 --> 00:18:55,207
Remember when Jesus dealt with
the Pharisees, he wasn't dealing

455
00:18:55,231 --> 00:18:57,119
with their outward appearance,
because their outward appearance

456
00:18:57,167 --> 00:18:58,111
looked just fine.

457
00:18:58,223 --> 00:19:00,355
It actually was very religious.

458
00:19:01,035 --> 00:19:02,347
They were clean on the outside.

459
00:19:02,411 --> 00:19:03,715
They were like the Bible says.

460
00:19:03,755 --> 00:19:05,499
Jesus said they look like
whited sepulchers.

461
00:19:05,547 --> 00:19:07,295
They looked beautiful on the outside.

462
00:19:07,755 --> 00:19:10,715
But the challenge was not the
outside, but the inside.

463
00:19:10,755 --> 00:19:12,595
He said, hey, your spirit is off.

464
00:19:12,755 --> 00:19:14,735
Your heart is in the wrong place.

465
00:19:15,075 --> 00:19:17,835
And so when Jesus is dealing
with us in our spiritual growth,

466
00:19:17,875 --> 00:19:19,651
it's not always about the outside.

467
00:19:19,723 --> 00:19:23,603
Now, the outside is manifested
by what's happening on the inside,

468
00:19:23,739 --> 00:19:25,515
but it's the inside that
matters more.

469
00:19:25,555 --> 00:19:28,617
God is more concerned with our
heart because what we can see is

470
00:19:28,641 --> 00:19:31,929
that spiritual growth is not
me just learning how to look more

471
00:19:31,977 --> 00:19:33,345
like people in the church.

472
00:19:33,505 --> 00:19:34,969
That's sometimes what happens.

473
00:19:35,097 --> 00:19:38,401
Sometimes as humans, we are
really, really good imitators.

474
00:19:38,593 --> 00:19:43,729
And we can put on a front, we
can put on a show, but true spiritual

475
00:19:43,777 --> 00:19:47,537
growth is not me mirroring
what other people do and try to be

476
00:19:47,561 --> 00:19:48,305
like them.

477
00:19:48,465 --> 00:19:52,489
True Holy Spirit change is
what happens on the inside and is

478
00:19:52,537 --> 00:19:54,519
manifested on what we do on
the outside.

479
00:19:54,657 --> 00:19:57,739
And so what Jesus is
addressing here in this case is a

480
00:19:57,787 --> 00:20:00,155
wholesale change of our life.

481
00:20:00,275 --> 00:20:02,403
Remember what Romans chapter
12 says.

482
00:20:02,539 --> 00:20:06,335
It says, present your bodies a
living, sacrifice everything.

483
00:20:06,875 --> 00:20:09,787
And so, folks, it's not so
much about, hey, you know what?

484
00:20:09,891 --> 00:20:13,467
I know now not to say this in
the public of other Christians, okay?

485
00:20:13,491 --> 00:20:16,963
As a pastor, I get this a lot
because as a pastor, usually, usually

486
00:20:17,019 --> 00:20:19,055
people are on their best
behavior around me.

487
00:20:19,435 --> 00:20:20,835
But the concept is this.

488
00:20:20,955 --> 00:20:24,327
It's not about trying to stop
ourselves from doing bad.

489
00:20:24,491 --> 00:20:28,315
It's hopefully at this point,
desiring to do good.

490
00:20:29,055 --> 00:20:30,503
You understand the difference, right?

491
00:20:30,599 --> 00:20:32,355
I want to stop doing bad.

492
00:20:32,695 --> 00:20:33,311
Yes.

493
00:20:33,423 --> 00:20:35,663
So I'm just going to focus on
the bad all the time.

494
00:20:35,759 --> 00:20:36,591
I don't want to do this.

495
00:20:36,623 --> 00:20:37,271
I don't want to do this.

496
00:20:37,303 --> 00:20:39,095
The Bible says, no, there is a difference.

497
00:20:39,215 --> 00:20:43,263
And now instead of stop
stopping the bad, let's actually

498
00:20:43,319 --> 00:20:44,847
start infusing the good.

499
00:20:44,951 --> 00:20:47,751
So therefore, we no longer
desire those things of the world.

500
00:20:47,823 --> 00:20:50,887
We no longer desire that
filthiness of spirit in the flesh.

501
00:20:50,991 --> 00:20:54,067
And so he says, cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness.

502
00:20:54,171 --> 00:20:57,251
So it's from the filthiness of
the flesh and the Spirit.

503
00:20:57,323 --> 00:20:59,003
And then he says, what happens then?

504
00:20:59,059 --> 00:21:03,347
Is that perfecting or that
completing that maturing holiness

505
00:21:03,531 --> 00:21:05,255
in the fear of God?

506
00:21:05,555 --> 00:21:09,963
And so as we grow in our
understanding of what is good in

507
00:21:09,979 --> 00:21:15,139
the eyes of God, we then have
that maturity, and we see there that

508
00:21:15,187 --> 00:21:15,895
holiness.

509
00:21:16,195 --> 00:21:18,435
The Bible says that we are to
be holy.

510
00:21:18,475 --> 00:21:18,675
Why?

511
00:21:18,715 --> 00:21:19,659
Because God is holy.

512
00:21:19,747 --> 00:21:21,867
Holy just means to be set apart.

513
00:21:22,051 --> 00:21:23,995
Now, God is perfectly holy.

514
00:21:24,075 --> 00:21:27,803
You will not be perfectly holy
on this side of heaven, but you can

515
00:21:27,899 --> 00:21:28,883
be holy.

516
00:21:29,019 --> 00:21:33,331
That means set aside for a
specific use, for God to use you

517
00:21:33,363 --> 00:21:36,507
for his kingdom and for his
glory and for his gospel.

518
00:21:36,691 --> 00:21:41,851
And so you set aside yourself,
and as God sets aside you, you set

519
00:21:41,883 --> 00:21:42,475
aside that.

520
00:21:42,515 --> 00:21:43,227
And you say, you know what?

521
00:21:43,251 --> 00:21:46,347
I'm gonna start living a
righteous holy life, honoring God

522
00:21:46,371 --> 00:21:47,117
in every way.

523
00:21:47,211 --> 00:21:49,393
And we see the motivation
behind that.

524
00:21:49,449 --> 00:21:56,073
It says, in the fear of God,
we respect him, we honor him, we

525
00:21:56,129 --> 00:21:57,121
glorify Him.

526
00:21:57,233 --> 00:22:01,537
And so the purpose of that
holiness is that we humble ourselves

527
00:22:01,601 --> 00:22:05,857
under the mighty hand of God,
and we allow his power to work through

528
00:22:05,881 --> 00:22:08,761
our lives and we allow
ourselves to be used by Him.

529
00:22:08,793 --> 00:22:11,889
And therefore we are cleansed
from filthiness of the flesh and

530
00:22:11,937 --> 00:22:12,393
spirit.

531
00:22:12,489 --> 00:22:16,283
We mature in our holiness and
we rest in that fear of God.

532
00:22:16,369 --> 00:22:18,471
Now I want to take you to
another passage of Scripture that

533
00:22:18,503 --> 00:22:19,087
talks about this.

534
00:22:19,111 --> 00:22:20,875
And that's Ephesians chapter four.

535
00:22:21,655 --> 00:22:23,515
Ephesians chapter four.

536
00:22:27,695 --> 00:22:33,875
This is speaking to this
understanding of being different,

537
00:22:34,935 --> 00:22:39,487
of putting off the old,
cleansing ourselves from the old

538
00:22:39,551 --> 00:22:43,545
ways and putting on the new folks.

539
00:22:43,625 --> 00:22:47,745
All of us, at some point in
our lives have to come to the grips

540
00:22:47,785 --> 00:22:52,845
with what is my response to
the Gospel message of Jesus Christ?

541
00:22:54,545 --> 00:23:02,161
If I believe, if I receive, if
I repent, then I am now in the family

542
00:23:02,193 --> 00:23:02,585
of God.

543
00:23:02,625 --> 00:23:04,025
But that is not the end.

544
00:23:04,185 --> 00:23:06,905
Let me tell you this morning,
if you are in the family of God,

545
00:23:06,945 --> 00:23:08,299
that is just the beginning.

546
00:23:08,497 --> 00:23:11,103
There is a call to live differently.

547
00:23:11,239 --> 00:23:16,983
And so Paul says, trust in the
promises, cling after the Lord, allow

548
00:23:17,039 --> 00:23:20,535
the Lord to change your spirit
and your flesh.

549
00:23:20,695 --> 00:23:24,487
Allow yourself to be matured
in holiness and allow the fear of

550
00:23:24,511 --> 00:23:25,607
God to rule and reign your life.

551
00:23:25,631 --> 00:23:27,395
So Ephesians chapter 4.

552
00:23:27,561 --> 00:23:29,888
Ephesians chapter 4.

553
00:23:30,054 --> 00:23:34,875
Let's go to verse number 17.

