THE PURSUIT OF PURITY By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
The Bible declares: “And almost all things are by the law purged by blood, and without the shedding of blood is no remission. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb. 9:22,27)
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained Eternal Redemption. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifying to the purifying of the flesh:
“How much shall the BLOOD OF CHRIST who
through the ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF without spot to God, PURGE your
conscience from dead works to serve the Living God? For Christ is not entered
into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true, but into
Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Heb. 9:11-24)
ONLY ONE MAN EVER LIVED A PERFECT LIFE – IN WORD AND DEED – AND THAT MAN WAS JESUS CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUS!
Only one man in the world’s history could turn to His enemies and say, “Which one of you convinces me of sin”, (Jn. 8:46). Only Jesus Christ could say to an incurably sick man, “thy sins be forgiven thee”, for only God can forgive sin. Then, to back it up with His ability to forgive sins, He healed the man perfectly!
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life; the Lord hath promised to him that love Him.’ (James 1:12). St. Paul stated, “the Scriptures hath concluded all under sin”. (Gal. 3:22) He knew the battles of temptation and sin!
In his
classic dissertation about the Three Laws that govern our inherited
sinful natures, our God-given consciences and Christ’s divine intervention by
the New Birth, we see how helpless we are outside of God’s mercy!
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that is good.
“Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me (that
is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but
how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do
not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
“Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members.” (Rom. 7:14-23)
“O
WRETCED MAN THAT I AM, CRIES ST. PAUL, WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF
THIS DEATH?" (Rom. 7:24)
Then he states, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with
the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”.
(Rom. 7:25)
But there is good news! Here is the key to deliverance. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS hath made me free from the law of sin and death”. (Rom. 8: 1-2)
The “law of God in our inward parts” is the “eternity He has placed in our hearts” (Eccl. 3:11 Lit. Greek). The "law of sin and death” is the sinful nature we are all born with and “the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus which sets us free”, is the miracle of the New Birth, through Jesus’ redemptive work on Mount Calvary!
No wonder St. Paul underscores this truth in his letter to the Church at Ephesus: “For by grace are ye saved through faith. That not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works.” (Eph. 2: 8 – 10). The great Apostle was born again (I Cor. 15: 1-4), filled with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 14 -18 ), and called to preach the gospel (Rom.1: 15 -16)
He had
been blessed with many visions and spiritual revelation ( 1 Cor. 12:1) and had
a deep yearning to be like Jesus (Phil. 3: 10…
And yet he was not perfect! He wrote “I would
not have known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said. Thou shall not covet”! (Rom. 7:
7)
Again he wrote, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do know I do, not forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3: 12 -14)
MOSES – PROPHET LIKE UNTO ME!
Although he was not perfect, yet Moses was a type of Christ! He stated, “A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto of your brethren like unto me: him shall ye hear”. (Acts 7:37)
The Bible says, “The law came by Moses but grace and truth comes by Jesus Christ’’ (Jn.1:17)
Moses was the meekest man in all the earth, spoke to God as man to man, and yet he disobeyed the Almighty in a moment of rage against his people his people who were constantly murmuring and speaking against God and his servant.
The man we call “the law giver” disobeyed God’s instructions “not to strike the rock the second time but to speak to it”, in bringing forth water, in the desert. (Num. 20:11)
The Rock represented Christ, who was smitten
once – when He died on Calvary’s Cross. He cannot ever die again!
And that's why our Roman Catholic
friends commit a horrendous sin of disobedience every time they crucify Christ
afresh in their daily masses.
Moses struck the rock, instead of talking to it – on the second occasion. Water gushed out to supply the needs of the thirsty Israelites, but God was wroth and declared that Moses would only see the promised land, but not enter in. And so it was!
Joseph was a perfect type of Jesus Christ, even though he also was imperfect.
The Bible says,
“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”, (Rom. 3:23) and “All we
like sheep have gone astray. We turned everyone to his own way and the Lord
hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:6).
JOSEPH WAS LOVED BY HIS FATHER, HATED BY HIS BRETHERN, HAD SUPERNATURAL UNDERSTANDING OF HIS MISSION IN LIFE AS A YOUNG LAD, WAS SOLD FOR 20 PIECES OF SILVER. TOOK A BRIDE OF THE GENTILES AND BROUGHT DELIVERANCE TO HIS FATHER’S HOUSE WHEN THEY COULD NOT DELIVER THEMSELVES!
Potiphar’s wife lied about Joseph and he was cast into prison, for a time. Later he was released and became the second ruler under Pharaoh himself! Hallelujah!
THE KING KNEW HOW TO REPENT!
“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sins. I
acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be
cleaned: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Hide thy face from my sin,
blot out all mine iniquities.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God” and renew a right spirit within. Cast me not away from
thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach
transgressors thy will; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” (Ps.51)
The Lord Jesus taught us to pray: “Our Father which art in heaven…lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil”. (Matt. 6:13). St. James wrote, “let no man say when he is tempted, I am temped by God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”
Then St. Peter shows us the terrible escalation of ruin the lust causes. "And all did drink the spiritual drink (The New wine – Baptism of the Holy Ghost): for they drank of the Spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."
In other
words, no one is immune from Satan’s temptations, the weaknesses of the flesh
or the allurements of the world!
Writing to the Church in Corinth, St. Paul warns that even though God led the children of Isreal out of bondage ( A type of the world) and they were all under the cloud (Holy Spirit) and all passed through the sea (type of death to self) and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (speaks of water baptism by immersion): and all did eat the same spiritual meat. (New Birth).
“But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” (l Cor. 10: 1-5)
Why? Because they were idolators and
worshipped idols, rather than the Lord who was their Creator and Saviour!
They were fornicators, they temped Christ and they murmured.
Then St.
