Laodicea and the White Raiment Part 1

SPEAKER B Jesus promised his disciples in Acts One eight, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all here and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Welcome to. You shall receive power. And here are your hosts, Ettienne McClintock and Colin Hone. SPEAKER C Dear listener, greetings and a warm welcome. Thank you for tuning into the program today. Again it's delighted to have your company and Colin and myself pray that God would bless you as you study with us. But just as we open God's word, as is our custom, we just invite you to join us for a word of prayer. Gracious Father in heaven, we just thank you for Your word. We just thank you that we can spend time with our dear listener out there as well at the moment as we go through Your word, may you bless our study. May you give us a fresh anointing of your Holy Spirit. This we ask in Jesus name. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Amen. SPEAKER C So last time we had an interesting discussion, we spoke about the anointing of the Spirit in regards to receiving self. And we spoke about seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit every single day and to be filled with the Spirit continually. So what are we discussing today, Colin? SPEAKER E Well, we're going to talk about Jesus living in the Spirit filled believer. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER E So the last quote we had on our last program was from Christ's Object Lessons, page 139, where the Spirit of Prophecy and Ellen White talks about Jesus receiving a daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. It says that daily he received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit in the early hours of the new day, the Lord awakened him from his slumbers and his soul and his lips were anointed with grace that he might impart to others. And so if Jesus needed a daily fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit, don't we need it as well? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Absolutely. SPEAKER E That's right. So we're going to talk about Jesus lives in the Spirit filled believer, because in one John chapter three, verse two, this is just before Jesus comes. It talks about Christians who will be living when Jesus comes, what they'll be like. In one John chapter three, verse two. SPEAKER C And it says, beloved, now we are children of God. And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, so that's the second coming of Christ, when Jesus is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. SPEAKER E That's right. So just before Jesus comes, god's people, and I want you to read the rest of that text because it tells us what we need to do. SPEAKER C It says, and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. SPEAKER E So if you have a hope in the second coming of Jesus. If you have this hope and you want to be just like Jesus, then it says we're to purify ourselves. And that's when the purification comes in through Christ. In Malachi, chapter three, where he purifies the sons of Levi. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E In Malachi. Chapter Three. So he's refining us like silver. He wants to be just like Jesus. SPEAKER C So if we have Christ in us, a hope of glory, that would make sense that Christ would be able to radiate and shine out of us and demonstrate that agape love which he has for each one of us. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E So how much like Jesus are we to become? Well, the Greek word translated like means just like in one john, three, two. SPEAKER C Okay. SPEAKER E And so how can this happen? Well, it happens through the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit, where Jesus lives out his life in and through us. You see, the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit really is Christ in us, the hope of glory. It's Jesus living out his life in and through us. So it's not us that live, it's Christ that lives in us. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And Paul talks about that in Galatians, chapter two, verses 20, where he says, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I. SPEAKER C Live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. SPEAKER E So what was the steps there? Paul is saying, I am crucified with Christ. So that's the first step we need. SPEAKER C To ask, which symbolizes death? SPEAKER E Yeah. Are we dead to self? Are we crucified with Christ? SPEAKER C And then, of course, that interesting word, nevertheless. So I'm dead, but nevertheless I live. SPEAKER E That's right. And Paul could say, I am crucified with Christ and nevertheless I live. So he's still living? Yes, with a sinful nature. He's still living. Yet it says, it's not I that live anymore, but it's Christ that lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh. He's still living with sinful flesh. SPEAKER D Yes. Okay. SPEAKER E With a sin. SPEAKER C The life you now live must be the life of Christ. SPEAKER E Yeah. He says, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. So he lives by the faith of the Son of God. Isn't it interesting that in Revelations, chapter 14, verses six to twelve, talking about God's people who give the three angels message to the world, the Everlasting Gospel, it says that they have the faith of Jesus. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C So in other words, they receive the faith of Jesus as a gift because we cannot manufacture it, we can't fabricate or try and emulate that we receive it as a gift. So they actually keep the faith of Jesus? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E So they have his faith. They have the faith of Jesus, which enables them to keep the commandments of God. SPEAKER D Incredible. SPEAKER E Because it's Jesus who seeks out to keep the commandments through them. What's Jesus that even writes through the Holy Spirit, his law? SPEAKER C Well, the laws are a gift as well through the covenant promise, putting it in the mind, writing it on the heart. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E It even says in Ephesians chapter five, verse nine, that the fruit of the Spirit. All right. Normally we look at Galatians 522 and 23, which says the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, temperance, long suffering. But also in Ephesians chapter five, verse nine, it says the fruit of the Spirit is goodness and righteousness. SPEAKER C And truth. SPEAKER E And truth. So righteousness is a fruit of the Spirit, and righteousness is right doing so. That's why we need the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And so, through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, christ will come and live in each of us. The text quoted above, in One John, chapter three, verse two, in Galatians two, verse 20, states that the Spirit filled believers would have the faith of Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is living in them. So what we need to know is how do Spirit fill believers have the mind of Christ? So how do we have the mind of Christ? Because it says that the Spirit filled believer will have the mind of Christ in one Corinthians. SPEAKER C Important question. SPEAKER E Yeah. In one Corinthians, chapter two, verse 16, it says that we'll have the mind of Christ. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C And it says there, for who has known the mind of the Lord, but that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. So here Paul's saying to his church that they have received the mind of Christ already. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C Incredible. SPEAKER E And it's repeated in Philippians, chapter two, verses six, where and I'll read verse five to give you some context, about Jesus humbling himself. And it says, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Jesus Christ. This is in verse five. SPEAKER C Mind of Christ in us. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Yeah. In Philippians, chapter two, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself to no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. So we'd have the mind of Christ, and the only way having the mind of Christ is if Christ is living in us. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And our mind has to be transformed. It has to be renewed. Paul, for example, says there in Hebrews chapter sorry. No, it's Romans chapter twelve, and verse two, that we are to be transformed, as we said, from transformed from glory to glory. He says to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, which is to receive the mind of Christ. SPEAKER E Renewing means that it's a constant, isn't it? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E Constantly being constant improvement. Yeah, that's right. So once we have Jesus living in us and the mind of Christ. Guess what? We'll have the likes and dislikes of. SPEAKER C Christ, and we'll have the love, peace and joy of Christ in our lives as well. SPEAKER E We'll have the love of righteousness and the hatred of sin that Christ has. You see, Jesus hated sin, but he loved the sinner. And too, when we have Jesus living in us, we will hate sin, but we will love the sinner, just like Christ loves us as sinners. And we'll have the love of righteousness and the hatred of sin as Christ has. We'll have the same desire to obey the Father as Christ had. Because there's a prophecy in Psalms, chapter 40, verse seven and eight yes, that talks about the Messiah having the Law on his heart. What does it say, Eddie? SPEAKER C It says then I said, this is the Messiah speaking prophetically. Behold, I come in the scroll of the book it is written of me I delight to do your will, O my God, and your Law is within my heart. SPEAKER E The Law is within my heart. And so that's why, under the new covenant that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter eight and ten, writes his Law on our mind and hearts. And we can also we'll also have the same passion for souls as Jesus had. You read that in Luke, chapter 19, verse ten? SPEAKER C It says for the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. SPEAKER E So if Jesus came to seek, that was lost and save. If Jesus living in us, then we'll have a desire to seek and save the lost. Really, there'll be two outflowing manifestations of Jesus living in us. One, our only ambition will be to reflect the character of Jesus, and the second will be to build up his kingdom. That'll be our two motivating ambitions. And Paul tells us that the wisdom, righteousness and holiness of Christ is theirs as well. Imagine that the wisdom, the righteousness and the holiness or sanctification is another translation. Yes, of Christ is theirs. In One Corinthians, chapter one, verse 30. SPEAKER C It says but of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. So what we see here is that externally from us, Christ became our wisdom, he became our righteousness, our sanctification or holiness and redemption. However, God doesn't want us to be separated from Him. He wants us to be reconciled in a loving relationship, a saving relationship with. SPEAKER E Him, be there reconciled with Christ. SPEAKER C That's right. And therefore, by receiving the Holy Spirit, we receive all these merits of Jesus Christ and they will be visible in our lives, not because we think there's anything good in us. A person that lives a sanctified life doesn't consider that he has any natural merits of his own. He only thinks that he is a fallen human being that needs to deny himself so that Christ can be living in him and be manifested through Him. SPEAKER E Well, that's right. So how do we receive Christ? By faith. SPEAKER D By faith. SPEAKER E How do we walk with Christ? SPEAKER C By faith. SPEAKER E So we receive whatever Christ has, his imputed righteousness by faith. We receive his imparted righteousness by faith. Hence it's called righteousness by. SPEAKER C And faith comes by hearing, by hearing the word of God. That's the only way we can actually know about the Savior. I think it's Romans chapter ten, it says that how would they hear of Him if no one actually preaches to them? SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C So we need to have the word of God presented to people out there. That's how we heard about Christ and that's by hearing we then believe the good news of the Gospel. And by beholding Jesus through his word, we are changed. SPEAKER E That's right. So what happens is that we have every virtuing quality of Christ can be ours as a gift. And so what happens to God's people is they'll become more and more like Jesus every day as they are changed into his image from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord. Two corinthians 318. SPEAKER C Yes, I'm going to read that, but I want to focus on the word transformed because we already quoted Romans, chapter twelve, verse two, that says to be transformed by the renewing of your mind and we are to receive the mind of Christ. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C So here we read but we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, what are we beholding? The glory of the Lord. His goodness, his character, it says, are being transformed. Here's a word transformed again into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. SPEAKER E And so what is God's glory? Because it says by the glory of Lord God's glory. According to Exodus, when Moses asked God, show me a glory, it was his character. SPEAKER C I'll make all my goodness pass before you, he said, and proclaim the name of the Lord. SPEAKER E So it's his name, his goodness, he's merciful. And then interesting, straight after that he gives him His Law, which is a written transcript of God's character. God is love and his law is love. Love to God and love to man. And so with Christ living the believer through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, this causes the character of Christ to be fully developed in them, from glory to glory. It's a process. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit when he dwells within us. Remember in Galatians five, verses 22 and 23, it talks that we have the fruits of the Spirit. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C So love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, and against such there is no law. Because why, these actually fulfill the law. SPEAKER E That's right. And so this wonderful fruit of the character will be manifest more and more in our lives and more abundantly as the Spirit takes greater possession of the life. So what happens is the Spirit takes control of the believer that they'll become just like Jesus in every way, just like we read in one John, chapter three, verse two, which says, those are ready to meet Jesus will be just like Him, and purify themselves. And even actually, in fact, it's Jesus purifying us. But we have to be willing, don't we? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And I love this quote from The Desire of Ages, page 668 by Ellen G. White, talking about obedience coming from the heart. Yes, it's a wonderful quote. SPEAKER C It says, all true obedience comes from the heart. It was hard work with Christ. Now, that is just an incredible statement. It was hard work with Christ, and if we consent, he will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to his will, that when obeying Him, we shall but be carrying out our own impulses. That is incredible. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER C The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing his service. When we know God, as it is our privilege to know Him. So that's a close, intimate relationship. SPEAKER E It's a privilege, yeah. SPEAKER C When we know God as it our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through a communion with God, sin will become hateful to us. SPEAKER E And did you notice that there was a if there? If is a conditional word. It says, all true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, there's the key to this whole thing, Etienne. If we consent, Jesus will do all that he promised. SPEAKER C So free will is very much included in the whole parameter of the relationship with God. SPEAKER E God's not looking for robots. He wants people to love Him. And if we consent, he'll write his laws on our mind and our hearts. He'll identify his thoughts and his aims with ours. We'll be carrying out our own impulses. And as he says, our life can be one of continual obedience. It sounds like impossibility, but there's a promise that whatever, if we consent, that God will do this. SPEAKER C So God is obviously working in these people's lives to will and to do according to his good pleasure. SPEAKER E That's right. And remember it's through an appreciation of the character of Christ. So the more we spend with Jesus through communion with Him, sin will become more hate for us. So the baptism, the Holy Spirit will bring about this fulfillment of Christ's promise that believers will do the same works as he did, and even greater works. You ever thought about that? Jesus says in John 14, verse twelve, and let's read that text. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C It says, most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also. And greater works than these he will do because I go to my Father. SPEAKER E Wow. And if you read the rest of John, chapter 14, he says, I will not leave you as orphans. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E I will send the comforter and I will come and the comforter will dwell with you and be in you. SPEAKER D In you. SPEAKER E And he talks about Him and the Father wanting to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit. And so Christ will do the same works today through the believer, as he did when he worked on this earth 2000 years ago. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E And so how does this happen? What happens when the believer receives the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit and continues to walk in the Spirit? SPEAKER C Okay, so you've got to continue to. SPEAKER E Walk in the Spirit. In fact, Jesus says that we would even do greater works because Jesus'works will be manifested through every believer that receives Him fully. In other words, there can be millions and millions of people who are receiving Jesus, living in them and doing the same work. SPEAKER C The baptism of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER E So it's a multiplication of Christ in us, the hope of glory in his believers. SPEAKER C One big holy franchise. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C Christ is living into the believers and he's working through them. SPEAKER E I like that. SPEAKER C Praise God. SPEAKER E I like that one. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E And so in a very real sense, every believer becomes as Christ to the world. We become Christ's mouth his hands and his feet, doing the very works that Jesus did. And what did Jesus do? Preaching, teaching, healing, casting out devils. We will be doing the same works. SPEAKER C As Jesus, working for the betterment of humanity, and every person he touched was better for it. SPEAKER E That's right. And so it is this full manifestation of the sons of God that the whole of creation is waiting for. This is what creation is waiting for. Let's read that in Romans, chapter eight, verse 19. Romans eight, verse 19. SPEAKER C It says, for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. SPEAKER E So creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God that will reveal Christ in them the hope of glory. SPEAKER C So there's not just us waiting, we're waiting for the second coming of the Lord. But it says that all creation and God's created beings in other places, even the angels then would be waiting. SPEAKER E Because there's two things that need to happen, Etienne. Number one is the Everlasting Gospel needs to go to the world. SPEAKER D Yes. Amen. SPEAKER E So that's number one. Number two, christ is waiting for longing, desire, for the manifestation of Himself in his church. And when his character is perfectly reproduced in his people, remember his character. SPEAKER C His character. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E His manifestation of himself. It's not us reproducing it it's Christ in us of the hope of glory. When that happens, it says, then he'll come to claim them as his own. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E That's out of Christ's. Object lessons, page 69. Nine. SPEAKER D Yes. Beautiful. SPEAKER E That's right. And so when this occurs in its fullness, the earth will be then lighted with God's character of glory, and then the end will come. And you read about that in Revelations, chapter 18, verse one. SPEAKER D Yeah. Okay. SPEAKER C It says, after these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER C So how does the world see the glory of God? SPEAKER E Well, it's Christ in it Christ's glory being seen through and in his people. SPEAKER C Through millions of believers who've been filled with the Holy Spirit and have Christ living within them. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C Revealing his character. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C So this is that thing that Jesus said to his disciples. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love, the first fruit of the Spirit for one another. And that love, which is the fulfillment of the law, is the glory of God that will be revealed to his people. SPEAKER E Well, God's glory again is his character. That's what will be seen in the world as God's glory be reflected in God's people. One, they'll be keeping God's commandments because Jesus kept the commandments. So that's why it says in Revelation 14, here are they that keep the commandments of God. Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments. So this will be a demonstration of God's people who keep his commandments, all ten of them. And also, it says that they also repeat the three angels message in power, because if you read the rest of Revelation 81, they repeat the third angel's message in power to the world. SPEAKER A Yeah. SPEAKER C Because the first angel's message says, fear God and give glory to Him. But here we see that this angel illuminates the whole earth with God's glory. So there's the first angel's message. SPEAKER E They are receiving God's glory and then giving out the message, the third angel's message, and it's demonstrated in obedience to God's commandments. SPEAKER C And then the second angel's message is, Babylon has fallen. Has fallen. That is word for word repeated. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C And then it says there, come out of her, my people, lest you receive of her plagues and partake because you've partaken in her sins. That is the third angel's message. SPEAKER E That's right, because most of God's people, it says, Come out of her, my people are in Babylon. And Babylon means confusion. SPEAKER D Yes, it does. SPEAKER E It means confusion about God's character, about his know. Some people say many people teach that we're going to be people who don't make it. We'll be burning in hell forever, saying that God will torture and burn people forever and ever. That's confusion about God's character when you understand and read God's justice either. No, I mean, 46, I think, out of 52 verses that talk about hell and guieena all right, are talking about death, and the few that talk about the fire, it talks about when it uses the word forever. It doesn't mean forever. It means it till it's finished. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And you have to read those Bible verses in context to the other 46 that says they become asAshes. The dead know nothing. So here we have confusion about God's character. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C God is the most misunderstood person ever because he gets misrepresented. He gets misaligned. And my challenge to our listener out there as well is that you've got to spend time in the word get to and find out what God is like. The Bible says, taste and see that the Lord is good. When you see what God is really like, you'll start seeing things in a totally different character. SPEAKER E That's right. And so remember, God's glory is his character. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Okay. Exodus, chapter 33, verses 1819, says, god's glory is his character. SPEAKER C That's right. We just mentioned it before. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And Paul states here that the believer in Two Corinthians 318 will be growing in Christ's character from glory to glory. SPEAKER C So by beholding Christ's glory, they are transformed into his glory, which is his glory. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And it's by the Spirit of the Lord that dwells in him. The infilling of the Holy Spirit of God will make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom the glory forever and ever. Hebrews, chapter 13, verse 21, right, tells us that the infilling the Holy Spirit will make us perfect. SPEAKER C Well, it says there, make you complete in every good work to do, his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. SPEAKER E That's right. It's great. SPEAKER C What a beautiful text. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E And I love what Ellen White says when she reaffirms the development of character of the Spirit's infilling when they receive the infilling. And she writes these beautiful words in Desire of Ages, page 173. SPEAKER C It says, when the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced, love, humility and peace takes the place of anger, envy and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven. SPEAKER E Wow. So sinful thoughts are put away. The Spirit transforms us, just as two Corinthians 318 says, and instead of having the fruits of the flesh, we have the fruits of the Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And we can clearly see why Jesus counsels those in Laodicea the message to God's last day church, to receive the eyesave of the Spirit. It is only way to come out of their spiritual blind and spiritual weak condition. We must experience the early reign in order to receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. And I believe it's time for the latter rain to fall. And if we do not experience the infilling of the Spirit, which is the early reign found in Joel, chapter two, verse 23, we will not be prepared to receive and participate in the work of the latter reign. And I believe God is moving among his people today and leading them to this one of experience of receiving the early reign of the Holy Spirit to grow in preparation for the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. And as I mentioned earlier, in order to come out of our latest incision and be ready for Christ's second coming, we must daily experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And this Spirit filled experience is not an option for those ready to meet Jesus when he returns. It is a necessity. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And Ellen White confirms that with these words from letter 15 1889 to Dr. Burke. SPEAKER C She writes these words says nothing. But the baptism of the Holy Spirit can bring up the church to its right position and prepare the people of God for the fast approaching conflict. SPEAKER E Right. So we know what's going to happen at the end. You've read the Book of Revelation and Daniel, you know what's coming. All the seven plagues are going to be poured out, the close of probation. We know all these things. The beasts in Revelation 13 of the earth reuniting with the beast of Revelation 13 that comes out of the sea coming together and forcing the whole world to worship them and receive the mark of the beast. And so the only thing that will prepare us for this fast approaching conflict is the baptism, the Holy Spirit. Because the baptism Holy Spirit is Christ in us the hope of glory. And that is the only way that we will be ready to receive the latter reign and prepared to go through the last final conflict on earth. SPEAKER D That's incredible. SPEAKER C So a conflict is coming. SPEAKER E That's right. SPEAKER C It's inevitable. It's just a matter of time. If we are concerned about this conflict, what do we do? You can't do anything about it. It's going to come anyway. But what we are told here, we encourage to walk in unison with God, to have that close, intimate relationship with the Lord. Because the Lord is able to protect us, he's able to shield us and shelter us. But it is only from this quote, only the baptism of the Holy Spirit that can bring the church to its right position and prepare the people of God for the fast approaching conflict. SPEAKER E That's right. The baptism of the Holy Spirit early reign prepares us for the latter reign, which prepares us for the final crisis. So the foolish virgins and the wise virgins, the difference was one had prepared and had the oil. SPEAKER C One had oil. SPEAKER E The baptism. The Holy Spirit were ready. They had oil in their vessels as well, which was their character. And