554
00:23:35,042 --> 00:23:39,115
Ephesians chapter 4, verse 17.

555
00:23:39,615 --> 00:23:42,075
We see what it means to live differently.

556
00:23:42,415 --> 00:23:43,447
Ephesians, chapter four.

557
00:23:43,471 --> 00:23:44,183
He says this.

558
00:23:44,239 --> 00:23:47,951
I say, therefore, and testify
in the Lord that ye henceforth walk

559
00:23:48,023 --> 00:23:52,635
not as other Gentiles walk in
the vanity of their mind.

560
00:23:53,215 --> 00:23:57,511
Now remember back In Romans
chapter 12, he says, we live this

561
00:23:57,583 --> 00:24:01,919
life of transformed nature
through the renewing of our mind.

562
00:24:01,967 --> 00:24:04,555
It all goes back to what we're
thinking about.

563
00:24:04,955 --> 00:24:06,211
And so what does he say here?

564
00:24:06,243 --> 00:24:10,115
He says, don't live like the
Gentiles live.

565
00:24:10,275 --> 00:24:12,611
Don't walk like the Gentiles walk.

566
00:24:12,643 --> 00:24:14,347
Now, when he's talking about
Gentiles, here, he's talking about

567
00:24:14,371 --> 00:24:16,735
the unsaved, he's talking
about the unbelievers.

568
00:24:17,235 --> 00:24:20,531
And so don't live the way of
the world.

569
00:24:20,723 --> 00:24:25,379
And then he explains the way
of the world in the vanity of their

570
00:24:25,427 --> 00:24:26,015
mind.

571
00:24:26,435 --> 00:24:30,175
You could say it this way, in
the futility of their thinking.

572
00:24:30,775 --> 00:24:32,367
It's wasteful, it's empty.

573
00:24:32,431 --> 00:24:34,035
That vanity means emptiness.

574
00:24:34,575 --> 00:24:35,755
It's worthless.

575
00:24:36,055 --> 00:24:39,727
He says, unsaved people live
in their worthlessness.

576
00:24:39,871 --> 00:24:44,583
Unsaved people, all they know
is that vanity of the flesh.

577
00:24:44,759 --> 00:24:46,351
So he says, don't live that way.

578
00:24:46,503 --> 00:24:49,111
And he explains more about
what that looks like.

579
00:24:49,143 --> 00:24:54,207
Verse 18, having the
understanding darkened, meaning their

580
00:24:54,271 --> 00:24:56,951
understanding of the truth has
been veiled.

581
00:24:57,103 --> 00:25:00,127
Being alienated from the life
of God through the ignorance that

582
00:25:00,151 --> 00:25:02,591
is in them because of the
blindness of their heart.

583
00:25:02,703 --> 00:25:05,271
The Bible says that unsafe
people, whether they know it or not,

584
00:25:05,303 --> 00:25:06,875
are walking in blindness.

585
00:25:07,695 --> 00:25:08,791
They don't see the truth.

586
00:25:08,823 --> 00:25:09,671
They can't see the truth.

587
00:25:09,703 --> 00:25:12,351
And he says, as a Christian,
don't walk that way.

588
00:25:12,503 --> 00:25:15,151
Unfortunately, what happens is
that many Christians are walking

589
00:25:15,183 --> 00:25:16,295
just as the Gentiles walk.

590
00:25:16,335 --> 00:25:17,743
They're walking blinded.

591
00:25:17,919 --> 00:25:21,847
And he says, who being past
feeling this is the unsaid, have

592
00:25:21,871 --> 00:25:23,943
given themselves over unto lasciviousness.

593
00:25:23,999 --> 00:25:25,397
That's sensuality.

594
00:25:25,591 --> 00:25:28,485
To work all uncleanness with greediness.

595
00:25:29,505 --> 00:25:33,169
So he says they're
characterized by sensuality, they're

596
00:25:33,217 --> 00:25:35,209
characterized by greediness
and pride.

597
00:25:35,297 --> 00:25:37,485
They're characterized by impurity.

598
00:25:38,225 --> 00:25:41,889
And so he says in verse number
20, but ye have not so learned Christ,

599
00:25:41,937 --> 00:25:44,753
meaning that's not the way
that you learned about Jesus.

600
00:25:44,809 --> 00:25:46,325
That's not Christ likeness.

601
00:25:46,865 --> 00:25:49,817
Folks, I know that sometimes
we overcomplicate what the Bible

602
00:25:49,881 --> 00:25:52,953
says, but really all
sanctification is, is being more

603
00:25:53,009 --> 00:25:53,585
Christ like.

604
00:25:53,625 --> 00:25:56,965
He says, that's not the Christ
you know, that's not the Christ that

605
00:25:57,005 --> 00:25:57,893
saved you.

606
00:25:58,069 --> 00:26:01,225
That's not the way of sanctification.

607
00:26:01,885 --> 00:26:05,901
Verse 21 he says, if so be
that ye have heard him and have been

608
00:26:05,933 --> 00:26:08,629
taught by him as the truth is
in Jesus.

609
00:26:08,677 --> 00:26:13,981
He says, you got to know Jesus
to know righteousness, to know sanctification,

610
00:26:14,173 --> 00:26:17,661
to know what God wants from
you is to know who Jesus is.

611
00:26:17,693 --> 00:26:21,409
It's to know his character,
it's to know his heart and to know

612
00:26:21,457 --> 00:26:21,665
someone.

613
00:26:21,705 --> 00:26:22,585
What do you have to do?

614
00:26:22,665 --> 00:26:23,985
What do I have to do to know someone?

615
00:26:24,025 --> 00:26:25,525
I have to spend time with them.

616
00:26:26,385 --> 00:26:29,185
I have to desire to know them.

617
00:26:29,225 --> 00:26:32,285
Okay, if I spend time with you
and all I did was talk about myself,

618
00:26:32,745 --> 00:26:34,645
I'm not gonna know about you.

619
00:26:34,985 --> 00:26:36,257
And so it's spending time with him.

620
00:26:36,281 --> 00:26:39,025
Yes, but it's also gleaning
from him, learning from him.

621
00:26:39,105 --> 00:26:40,365
He teaches us.

622
00:26:40,705 --> 00:26:44,925
And so through the Spirit, we
learn what it is to be Christ like.

623
00:26:45,225 --> 00:26:49,245
And so he says, if you have
heard about him and you were taught

624
00:26:49,285 --> 00:26:51,333
by him, this is the truth.

625
00:26:51,429 --> 00:26:55,725
Verse 22, that ye put off
concerning the former conversation

626
00:26:55,765 --> 00:26:57,517
or the former lifestyle of the
old man.

627
00:26:57,541 --> 00:27:00,385
The old man is how you were
before you were saved.

628
00:27:00,965 --> 00:27:01,357
Okay?

629
00:27:01,381 --> 00:27:02,869
The old man is the flesh.

630
00:27:02,917 --> 00:27:05,053
The old man is your lust.

631
00:27:05,109 --> 00:27:08,405
The old man is your way of
doing things that emptiness, that

632
00:27:08,445 --> 00:27:09,145
vanity.

633
00:27:09,485 --> 00:27:15,447
But then he says here, put
that off which is corrupt to the

634
00:27:15,471 --> 00:27:18,675
deceitful lust, deceitful desires.

635
00:27:19,055 --> 00:27:20,431
But then he says, what happens here?

636
00:27:20,463 --> 00:27:22,103
Verse 23, what should you do?

637
00:27:22,159 --> 00:27:25,795
Be renewed in the spirit of
your mind.

638
00:27:26,095 --> 00:27:28,155
I hope that you can see a
theme here.

639
00:27:28,975 --> 00:27:32,475
Thinking about the right
things matters.

640
00:27:33,055 --> 00:27:36,607
The more we dwell upon,
because you hear the Word in scripture

641
00:27:36,631 --> 00:27:37,625
a lot, meditation.

642
00:27:37,735 --> 00:27:40,677
The more we meditate or dwell
upon something in the negative, in

643
00:27:40,701 --> 00:27:42,829
the flesh, the more we live
that out in our lives.

644
00:27:42,877 --> 00:27:45,837
And so there's this renewal,
the renewal of our minds.

645
00:27:45,861 --> 00:27:49,621
He says, be renewed in the
spirit of your mind that you may

646
00:27:49,653 --> 00:27:50,605
put on the new man.

647
00:27:50,645 --> 00:27:53,865
So you take off the old, yes,
but then you put on the new.

648
00:27:54,525 --> 00:27:56,985
You take out the bad and you
put in the good.

649
00:27:58,125 --> 00:28:03,069
He says, put on the new man,
which after God is created in righteousness

650
00:28:03,117 --> 00:28:03,877
and true holiness.

651
00:28:03,941 --> 00:28:09,449
And so when you trust in
Jesus, when you die to the old ways,

652
00:28:09,537 --> 00:28:12,009
when you renew your mind, the
outcome is this.

