Without spot or wrinkle

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

I've been taught that when the end time pressures and squeeze of pressing and dire events come upon the last generation of saints before Christ comes that the church will finally repent and embrace such a degree of sanctification and separation that God will finally have a church without spot or wrinkle. Is that really so?

If Christ sanctifies one when they place their faith in Him and He washes and cleanses them by the washing of the word aren't the spots and wrinkles already gone?

If the last days church strives and works to get rid of its "spots and wrinkles" won't it be engaging in meritology - trying to do something so right for so long that it earns merit before God? Is being part of a church without spot or wrinkle meant to be the possession of only one final generation before the Lord comes? What of the saints over the centuries who were saved and sanctified and cleansed by the washing of the word? Didn't their spots and wrinkles disappear? Working to earn something and receiving by faith are two different things. If God cleansed us by the washing of His word at our salvation then He already sees His church as glorious and free from spots and wrinkles. Because of what He put in us and not because of what one last generation will earn! That's not a call to indifferent laziness but how can a last days squeeze make the church glorious if it is already in Christ? Perhaps the last days church will display glory because if has learned to walk in settled and confident faith of what Christ has already done for it.

David asks the questions:

"If Christ sanctifies one when they place their faith in Him and He washes and cleanses them by the washing of the word aren't the spots and wrinkles already gone?" "Didn't their spots and wrinkles disappear?"

And then comments, "Perhaps the last days church will display glory because it has learned to walk in settled and confident faith of what Christ has already done for it."

I say "Yes!" and "Amen!"

I find a connection with the only two scriptures that I find in the New Testament about "worshippers." JESUS says in John 4:23 "But an hour is coming, AND NOW IS, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers."

And Hebrews 10:1-2, "For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can NEVER by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, MAKE PERFECT those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the "worshippers," having ONCE been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?"

A full reading of the letter to the Hebrews especially Chapters 9 and 10 reveal what a great thing God in Christ has done!! 🙌

I love Hebrews 9:28, too, "so Christ also, having been offered ONCE to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation WITHOUT REFERENCE TO SIN (because He has already dealt with it and taken it out of the way!! ) to those who eagerly await Him. The true worshippers??

When the Church is reconciled to God through Christ, we are all clean, without sin, without reproach, without spot or wrinkle.
But the gospel comprises more than reconciliation, it contains the living representation of God in the world. This life of Christ in obedience, commission, love, sacrifice, motive, devotion to God and compassion for others has yet to be perfected in the lives of God's people. In this way there are spots, there are wrinkles, there are sins. Imperfections in our relationship with God falls forward into imperfections with people and as such an imperfect presentation of truth.
We are the sons of God, we are children of light. Our lives are to manifest the truth about God as Jesus demonstrated truth about his Father. God who sees all knows us all can clearly tell just how his bride the body of Christ is growing as a whole, learning, surrendering, giving, sacrificing in like manner as her Lord.
Jesus return is to a spotless bride, which means the true Church has some perfecting and maturing yet to be done. The individual has the same needed maturing and both of them will arrive to meet their Lord as one body prepared and adorned.
We do well to consider one another as a bride to be prepared and adorned for her meeting. Yet, we are married to Christ, dead to the law and are free so that we may live unto him who purchased our redemption...and sanctifies us for an everlasting union with Christ.

Bro David,
Don't you believe that the washing of Water by The Word, is a
continuation ? ....as The Lord puts His finger on things is in our life,...the taking away of the old garment,that we may be clothed upon of His godliness / His righteousness ,.... as His / The Word comes up by His Devine enfluence,Grace, to wash our word / will away,that His might prevail / live in us ? ( The resurrected Lord in us )

2Pet.3:14,
¶ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

* I believe salvation is, initially,
Rom. 3:--Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins 'THAT ARE PAST" through the forbearance of God;...
(our original sins,.. up until His Blood was applied ,... after this an entrance was made for us through His Blood,..He is now our Father,...He has given us His Name.......Now, 'Hallowed be that Name',

26 To declare, I say, "AT THIS TIME" his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

* but it is also a continuation ....
....We are not to neglect so great a salvation,.....(Heb.)..and as He wants to save us unto His righteousness judgments in our lives,then we are not to neglect His saving arm....Allow the washing.,....as He is showing us His judgments in matters.

