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SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR 5/31/2024 PODCAST SCROLL DOWN FOR AUTOMATED SUBSCRIPTION (1 Peter 1:22 NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (1 Peter 1:22 NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV) having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, (1 Peter 1:24 NKJV) because "ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS, AND ALL THE GLORY OF MAN AS THE FLOWER OF THE GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND ITS FLOWER FALLS AWAY, (1 Peter 1:25 NKJV) BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. (Matthew 26:28 NKJV) For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (1 Peter 1:22 NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (Romans 6:17 NKJV) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. (Romans 6:18 NKJV) And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:2 NKJV) Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (Romans 6:3 NKJV) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (Romans 6:4 NKJV) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Acts 2:38 NKJV) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:37 NKJV) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Romans 6:3 NKJV) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (Romans 6:4 NKJV) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:5 NKJV) For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, (Revelation 1:5 NKJV) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (Acts 22:16 NKJV) And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' (1 Peter 1:22 NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (2 Peter 1:21 NKJV) for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (1 Peter 1:22 NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (Colossians 3:14 NKJV) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (1 John 3:14 NKJV) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. (1 John 3:15 NKJV) Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:16 NKJV) By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:17 NKJV) But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3:18 NKJV) My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV) Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (1 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (1 Corinthians 13:6 NKJV) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (1 Corinthians 13:7 NKJV) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV) having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, (Luke 8:11 NKJV) "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (John 3:3 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:5 NKJV) Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (Romans 10:17 NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (James 1:18 NKJV) Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (James 1:21 NKJV) Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 2:14 NKJV) What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (James 2:15 NKJV) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (James 2:16 NKJV) and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? (James 2:17 NKJV) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:18 NKJV) But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:19 NKJV) You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! (James 2:20 NKJV) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:21 NKJV) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? (James 2:22 NKJV) Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? (James 2:23 NKJV) And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:24 NKJV) You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (James 2:25 NKJV) Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? (James 2:26 NKJV) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (Acts 20:28 NKJV) Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Ephesians 5:25 NKJV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, (Ephesians 5:26 NKJV) that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, (Acts 10:47 NKJV) "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" (Acts 10:48 NKJV) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. (John 16:13 NKJV) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (1 Peter 1:24 NKJV) because "ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS, AND ALL THE GLORY OF MAN AS THE FLOWER OF THE GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND ITS FLOWER FALLS AWAY, (1 Peter 1:25 NKJV) BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. (Isaiah 40:6 NKJV) The voice said, "Cry out!" And he said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. (Isaiah 40:7 NKJV) The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. (Isaiah 40:8 NKJV) The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." (James 1:10 NKJV) but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. (James 1:11 NKJV) For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. (1 Peter 1:25 NKJV) BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. (Jude 1:3 NKJV) Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Romans 1:16 NKJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:17 NKJV) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." Peter is discussing the importance of obeying the truth in order to purify our souls. He emphasizes that our souls are made clean when we obey the truth of God, not just by accepting Jesus into our hearts. He mentions that the word of God endures forever and that we are born again by the incorruptible word of God. He also highlights the significance of baptism for the remission of sins. Peter encourages repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. He explains that baptism is part of the pattern of teaching that leads to purification of the soul. So we continue to study this epistle that was written by the Apostle Peter over in 1 Peter. And we've come down to verse 22. And when Peter starts to talk about the receptances there, our souls are purified by obeying the truth. And this is very important because every human being in this world needs to rightfully apply this application to one's life. It is a vital necessity. It is as essential as a pulse is to the human body. So we're going to begin our context, and we want to read 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 22 and 23. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit and sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible through the word of God, which lives and abides forever. So we see one is born again by the incorruptible word of God. And our souls are purified by obeying the truth. At the moment that we're born again, our souls are purified when we obey the truth of the gospel revealed in God's word. But let's also look at the enduring effect of God's word, how the word of God endures forever. Let's continue on and read verses 24 and 25 in 1 Peter chapter 1. Thank you for using global telling. As the scripture says, people are like grass. Their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass wither and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever, and that the word is the good news that was preached to you. Just keep reading if you would. Well, that's the end of chapter 2. Go to chapter 2 and read to the child's house. Okay. So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all this hypocrite, jealous, and all kinds of speech. So as we continue over in 1 Peter chapter 1, we see that Peter, he starts by telling his recipients that they had purified their souls by obeying the truth through the spirit unto the unfailing love of the brethren. Then he goes on and exhorts them and says, See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. So we see in verse 22 that our souls are made clean and whole when we obey the truth of God. And it was for this very reason that Jesus shed his blood. Let's look at Matthew chapter 26 verse 28 to kind of bring this to light a little bit more. Okay. For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sin. So Jesus stated that the Testament, which is the New Testament that came in when Christ died on the cross. He said that when his blood was shed, that it would be for the blood of the New Testament. Okay. It would be shed for the remission of sin. So up under the New Testament, one has the privilege of receiving total forgiveness of sin. What that old covenant could not provide. But Christ as the sinless and spotless Lamb of God, his blood was shed for the remission of sin. So it's for this very reason that Jesus shed his blood so that our souls can be purified by obeying the truth of God. But I want y'all to notice what the apostle did not say. The apostle Peter, he did not say that we are made clean at the point when we accepted Jesus in our heart. I want y'all to pay attention to that over in 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 22. Because some would teach and tell individuals that all you got to do is accept the Lord as your personal Savior. And I want you to notice what else that the apostle did not say. All right. He did not say that we are saved by praying the sinner's prayer. He did not say that. But he said that we are purified by obeying the truth. And then he stated that one is born again by the incorruptible word of God. So we understand that the sinner's prayer ain't even in the Bible. Let's just put that on the table. But we also understand that nowhere in the Bible do you see anyone being saved by just accepting Jesus into their hearts. And we see plainly right here that our souls are purified by obeying the truth. Okay. So basically what I'm telling you is that obedience to the form of doctrine delivered from God is the time when we become free from sin. And this is what Paul was talking about in Romans chapter 6 verse 17 and 18. And I know y'all are like, look, I'm tired of reading those scriptures. We'd have been there every lesson. But let's just look at it. Let's just read it and understand the pattern that's being taught in this context. Let's look at Romans chapter 6 verse 17 and 18. Yeah. Okay. But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standards of teaching to which you were committed. And having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. So the pattern, that's what it means by when Paul stated that but God be thanked that he were the servants of sin. So he's talking to Christians who once were in their sins, but some took place that delivered them from sin. Their souls were purified somewhere along the line. But let's just keep reading the context. He say, but ye have obeyed. So they obeyed something to be set free from sin. So let's see what did they obey. Paul said they obeyed from the heart. That form, which means pattern. The word form here stands for they obeyed that pattern of doctrine. The word doctrine means teaching. Said they obeyed that form of teaching which was delivered you. And what is that form of teaching? Paul stated being then made free from sin, he became the servant of righteousness. And if we look back up in the beginning of Romans chapter 6, Paul stated in verse 2, he stated, God forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin, that is Christians, live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism in the death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father. Even so we also shall walk in newness of life. So these individuals, they obeyed the gospel. They were buried with Christ in baptism, and due to that effect they were set free from sin, and they received newness of life. Notice that newness of life does not precede baptism. You only get newness of life after you obey this pattern of teaching. And then are you set free from sin, and you become slaves of righteousness. Then only can you say