653
00:28:12,097 --> 00:28:15,385
A life characterized by
righteousness and holiness.

654
00:28:15,465 --> 00:28:17,125
That's that sanctification.

655
00:28:18,265 --> 00:28:21,305
And then he goes on to talk
about what this practically looks

656
00:28:21,345 --> 00:28:21,593
like.

657
00:28:21,649 --> 00:28:24,913
Verse 25, wherefore putting
away lying.

658
00:28:25,089 --> 00:28:28,017
So he says in everyday terms,
stop lying.

659
00:28:28,161 --> 00:28:29,481
Okay, you stop lying.

660
00:28:29,553 --> 00:28:30,885
But then what do you do?

661
00:28:31,235 --> 00:28:33,455
Speak every man truth with his neighbor.

662
00:28:33,795 --> 00:28:35,859
Do you see how the bad goes away?

663
00:28:35,907 --> 00:28:37,547
But then the good comes in.

664
00:28:37,731 --> 00:28:40,211
So stop lying, but then speak
the truth.

665
00:28:40,403 --> 00:28:42,255
Then he goes on to say a
little bit more.

666
00:28:43,355 --> 00:28:47,495
He says, for we are members
one of another.

667
00:28:47,955 --> 00:28:49,635
So he explains the why behind that.

668
00:28:49,675 --> 00:28:53,139
Because we are members one
another, we are close, we are tight

669
00:28:53,187 --> 00:28:53,435
knit.

670
00:28:53,475 --> 00:28:54,795
We don't want to lie to each other.

671
00:28:54,875 --> 00:28:56,491
Then he says, be angry and sin not.

672
00:28:56,523 --> 00:28:58,147
Let not the sun go down upon
your wrath.

673
00:28:58,251 --> 00:28:59,635
Neither give place to the devil.

674
00:28:59,715 --> 00:29:03,339
Let him that stole steal no
more, but rather let him labor.

675
00:29:03,387 --> 00:29:07,067
Let him work, working with his
hands, the things which is good and

676
00:29:07,091 --> 00:29:08,731
that he may give to him that needeth.

677
00:29:08,763 --> 00:29:09,779
So what that means is this.

678
00:29:09,867 --> 00:29:13,655
Don't just stop being a thief.

679
00:29:14,115 --> 00:29:17,375
Work hard, get money, and then
give to people that are in need.

680
00:29:18,595 --> 00:29:20,931
Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth.

681
00:29:20,963 --> 00:29:24,095
Meaning don't say the things
that are destructive.

682
00:29:24,405 --> 00:29:26,685
Don't let negative things come
out of your mouth.

683
00:29:26,765 --> 00:29:28,825
Don't let dirty things come
out of your mouth.

684
00:29:29,965 --> 00:29:34,237
But what which is good to the
use of edifying, that it may minister

685
00:29:34,421 --> 00:29:35,653
grace unto the hearers.

686
00:29:35,709 --> 00:29:36,429
Meaning this.

687
00:29:36,557 --> 00:29:38,317
Don't just stop saying bad
things about people.

688
00:29:38,381 --> 00:29:39,705
Say good things about people.

689
00:29:40,165 --> 00:29:42,705
Don't just stop tearing people
down, build them up.

690
00:29:43,525 --> 00:29:45,773
And so God never wants us to
be passive.

691
00:29:45,909 --> 00:29:48,293
Sanctification is not a
passive process.

692
00:29:48,469 --> 00:29:50,133
Sanctification is not just,
well, you know what?

693
00:29:50,149 --> 00:29:52,361
I'm gonna stop doing bad and
be in my default mode.

694
00:29:52,453 --> 00:29:54,905
Default mode is always going
to be the flesh.

695
00:29:55,025 --> 00:29:58,577
Default mode is always going
to be apathy, not caring and allowing

696
00:29:58,601 --> 00:30:01,685
ourselves to get back into
that negative cycle.

697
00:30:02,025 --> 00:30:06,145
And so then he goes on to say
more and grieve not the Holy Spirit

698
00:30:06,185 --> 00:30:08,929
by God, whereby ye are sealed
unto the day of redemption.

699
00:30:08,977 --> 00:30:12,905
Let all bitterness and wrath
and anger and clamor, clamor.

700
00:30:12,945 --> 00:30:17,617
Is this idea of just loudness
and conflict and evil speaking be

701
00:30:17,641 --> 00:30:19,925
put away from you with all malice?

702
00:30:20,525 --> 00:30:24,101
So he says, let all, just
everything that's in the realm of

703
00:30:24,253 --> 00:30:30,781
bitterness and anger and
fighting and hate, all of that, let

704
00:30:30,813 --> 00:30:31,285
that go.

705
00:30:31,325 --> 00:30:35,157
And then he says what verse
32, and be ye kind one to another.

706
00:30:35,341 --> 00:30:38,765
One of the marks of a
Christian that's growing in the Lord

707
00:30:38,885 --> 00:30:44,945
is that he or she will have a
kind spirit towards others, tenderhearted,

708
00:30:45,695 --> 00:30:46,839
forgiving one another.

709
00:30:46,887 --> 00:30:51,695
Folks, a forgiving spirit is a
spirit that marks an individual growing

710
00:30:51,775 --> 00:30:52,383
in the Lord.

711
00:30:52,439 --> 00:30:52,919
Why?

712
00:30:53,047 --> 00:30:57,183
Because if we understand what
God has done for us, we then will

713
00:30:57,239 --> 00:30:59,351
understand how we can do that
for others.

714
00:30:59,503 --> 00:31:03,791
He says it here, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's

715
00:31:03,823 --> 00:31:05,359
sake hath forgiven you.

716
00:31:05,447 --> 00:31:06,727
So what does he say here?

717
00:31:06,871 --> 00:31:08,711
He sums it all up this way.

718
00:31:08,903 --> 00:31:11,287
If you want to live this
Christ like life, learn from what

719
00:31:11,311 --> 00:31:12,875
Jesus Christ has done for you.

720
00:31:13,515 --> 00:31:16,155
If you have a hard time being
forgiving, go back and understand

721
00:31:16,195 --> 00:31:18,131
the forgiveness that you have
received of the Lord.

722
00:31:18,243 --> 00:31:21,067
If you have a hard time
speaking good about people, go back

723
00:31:21,091 --> 00:31:22,747
to see what God has said about you.

724
00:31:22,851 --> 00:31:26,155
If you have a hard time
dealing with hate and bitterness

725
00:31:26,195 --> 00:31:29,075
against someone, go back and
see what God has done for you.

726
00:31:29,155 --> 00:31:31,495
Folks, God has every right to
hate us.

727
00:31:31,835 --> 00:31:34,067
He has every right to hate us
in our sin.

728
00:31:34,171 --> 00:31:36,171
He has every right to cast us aside.

729
00:31:36,243 --> 00:31:38,795
He has every right to condemn
us in every way.

730
00:31:38,835 --> 00:31:39,455
But yet he.

731
00:31:39,485 --> 00:31:40,699
He offers that gift of grace.

732
00:31:40,747 --> 00:31:44,659
And so the Bible says if we
want to grow spiritually, we must

733
00:31:44,707 --> 00:31:46,443
mirror our lives like Christ being.

734
00:31:46,539 --> 00:31:48,059
Let me tell you here this
morning, I'm just gonna.

735
00:31:48,147 --> 00:31:49,535
I'm gonna be a little bit.

736
00:31:50,795 --> 00:31:52,371
Be a little bit harsh in this, okay?

737
00:31:52,443 --> 00:31:54,363
And it's done in love.

738
00:31:54,459 --> 00:31:56,691
But a lot of times what
happens as Christians is that we

739
00:31:56,723 --> 00:31:57,515
say, hey, you know what?

740
00:31:57,595 --> 00:32:00,755
I'm growing in the Lord
because I'm in Sunday school.

741
00:32:00,835 --> 00:32:04,531
I'm growing in the Lord
because I give to the church.

742
00:32:04,603 --> 00:32:07,155
I'm growing in the Lord
because I'm in a ministry.

743
00:32:07,195 --> 00:32:09,757
Folks, those are all good
things, but that is not a mark of

744
00:32:09,781 --> 00:32:10,905
Christ likeness.

745
00:32:11,205 --> 00:32:13,429
An atheist can sit in a Sunday
school class.

746
00:32:13,517 --> 00:32:15,533
An atheist can give money to
the church.

747
00:32:15,629 --> 00:32:19,405
An atheist can do anything
that we say on the outside looks

748
00:32:19,445 --> 00:32:23,989
good, but Folks, it is the
change in our lifestyle that matters.

749
00:32:24,077 --> 00:32:27,605
I can say one thing, but that
might not match up with me when it

750
00:32:27,645 --> 00:32:28,749
comes to my heart.

751
00:32:28,917 --> 00:32:32,581
And so go back to what 2
Corinthians, chapter seven says.