Please, ..I am saying this only in love, it is not mine, just passing it on.
----------------
elizabeth

Mary, you said,
"I find a connection with the only two scriptures that I find in the New Testament about "worshippers." JESUS says in John 4:23 "But an hour is coming, AND NOW IS, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers."

But what does Jesus mean by those words,..?
....the true worshippers shall worship 'The Father' in spirit and in truth.

Jn.17:17,
Jesus say, "Sanctify them through thy truth: THY WORD IS TRUTH."

And The Father,Who is God, is The Word / The Spirit,...He who speaketh...
Now, how are we to worship, Him ? ..What did Jesus mean?

❤️🙏
----------------
elizabeth

Elizabeth,

Speaking of HIMSELF, this is what I hear Jesus saying, "something greater than the Temple is here" and "something greater than Jonah is here" and "something greater than Solomon is here." What is the "something GREATER?"

Neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father...an hour is coming and NOW IS, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers."

What makes the New Covenant GREATER than the Old? I have found my answer in Hebrews Chapter 10. Really think about the question the writer asks. "For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the GOOD THINGS TO COME...can NEVER by the same sacrifices...which they offer continually...MAKE PERFECT those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, having ONCE been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?"

When CHRIST came He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO THY WILL, O GOD." "A BODY THOU HAST PREPARED FOR ME." We have been sanctified through the offering of the BODY of Jesus Christ ONCE for all. Jesus did not enter the earthly temple, a mere copy of the true one, but into HEAVEN itself, now to appear in the presence of God FOR US!! We now have confidence to enter the HEAVENLY Holy place by the BLOOD of JESUS, by the NEW and living way which HE inaugurated FOR US!!! The veil is torn! The "worshippers" are made perfect and able to enter the heavenly Holy Place and worship the Father who was IN Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself. By ONE offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. How else could we ever enter?!!

I spent many years living under "having had my former sins forgiven" and needing to iron out "present and future" wrinkles and spots, and TRYING to make myself ready, only to find three more spots and two more wrinkles...and then seventeen more wrinkles and thirty two more spots....and then to come to know how exceedingly sinful I was and in need of a Savior. I have no righteousness of my own, but am clothed in His Righteousness alone...covered by His Blood...able to draw near.
💜✝️
Mary

Mary,
Yes, the One greater is truly Jesus,...

But I say this in kindness and truth,...if I am understanding you rightly,
then the way you see this,is the way that MANY see it,but that is not the way I see it,..the whole counsel of God speaks differently.

I believe that when we see it rightly,the Whole Word of God will flow into One Truth.
And if The Lord is gracious enough to share / show us, it is not ours, but His.

Lovingly,
---------------
elizabeth
❤️

Elizabeth,

The Lord is gracious to share Himself, on this we agree 😊
I hear your kindness and your "lovingly" sharing 💜
I know that none of us can convince another, only the Lord can do that. I'm thankful for the forum that allows us to be "free to disagree."

I would like to ask two questions.

If you are continually in need of being washed, does that cause you to be separated from God, and are you in and out of the Holy Place, where you have to keep being washed by the Blood to go back in?

Were all your sins put upon Christ and taken out of the way when He died on the Cross, or just your former ones?

Lovingly 😊
💜

Mary,you said,
"I know that none of us can convince another, only the Lord can do that. I'm thankful for the forum that allows us to be "free to disagree."

That is very true, Mary-
And I too,am thankful for SI forum .
The only one I go to.

I will try to answer your questions,..

" If you are continually in need of being washed, does that cause you to be separated from God, and are you in and out of the Holy Place, where you have to keep being washed by the Blood to go back in?"

( " With the washing of water by The Word" )

Yes, as we look back,at some of the communeing that I had w/ David,(that says a lot of how I see it,according to The Word,and His Spirit.
Yes I do believe that we are to allow The Lord to take His Word,and wash our word away when our ways /words are not in submission to The Spirit' leading in our life,hearing His judgments / how He see's things / matters, ...differing from His.
..... .
..this Grace is truly a gift,...and a blessing,..not to be shunned.