from the heart that you have obeyed that form of teaching from God. Only then can one truly say that I have purified my soul by obeying the truth. I have been born again by the incorruptible word. And this is what Peter breaks down to his reception. He lets them know that Jesus' blood was shed for the remission of sins. And the same reason is why believers were told to repent and be baptized. If we look in the book of Acts, the book that is filled with so many conversions. Let's look at Acts chapter 2 verse 38. Acts 2 verse 38. Now, this is the day of Pentecost when the first gospel sermon was preached after the ascension of Christ. And Christ had commissioned the apostles, and he gave them the gospel message to go out and preach and teach for salvation. And we see what that form of teaching was. We can see a pattern here. But you can't take one conversion and say, well, this is all you have to do. No, you have to look at all the conversion accounts and put the pattern together. And here we see that Peter tells these individuals that they need to repent and be baptized. But he told them this after he had preached to them and basically called them murderers and told them that they murdered the Christ. And they who believe, as we see in verse 37, if we back up, it says, Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? What shall we do to be delivered from sin, from the guilt? How can we purify our souls? And Peter tells them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ. Now when Peter states in the name of Jesus Christ, this means that y'all need to be baptized by Jesus' authority. For what? For the remission of sin. Not everybody baptized for the remission of sin. So I think it's time you call your gospel preacher and ask them, Hey, you remember when you baptized me? Why did you baptize me? Or I think it's time to call mama and say, Mama, you remember when you took me to that church and they baptized me? What did they baptize me for? Now don't get it twisted. Now some people do baptize for the remission of sin. But that doesn't mean that they have obeyed this pattern of teaching. Why? Because if you don't know this pattern of teaching, then you can't be taught wrong and baptized right. So it still means that you haven't purified your soul by obeying the truth of God's word. But Peter tells them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. So we understand that baptism is for the remission of sin. And Peter states, you should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now this ain't referring to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that all Christians receive. But this is referring to the gift that the Holy Ghost offers. And that is salvation to all men who receive the Lord as their personal Savior by obeying this form of teaching. And then Peter goes on in verse 39. He states, for the promise is unto you and to your children. This is to the Jews. And he states, and to all that are afar off, which refers to the Gentiles. And then he goes on and states, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. So anyone who sets his heart on being obedient and he obeys this form of doctrine, he obeys God's plan that he has elected in his son Christ Jesus, then they are the ones who God shall call. Those are the ones who are called. But God calls every man to the gospel as we read. And we'll get to that scripture. But we see here that there is a form of teaching that one must obey in order to purify their souls. We understand that Christ's blood was shed for the remission of sin. And this is the same reason why Peter told these believers here on Pentecost Day to repent and be baptized. Now repentance is a changed mind that produces changed behavior. So this is making the firm decision within oneself to turn away from sin and turn to God. Amen. Now, let's understand since we know that it is the blood of Christ that was shed for the remission of sin. So this means that I have to come in contact with this blood to be forgiven. But how do I reach Christ's blood if Christ is in heaven and I'm on earth? Great question. Let's see what the Bible teaches. What form of teaching does the Bible give for applying the blood of Christ? So we see that one applies Christ's blood by being baptized into his den. And that's what we just read in Romans 6, verses 3-5. Could somebody read that for us again? John. Okay, Romans 6, 3-5. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried, therefore, with him by baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in his death, in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. So this form of teaching, I want y'all to pay attention to the pattern. It's a pattern that you have to see in the Word of God. Okay, so here Paul tells these Christians that they cannot continue to live a habitual life of sin, and that is because they have been united with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. They have purified their souls and obeyed the truth. But notice when they purified their souls what took place. How did they reach the blood of Christ? Paul states, Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ was baptized into his death? So when they was baptized in water baptism, they united themselves with Christ in his death, his burial, and his resurrection. Okay, now Paul states in verse 4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism. So if I tell you that you have to be washed in the blood, and you say, Well, how can I be washed in Jesus' blood? Jesus is in heaven, I'm on earth. Well, here Paul states that you do this in baptism. I tell you that you have to be buried with Christ. How can I be buried with Christ? You have to be buried in the waters of baptism. I tell you that you have to be resurrected with Christ, and you say, Well, how can I rise from the dead with Christ if Christ is already risen? You have to unite yourself in his death, burial, and resurrection in baptism. You have to resurrect from the water of the graves of baptism. And once you do this, for the remission of sin, you receive newness of life. You have purified your soul by obeying the truth. Now you may say, Well, I'll... Maybe John got cut off. Mm-hmm. So, Sylvia, would you go back to Romans 6 and just start reading with verse 1 until we get them back on? Oh, there they are. They all should be back on? I don't hear anything. Sylvia, just start with... What shall we say? Just start with Romans 6, 1 and read until they all answer. Yes, sir. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means. How can we, who died to sin, still live in it? I got cut off. Mm-hmm. Okay, so one may say that we already got baptized. Well, here we see that there's a form of teaching that we obey to become a Christian. And if I didn't know this form of teaching at the time I was being baptized, how could I say that I obeyed something that I did not know? How could I obey something that I don't know? You know, and we see here that one applies Christ's blood by being baptized unto his death. So everything Jesus did, we do it in baptism. Let's read Revelations 1, verse 5. Revelation 1, verse 5. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of kings on earth, to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. All right, so we're freed from sin by the blood of Christ. Let's read Acts chapter 22, verse 16 and look at the conversion of Paul. Lisa? Acts what? 22, 16. Acts 22, 16. Okay. Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name. All right, so here Paul tells the Jews about his conversion once he was arrested in Jerusalem. He tells them about his early life with Judaism and even how he persecuted Christians before he came to the knowledge of the truth about who the Lord Christ is. But then Paul then obeyed that form of teaching that was delivered unto him, and we see what that form of teaching consisted of. And the disciple of the Lord had told Paul, he said, what are you waiting on? What are you waiting on? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. And when he states calling on the name of the Lord, this is the same as saying by Jesus' authority that you need to be baptized in order to wash away your sins. The sins doesn't precede baptism. It's not when Paul prayed and fasted or when he was blinded or when he had the heavenly vision that his sins was washed away. Even though Paul encountered the Lord and he prayed and fasted and he was repentant and he believed the Lord, he still had sins that needed to be washed away, and it's evident that he needed to be baptized. It was very essential that he be baptized in order to wash these sins away, and it is by the Lord's authority that he be baptized. So we see this here. All right. Over in 1 Peter 1, verse 22, Peter told the receptives that they purified their souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit. Now when he states that spirit, I want y'all to know that this expression, you know, through the Spirit is omitted from the latter translation because it is not found in the best manuscripts, but I want y'all to know that it is through the revelation of the Spirit that we have the Bible, and that's what we see in 2 Peter 1, verse 21. Can somebody read that for us? Lisa? What is it? 2 Peter 1, verse 21. No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke from God. So the prophecy of God's Word came not in old time by the will of man. This was no man's thoughts or his own ideas, but holy men of God spake as they were moved, which means that they were led and directed by the Holy Ghost. They spoke the very words of God that was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. So we understand that when we obey this form of teaching that purifies our soul, it is through the Spirit. But how is it through the Spirit? Because the Word of God is through the work of the Spirit. So it is through the work of the Spirit that we obey the Word of God. And another point that I want to make is that the result of being born again is twofold, and this is the point that the Apostle Peter makes over in 1 Peter 1, verse 22. He lets them know that the baptized believer is now free from sin. Notice that it is the baptized believer who is free from sin, not the believer that accepts Christ into their hearts and thinks that they are saved, not the one who prays the sinner's prayer in order to receive salvation, not the one who just has a mental agreement that God exists and He is real and says, well, I've got my own personal relationship with God. I don't have to go to church. The church lives within me. No, but it is the baptized believer who is free from sin, and he has a sincere love for his brothers and sisters in Christ. That's why Peter stated that they have purified their souls by obeying the truth and through unfeigned love of the brethren, okay? So unfeigned love for God prompts fervent love from the heart for other Christians. Love is a tie that binds Kendra's heart as one in the mutual service unto the Lord. Let's read Colossians 3.14. Patricia? Okay. Colossians 3.14. Okay. Sorry, y'all. Okay, 3.14. But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. So Christians ought to put on love like one puts on clothes. We ought to be dressed in love in a figurative sense. You know, we ought to be clothed. This means this should be a characteristic of the heart of Christ. Let's also read 1 John 3.14 and verse 18 as well. It says, Amen. Let's also read 1 Corinthians 13.4-7. Robin? Amen. So we see that love never fails, okay? But as we continue on in 1 Peter 1 verse 23, Peter stated to these receptors, he stated that they have been born again, not of corruptible, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. So first we need to understand, what is the incorruptible seed that Peter's talking about that these Christians have been born again of? So if we look