752
00:32:32,733 --> 00:32:36,395
He says it's of the flesh and spirit.

753
00:32:37,495 --> 00:32:39,079
So let me challenge you here
this morning.

754
00:32:39,167 --> 00:32:42,527
The true test of your
spiritual growth is not how often

755
00:32:42,591 --> 00:32:43,863
you attend church.

756
00:32:44,039 --> 00:32:47,631
Now, some of you guys are
going to say, pastor Josh is preaching

757
00:32:47,663 --> 00:32:48,735
against church attendance.

758
00:32:48,815 --> 00:32:51,199
No, come to church, please.

759
00:32:51,327 --> 00:32:56,247
But what I'm saying is, don't
equate something like church attendance

760
00:32:56,391 --> 00:33:00,531
to, hey, this is a product of
spiritual growth.

761
00:33:00,663 --> 00:33:04,899
Spiritual growth can come from
church attendance, but church attendance

762
00:33:04,947 --> 00:33:08,715
in and of itself does not make
you spiritually growth, spiritual

763
00:33:08,755 --> 00:33:10,187
growth, spiritual maturity.

764
00:33:10,371 --> 00:33:13,827
And so what I would challenge
you to do is think about the deeper

765
00:33:13,891 --> 00:33:16,315
issue behind these things.

766
00:33:16,435 --> 00:33:19,187
The deeper issue is this, not
that, hey, I'm going to church or

767
00:33:19,211 --> 00:33:19,875
not going to church.

768
00:33:19,915 --> 00:33:22,375
It's, why do I want to go to church?

769
00:33:23,275 --> 00:33:25,171
Oh, reading my Bible.

770
00:33:25,203 --> 00:33:26,675
I got to read my Bible this morning.

771
00:33:26,755 --> 00:33:26,963
Okay?

772
00:33:26,979 --> 00:33:28,939
I read my Bible, so I must be
spiritually growing.

773
00:33:28,987 --> 00:33:32,005
No, an unsaved person can read
a Bible, folks.

774
00:33:32,045 --> 00:33:32,581
It's.

775
00:33:32,733 --> 00:33:33,469
Why do I.

776
00:33:33,517 --> 00:33:35,305
Why do I not want to read the Bible?

777
00:33:35,965 --> 00:33:36,717
Why is this?

778
00:33:36,781 --> 00:33:38,717
Why is the world pulling me
away from that?

779
00:33:38,781 --> 00:33:41,341
Why do I want to get on my
phone and scroll through some kind

780
00:33:41,373 --> 00:33:43,725
of social media before I get
to the word?

781
00:33:43,805 --> 00:33:46,225
Folks, it's a deeper heart issue.

782
00:33:46,885 --> 00:33:50,605
Why do, in the case of, like,
I just don't want to be mad at everybody,

783
00:33:50,765 --> 00:33:52,389
why am I getting mad at everybody?

784
00:33:52,437 --> 00:33:53,325
That's the truth.

785
00:33:53,445 --> 00:33:57,265
The truth is, it's the core,
the heart, the root of it.

786
00:33:57,805 --> 00:34:00,213
And so what I would challenge
you with here today is spiritual

787
00:34:00,269 --> 00:34:02,493
growth is not the externals.

788
00:34:02,669 --> 00:34:05,549
Spiritual growth is what
happens in the heart, and the externals

789
00:34:05,637 --> 00:34:06,625
follow that.

790
00:34:07,565 --> 00:34:09,197
And I would encourage you to
think about that.

791
00:34:09,221 --> 00:34:12,509
When it comes to this area of
sanctification, folks, all of us

792
00:34:12,557 --> 00:34:17,165
should be actively, actively
pursuing a relationship with our

793
00:34:17,205 --> 00:34:21,106
Savior, actively pursuing that
spiritual growth.

794
00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:24,598
The moment we stop actively
seeking after that is the moment

795
00:34:24,646 --> 00:34:27,754
we start to regress in our
spiritual growth.

796
00:34:28,814 --> 00:34:29,478
I don't know.

797
00:34:29,566 --> 00:34:30,182
For example.

798
00:34:30,238 --> 00:34:30,950
Let me give you an example.

799
00:34:30,982 --> 00:34:35,126
When it comes to the marriage
relationship, before Alicia and I

800
00:34:35,150 --> 00:34:38,734
were married, the highlight of
my week was our date, right?

801
00:34:38,814 --> 00:34:40,406
We were like, all right, we're
gonna go out.

802
00:34:40,430 --> 00:34:41,446
We're gonna go do this.

803
00:34:41,590 --> 00:34:42,750
We're gonna go dating, right?

804
00:34:42,822 --> 00:34:44,798
I'm gonna pursue this, folks.

805
00:34:44,846 --> 00:34:46,814
I was doing everything I
possibly could.

806
00:34:46,974 --> 00:34:49,686
We were doing scavenger hunts
and things, and I'm like, Trying

807
00:34:49,710 --> 00:34:52,006
to be all romantic and trying
to do all that kind of stuff.

808
00:34:52,030 --> 00:34:54,867
I was trying to, you know, as
a husband, you're trying to do what

809
00:34:54,891 --> 00:34:57,411
you can, like to get her to,
like, try to trick her into loving

810
00:34:57,443 --> 00:34:57,587
you.

811
00:34:57,611 --> 00:34:59,339
Okay, that was the thing I was
trying to say.

812
00:34:59,427 --> 00:34:59,627
Please.

813
00:34:59,651 --> 00:35:00,419
I could do everything.

814
00:35:00,507 --> 00:35:02,615
I was pursuing her in every way.

815
00:35:03,315 --> 00:35:05,255
And we got married.

816
00:35:05,555 --> 00:35:09,059
And over time, right, some of
you husbands are way more spiritual

817
00:35:09,107 --> 00:35:09,667
than me.

818
00:35:09,771 --> 00:35:13,403
But over time, the temptation
is like, well, the pursuit is over,

819
00:35:13,459 --> 00:35:13,939
right?

820
00:35:14,067 --> 00:35:15,331
We don't need a date.

821
00:35:15,483 --> 00:35:16,163
It's just here.

822
00:35:16,219 --> 00:35:17,075
This is what happened.

823
00:35:17,155 --> 00:35:22,045
So what happens when that
happens is that sometimes the relationship

824
00:35:22,085 --> 00:35:25,573
can grow apart because that
pursuit isn't there.

825
00:35:25,629 --> 00:35:28,805
That love is not manifested as
much as it used to be.

826
00:35:28,885 --> 00:35:30,621
Is the love there possibly in
our hearts?

827
00:35:30,653 --> 00:35:34,373
But sometimes we get to a
place of apathy because it's there.

828
00:35:34,509 --> 00:35:35,349
It's common.

829
00:35:35,437 --> 00:35:36,597
It's what we know.

830
00:35:36,781 --> 00:35:41,165
And if we're not careful, we
can draw, really draw a divide between

831
00:35:41,325 --> 00:35:43,829
spouses because we're not
actively pursuing.

832
00:35:43,917 --> 00:35:45,985
It's the same thing with our
spiritual growth.

833
00:35:46,395 --> 00:35:48,083
When you came to Jesus, you
were excited.

834
00:35:48,139 --> 00:35:48,747
You came to Jesus.

835
00:35:48,771 --> 00:35:50,699
You're like, I want to be
involved in everything.

836
00:35:50,827 --> 00:35:52,291
I want to read my Bible.

837
00:35:52,443 --> 00:35:54,691
There's nothing you can do to
stop me from reading my Bible.

838
00:35:54,763 --> 00:35:57,883
There's nothing you can do for
stopping me from taking in Christian,

839
00:35:58,019 --> 00:36:01,907
you know, content and books
and Bible studies.

840
00:36:02,011 --> 00:36:05,107
But now what happens is we get
so complacent because we're used

841
00:36:05,131 --> 00:36:05,595
to it.

842
00:36:05,675 --> 00:36:08,251
And we get so complacent in
our lives because it's just something

843
00:36:08,283 --> 00:36:12,291
that we're tolerating and we
don't pursue that relationship with

844
00:36:12,323 --> 00:36:13,493
spiritual growth anymore.

845
00:36:13,659 --> 00:36:17,257
I would encourage you to chase
after the Lord, draw nigh to God

846
00:36:17,361 --> 00:36:20,009
as James chapter four says,
and what will happen?

847
00:36:20,057 --> 00:36:23,153
The promise is, this is a
promise, and he will draw nigh to

848
00:36:23,169 --> 00:36:23,609
you.

849
00:36:23,737 --> 00:36:26,465
Second Corinthians, chapter
seven says, having therefore these

850
00:36:26,545 --> 00:36:30,161
promises, the promise of God
is that when you draw closer to him,

851
00:36:30,193 --> 00:36:31,225
he will draw closer to you.