Like unto Paul,also unto us, by seeking The King' righteousness,...having a spirit of, "what would thou have for me to do ,Lord ( king)...It was/ is a "high calling"mark.

He said that he had not apprehended that yet,but that is what he was reaching after....in Christ Jesus....me also.

No, He has not left me,but,...
I am without excuse,...and,he that knoweth to do good and doeth it not,...
and what-if He just quits talking to us, ..drawing us ?..Do we fear God ?

Wherever we are when The Lord speaks to us,..that is Holy Ground....

Remember God speaking to Moses ?

❤️
-------------------🙏
elizabeth

Marvin, ( Gloryandgrace)....
I appreciate your thoughts on this subject brought by our dear brother,David.

I do agree with you-
....
So we press on,
------------------
elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth,

I've read your response a few times and I'm not sure if I am understanding you correctly, so please clarify if I have misunderstood you.

It sounds like you answered "YES" to my question: "If you are continually in need of being washed, does that cause you to be separated from God, and are you in and out of the Holy Place, where you have to keep being washed by the Blood to go back in?" If so, how is that any different from the Old Covenant?

You wrote "Like unto Paul, also unto us, by seeking The King' righteousness... Im not sure what you mean by "seeking the King' righteousness??? Can you expound?

You wrote "...having a spirit of 'what would Thou have for me to do, Lord (king) .... I believe that is the spirit of everyone who has had a revelation of Christ as Savior and Lord. The New Covenant revealed in Hebrews is not sloppy Grace; it is the SPIRIT of Grace. The writer goes on to say in Chapter 10 that if we go in sinning WILLFULLY after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins...having trampled under foot the Son of God, and regarded as unclean the BLOOD of the covenant by which he was sanctified...and has insulted the SPIRIT of Grace."

You asked "what if He quits talking to us?"
My answer "My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me." I don't believe He will stop talking to His sheep. (not that we don't have times of Him
being silent. He works in our waitings. But it sounds like you are questioning Him stop talking to us forever???).
"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shephard of the sheep through the blood of the ETERNAL Covenant, even JESUS our Lord..." Hebrews 13

You asked "what if He quits ... drawing us?
My answer "He HAS drawn me and I am In Christ."
Jesus said "No one can come to Me unless the Father draws them."

You asked "do we fear God?"
My answer "Yes." I used to fear God in a wrong way. Now I fear ever putting my trust in myself or anything "I" can do to save myself as I have come to see He has saved me by His Cross/Resurrection."

You asked "Remember God speaking to Moses?
I'm not sure what you are asking/ meaning??? but what comes immediately to mind is Hebrews 12 "For YOU have NOT come to a mountain that may be touched (earthly) and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further Word should be spoke to them....and so terrible was the sight that MOSES said, "I am full of fear and trembling." But YOU HAVE COME to Mount Zion (heavenly) and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the geneal assembly, and CHURCH of the Firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to GOD 🙌, the Judge of all, and to the SPIRITS of RIGHTEOUS MEN MADE PERFECT, and to JESUS 🙌, the mediator of a NEW Covenant, and to the sprinkled BLOOD, which speaks BETTER than the blood of Abel."
💜

A few other things JESUS said that came to remembrance.

Jesus said "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean...." John 13
"You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you." John 15.

I am sorry, Mary,
I have, many times noticed when I've read back over things that I have wrote,... I knew what I meant, but sometimes I may not have been very clear. So I will try.

Let me say, that I may not say enough of what you are asking me,...but can come back later,..and may talk about things,...things that I have found on my journey as I've walked w/ God.

First though, ... I am not wanting to offend you,and certainly do not want to start any discussion on the subject,..but are you of the OSAS,belief?

Now, let me start,...and bear w/me if I take you though things you already know,..

We were naturally born into this world,..with NO WAY to save ourselves,..
Except through Jesus who shed His Blood for us.
We could not even come to Him,and probably did'n't even occur much to us that we needed Him,as our Saviour,

*At the beginning,..at the first:
*Rom.3:24-26,
"Being justified freely by "his grace" through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins "THAT ARE PAST" through the forbearance of God;"
Note:"sins that are past",... up until,...before we had a Saviour.

