Purity: Does it matter?

''And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure."
I  John 3:3

I thank God for the conviction, and for pressing into my heart the importance of purity. Being fruitful yet impure can be compared to an apple which is rotten inside. Apostle Paul commanded Timothy to keep himself pure (I Tim. 5:22). He also admonished him, and this admonition goes to all young believers too, "to set the believers and example in...purity..." (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul knows that God wants us to be pure in His sight.

"Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands, and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully"
Psalms 24:35
Not only in our lifestyle God wants us to be pure, but also He wants us to have a pure heart. Pure conduct springs from a pure heart. The Lord Jesus Himself said in Matt. 5:8 that "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." It was a promise to those who keep their hearts pure.

"Finally brothers... whatever is pure... think about these things"
Philippians 4:8

Here, Apostle Paul mentioned a list of good things by which we must set our minds upon. It includes purity. god does not want us to walk in the futility of our minds. In our darkened understanding, the way we used to think in our old life (Eph. 4:17-18). He wants us to have a pure mindset for it pleases and glorify Him. A pure mind affects the way we see things which is around us, " to the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled" (Titus 1:15).
A pure mind is a healthy mind which delight in the Word of the God, for it is pure (Ps. 12:6).

Lastly, the book of James 4:8 tells us to purify ourselves as we draw near to god. How do we do that? It is important for us to realize that in our sinfulness, we cannot purify ourselves on our own. The book of Proverbs 20:9 asks, "Who can say 'I have made myself heart pure; I am clean from sin?'" So, if that is what the Word of God says, what is all these talk about purity of lifestyle, heart, and mind? These things will bring us to the sacrifice done by the Lord Jesus Christ, His redemption for us at the cross of Calvary. "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God" (Heb. (9:14) .

Only through the cross of Christ will we find our purification from sins. As I John 3:3 says, " And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure". Put your hope in Him.

Obeying God: Burdensome?

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

I John 5:3

His commandments are not burdensome. The Greek word used here for burdensome is "barus" which means "heavy in weight, severe, stern or weighty". At times we may find ourselves falling into a particular sin and from there, how does this passage apply to us? How can we say with Apostle John that God's commandment is truly not burdensome?

Yes we fail from God's commandments, and no one can keep it perfectly. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). Yet, despite the fact of our weaknesses and failures, it doesn't create a burdensome heart regarding our imperfect obedience toward His commandments. Yes we become frustrated, disappointed or even discouraged at times because we fail from following Him, but this is out of a heart that hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5:6) and we groan for the full redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:22). I could say that this is the godly sorrow which Apostle Paul mentioned in II Cor. 7:10, and this is healthy for our souls for it brings forth genuine repentance. And this, is very far from a heart who look at His commandments with contempt but has no choice but to obey it in fear of consequence.

A man truly born of God "will want to obey God" because his heart was regenerated (see Doctrine of Regeneration). His stubborn heart was replaced with a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36 verses 26-27 shows us a vivid picture of regeneration: "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (emphasis mine)." If we are going to notice the last part of the verse, we will see that it is God who cause us to walk in His statutes and for us to be careful in obeying His rules. So again, a man truly born of God will want to obey God because he is regenerated. He will not feel being pushed to obey it. He will desire it and it will be a passion for him.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself exclaimed in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments". So, we obey God primarily because God has changed our hearts and enable us to obey Him and moreover, to love Him. We obey Him out of love not duty, so it is never a burdensome task. Obeying God is more than a responsibility, it is to show our affection for Him. "For this is the love of God..."

Ashes from Yesterday's Revival

"O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy."

Habakkuk 3:2

We don't expect revival nowadays. We love to talk about it, yes; we sing about it, we are interested in it, but we do not long for it. We do not labor for it in prayer. We live in the ashes of yesterdays revival. That's the truth whether we like it or not. Think of a church you personally know, which is having a revival. Can you name it? If yes, praise God.

We go to church, and we expect to get out of it before lunch. We don't expect revival to happen. We don't wait on God anymore. Waiting is no longer applicable in our busy schedules for we all have other things to do. So we improvise waiting upon the Lord with different kinds of program that will trigger emotion and send thrills within us, and so create a substitute for the fire of God.