852
00:36:31,265 --> 00:36:34,249
The promise of God is that
when you separate yourselves from

853
00:36:34,297 --> 00:36:40,083
this world and you don't touch
the unclean thing, he will receive

854
00:36:40,139 --> 00:36:44,019
us, and he will be a father
unto us, and we will be his sons

855
00:36:44,067 --> 00:36:44,987
and daughters.

856
00:36:45,091 --> 00:36:45,451
And He.

857
00:36:45,483 --> 00:36:49,091
And he concludes that verse in
verse 18 of chapter 6 by saying,

858
00:36:49,203 --> 00:36:54,035
Saith the Lord Almighty, the
Lord Almighty has made a promise

859
00:36:54,075 --> 00:36:57,947
to us that when we separate
from this world, we separate from

860
00:36:57,971 --> 00:37:01,291
the association of this world,
the influence of this world.

861
00:37:01,403 --> 00:37:05,163
He will bless us by knowing
the benefits of being a child of

862
00:37:05,219 --> 00:37:05,855
God.

863
00:37:06,485 --> 00:37:08,389
Folks, there My children.

864
00:37:08,477 --> 00:37:10,077
Okay, silly analogy.

865
00:37:10,101 --> 00:37:12,637
This morning, my children had
the blessings of being my child by

866
00:37:12,661 --> 00:37:13,013
getting.

867
00:37:13,109 --> 00:37:16,565
If they keep their side of the
bargain, they get a dollar bill.

868
00:37:16,605 --> 00:37:17,141
Right?

869
00:37:17,293 --> 00:37:21,069
And the truth is that that's a
benefit that they have of being my

870
00:37:21,117 --> 00:37:21,709
child.

871
00:37:21,877 --> 00:37:23,685
Now, some of you might say,
oh, I'm going to give my kids something

872
00:37:23,725 --> 00:37:24,101
better later.

873
00:37:24,133 --> 00:37:26,069
Okay, you might be able to do that.

874
00:37:26,117 --> 00:37:26,645
That's fine.

875
00:37:26,725 --> 00:37:27,749
I'm a limited father.

876
00:37:27,797 --> 00:37:29,005
God's an unlimited father.

877
00:37:29,045 --> 00:37:30,165
He's Lord Almighty.

878
00:37:30,285 --> 00:37:33,149
When Lord Almighty makes a
promise to his children, he's going

879
00:37:33,157 --> 00:37:36,059
to pour it out to them
abundantly and he's going to give

880
00:37:36,067 --> 00:37:36,435
it to them.

881
00:37:36,475 --> 00:37:39,139
The Bible says that he owns
the cattle on a thousand hills.

882
00:37:39,267 --> 00:37:41,371
All the wealth of the world is
in our Savior.

883
00:37:41,443 --> 00:37:44,059
So I'm not here preaching
prosperity gospel.

884
00:37:44,147 --> 00:37:46,043
I am preaching spiritual prosperity.

885
00:37:46,139 --> 00:37:48,035
Because the more that you
trust in God, the more he's going

886
00:37:48,035 --> 00:37:49,203
to pour that out on us.

887
00:37:49,299 --> 00:37:52,915
The Bible says without faith,
it's impossible to please him.

888
00:37:52,995 --> 00:37:55,379
So the more faith we have, the
more he's going to pour out blessings

889
00:37:55,427 --> 00:37:56,455
upon our life.

890
00:37:56,915 --> 00:38:00,203
Not, not necessarily material
blessings, but we will see here in

891
00:38:00,219 --> 00:38:02,491
this passage of Scripture that
Paul says that there's going to be

892
00:38:02,523 --> 00:38:06,435
tribulation and he's going to
talk about how we have to have godly

893
00:38:06,475 --> 00:38:08,995
sorrow, we have to have
repentance to get to this place.

894
00:38:09,035 --> 00:38:11,715
And so, folks, this morning,
some of us might not even see a need

895
00:38:11,755 --> 00:38:13,531
to cling to God because we've got.

896
00:38:13,683 --> 00:38:15,495
We're too close to this world.

897
00:38:16,595 --> 00:38:18,491
I have everything that I need
in this world.

898
00:38:18,643 --> 00:38:20,267
I have everything that I want
in this world.

899
00:38:20,331 --> 00:38:21,987
I have all the security that I
need in this world.

900
00:38:22,011 --> 00:38:23,267
The Bible says no, the.

901
00:38:23,291 --> 00:38:25,739
All the security that we can
ever have is found in Jesus Christ

902
00:38:25,787 --> 00:38:29,005
because all of these things
can be taken away from us like this.

903
00:38:29,465 --> 00:38:33,285
The gospels say that the
material blessings of this world

904
00:38:33,745 --> 00:38:34,761
can be taken away.

905
00:38:34,833 --> 00:38:37,965
As it says there, moth and
rust will corrupt.

906
00:38:39,225 --> 00:38:39,721
Folks.

907
00:38:39,793 --> 00:38:42,969
Everything that we receive in
this world outside of that gospel

908
00:38:43,017 --> 00:38:45,977
message of Jesus Christ will
eventually pass away.

909
00:38:46,121 --> 00:38:47,485
It will pass away.

910
00:38:48,225 --> 00:38:56,303
Your job, your finances, your
car, your house, your health, all

911
00:38:56,359 --> 00:38:58,247
these things will pass away.

912
00:38:58,351 --> 00:39:00,791
But one thing that cannot be
taken away is what the Bible says

913
00:39:00,823 --> 00:39:01,647
is sealed.

914
00:39:01,751 --> 00:39:03,383
And that is that trust.

915
00:39:03,439 --> 00:39:06,367
That is that promise of God in salvation.

916
00:39:06,551 --> 00:39:09,415
And so sanctification is a
beautiful thing.

917
00:39:09,535 --> 00:39:09,903
It's a.

918
00:39:09,919 --> 00:39:10,191
It's a.

919
00:39:10,223 --> 00:39:12,847
It's a path that we should all
be on in our lives.

920
00:39:12,951 --> 00:39:14,395
Paul calls it a race.

921
00:39:14,895 --> 00:39:15,615
It's the race.

922
00:39:15,655 --> 00:39:15,927
It's.

923
00:39:15,991 --> 00:39:17,007
It's pushing forward.

924
00:39:17,111 --> 00:39:19,863
It's looking towards that mark
and Paul says in Philippians that

925
00:39:19,879 --> 00:39:20,675
he never.

926
00:39:21,025 --> 00:39:22,233
He never got there.

927
00:39:22,329 --> 00:39:23,897
He never got there till the end.

928
00:39:24,041 --> 00:39:25,353
Some people would think, like,
you know what?

929
00:39:25,369 --> 00:39:28,245
I've been a Christian for 50 years.

930
00:39:28,865 --> 00:39:29,925
I've arrived.

931
00:39:30,705 --> 00:39:35,645
If anybody could have arrived,
it was Paul, right?

932
00:39:36,865 --> 00:39:37,721
If anybody.

933
00:39:37,793 --> 00:39:40,961
If you study life of Paul,
that guy was a pretty amazing guy

934
00:39:40,993 --> 00:39:43,565
when it came to his commitment
to Jesus Christ.

935
00:39:43,985 --> 00:39:47,417
But Paul says at the very end,
he says, I don't count myself to

936
00:39:47,441 --> 00:39:52,049
have apprehended, but this one
thing I do, pressing for the mark,

937
00:39:52,137 --> 00:39:55,105
pressing toward the mark, for
the prize of the high calling.

938
00:39:55,265 --> 00:39:56,737
Paul says, I'm never done.

939
00:39:56,841 --> 00:40:00,761
This is never a thing in my
life that I say, I've reached, I've

940
00:40:00,793 --> 00:40:02,689
accomplished, I'm gonna push forward.

941
00:40:02,777 --> 00:40:04,577
I'm never gonna be satisfied
with where I am.

942
00:40:04,601 --> 00:40:06,569
I'm gonna push forward and I'm
not gonna look back.

943
00:40:06,657 --> 00:40:09,105
He says, one of the things
that would hold us from going forward

944
00:40:09,145 --> 00:40:10,285
is looking back.

945
00:40:10,905 --> 00:40:13,241
And there's a couple ways that
we can look back in our life.

946
00:40:13,353 --> 00:40:15,857
One way we can look back is by
looking back to the things we've

947
00:40:15,881 --> 00:40:18,831
done poorly as failures and
say, you know what?

948
00:40:18,863 --> 00:40:21,275
Because of my failure, I'm not
able to push forward.

949
00:40:21,575 --> 00:40:23,679
Because of my past, I'm not
able to push forward.

950
00:40:23,727 --> 00:40:26,831
Folks, your past means nothing
when it comes to what Jesus Christ

951
00:40:26,863 --> 00:40:28,595
has done for you right here
and now.

952
00:40:29,215 --> 00:40:29,583
Okay?

953
00:40:29,599 --> 00:40:31,703
So if you say, well, you
didn't know me back 20 years ago,

954
00:40:31,759 --> 00:40:32,623
I might not have known you.