26 "TO DECLAIR, I say, "AT THIS TIME",his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
Note:"To declare" ,..."At this time"

So, Then, He began to draw us by His Grace.......and note,Grace that we didnot deserve, it was unmerited....

Grace: (1)"The Devine influence upon the heart, (the hearing of the Word,).... (2)And it's reflection in the life,...,(the doing of the Word.)
(This Grace, (gift from Him) continues this work in us,if will allow it's drawings / workings.
It take's Grace,..Jesus was full of Grace,...He heard His Father' voice, He followed His Father, perfectly,and His Father answered Him when He had a request.
And this same Jesus said to us, "FOLLOW ME" (that is how that He was One w/ The Father. He wants us to be one w/Him.....I do admit,it is a narrow Way.

But then, if we do not readily die like the thief on the cross w/Jesus, then
there is:

Heb.3:6---
"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, "IF" we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
7 ¶ Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, "TODAY" if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

My interjection: hearing His voice,... my sheep hear my voice,:...led by His Spirit)

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 ¶ Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of "UNBELIEF", in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called "TODAY",lest any of you BE HARDENED THROUGH THE DECEITFULNESS OF SIN.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, "TODAY", if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 ¶ For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to THEM THAT BELIEVED NOT.
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of UNBELIEF."

(To read still farther would be good)

*Why would He equivalent UNBELIEF with not hearing His voice, ..did obedience / disobedience,...obeying / not obeying,..have a part when hearing His voice ? DIid He count not obeying as if we do not even hear His voice,..that we would be counted as UNBELIEVERS.

So, "TODAY is TODAY, and TOMORROW is TODAY and the next day is "TODAY" >>>>>> to hear His voice,and respond.

And what about being "saved" ?
Yes, He saved us,when we came at His beckoning by Grace,but He is our Saviour for all time,...He wants to save us from our sins,.

" If the strong man of the house would have watched, his house would not have been broken into,and his goods stolen."

"Walk in the Spirit"--- must be our way, which is His Way-

And No, I do not ask my Lord to shed His Blood twice.
But we do not learn everything at the first,we are babies in The Lord,
But He is most gracious,..to guide us by His Spirit / Word,and as He does, then if we allow Him, He will help us to let His Word wash our word away.

I may need to relook at your questions and get back to you,... I know this has got quite long.

🙏❤️
------------------
elizabeth

Mary,
As I read back over your post,I see many more questions .

Yes, I believe the washing of water by the Word,as the Lord reveals things to us,following Him in the regeneration .

Eph..5:26,
"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

You ask,
"You wrote "Like unto Paul, also unto us, by seeking The King' righteousness... Im not sure what you mean by "seeking the King' righteousness???"

When Jesus appeared unto Paul, ..Paul ask, "What would you have for me to do,Lord?"He was seeking the kingdom of God....the king,who is Jesus' wishes. So "do" is important.

Jesus came preaching The kingdom of Heaven / God , He said,"This gospel of the Kingdom of God will be preached though out the whole world,and then shall the end be.
He said, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,....
He said, "It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
The kingdom of God is within us,"
He comes in by way of The Holy Spirit to be Lord in our life.

Paul was seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness then and by what we read in the Word, I believe it was a continual thing for him and for us.

Again,probably enough for now,
❤️
--------------------🙏
elizabeth

Good Morning, Elizabeth,

Thank you for further explaining where you are coming from.
What I am "hearing" you say is that when one comes to Christ their former sins are forgiven and now one has to work to keep themselves saved.???

Israel didn't enter the REST OF GOD because "the word they heard...was not united with faith. For we who have BELIEVED enter that rest....For the one who has entered HIS REST has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His." (Hebrews 4). Jesus is God's Sabbath Rest.