their foolish virgins did not prepare. SPEAKER C That's right, dear listener. We're just going to take a short break. Stay tuned. We'll be right back after the short message. SPEAKER F Welcome to the minute that makes a difference. I'm Margot Marshall. What difference would it. Make if you ate beans daily, there are ten compelling reasons. Here's one beans are a rich source of antioxidants, and the little red azuki bean has more antioxidants per serving than any other fruit or vegetable, even higher than blueberries. That's just one reason the United Nations declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses, which is another name for beans or legumes. What's so good about antioxidants? They protect against heart disease, cancer, strengthen the immune system and slow down the aging process. So enjoy some of the hundreds of varieties of beans every day in soups, salads, casseroles or on toast for breakfast. Beans make a difference. SPEAKER C Dear listener, welcome back. Just before the break there we were talking about the importance of receiving the Holy Spirit to prepare God's people for the fast approaching conflict. That conflict lies just before Jesus Christ returns. And this is basically the last and final showdown between good and evil. Now, what is the showdown about? What are they trying to achieve? God wants your heart. The devil wants your heart. And he's trying to do everything he possibly can to deceive the whole world so that they fall for his deceptions and are not ready for Christ's return. But through the Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of truth, which leads into all truth, god is able to shield his people. And we're talking about how important that is. So we've been talking about receiving the isol through the Holy Spirit so that we can lose our blindness. Colin, where are we going next? Because there's a few things we receive from Jesus if we are willing to buy them from Him. SPEAKER E All right. Jesus also talks about receiving the white raiment. SPEAKER C Okay, why do we need white raiment? SPEAKER E Well, in order for the church to come out of a late to see and fulfill her purpose, it's necessary for her to understand and experience righteous by faith, which is the right raiment. And we also need to understand both the justifying and sanctifying righteousness of Christ. And so we're going to focus on this part on the justification aspect of receiving Christ's righteousness. In our next program, we're going to talk about the sanctification aspect of righteous by faith. We're going to talk about justification aspect of receiving Christ's righteousness, which is called receiving the imputed righteousness of Christ. You see, justification and sanctification or the imputed and imparted righteousness of Christ go hand in hand. When one accepts Jesus as their savior. They're like two sides of one coin, and God's desire is for the believer to experience both in the life. The problem through the ages has been the confusion concerning what the Bible teaches on these important subjects and understanding how to experience them to the fullest extent in one's life. For example, let me explain what to be justified means. To be justified is to be declared free from the guilt and penalty of law breaking. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Okay. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E For instance, if you're accused of are. SPEAKER C You telling me that's free? SPEAKER E Well, I'm going to explain how it works, but you can be declared free. You're guilty and you go to court yeah. And say you're accused of breaking some law, you'll be taken to court, wouldn't you? You'll be tried and judged and if you're found guilty, you will received a just penalty for your law breaking. Now, if during the trial you are found innocent of the charges, you'll be then declared justified. You'll be free from the guilt and penalty of the law breaking you accused. SPEAKER C Of committing so justice if you've never committed the crime. SPEAKER A Yeah. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER E So in the Bible, we've all sinned. The Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And it says since Satan is our accuser and day and night he's accusing God with our sins. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E So what's man's condition? We need to understand our true condition, Etienne. So the first step in understanding experiencing justification from our disobedience of God's law is to know what the Bible teaches about man's natural born condition before God. We were born with a sinful nature. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And according to the Bible, we were born with a sinful nature and not one of us is righteous because Romans, chapter three, verses ten says we have all sinned. In Romans, chapter three, verse 23, let's read that. SPEAKER C It says there in verse ten, as it is written, there is none righteous. No, not one. And then verse 23, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory. Here we see the word glory again, glory of God. SPEAKER E That's right. And because of this condition, we are all condemned to death as unrighteous lawbreakers. That's in Romans chapter six, verse 23. Because of this, let's read that. SPEAKER C It says, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. SPEAKER E So the wages of sin is death, the penalty is eternal death, separation for God to be eternally separated and not exist for eternity, to be dead for eternity. And so that was the penalty. Remember in the garden of Know God said don't eat of the tree of good and evil, of knowledge of tree and good and evil or you will die. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Satan comes along and says through the medium of a serpent says you shall not die. God says you will die. It's interesting that many religions now teach that we have a soul that will never die. SPEAKER C So there's the immortality of the soul. Yeah, that's right. SPEAKER E God says you will die. SPEAKER C The soul who sins shall die. I'll think of the text in Ezekiel chapter 18 and verse four and Ezekiel chapter 18 and verse 20, the soul who sin shall die. So if you think the soul is immortal, go and read Ezekiel chapter 18. It's very clear there that God will destroy both body and spirit or body and soul in hell. SPEAKER E That's right. And there's many other Bible verses we could unpack to show you that from that word. Maybe another time we can go through that. But the Bible makes it clear that because of our we have all sinned, we are all condemned to death as unrighteous lawbreakers in Romans 623. And this terrible condition came upon mankind through our forefather of all Adam. In Romans, chapter five, verse twelve, it. SPEAKER C Says therefore, just as through one man, that being Adam, sin entered the world and death through sin. And thus death spread to all men because all sinned, so it spread to. SPEAKER E All man and all sinned. His sin brought this sinful condition upon us, didn't it? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E Sinful nature. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E Which leads us right without the power of the Holy Spirit, it leads us. SPEAKER C To fall short of God's glory. And sin, his glory is goodness, which is the fulfillment of the law. So all have sinned and fallen short, and that is sin. Sin is the transgression of the law. SPEAKER E I just wanted to ask you that actually what is sin according to the Bible? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Well, sin according to the new King James or the NIV, is lawlessness. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C King James says sin is the transgression of the law. It means the same thing. SPEAKER E So sin is the transgression or breaking of God's law or Ten Commandments. That's right. And so what happens is sin brought this sinful condition upon us. And along with sinful conditions came the just penalty of death. Therefore, every human being stands before God as a condemned sinner, deserving of death. That's our hopeless, helpless condition. And unless God does something for us, we are eternally lost or separated from God. This is the reason Jesus Christ came one of us. And we read that in John, chapter three, verse 16 of verse 18, that what did God do about this? SPEAKER C Well, it says, for God so loved the world that he gave, he didn't say loan, gave so permanently. His only begotten Son, that whosoever that includes absolutely everybody, believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved so that's every single person might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already. SPEAKER E Yeah, because we're condemned already because we've sinned. And the just penalty is eternal death. God said that if you break a law, there is a consequence or a penalty. But God says, you know what, I'm going to do something about this. I love you too much to let you go. So he sent his son Jesus to take that penalty for us upon that cross. SPEAKER C It's all about reconciliation, isn't it? I mean, we were separated by our sins from God through Jesus. We can get reconciled back to God the Father. He who has the Son, that is Jesus Christ has life. He who does not have the Son does not have life. So if we live a life here of separation from God, and there's no reconciliation, obviously ultimately we choose an existence apart from God, and there's no existence, there's no life, there's no eternal life. So we just receive the outcome of our own choices, basically. SPEAKER E That's right. And so once we understand this, we might say, well now I realize I'm a sinner, so I'll begin obeying God's law and he will accept or just affirm me or declare me free from the guilt and death penalty of my sin. SPEAKER D Right? SPEAKER E And so now I'll begin obeying God's law and become righteous in his sight. SPEAKER C Well, doesn't work that way, does it? SPEAKER D No. SPEAKER E The truth is that when we become to realize we are sinful lawbreakers, we are powerless to then begin keeping the law of God in order to achieve righteousness and justification and freedom from guilt and the penalties in our lives concerning this. Paul wrote this in Romans chapter three, verse 20. SPEAKER C It says, therefore by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin, sin is the transgression of the law. How do we know what sin is? By the law. It says, by the law is the knowledge of sin. SPEAKER E So you know, no matter how hard we try to obey God's law, we still fall short of the perfect righteous obedience. No, we are sinners and we have a sinful nature, and we've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And so the Bible says that, doesn't it? SPEAKER C It does. SPEAKER E It says that again in Romans chapter three, verse ten and twelve, as it is written, there is none righteous. No, not one. I think that's pretty clear. SPEAKER D Adian. SPEAKER E Not one. SPEAKER D That's very clear. SPEAKER E There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of their way, they are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Wow. And so a fatal error that we can make, right. Well, this spiritual trap is the same that the Jews of Christ they fell into. They thought they could be righteous in God's sight by keeping the law. In Romans chapter nine, verse 31 and. SPEAKER C 32, it says, but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Well, that's a really good question to ask, because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. And we know that stumbling stone was Christ. SPEAKER E That's right. They were trying to the impossible and they didn't even know it. So when Christ came preaching righteous by faith, the religious leaders believed he was teaching heresy. Yes, they rejected the only one through who they could become righteous. The apostle Paul wrote of their condition and clearly stated that Christ is the end or the fulfillment of the law for righteousness for all who believe in him. That's in Romans, chapter ten, verse one. SPEAKER C To four, it says brethren, my heart desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. And then, verse four, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Now, the word end, there is the word telos, which means the aim, the object, the goal of the commandments. SPEAKER E Christ is our righteousness. SPEAKER C Christ is the aim. This is what the law demands. Christ fulfills the law. SPEAKER E He's our only hope. Amen. And we have faith in his righteousness. We are set free. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E On the other hand, the non Jews or the Gentiles who accepted Christ attained righteousness before God. So how do they do that? Eddie well, they became righteous before God by faith in Christ and his righteousness. In Romans, chapter nine, verse 30, it. SPEAKER C Says, what shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness of faith. Incredible statement. SPEAKER E So the Bible teaches that there is no other way to become righteous and be saved except through belief in Jesus Christ. And it says that in Acts chapter four, verse twelve, acts, chapter four, verse twelve. SPEAKER C Acts, chapter four, verse twelve says, nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. SPEAKER E Wow. So no one is made righteous and saved by their own righteous works. That's pretty clear, isn't it? SPEAKER D That is very clear. SPEAKER E Righteousness and salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And Paul wrote that in Titus, chapter three, verse five and six. SPEAKER C It says, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saves us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord. SPEAKER E Wow. So Paul wrote, therefore, in Romans, chapter three, verse 20 and 28, therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall be no flesh be justified. I think that's pretty clear. No one's going to be justified by the deeds of the law. Yes, in his sight. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Romans, chapter three, verse 20 and 28. So there is no righteousness in this earth except the righteousness of Christ. But I want to make a clue. Does that mean we throw the law out? Eddie and no, the law is because I want you to keep reading in Romans, chapter three, right, as it say at the end. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C Romans, chapter three, which verses are we. SPEAKER E Looking at right at the end? Romans, chapter three, verses okay, verse 31. 31? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C It says, do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not. Or as the King James says, God forbid. On the contrary, we establish the law. SPEAKER E Or we uphold the law. So what it's saying is we're not saved by keeping the law, okay? Because the Jews thought they were. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And so Paul's trying to point out, no, you're saved by the righteous of Christ as a gift from God, and then you've got other Christians say, oh, awesome. We're saved by Christ and he's righteous. We don't need the law. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER E And Paul says no. Do we then throw it out because of the opposite? We uphold the law of God, but we're not saved by keeping the law of God. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And again in Romans, chapter three, verse 20 and 28. Again, and being found in here. Oh, sorry. Therefore by the deeds of law, there'll be no flesh be justified in sight. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without deeds of a law. I think we've made that pretty clear today. SPEAKER D We have? Yeah. SPEAKER C And I mean, Philippians, chapter three and verse nine says exactly the same thing. It says, and be found in him that's be found in Jesus Christ, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. SPEAKER E It's good news, isn't it? What is? SPEAKER C Beautiful news. So we receive the righteousness of Christ as a gift, and we receive it by faith, by believing His Word and his promises. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Amen. And this applies both to his imputed and his imparted righteousness. Or you can call it justifying and sanctifying righteousness in the Christian's life. The Bible teaches that we receive Christ's imputed righteousness and imparted righteousness by faith in Him, and we experience both justification and sanctification by faith in Christ. You can read that in Colossians, chapter two, verse six. SPEAKER C It says, as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. SPEAKER E So how did you receive Christ? SPEAKER C Well, in righteousness. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And by faith. SPEAKER E How do you walk in Him? SPEAKER C By faith. So it's faith in the beginning and faith in the end. SPEAKER E That's right in the middle. And power. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And it's all Jesus gift. And this is why Jesus Christ chose to become a man and be born a man and live a victorious human life over sin and allow Himself to be put to death. Only Christ the God man could save man. And John, chapter one, verses one to four. SPEAKER C It says, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God, all things were made through Him. That is, all things were made through the Word, and without Him, without the Word, nothing was made that was made in him, that is, in the Word was life, and the life was the light of men. SPEAKER E And verse 14 as well. What does it say in verse 14? SPEAKER C And the word became flesh. SPEAKER E So Jesus, the word of God, who was with God and is God, became. SPEAKER C Flesh, became flesh, and he dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. SPEAKER E Amen. So when Jesus walked this earth as a man, he lived the perfect sinless, righteous life. Peter talks about that in one peter, chapter two, verse 22, he talks about he lived this perfect sinless, righteous life. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit yes. In sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart. SPEAKER E Wow. And Jesus was tempted in all points, just as we are, and gained the victory over every temptation. In Hebrews, chapter four, verse 15, it talks about that Jesus was tempted in all points. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER E Everything. He was tempted. SPEAKER C Tempted in all the word points was actually added afterwards. If you have a Bible like the King James and new King James, it's written in italics. The word all is not. But the word points is. So he was tempted in all, in everything that we are tempted. He was tempted, yet without sin. SPEAKER E Without sin. SPEAKER C Incredible that Christ could overcome sin like that and taste temptation as you tasted and as I tasted, and dear listener, as you tasted as well, he obtained the victory over those sins. And this is what he offers us, the victory, his righteousness. SPEAKER E Amen. And so the Apollo apostle contrasts Adam and Christ in the fifth chapter of Romans. He points out that through Adam'sin and all his descendants, you and me became sinners by nature. Therefore Adam and all his descendants stand guilty before God and condemned to death. Romans, chapter five, verse twelve, says therefore. SPEAKER C As through one man, that is, Adam'sin entered the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned. SPEAKER E That's right. Because we all sinned. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E On the other hand, Christ came and lived a perfectly righteous life. And because of this, the one who chooses to believe in Christ has his righteousness given to him freely, as spoken in Romans, chapter five, verse 17 to 19. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And it says there in verse 19 for if by one man's offense, that is Adam's offense, death reign through the one being Adam. Much more those who receive the Buddhance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C Therefore, as through one man that's Adam again offence, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation. Even so, through one man's righteous act, which is the righteous acts of Jesus Christ, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. Verse 19, for as by one man Adam's disobedience, many were made sinners, so also by one man, Jesus Christ's obedience. Many will be made righteous because of his obedience. SPEAKER E We're made righteousness. And that's the point, isn't it? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And this transaction, right, happens by faith. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Because of this, the one who chooses to believe in Christ has his righteousness given to him freely. This is good news. SPEAKER D It is good news. SPEAKER E This transaction happens by faith. And that is why the Christian becomes righteous in God's sight, by faith in Christ and his righteousness. He has Christ's righteousness put on him or imputed to him or is covered by Christ's righteous, by faith. And by believing it is so we be like by faith. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And the Christian can do nothing to earn this righteousness. Thus this is how a man or woman can become righteousness. They respond to the Holy Spirit's conviction that Jesus is their Savior and that they are a sinner. We've got to come to that point where we believe that we are a sinner and he is our Savior. Yes, they accept Jesus as their Savior and confess their sins and ask God to forgive us. That's what we do. They believe they are forgiven. One John, chapter one, verse nine says. SPEAKER C If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. SPEAKER E So not only does he forgive us our sins, he cleanses us as well of all righteousness. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So they now believe they're covered with Christ's righteousness. So what happens is God looks at them when God looks at us edie and looks at all of us who have repented of our sins and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, he sees the perfect obedience, the obedience of Christ. He sees the perfect righteousness and the righteousness of Christ. They accept the fact that Christ died for their sins. And by faith they accept the free gift of forgiveness or righteousness and eternal life that Jesus gives them. That is found in Romans, chapter six, verse 23. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C It says, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. SPEAKER E Do you remember in the ancient Israel, when a sinner had sinned, he'd bring a lamb? Yes, a perfect lamb. It had to be a lamb without blemish representing Christ. And what happens is you would bring this lamb to the high priest and then you would lay your hands on the lamb and transfer your sins to him. All right? Okay. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Then the priest would hand you the knife. You would cut the lamb's throat. SPEAKER C So someone innocent dies because of me. SPEAKER E Remember, your sins have been transferred to the lamb. Now, all right? Now listen to these words. The priest inspected the lamb, not the sinner. SPEAKER C Wow. SPEAKER E So even the Old Testament. There's the gospel. See, the Father inspects the lamb, not the sinner. See, our sins have been transferred to the Lamb, and he sees Jesus, his perfect righteousness. And it's just great news. That is the Gospel right there, beautiful in the earthly sanctuary. And this happens by faith. We believe that our sins have been transferred to Christ and that we've been forgiven. He has Christ righteous put on him, imputed to him, or covered by Christ righteous. By faith and by believing it is so the Christian can do nothing to earn his righteousness. And that's how we become righteous. They accept the fact that Christ died for their sins. And by faith, they accept the free gift of forgiveness, righteousness and eternal life that Jesus gives them. By faith, they stand justified before God, free from the guilt and penalty of sin. And by faith in Christ, a marvellous exchange takes place in the Christian. Jesus takes our sins and death upon himself, and he gives us his perfect righteous and eternal life. SPEAKER C Thank you, Lord. SPEAKER E And I love the words that Ellen Wright wrote in these words in The Desire of Ages, page 25. Just beautiful words here says christ was. SPEAKER C Treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as he deserves. He was condemned for our sins in which he had no share, that we might be justified by his grace in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was his. With his stripes, we are healed. SPEAKER E That's good news, isn't it? SPEAKER C It's great news. That is good news. SPEAKER E And so understanding and experience Christ's justifying a righteousness is essential for those in Laodicea to come out of their spiritually naked condition. He says, we're naked, blind and poor. Take my white raiment. He's justifying a righteousness. It is only those who experience Christ's imputed righteousness justification and imparted righteousness sanctification that they will be sealed and experience the latter reign of the Holy Spirit and be ready for Christ's return. You know, Satan knows this, Etienne, and he has devised his Omega prosity to stop Christ's righteousness from being manifested in the life he is leading. Many to accept Christ's justifying righteousness, right? So many accept Christ justifying righteousness, but reject the truth that Christ sanctifying or imparted righteousness, which leads to perfect obedience to God's law. Those who deceive rest in Christ's justifying righteous believe that it is all they need to be saved. They believe Christ's sanctifying righteous can only be partial in one's life, and that complete victory over sin is not possible. SPEAKER D Right? SPEAKER E Tragically, those individuals or these individuals will not come out of their latest incondition. They are the foolish virgins without the oil of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And when we believe that is possible because God said so, god's promise, not because we think we can do it, we need a power outside of ourselves. And that power is Christ. So, dear listener, we're just going to share our contact details with you now. We'll take a quick break and we'll be right back after these messages. Stay tuned. Thank you for joining us on You Shall Receive Power. If you would like more information about today's program or if you have any questions, please contact 3ABN Australia Radio by Phoning 024-973-3456. Or you can send an email to [email protected]. You can also contact us on our 3ABN Australia radio Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you SPEAKER E So today we've talked about Christ's justifying righteousness and how essential it is for those in Laodicea, which is God's last day church, Lukewarm Church, to come out of our spiritually naked condition and fulfill the church's purpose and mission. And remember, it's only those who experience his imputed righteousness justification we talked about today, and imparted righteousness sanctification that will be sealed and ready for the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus soon return. That's why even in Revelation, chapter seven, it talks about god has his angels holding back the winds of strife. He's waiting for his people to be sealed, to have God's law written on their mind and hearts, to have his character to be justified and to be cleansed and sanctified and received the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. And those who go on this journey, this is a journey. This is like two Corinthians 318 says, we are transformed from glory to glory. This is a process. SPEAKER C It's a continuous beholding Jesus Christ. SPEAKER E As long as you're on that process, god, or Jesus, is the author and finisher of our faith. He began this work and he'll finish this work. All we got to do is consent to Him doing this work in us and through us. SPEAKER C So, dear listener, we pray that God has blessed you as we study today this beautiful truth of the Gospel that God gifts us eternal life through Jesus Christ. He gifts us the righteousness of God, which is the righteousness we receive through Christ and through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He gifts us the faith of Jesus, because it is that faith that enables us to believe God's promises. And by believing, God then says, they want me to do in their lives what I said I would do for them. But God never forces himself on anybody. We have to believe, and believe signifies trust. And we can only trust someone if we really know them. So our encouragement to you is get to know the Lord taste and see that the Lord is good. Thank you for joining us today. On. You shall receive power. It's been a pleasure having your company, and we pray that God will continue to bless you and keep you as you behold Jesus and continually be transformed and changed to be more like Him, in love and in character. SPEAKER D God be with you. SPEAKER C Till next time. SPEAKER D You'Ve been Listening to a production of Three ABN, Australia radio.