955
00:40:32,639 --> 00:40:34,675
But Jesus knows you and he
still loves you.

956
00:40:36,055 --> 00:40:38,327
He loves you in your failures.

957
00:40:38,471 --> 00:40:40,303
He doesn't condone your failures.

958
00:40:40,479 --> 00:40:42,301
He doesn't celebrate your sin.

959
00:40:42,423 --> 00:40:44,297
But what he does do is he
says, you know what?

960
00:40:44,401 --> 00:40:47,165
In my forgiveness, I don't
hold that over your head.

961
00:40:47,465 --> 00:40:49,593
But you know, there's a lot of
people that will say, well, I don't

962
00:40:49,609 --> 00:40:50,537
have a bad past.

963
00:40:50,641 --> 00:40:51,665
I have a good past.

964
00:40:51,745 --> 00:40:54,001
Look at all the things I used
to do for the Lord.

965
00:40:54,073 --> 00:40:54,817
And now, you know what?

966
00:40:54,841 --> 00:40:56,537
I'm just going to rest in that now.

967
00:40:56,561 --> 00:40:58,697
There's nothing wrong with
looking back and saying, hey, look,

968
00:40:58,721 --> 00:41:00,129
this is what God has done.

969
00:41:00,297 --> 00:41:03,201
But I would say when we look
back to see what God has done, that's

970
00:41:03,233 --> 00:41:05,601
always to drive us forward, to
do more for him.

971
00:41:05,713 --> 00:41:07,649
God was with me back in 1985.

972
00:41:07,697 --> 00:41:09,005
He'll be with me tomorrow.

973
00:41:09,355 --> 00:41:11,099
God was with me in my
struggles yesterday.

974
00:41:11,147 --> 00:41:13,971
He will be with my struggles
20 days from now.

975
00:41:14,123 --> 00:41:16,651
And I would tell you here this
morning that God is going to be with

976
00:41:16,683 --> 00:41:21,195
you because the Bible gives us
a promise that he will never leave

977
00:41:21,235 --> 00:41:22,735
us nor forsake us.

978
00:41:23,555 --> 00:41:26,419
And so Ephesians chapter four
tells us to put off the old man.

979
00:41:26,467 --> 00:41:26,955
Put on.

980
00:41:27,035 --> 00:41:29,243
Second Corinthians, chapter
seven says, trust in the promises

981
00:41:29,299 --> 00:41:29,819
of God.

982
00:41:29,907 --> 00:41:32,955
James chapter four says, for
us to draw nigh to God, and he will

983
00:41:32,995 --> 00:41:34,371
draw nigh to us.

984
00:41:34,403 --> 00:41:36,135
He will draw near to us.

985
00:41:37,745 --> 00:41:41,353
And so actually, Second
Corinthians, chapter seven, verse

986
00:41:41,409 --> 00:41:44,325
one is a continuation of
chapter six.

987
00:41:45,105 --> 00:41:46,265
God gives us a promise.

988
00:41:46,305 --> 00:41:48,129
He gives us a challenge, and
he gives us a promise.

989
00:41:48,177 --> 00:41:51,045
The challenge is to separate
ourselves from the ways of this world.

990
00:41:52,065 --> 00:41:54,961
Separate yourselves from the
worldly way of thinking.

991
00:41:55,113 --> 00:41:57,361
Separate yourselves from your
worldly association.

992
00:41:57,433 --> 00:41:59,793
Separate yourselves from the
worldly influence.

993
00:41:59,889 --> 00:42:02,997
And when you do so, God will
reward that.

994
00:42:03,161 --> 00:42:07,461
God will give you the promise
of a child of God.

995
00:42:07,493 --> 00:42:08,717
And what does it mean to be a
child of God?

996
00:42:08,741 --> 00:42:10,221
It means that we're loved.

997
00:42:10,413 --> 00:42:12,665
It means that we are protected.

998
00:42:12,965 --> 00:42:15,065
It means that we are provided for.

999
00:42:16,605 --> 00:42:20,709
And so the commandment to come
from out of the world and be separate

1000
00:42:20,757 --> 00:42:24,013
is coupled with a promise in
the fact that he will receive us

1001
00:42:24,149 --> 00:42:27,141
and that he will equip us if
we confess our sins.

1002
00:42:27,173 --> 00:42:29,663
He's faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and cleanse us

1003
00:42:29,679 --> 00:42:30,919
from all unrighteousness.

1004
00:42:31,087 --> 00:42:34,175
And so there's this idea of
cleansing that we see here in this

1005
00:42:34,215 --> 00:42:34,447
passage.

1006
00:42:34,471 --> 00:42:38,103
And that cleansing comes from
God, and that cleansing comes from

1007
00:42:38,119 --> 00:42:39,327
the inside of the spirit.

1008
00:42:39,391 --> 00:42:41,039
And it's manifested in our flesh.

1009
00:42:41,087 --> 00:42:44,155
It's manifested in the way
that we live our lives.

1010
00:42:44,615 --> 00:42:49,143
Our pride, our legalism, our
self focus, our self righteousness,

1011
00:42:49,199 --> 00:42:50,151
our bitterness.

1012
00:42:50,303 --> 00:42:53,279
And all of the hatred that
could come along with that can be

1013
00:42:53,327 --> 00:42:57,023
far worse to deal with than
the obvious sins of the flesh.

1014
00:42:57,199 --> 00:43:01,407
You know, if someone came in
this morning and they had this terrible

1015
00:43:01,471 --> 00:43:04,367
sin that we could all see, it
would be a lot easier to deal with

1016
00:43:04,391 --> 00:43:05,007
that, right?

1017
00:43:05,111 --> 00:43:06,327
We could see it.

1018
00:43:06,431 --> 00:43:08,383
We could say, okay, let's deal
with that.

1019
00:43:08,479 --> 00:43:09,687
We know how to deal with that.

1020
00:43:09,751 --> 00:43:11,919
But sometimes the most
egregious sins are the ones that

1021
00:43:11,927 --> 00:43:15,599
are hidden in the hearts of
man, that none of us see the hidden

1022
00:43:15,647 --> 00:43:16,327
sins.

1023
00:43:16,511 --> 00:43:19,327
And what we see here is that
there is a complete cleansing that

1024
00:43:19,351 --> 00:43:22,761
can happen not just on the
outside, but also on the inside.

1025
00:43:22,913 --> 00:43:27,005
And so he says the result of
that is that perfecting holiness,

1026
00:43:28,425 --> 00:43:33,609
that maturity based in the
fear of God, based in the truth of

1027
00:43:33,657 --> 00:43:34,805
respecting Him.

1028
00:43:35,145 --> 00:43:37,929
And so most of the time, we're
concerned with the holiness of others.

1029
00:43:37,977 --> 00:43:39,681
We're concerned with the life
of others.

1030
00:43:39,793 --> 00:43:42,617
He says the first step is to
inspect our own lives.

1031
00:43:42,721 --> 00:43:46,233
The first step is to say,
where do I stand in these promises

1032
00:43:46,329 --> 00:43:47,205
of God.

1033
00:43:47,715 --> 00:43:49,979
And so Paul even includes
himself here.

1034
00:43:50,147 --> 00:43:52,219
He says, let us cleanse ourselves.

1035
00:43:52,307 --> 00:43:54,619
Paul is lumping himself into
this group.

1036
00:43:54,747 --> 00:43:56,331
He's saying, I have not
achieved this.

1037
00:43:56,363 --> 00:43:57,395
I have not reached this.

1038
00:43:57,435 --> 00:44:00,135
And we all have to realize
that we have not reached this.

1039
00:44:00,995 --> 00:44:05,775
And so as we close here this
morning, we often think of purity

1040
00:44:06,715 --> 00:44:11,971
before the Lord in terms of
putting on a front, checking off

1041
00:44:12,003 --> 00:44:14,297
a box, being a certain way.

1042
00:44:14,401 --> 00:44:18,169
What I would say for us this
morning is it's not just purity of

1043
00:44:18,217 --> 00:44:19,945
action, it's purity of thought.

1044
00:44:20,025 --> 00:44:21,665
Jesus mentioned this, right?

1045
00:44:21,825 --> 00:44:24,249
Think about when Jesus is
talking to those people there on

1046
00:44:24,257 --> 00:44:25,001
the Sermon on the Mount.

1047
00:44:25,033 --> 00:44:29,045
He said, you know, you've been
told that you shouldn't murder.

1048
00:44:30,185 --> 00:44:31,385
That is true.

1049
00:44:31,545 --> 00:44:35,505
But he said, also, when you
hate your brother, you've already

1050
00:44:35,545 --> 00:44:36,241
murdered him, right?

1051
00:44:36,273 --> 00:44:37,105
You've that.

1052
00:44:37,145 --> 00:44:38,765
That's murder in your heart.

1053
00:44:39,395 --> 00:44:41,939
He says, don't commit adultery.

