All right, let's take our Bibles
and turn with me to the book of 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians
chapter 7. I'd like to look at two verses,
verse 2 and 3. Bringing us back up to where
we were, the Apostle Paul, Speaking to the church at Corinth, he said in verse one, having
therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God. Receive us. We have wronged no
man. We have corrupted no man. We
have defrauded no man. I speak not this to condemn you,
for I have said before that ye are in our hearts to die and
to live with you. Now, Paul referred to them as
dearly beloved. dearly beloved. Paul loved them. They were his brethren. And he
said, having these promises, of course, all the promises of
God, but especially in this context, the last few verses of the sixth
chapter, he said in verses 16 to 18, what agreement hath the temple of God with idols. For ye are the temple of the
living God. As God has said, I will dwell
in them. These are the promises. Listen
to these promises. I will dwell in them and walk
in them. And I will be their God and they
shall be my people. Wherefore, because of these promises,
I'll dwell in them, walk in them, be my people, I'll be their God. Wherefore, come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing, and I will receive you. Now listen to this promise. And
will be a father unto you. You shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty. The Lord, speaking of his people,
there was a nation that God had set apart. It was Israel. And not everyone, you know this,
in natural Israel was of the true Israel of God. They weren't
all God's elect, but they were a picture. As Israel was separated
out of all the other nations in the world, God selected, chose
Israel. God's got a people out of all
the masses of humanity. And these promises that the Lord
was given, telling his people, separate yourselves from those
who are not worshipers. Be separate. These that worship
idols, the idols of false gods. And all that today that worship
not the God of this Bible. They're worshiping an idol. an
idol. Now, they claim to be worshiping
God. They speak of Christ. They use
words like grace, salvation, faith, the cross, but in reality,
unless they're setting forth the truth that's set forth in
the scriptures. Now, here's the truth. When you
talk about salvation, they talk about salvation. They use the
word. They talk about being saved. But unless salvation is set forth
as being of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord, period. No man contributes to it. Salvation is of the Lord. That
Christ, they speak of the crucifixion. But unless they're setting forth
this truth, that when the Lord Jesus Christ died, he laid down
his life for the sheep only. Unless they're setting forth
that his crucifixion was for a particular people. They're not telling the truth. Worshipping another gospel, Jesus. It's not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by
the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Salvation
is by grace alone. Through faith in Christ alone,
when I say faith in Christ alone, I mean casting all of our hope
upon him, not faith that he exists. I've said that so many times.
Devils believe he exists, but faith in Christ is to trust the
Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. That's what Simeon said. We just
brought that up last week, last Sunday. Simeon says, my eyes
have seen thy salvation. So it's salvation by grace alone,
through faith alone, in Christ alone. And here's the bottom
line I just mentioned, without any contribution on man's part. Man makes no contribution to
his salvation, none. For by grace are you saved, through
faith and that not of yourself. It's the gift of God. So Paul
is saying to the church there at Corinth, what agreement hath
the temple of God with idols? And then he said, ye are the
temple of the living God. What fellowship can the temple
of the living God have with idols? God dwells in his people. God
walks in his people. He is their God, they are his
people. Wherefore, come out, come out. So here's Paul that is preaching
to a group of people that we looked at before and it had some
problems in the church. It had some things that had come
up and Paul had lovingly dealt with them. Firmly, but lovingly. And he was here to to try to
explain to them that love that he had for me, though he had
to be firm. He said, I'm here because I love
you. We're going to see that. I've
entitled this message, The Heart of Love. This is the heart of
love. So those that are preaching man's contribution to salvation,
they're preaching another gospel. Paul said, come out. Galatians
117, he said, there be some that trouble you and would pervert.