Paul comes with this warning: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he stands
take heed lest he fall”. (v. 12)
A WAY OF ESCAPE!
St. Paul also gives us some encouraging
news: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: But
God is Faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able;
but will with the temptation ALSO MAKE A WAY OF ESCAPE, that ye may be able to
bear it”. (l Cor. 10:13)
How encouraging to hear testimonies of both young and old who have been
tempted and stood true to God and their convictions.
Some
have been drawn unwittingly into compromising situation and been guilty of
some indiscretionary action but have
been rescued by the Holy Spirit it’s prompting – preventing them from
unethical, immoral or illegal sins of the flesh!
Thank
God for THE WAY OF ESCAPE, he provides for those who are native and susceptible,
becoming a target of Satan – but because of their dedication and love for God
are delivered from the precipice of sin!
THERE IS ALSO A WAY OF ESCAPE FOR THE ONE WHO HAS FALLEN – UNWITTINGLY
OR WILL-FULLY - providing the is genuine repentance in humility and godly
sorrow! Hallelujah!
IN TIME OF TEMPATIONS - SOME FALL AWAY
Jesus draws our attention to Satan’s
tactics of using temptation to draw away from Christ those who hear the Word of God and desire to serve God.
“They
are the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the Word with joy” and
these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall
away.” (Luke 8:13)
St. James admonishes: “Count it all joy when ye fall into manifold temptation…” (James 1:2) (testing) and the heaviness they were experiencing.
HERE IS THE REASON: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, THOUGH IT BE TRIED BY FIRE might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”. (I Pet. 1:1,6,7)
Then the Apostle reassures: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the
godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day judgment to be
punished”. (2 Pet. 2:9)
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE FALLEN
The Bible says, “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 sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (1 Jn. 1:7-9)
Jesus is our High Priest and advocate
before the Father interceding for us day and night and pleading our cause
before the throne! (Heb. 7:25)
“… and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (John 2:1-2)
Jesus Christ has Himself been tempted and overcome Satan’s strongholds for us. Praise the Lord!
St. Paul
declared,” … that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
“For in
that he himself hath suffered being temped HE IS ABLE to succour them that are
temped.” (Heb.2:17-18)
SATAN IS THE TEMPTOR
The Scriptures pinpoint Satan time after time as “The Temptor” (1 Thes. 3:5). We see his sinister hand in Jesus’ wilderness temptation and how our Lord easily overcame the Temptor by using the Word of God.
“It
is written” were the words Jesus Christ used to turn him away!
And since “Jesus was in all points, tempted as we are yet without sin”
(Heb 4:15), we know He will rescue us by His empowering Almighty Holy Spirit
and through the shed blood of Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour!
Here are the words of St. Paul: “Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself; lest those also be tempted. “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:1-2)
“Let me close with the Words of General William Booth: “… if from any cause, whatever you should lose the assurance that the blood of Jesus cleanses you; or if, more melancholy still, you should lose the blessing of purity, fly at once to your Saviour’s feet, confess your wrongdoing, give yourself up again to the full services of your Lord, and once more plunge in the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness; and then, profiting by the sorrow and disappointment of your fall, start afresh to live the life of faith in a purifying Saviour”.
St. James states that a man who endures temptation is Blessed of God! For when a person is tested and tried and stands true, he becomes stronger with each test.
And the Lord has promised all who love Him, the Crown of life on that great and momentous day when we shall see Him face to face and tell the story SAVED BY GRACE!
Let
us never forgot that God demands “purity of heart” from His people – this can
be accomplished only by the work of God in our lives.
May
we all “draw nigh unto God so that He will draw nigh unto us”. (James 4:8) As
we obey the call of the Holy Spirit and hide God’s Word deep in our hearts and
trust in the shed blood of Jesus to cleanse and purify, God will do the rest!
Prophet David who committed several grievous sins, repented and was forgiven by God, writes: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heeds thereto according to the word.” (Ps. 119:9)
And St. Peter who committed the most terrible sin of all – a sin
of the Spirit – when he denied three times with oaths and curses that he
did not even know Christ (Matt.27:73-75), later repented with bitter tears
after our merciful Saviour looked upon him!
What would have happened to Peter had not Jesus stopped to look upon him – as the rooster crowed the second time, on His way to Pilate’s judgment hall? How close was Peter from finding a tree to hang himself as Judas had done.
If it wasn’t for the grace of God, none of us would be saved! St. Paul gives us some excellent advice: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable and perfect, will of God.” (Rom. 12: 1-2)
St Paul concurs: “Wherefore seeing we also are a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easy
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
(Heb 12: 1-2)
LET US ALL ACCEPT AND OBEY THE WORD OF GOD IN TOTALITY SO THAT WE MAY WALK IN COMPLETE VICTORY, PURITY AND POWER!
And may we all obey St. James’ commands: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
How do you
resist the devil? St. Peter states, “Be sober, be vigilant” because the
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world’. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
And finally, let
me stress the importance of taking our burdens, sins and failing to the Lord
and leaving them there.
There is a
saying, “To err is human but to forgive is
divine”! And there is much truth in that. Only God can
give us the grace to forgive those who have wrong us, maligned us and hurt us and even more grace to forgive ourselves for the
sins we have so foolishly been involved in!
If we want God to forgive us then we must forgive those who want to hurt us and follow the words of Jesus, “to be reconciled to God and one another”.
May God bless His children everywhere to grasp His great mercy and compassion and allow the Holy Spirit to have the last word. He calls, "Come Home to Jesus!"
In closing let me share the words St. Paul on how to keep our minds healthy and pure: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things.” (Phil. 4:7-8)
Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6; [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; Donations may be sent by e-Transfer. Make your donation to [email protected]. Thank you and may the Lord richly bless you!