1054
00:44:42,027 --> 00:44:45,603
That's good, don't commit
adultery, but don't look after a

1055
00:44:45,619 --> 00:44:48,215
woman with lust, because then
you've committed in your heart.

1056
00:44:48,835 --> 00:44:50,659
So God is concerned about heart.

1057
00:44:50,827 --> 00:44:54,083
A lot of times people think,
well, Jesus came to just weaken the

1058
00:44:54,099 --> 00:44:54,323
law.

1059
00:44:54,379 --> 00:44:59,523
Actually, Jesus came to show
how much deeper God is looking.

1060
00:44:59,659 --> 00:45:01,827
He's not just looking at our
outside appearance, he's looking

1061
00:45:01,851 --> 00:45:02,843
at our inside appearance.

1062
00:45:02,939 --> 00:45:07,855
And so the thesis of all this
as we close this morning is this

1063
00:45:08,575 --> 00:45:09,795
sanctification.

1064
00:45:10,735 --> 00:45:14,447
That progressive
sanctification is not ultimately

1065
00:45:14,511 --> 00:45:17,927
measured by what other people
think about you and how they observe

1066
00:45:17,951 --> 00:45:18,515
you.

1067
00:45:18,855 --> 00:45:22,719
True progressive
sanctification happens in the heart,

1068
00:45:22,847 --> 00:45:27,315
and it's an action change, and
not just a speech change.

1069
00:45:27,695 --> 00:45:31,383
It's a heart change and not
just a perception change from the

1070
00:45:31,399 --> 00:45:32,007
world.

1071
00:45:32,191 --> 00:45:34,559
And so I would encourage you
to think about where you stand in

1072
00:45:34,607 --> 00:45:36,385
that process of sanctification.

1073
00:45:36,795 --> 00:45:40,339
Number one, have you been
accepted into the family of God by

1074
00:45:40,387 --> 00:45:43,067
way of submitting yourselves
to him in faith?

1075
00:45:43,251 --> 00:45:46,707
Folks, there's a lot of people
here today that have trusted in Jesus

1076
00:45:46,731 --> 00:45:47,539
Christ as their Savior.

1077
00:45:47,587 --> 00:45:48,155
But you know what?

1078
00:45:48,195 --> 00:45:50,015
I don't know for sure if
everyone has.

1079
00:45:50,795 --> 00:45:54,735
And you can't be on the path
of progressive sanctification without

1080
00:45:55,155 --> 00:45:58,027
being on that first step of
positional sanctification.

1081
00:45:58,211 --> 00:46:00,867
If you're not in the family of
God, you can't know the benefits.

1082
00:46:00,971 --> 00:46:03,771
Now, you saw that I didn't
call up every other child in the

1083
00:46:03,803 --> 00:46:04,563
house today.

1084
00:46:04,659 --> 00:46:06,295
First of all, I don't have
that much money.

1085
00:46:07,755 --> 00:46:10,203
Second of all, they're not my children.

1086
00:46:10,259 --> 00:46:13,779
I don't have the authority to
promise those blessings to them,

1087
00:46:13,947 --> 00:46:14,655
right?

1088
00:46:15,195 --> 00:46:17,819
And so what happens is, is
that God has the authority to do

1089
00:46:17,827 --> 00:46:19,107
whatever he wants to do.

1090
00:46:19,251 --> 00:46:22,707
But what he does do is he
gives those promises to those that

1091
00:46:22,731 --> 00:46:23,815
are his children.

1092
00:46:24,315 --> 00:46:27,379
So these promises are not for
everybody in this world.

1093
00:46:27,467 --> 00:46:30,557
He very clearly says that when
you separate from the world, you

1094
00:46:30,621 --> 00:46:34,989
then become the ones who are
his children, his sons and daughters.

1095
00:46:35,157 --> 00:46:39,745
And he'll be a father unto us,
a loving father, a personal father.

1096
00:46:40,085 --> 00:46:43,269
And so, first step, being in
the family of God.

1097
00:46:43,437 --> 00:46:46,981
Second step is being a
growing, maturing member in the family

1098
00:46:47,013 --> 00:46:47,785
of God.

1099
00:46:48,405 --> 00:46:51,077
That's where I would venture
to say that most of us are at right

1100
00:46:51,101 --> 00:46:51,453
now.

1101
00:46:51,549 --> 00:46:54,109
Most of us in this room have
trusted in Jesus Christ as our savior

1102
00:46:54,157 --> 00:46:54,917
at some points.

1103
00:46:55,021 --> 00:46:58,545
But we are on that path of
progressive sanctification.

1104
00:46:59,485 --> 00:47:01,981
It doesn't mean that we're
getting saved more and more.

1105
00:47:02,093 --> 00:47:03,333
May I be clear about that?

1106
00:47:03,429 --> 00:47:03,885
Okay.

1107
00:47:03,965 --> 00:47:06,661
I'm not teaching about levels
of salvation.

1108
00:47:06,773 --> 00:47:10,653
What I'm talking about is
spiritual growth to become more and

1109
00:47:10,669 --> 00:47:11,585
more like Christ.

1110
00:47:12,365 --> 00:47:19,125
You know, I know my wife
probably as well as anybody else

1111
00:47:19,165 --> 00:47:20,225
here or better.

1112
00:47:20,805 --> 00:47:24,465
But some of you might say,
okay, I know Alicia.

1113
00:47:25,765 --> 00:47:28,733
You knowing Alicia is true.

1114
00:47:28,869 --> 00:47:30,109
You would know her, right?

1115
00:47:30,157 --> 00:47:30,685
Most of you.

1116
00:47:30,725 --> 00:47:32,381
Most of you say, maybe I don't
know who she is.

1117
00:47:32,413 --> 00:47:33,165
That's okay.

1118
00:47:33,325 --> 00:47:35,545
But most of you would say, I
know your wife.

1119
00:47:37,205 --> 00:47:38,685
And I would say, I know my wife.

1120
00:47:38,805 --> 00:47:39,465
Right?

1121
00:47:39,925 --> 00:47:41,545
Both statements are true.

1122
00:47:42,245 --> 00:47:45,933
But I think all of you would
agree that I would know her in a

1123
00:47:45,949 --> 00:47:46,933
better way, right?

1124
00:47:47,029 --> 00:47:48,373
I would know what she likes to eat.

1125
00:47:48,429 --> 00:47:50,381
I would know not to cook this
for her.

1126
00:47:50,413 --> 00:47:52,069
I would know not to take her
to this place.

1127
00:47:52,117 --> 00:47:52,349
Why?

1128
00:47:52,397 --> 00:47:54,531
Because I have been with her longer.

1129
00:47:54,563 --> 00:47:57,635
I've been in a more intimate
relationship with her longer.

1130
00:47:57,715 --> 00:48:00,027
And so therefore, I know her
in a greater way.

1131
00:48:00,091 --> 00:48:02,075
So there's a lot of people in
this room that would say, I know

1132
00:48:02,115 --> 00:48:03,655
Jesus, I know God.

1133
00:48:04,195 --> 00:48:05,895
And it's true, you do.

1134
00:48:06,355 --> 00:48:09,595
But what we want to do in our
lives is to know him in a greater,

1135
00:48:09,635 --> 00:48:11,135
more personal way.

1136
00:48:11,915 --> 00:48:13,987
And so what I would encourage
you to do is think about where do

1137
00:48:14,011 --> 00:48:15,755
I stand on that path?

1138
00:48:15,875 --> 00:48:18,735
Do I spend time with God
because I have to?

1139
00:48:20,265 --> 00:48:22,945
Am I spending time with God
because I'm afraid he's gonna strike

1140
00:48:22,985 --> 00:48:23,505
me down?

1141
00:48:23,585 --> 00:48:26,633
Or am I spending God spending
time with God because I want to,

1142
00:48:26,689 --> 00:48:27,965
I desire this?

1143
00:48:28,625 --> 00:48:32,081
What if I just said, well,
guys, I can't come out with you tonight.

1144
00:48:32,113 --> 00:48:36,273
I gotta spend time with my
wife, gotta go out on a date with

1145
00:48:36,289 --> 00:48:36,417
her.

1146
00:48:36,441 --> 00:48:37,809
I gotta take her out once in a while.

1147
00:48:37,857 --> 00:48:38,713
Folks, that's not.

1148
00:48:38,809 --> 00:48:40,521
If I'm doing that, I got a big
issue, right?

1149
00:48:40,553 --> 00:48:42,525
I got a big issue with my love
for my wife.

1150
00:48:43,665 --> 00:48:46,605
I'm trying to find every which
way to spend time with her, right?

1151
00:48:46,945 --> 00:48:50,205
And so what I would say to you
tonight or to this morning is this.

1152
00:48:50,945 --> 00:48:53,345
We have to inspect our lives
to say, why?

1153
00:48:53,425 --> 00:48:54,045
Why?

1154
00:48:54,585 --> 00:48:56,985
Why have I lost my passion for Jesus?