the gospel of Christ, but he said in Galatians 1 8, though
we are an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than
that which we've preached, let him be accursed. So having these
promises, possessing that this intimate relationship with the
God of all creation and providence and salvation, Paul said in that
first verse, Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit. Now let me say this. Obviously,
when we hear that right there, let us cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. Now we know, every believer
knows, that we don't possess the ability to spiritually cleanse
ourselves, purge ourselves. Ezekiel 36, 25 says this, I've
written this down, I'll just read you this verse. Then will
I sprinkle clean water upon you, the blood of Christ, and ye shall
be clean. Clean from all your filthiness,
all your idols, will I cleanse you. So when we say cleanse yourself,
It's not talking about that ability. 1 John, look at 1 John 1. 1 John 1. See, the reason I'm
wanting to make crystal clear, man by nature
thinks he can do it by his free will. He thinks that his action,
his will, his work is what did it. 1 John 1, 7 and 9. But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all
sin. If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess
our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So, back in 2 Corinthians 7,
having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God. Now, here's what I want us to
understand. What does he mean? When he's talking about, let
us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh, spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Now, again, he says perfecting
holiness. Now, if we're talking about speaking
of righteousness before God, again, we know that we cannot
procure righteousness for ourselves. We're certainly not going to
procure a more perfect righteousness than that which is ours in the
Lord Jesus Christ. What has the Lord done for us?
I'm going to get to that verse right there. We went over this
the last time I preached on this, but I thought I better go over
this again. I want to hear it. Turn with me to Romans 10, 3
and 4. Romans 10, 3 and 4. And I say we don't procure, we
don't establish our righteousness before God, our righteousness,
our acceptance with God based on our absolute righteousness
being found. We don't produce that. Romans
10, three and four. For they being ignorant, he's
speaking of the Jews, of God's righteousness, going about to
establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God, for Christ is the end of the
law, for righteousness to everyone that believeth. What is it to
possess a righteousness before God? We fulfill the law. We kept the
law. But we kept the law in Christ,
robed in His righteousness, His obedience. So when Paul says
perfecting holiness in the fear of God, if he's talking about
perfecting righteousness, that is only found in a believer being
found and robed in Christ. He is the end of the law. Let's
look at Hebrews 10, 14. Hebrews 10, 14. Hebrews 10 and verse 14 says, For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. He has made perfect. He has completed. one sacrifice
for sin. He hath perfected, completed,
made perfect them that are set apart by God. So again, when
it comes to spiritual cleansing and righteousness, we have no
part in that. So then when Paul said back in
2 Corinthians chapter 7 and verse one when he says having therefore
these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in
the fear of god what is he saying what is he saying when paul speaks
of holiness let us let us cleanse ourselves perfecting holiness
when i look up these words and this is i told you the best thing
to do just look them up Holiness, moral purity. Moral purity is
what it means. He said perfecting holiness in
the fear of God. I just looked up the words and
wrote down what he said. Here's the definition. Accomplish
or execute moral purity in reverence or respect of God. But what is
he talking about? He's talking about the walk of
a believer. The walk of a believer. Almighty
God does something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. This is us from sin. by the blood
of the cross, by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're
washed white, our robes are washed white in his blood. We cannot
purify ourselves before God. We cannot, we do not establish
righteousness before God. It is the imputation of the righteousness
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have nothing to do with that,
but when Almighty God does something for us, let me tell you what
happens. That inward work, as old brother
Scott used to say, it'll get out on you. You'll, you'll see
it. That's, this is what Paul is
talking about. Paul is talking, he's telling
these Corinthians, having these promises, these, having therefore
these promises dearly beloved. Walk like a believer. Listen to these verses. Turn
to Ephesians 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4, I'd like
to read verses 21 to 32. I started to read a couple of
them, and I read them all, and I said, no, I'm going to read
them all. Ephesians 4, 21. If so be you've
heard him, that have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus,
that you put off concerning the former conversation of the old
man. Now let me ask you this, I'm gonna read these verses and
ask yourself this, is Paul speaking about the outward manifestation
of what the Lord has done for his people? There's a new man
inside, but he comes out. Is that man without sin? No,
no he's not without sin. But there's a new walk, there's
a different attitude, there's a different spirit about him.