You asked if I am of the OSAS belief. I am, but permit me to explain why. I do not see anywhere in the New Testament the Sinner's Prayer, Choice, or Decisions for Christ. (I do believe in a sinner's prayer that leads to salvation but not as a formula). I see FAITH;, one either believes or doesn't believe. I see the gospel being preached and "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48)

Permit me to share a bit of my personal testimony. I was brought up in a Roman Catholic home with 12 years in Roman Catholic schools. A 'works' religion of trying to be perfect to please God so I wouldn't go to hell. Left RC and in my early 20's invited myself to a Bible study in which at the end of the meeting 'with heads bowed' was told if anyone wanted to ask Jesus into their heart say this prayer. I said the prayer and was told I was 'born again.'
I was given a NT and rejoiced at all the rules and regulations on 'how to' live the Christian life. I spent the next 7 years in Christian churches trying to live the Christian life. I lived under 'the law of sin and death'
under condemnation, constantly repenting of everything I thought, said, and did. I must have said the "Sinner's Prayer hundreds of times. I had no assurance of salvation. I began questioning 'where is the love, the peace, the joy that the Bible talks about?' I questioned 'am I saved?'I was later to realize that I had a zeal for God but not in accordance with knowledge, not knowing about God's Righteousness, and seeking to establish my own, I did not subject myself to the righteousness of God. For CHRIST is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who BELIEVES. I thought I was 'holy, righteous, and good.' I did not know that I was 'poor, and wretched, miserable, and blind and naked.' But God knew, and the law did what it was suppose to do; it showed me how exceedingly sinful I was and led me to Christ. God wrestled with me (Jacob) until daybreak; He performed that circumcision made without hands in the removal of the body of flesh.

In that 'dark night' my point of brokenness was confessing "I don't believe, I don't believe. I want to believe, but I don't believe." In that moment I knew what God knew all along about 'me.' I heard the Holy Spirit say "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Well, I had know the head knowledge of that scripture for years, but this time it was alive. I read the Gospel of John and shortly thereafter had what I call my Cross/Resurrection experience where I knew in a moment of time that all "I" was worthy of was the death sentence upon my life; I was separated from God and there was nothing that "I" could do to save myself. I saw Jesus on the Cross saying "Come die with Me." I saw myself go in His side and His side closed and His Blood flowed down and covered ME. I knew in that moment that ALL my sins were forgiven ... past, present, and future. I was buried with Him and raised with Him onto Resurrection ground and received His Spirit within. He put His robe of Righteousness on me as I was naked and I had none of my own to offer Him. I was "born from above"... "not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." The Bible became a whole new book for me after that; it was like I had never read it before. It was no longer a book of 'do's and do not's' but Love and Peace and Grace and Mercy! I found that I am 'beloved of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1) as I could never keep myself. That was about 31 years ago and my assurance of salvation is because of what God has done in Christ Jesus not of anything I could ever do. OSAS.

Having shared that, I cringe when I hear people say to those who may question their salvation, "Did you say the Sinner's Prayer?" and if they say "Yes" they are told they are saved. Paul told the Corinthians to 'examine yourselves whether you be in the faith...if Christ be in you...if at first your faith be spurious/counterfeit.' We need to let people wrestle with God. I am confident that if they are wrestling with Him, He WILL bring them through to the other side because He is MIGHTY to save! That is why He came!

Mary, you wrote this;

"""You asked if I am of the OSAS belief. I am, but permit me to explain why. I do not see anywhere in the New Testament the Sinner's Prayer, Choice, or Decisions for Christ. (I do believe in a sinner's prayer that leads to salvation but not as a formula). I see FAITH;, one either believes or doesn't believe. I see the gospel being preached and "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48)"""

I am not trying to prove you wrong, but as close as I can come to a decision on my part for Christ is when Jesus ask Peter "who do you say I am"? Peter' answer came after the truth of what Jesus said by the hand of John; Joh 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Heb 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Peters answer; Matthew 16:16-17 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

This is the closest I can get to saying I believe. Not that I have anything to do with it because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to me, that includes myself. The Father in heaven has revealed it unto me and you.

Now God by my believing what God the Father has revealed to me I have been given a new birth. I now have as a new creation a new life in me, which is Christ in us.

Colossians 1:26-29 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

A new creature; 2Co 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ga 6:15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

What God has wrought in me no man can take it away, not even myself. That which God the Father has given me, Christ in me can never be undone or aborted.

Thank you Mary for the breath of fresh air that gives birth to our salvation, which is true and un-revocable OSAS. Amen

Bless you Mary, I feel like the hind on the mountain tops rejoicing in God my Savior Jesus Christ who is my eternal life, which means forever.