1155
00:48:57,105 --> 00:49:01,321
Why have I lost my time alone
with Him?

1156
00:49:01,473 --> 00:49:05,321
Why have I lost my passion to
spend time in His Word and to tell

1157
00:49:05,353 --> 00:49:07,833
other people about him and
reason being?

1158
00:49:07,889 --> 00:49:09,273
And I'm going to boil it down
to this.

1159
00:49:09,369 --> 00:49:13,311
What Paul said in chapter six,
it's because our love for this world

1160
00:49:13,473 --> 00:49:17,811
has had such a tight grip on
us that it is holding us down from

1161
00:49:17,843 --> 00:49:18,331
loving Him.

1162
00:49:18,363 --> 00:49:20,095
It's constricting us.

1163
00:49:20,395 --> 00:49:24,155
And that constriction of the
love for this world does not allow

1164
00:49:24,195 --> 00:49:24,771
us to love God.

1165
00:49:24,803 --> 00:49:26,003
We can't love both.

1166
00:49:26,179 --> 00:49:29,811
And so I would encourage you
to relinquish your tight grip on

1167
00:49:29,843 --> 00:49:30,523
this world.

1168
00:49:30,659 --> 00:49:33,267
I would encourage myself to
relinquish my tight grip to this

1169
00:49:33,291 --> 00:49:36,947
world and allow myself to see
Jesus for who he is and what he has

1170
00:49:36,971 --> 00:49:37,563
done.

1171
00:49:37,739 --> 00:49:41,411
And therefore we can then grow
in our spiritual walk with Him.

1172
00:49:41,523 --> 00:49:42,723
I'm gonna ask everyone to
stand with me.

1173
00:49:42,739 --> 00:49:43,731
Every head, about, every eye close.

1174
00:49:43,763 --> 00:49:46,923
As the music plays this
morning, I'm gonna say to you that

1175
00:49:46,939 --> 00:49:50,027
there is a time of response
here, and the time of response is

1176
00:49:50,051 --> 00:49:50,187
this.

1177
00:49:50,211 --> 00:49:50,699
It's not a.

1178
00:49:50,747 --> 00:49:54,771
It's not a complicated
message, but the complication sometimes

1179
00:49:54,803 --> 00:49:56,455
is putting this to practice.

1180
00:49:59,635 --> 00:50:02,251
Do I want a close relationship
with Jesus Christ?

1181
00:50:02,363 --> 00:50:03,815
I hope you do this morning.

1182
00:50:04,795 --> 00:50:05,891
What is the promise?

1183
00:50:05,963 --> 00:50:10,075
If I draw near to God, he will
draw near to me.

1184
00:50:11,215 --> 00:50:16,167
How many of us are clinging to
this world so much, gripping this

1185
00:50:16,191 --> 00:50:19,795
world so much that we're not
able to draw near to God?

1186
00:50:21,375 --> 00:50:24,183
Question I would have for you
this morning is, do you even want

1187
00:50:24,279 --> 00:50:26,475
a close relationship with the Lord?

1188
00:50:27,695 --> 00:50:32,471
If you don't want that close
relationship, what's going on?

1189
00:50:32,663 --> 00:50:33,395
Why?

1190
00:50:34,065 --> 00:50:36,445
Why is that no longer
attractive to you?

1191
00:50:36,825 --> 00:50:39,401
But if that is attractive to
you, this morning you say, I want

1192
00:50:39,433 --> 00:50:40,985
that close relationship with
the Lord.

1193
00:50:41,065 --> 00:50:42,761
I want to know him in a better way.

1194
00:50:42,873 --> 00:50:45,057
Are you willing to say, you
know what, I'm going to take the

1195
00:50:45,081 --> 00:50:49,121
initiative, I'm going to take
the first step and say, I want to

1196
00:50:49,273 --> 00:50:50,745
draw near to Him.

1197
00:50:50,865 --> 00:50:53,097
And drawing near to him is the
most basic thing.

1198
00:50:53,201 --> 00:50:56,529
To spend time with him, to
spend time in his word, to spend

1199
00:50:56,577 --> 00:51:00,085
time in prayer, to spend time
in the things that he cares about.

1200
00:51:00,415 --> 00:51:05,927
Folks, some of us just need to
stop and be still and know that he

1201
00:51:05,951 --> 00:51:07,007
is God and say, you know what?

1202
00:51:07,031 --> 00:51:09,875
I need to take More quality
time with my Savior.

1203
00:51:10,175 --> 00:51:13,075
Some of us, our biggest
struggle is our busyness.

1204
00:51:13,775 --> 00:51:16,855
We're distracted with the
busyness of this world that we miss

1205
00:51:16,895 --> 00:51:19,315
out on the times that we need
to be with our Savior.

1206
00:51:19,815 --> 00:51:22,435
We miss out on those special moments.

1207
00:51:22,935 --> 00:51:26,847
Don't get so busy that you
miss the opportunity to see him and

1208
00:51:26,871 --> 00:51:30,075
to grow with him and to become
more and more like him in your life.

1209
00:51:30,615 --> 00:51:33,415
Maybe it's a challenge just
this morning to set aside some time

1210
00:51:33,455 --> 00:51:37,287
in your day in which you say,
this is my priority.

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Time to put Christ first.

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To put him first.

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This world has so much to
throw at us.

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The Bible says, hey, we need
to put that off and put on the new

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00:51:48,583 --> 00:51:51,895
man, put on the new way of
thinking, put on that transformed

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00:51:51,935 --> 00:51:55,835
lifestyle, put on that new focus.

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Maybe some of us need to start
that here today.

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00:51:58,607 --> 00:52:01,635
Maybe some of us just need to
have that revived in our hearts.

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The beauty is that first John,
chapter one, verse nine says, if

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00:52:06,679 --> 00:52:09,127
we confess our sins, he's
faithful and just to forgive us our

1221
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sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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He's tenderhearted, he's
waiting for you.

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00:52:14,335 --> 00:52:17,663
May we be those that are
seeking after him, humbly submitting

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00:52:17,719 --> 00:52:18,663
before him.

1225
00:52:18,839 --> 00:52:20,879
Lord, I pray that you'd be in
this time of invitation, working

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00:52:20,927 --> 00:52:21,813
hearts and lives.

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00:52:21,959 --> 00:52:25,361
I pray that you convict our
hearts, Lord, if we don't know you

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00:52:25,393 --> 00:52:25,825
as Savior.

1229
00:52:25,865 --> 00:52:28,445
I pray that there could be
someone here today that could come

1230
00:52:28,905 --> 00:52:32,337
and to take the word of God
and to see what it means to know

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00:52:32,361 --> 00:52:33,153
you in salvation.

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00:52:33,209 --> 00:52:35,001
Have that positional sanctification.

1233
00:52:35,113 --> 00:52:38,737
But Lord, many of us, most of
us probably this morning, we've trusted

1234
00:52:38,761 --> 00:52:39,113
in you.

1235
00:52:39,169 --> 00:52:41,353
But man, we have gotten our
eyes off of you.

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00:52:41,489 --> 00:52:44,017
Lord, help us to keep our eyes
fixed on you, to have that renewed

1237
00:52:44,081 --> 00:52:47,905
passion, that renewed desire
to walk with you in a more personal

1238
00:52:47,985 --> 00:52:51,971
way, to grow in our knowledge
and our love of you.

1239
00:52:52,003 --> 00:52:54,575
Lord, help us to cleanse our
flesh and our spirit.

1240
00:52:55,035 --> 00:52:55,883
Lord, we thank you.

1241
00:52:55,939 --> 00:52:57,131
In Jesus name, Amen.

1242
00:52:57,163 --> 00:53:00,095
As the music plays, follow as
the Lord leads here this morning.

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00:53:00,595 --> 00:53:03,155
Thank you again for listening
to the Middletown Baptist Church

1244
00:53:03,195 --> 00:53:03,931
podcast.

1245
00:53:04,083 --> 00:53:06,655
I hope that this sermon has
been a blessing for you.

1246
00:53:07,035 --> 00:53:09,331
If you would like to find out
more information about our church

1247
00:53:09,363 --> 00:53:11,387
or this sermon, you can find
us at middletownbaptistchurch.org

1248
00:53:11,515 --> 00:53:15,935
or find us on Facebook or YouTube.

1249
00:53:16,395 --> 00:53:21,175
You can also email me directly
at joshmasaro at middletownbaptistchurch.

1250
00:53:21,755 --> 00:53:21,995
Com.

1251
00:53:21,995 --> 00:53:25,339
If you've enjoyed this
podcast, please subscribe and follow

1252
00:53:25,387 --> 00:53:28,375
along for future podcast and updates.

1253
00:53:28,755 --> 00:53:29,867
Thank you so much.

1254
00:53:30,011 --> 00:53:30,843
God Bless.

1255
00:53:30,979 --> 00:53:31,995
Have a wonderful day.