He says, put off the former conversation of the old man, which is corrupt
according to deceitful lust. Is he still there? Yeah, Paul
saw him. He saw him and he warred against him. He said, I see two
men in me, old wretched man that I am. I see this old man doing
this and this new man striving. and be renewed in the spirit
of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore, put
him away lying. Speak every man truth with his
neighbor, for we're members one of another. Be ye angry and sin
not. Let not the sun go down upon
your wrath. Neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working
with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to
give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use
of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve
not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed unto the day of
redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor
evil-speaking, be put away from you with all malice, and be ye
kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as
God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you." There is no ability
in a believer to make himself inwardly, in that new man, to
make himself righteous. He doesn't have that ability.
God does that. Paul is saying, Beloved, having
these precious promises of God, let us cleanse ourselves of what
we just read. All filthiness of the flesh and
spirit-perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Accomplishing,
execute that Moral purity, that's the definition of the word. In
reverence or respect unto the Lord. One more, look at Ephesians
5, 8, and then I'll go on. Ephesians 5, 8. For ye were sometimes darkness,
but now are ye children. I'm sorry, for ye were sometimes
darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children. Walk like a believer. And I'll
tell you this, you're gonna walk, and you're gonna struggle, and
you're gonna see it, you're gonna know it, you're gonna feel it,
you're gonna hate the inconsistencies. We all have them in ourselves. But I'm telling you, there's
a new man there. A new man that has a desire, a heart after obedience
to the Lord. So the people of God, they do
walk. And they do rejoice in, they
enjoy by faith the blessings of God in Christ. And they truly
know and they believe that they are justified before him. Sin has been purged, righteousness
has been imputed, and they are justified. You know that scripture
that says, We're gonna stand before God. Let's see if we just,
I just, I'm not gonna say we're gonna grab the depth of it. I'm
gonna make a statement and I'm gonna go on. We're gonna stand
before God. And in that day, there's going
to be two kinds of people standing before God, sheep and goats. And all that are found in Christ
There's been a new man there. There's a new man there. And
we stand before God, we've left this world. And when we leave
this world, there's gonna be a change. There's gonna be a
change. We're not gonna all sleep, Paul
said, but we're all gonna be changed. We're gonna put on that,
have that body like the Lord had when he came out of the grave. There's a new man that is created
in righteousness and true holiness. There's a new man there, a new
man that's created. That which is born of God sinneth
not. Now you know that's so. That
which is born of God sinneth not. It cannot sin. It cannot sin because it's born
of God. That's what the scripture says. There's a new man there
that sinneth not. And when we stand before God,
sheep and goats are going to be divided. We're all going to
be judged on what we've done in our body. You know where I'm going with
this? All that's been born of God that have sinned not, they're
justified. That new man has never sinned.
That new man's never sinned. That which is born of God sinneth
not. Books will be open, and all that
are found written in the book. No charge. Never has been a charge. Never has been a charge. Justified. If we ever get a hold of that
word, justified. Stand before God, no sin. And God's people that are in
Christ right now, justified in Christ, but they've still got
an old body with them, and that old body is a detriment to them. Paul said, I see in me, I see
in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing, but in that day. But for right now, here we are. We're daily looking to Him, striving
to honor Him, and hating the thought of having any confidence
whatsoever in our flesh. And there's no room for boasting,
and we know it. Pride is nothing more than that
old man's lie that we're something. You say you're something when
you're nothing, you deceive yourself. God's people love Him. They love
Him. They want to be found walking
In His honor, they want to glorify Him. They want to praise Him.
They struggle all the way. You show me a man or a woman
that has no change in them. There's no attitude change in
them. Something wrong. Something desperately wrong.
Here's a believer. Paul said, the will is present
with me. How to perform that which is good, I find not. That
which we find in every believer is an ever-struggling attitude
to have a consistent walk. They're always seeing themselves
come short of the glory of God. So knowing these things, knowing
that the Lord has been pleased to send preachers to take the
word of God and set forth the struggles that they've had. Paul
is here telling them something. All the dealings that we looked
at in church at Corinth and all that was going on. And here's
Paul says, having these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and perfecting
holiness and the fear of God. And then he says unto them, receive
us. That is make, make room, make
room, make room for us. Give play in your heart. He's
telling us, rid themselves of the narrowness of affection. He said, listen, receive us.