Revival is a sovereign act of God in view of His mercy. It is not produced by human means. When genuine revival breaks out, all the conventional program of man will be overthrown. No flesh will be able to glory in God's presence (I Corinthians 1:29). It will all be pointed to God, all glory directed straight to Him.

We don't expect revival. Yes we want it, but if we don't get it its okay, because we have a bunch of substitute for it. If one day, the Lord will remove His Holy Spirit in the churches today, it will function just the same, and few will notice the Spirit's absence. And if it will be noticed, the question is will they be grieved for it? Will they weep and wrestle in prayer to get it back? Will they long for the fire of the Holy Spirit to return?

We have lost the fire. Some might say "Oh no! We're doing just fine!" That's what you think. If that's true, why is there such carnality in the church? Why are they so concerned about prosperity and wealth instead of holiness and righteousness? Why are they so intoxicated with the things that will fulfill their carnal appetite using the Word of God to justify their deeds?

We need revival. Yes. We need the fire of the Holy Ghost again. And I'm not talking about a bunch of congregation jumping up and down while singing then go home and they call it revival. No. I'm talking about something so much beyond that. I'm talking about a group of people who are sensitive about their sin and iniquities that they decided to humble themselves and seek the Lord in holiness and righteousness no matter what the cost. They are a people committed to the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These group of people will have a passion to glorify God and no other, and their passion has utterly consumed them that it becomes so contagious that it will spread like wildfire, until no one is left unaffected by it.

God, we need revival...

There is a War: Kill or Be Killed

I Peter 2:11

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul."

Our true nature in this life as long as we are here on earth waiting for the coming of our Saviour, are exiles and sojourners. Hebrews 13:14 says "For here we have no lasting city, but we seek a city that is to come."

Our portion is not in this life, yet the passions of the flesh which abides in this world has its principle in us. In our everyday lives there is an invitation for us to indulge to its desires and sin. It offers us pleasure followed by destruction. And we see many christians, including ourselves, falling as prey to its trap, and its deception has led others to want to turn back from their calling, because of their guilt and shame. Sin conceals God's forgiveness and mercy and it will leave you hopeless and wandering with nowhere to go.

Are we missing out on something here? I think yes. "...abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul..." There is a war happening here, deep in our souls. It happens each time the passions of this world collides with our passion to live for God, and each time that it happens, one of the two has to die.

All of us have besetting sins and weaknesses and we groan inwardly for our full redemption (Romans 8:23). But as long as we are here on earth as exiles and sojourners, we must make war against its passions.

"Put to death what is earthly in you" (Col. 3:5)

A holy violence against sin and its deception. Spare no mercy against sin even though it tries to convince and persuade you with words as sweet as honey and as smooth as oil. Each day is a war. Each moment is a war. In every thought there is a war. In every surge of emotion there is a war. There is a war in our eyes and the things we look at. As Puritan John Owen puts it, "Cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you."

Fighting at your side,

Pastor Jonathan

A Chosen Remnant

Our generation today has become dependent and convinced by their emotions, so they grab whatever appeals their senses and fulfill their appetites. It has become so widespread today that it has infected even our churches, our beliefs, and the way we view life. We have jettisoned so many vital truths, so precious that in the past centuries blood was spilled in order to protect the purity of its message, and today it was defiled by those who try to redecorate it to make it more appealing without knowing that they have muddied its clarity. The GOSPEL is being ransacked of its power by people who is peeling off its truth layer by layer.

The seriousness of sin is being swept under the rug.

The wrath of God is regarded as blasphemy.

Holiness is no longer an emphasis.

Atonement has lost its meaning.

Hell has disappeared.

What happened? Where did it all go? A Gospel downgrade is on the process, and many are unaware.

Yet despite of all these things, I am rest assured that God is sovereign and all things is for His own glory and purpose. God will be glorified. Yes, He will be magnified and his renown will be all throughout the generations.

"God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace."

Romans 11:2-5