"Christ in you the Hope of Glory". Where we stand:

Sorry Greg. I could not stop the rejoicing, had to thank God and Mary.

Phillip

Hi Brother Phillip,

I hear the JOY of your salvation! 😀 God has given us ETERNAL Life and this Life is IN HIs Son Who is IN us 🙌

I've begun rereading the gospel of Matthew just "listening" to Jesus words. When I came upon Matthew 16 that you mentioned, this is what I "heard." Each believer can fill in his own name, but for the sake of sharing I will use my own.

"Mary, who do you say that I am?"

"Thou art the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the LIVING God."

"Blessed are you, Mary, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but My Father who is in heaven."

"And I also say to you, Mary, that you are a stone" 😊

"And upon this large rock (the revelation of Christ by My Father)
"I" will build My Church.
He is the CornerSTONE.

I was quickened to what Peter wrote in his First Letter, Chapter 2: 4,5,
"And coming to Him as to a LIVING stone...you also, as LIVING stones are being BUILT ("I" will build My Church) as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through JESUS Christ."
And, of course, "the gates of hell shall NOT overpower it" 🙌
💜✝️

Mary,
You said,...
"What I am "hearing" you say is that when one comes to Christ their former sins are forgiven and now one has to work to keep themselves saved.???"

No ! ....Respectfully,..I don't believe you are hearing me rightly....

Quoting you,..."now one has to work to keep themselves saved. ???"
(End of quote)

NO!,...It is The Father that does the work....that is what Jesus,our example,said ,...now ,what did He mean?
As God The Father,showed His Son,Jesus what to SAY and DO, He did it.
He was led by the Spirit of His Father.

We are to be filled w/ The Spirit, and led by His Spirit
It is He that guides, the born again child, into all Truth,through The Holy Spirit.
And The Truth that He quides us into,can always be confirmed in The written Word of God,....He said, " the words that I speak unto you,they are Spirit and they are Life."...and you know we want Life.
"To be Spiritually minded is Life, but to be carnally minded is death."

Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone,but by every Word that precedeth from the mouth of God."

God' Word flowed through the mouth of His Son, Jesus,to us.
( Light and Life) Thy Word give the Light,..
Opening the eyes of the blind, that we might see,Spiritually.
The Way, (His Way),..through His Truth, that we can have life,...and that more abundantly.

Truth is how God see's it,...all His righteous judgments in all matters.
( the way of the kingdom,where He is the headship,...King,..rules,..Lord.)

What would a kingdom be like without the instruction and rule of the king ?

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

Sooo, It is The Spirit of God, in us,..through being led by His Spirit that does the work.,....we are to just be obedient sons / daughters.
"Christ in us,the hope of glory"
Else,how is He Glorified?

Jesus said, Father, I have glorified thy Name,....And we know that His Name is the whole Word of God,...everything that,that Name stands for.,....all of God righteous judgments in all things.

It is w/ much joy in sharing this good Bread,
I know there is sooo much more to share,

Lovingly always,
--------------
elizabeth

Philip,dear brother,
Could we go over the Scriptures you referenced ?

Colossians 1:26-29
"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."

What is THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF THIS MYSTERY,....?
It is Christ at work IN us,to be glorified in us ,that His Name ,which is The Word of God, which He has given us, might be glorified,...
Hallowed.

It is The kingdom of God alive and working in us.
Don't you agree, that He did not come as a dead God,to lay dormant in us,..but is living / alive in us .

Us In Him,and His Word abiding in us,
------------------🙏
elizabeth

Elizabeth,

I am so very glad that I misunderstood you!!! 😀
Thank you for taking the time to more fully explain!

Yes, it is God who is at work within us both to will and to do for His good pleasure! We are HIS workmanship in Christ Jesus and He causes us to walk in His ways having written His laws upon our hearts and put His Spirit within us.
💜

Hi Elizabeth,

You wrote:

"What is THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF THIS MYSTERY,....?
It is Christ at work IN us………”

Col. 1:27 says: "Christ in you”.

It DOES NOT say: "Christ at work IN us”.

?