We have wronged no man. We've not done anything to cause
you not to trust us or lose affection for us. We haven't done that.
We've corrupted no man. He said, we haven't spoiled or
defiled or ruined. of the lack of morals in the
lives of God's people. We didn't unjustly or we didn't
do wickedly towards you. We've defrauded no man. You see,
we've not made gain out of you. We hadn't gotten gain out of
you. We didn't do this for filthy lucre. We haven't overreached. We haven't taken advantage of
you. The church has no reason to alienate, Paul was saying,
themselves from God's preachers. Paul had declared that he'd done nothing
but give himself to the ministry for the glory of God and for
the good of God's people. 2 Timothy 2, 9-10 says, Wherefore,
I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even under bonds, but the word
of God is not bound. Therefore, I endure all things
for the elect's sake. that they may obtain salvation
which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. So according to
the defense that the Apostle Paul gives in his attitude toward
God's people, we know that those who labor in the word. Turn with
me to 1 Thessalonians 5. I'm going to read a couple of
verses there. We know that those that labor in the word, and believe
me, I take my word for it. You'd
have to ask somebody that has truly been called to preach to
know. I think about Brother Scott telling
me that time. He said he'd heard people say
that preachers only work three hours a week, two services on
Sunday and one on Wednesday. I'm telling you, I would beg
to differ. He was just kidding, obviously. God's people, they labor. They
labor in the word. They labor in doctrine. And the
apostles are going to set forth, and I'll show you this in 1 Thessalonians
5, they're to be highly esteemed for their work's sake. That's
scriptural. 1 Thessalonians 5, 12, and 13. We beseech you, brethren, know
them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord. and
admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their
work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves. Paul said to
that church at Corinth that had had many, many, many problems,
but had received the promises of God, that God would be their
God, would dwell in them, he'd be his people, he'd walk in them,
come out from among them. Oh, the mercy of God that is
shown to the people of God. Not on our merit. We're not shown
mercy on our merit. We don't have any merit. But
that the Lord would be pleased to show mercy because he chooses
to. Paul says, having all these promises,
walk as a believer. Walk as a believer. Receive us. Not wronged anyone, we haven't
corrupted no man, we've defrauded no man. Then he says this last
verse for tonight, I speak not this to condemn you, for I have
said before that ye are in our hearts to die and to live with
you. To make it perfectly clear that
Paul had no intention of doing them any harm, he said, I love
you, I love you. He told him that the things that
he had said to him, he said, it wasn't to your condemnation.
These corrections that he had made, but rather the speech was
to declare unto them his care for him, his love for him that
he had. He said, I've said before that
you are in our hearts to die and to live for you. And I, again,
I looked at that phrase. He said this, he says to die,
and to live with you, willing to be there with you, willing
to die with you, willing to live with you, willing
to be there. A statement that set forth that
extreme love for the church, knowing these are the Lord's
people. This is the foundation of our
love. God's people are God's people.
God chose him. The Father put him in Christ. Christ came in this world and
lived for him, suffered for him, died for him, raised for him,
ascended for him, ever liveth to make intercession for him,
coming back for him, that where he is, there they may be also. Love them. Love them for Christ's
sake. Love them for who they are in
the Lord. By this, Paul said, all men know
that you're my disciples. I mean, the Lord said this. By
this shall all men know that you're my disciples, that you
have love one for another. Last verse, 1 Thessalonians,
speaking of love. He said that to the church at
Corinth, and he said basically the same thing. to the church
at Thessalonica, 1 Thessalonians 2, 8. 1 Thessalonians 2, 8. He said, so being affectionately
desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not
the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were
dear unto us. God's people, love God's people. Sheep, sheep of his pasture. We love him because he loved
us first. We loved each other because he loved us first. I
pray God bless this to our hearts for Christ's sake.