here at Luke 8 verse 11 of the parable of the seed and the soil, let's see what Jesus states. Tim? Okay. Luke 8-11, Tim. 8-11. Oh, okay. Now the parable is this, the seed is the word of God. So there in the parable of the seed and the soil, Jesus teaches about the word of the gospel when it is preached and the effect that it will have on different categories of people who have certain type of hearts. All right? And the only heart that that seed bear fruit that was useful to God was on the heart that it fell upon that was attentive and responsive to God's word. Okay? So here we see that Peter tells his receptors that they have been born again of the incorruptible seed. And Jesus said that the seed is the word of God. So we understand that it is by the word of God that one is born again. Now, if you go to each denomination of church that you can find and you get their plan for salvation, if you look at them, a lot of them, mostly all of them will be different. But I want you to notice something, that if you take the Baptist's plan for salvation and plant it in somebody's heart, you're going to get a Baptist. If you take the Catholic's plan for salvation and plant it in somebody's heart, you're going to get a Catholic. If you take a Pentecostal's plan of salvation and plant it in somebody's heart, you're going to get a Pentecostal. But if you take the Holy Bible and plant it in a person's heart, if you take this incorruptible seed and plant it in a person's heart, it's going to produce a Christian. That's what you're going to get. So Peter stated to his receptors that they have been born again of this incorruptible seed, which is the word of God. Now, the only one other time in the New Testament that's found the expression born again, and that's in John chapter 3, verse 3. Let's flip over there and look at this context. And y'all be patient. We're going to bring it to a close. Do you want to say something to read? John 3, verse 3, Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. All right. So it's only here in that first Peter where you see the expression born again. Now, this was before the New Testament time period that Jesus stated about the kingdom and how one would be born into his spiritual kingdom. And he basically goes on to tell Nicodemus that it would be by a spiritual birth that one would be able to be born into the kingdom. Jesus spoke and he taught a lot about the kingdom before the kingdom even arrived. And here Jesus said one must be born of water and of the spirit. If we go down to verse 5, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. So Jesus basically states that if a man does not partake of a spiritual birth, he cannot even be a part of the kingdom. I don't care what plan man come up with for salvation. If you do not purify your heart by obeying the incorruptible word of God, then you are not a Christian. You are not a part of Christ's kingdom. I don't care how much you lie to yourself, how long you went to church, how many scriptures you know. If you do not obey this form of teaching, you are lost. And you are still in your sin. So whereas in this verse Peter wrote that we are born again through the word of God. It's plain, people. These statements are not declaring two different ways to be born again. Now let's notice that since faith comes by hearing the word of God, as we see in Romans 10.17. Could somebody read that for us? John, Romans 10.17. So faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. So we see that faith comes by hearing the word of God. So one who obeys the word of God by faith is forgotten of this incorruptible seed. Plant this seed in a person's heart and it produces. You're going to get a Christian. All right? And that is what Jesus stated in Luke 8.11. He says that the seed is the word of God. But let's also look at John 1.18.21. Lisa. James. 1.18. In the exercise of his will, he brought us forth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of first fruits among his creatures. Okay. In verse 21, read verse 21 for us. Okay. Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of the wickedness and humility, receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls. Amen. So it's only the engrafted word after that one has received it, it is able to save our souls. It is able to purify our souls. But we have to receive it, people. Even though the gift of salvation is free and it is by grace, you did nothing to earn it nor work for it, you still have to be obedient. You have to obey the word of God. You have to have faith in the word of God once you hear it and accept it in your heart in obedience so that you can purify your soul. You have to obey that pattern of teaching that you see revealed in the New Testament for salvation. Okay? You have one minute remaining. I want you all to pay attention to what I say here. The faith that saves is a faith that obeys. And we here stated that, well, faith alone saves. Well, I want you to know that a faith that saves is never alone because it is accompanied by hope. And let's read James 2, verses 14-26. Pat? Thank you for using global telling. Did he say 14-26? I think so. What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have work? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Also, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, you have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble. But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect and the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called a friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? By the body, without the spirit is dead. So faith without works is dead also. All right. So we see here that the question is, can faith alone save anyone? And the answer to that is no. No. Okay. We see here examples in the beginning of a faith that don't save, a faith that says but does not do. It believes but it does not work. It's dead because it is accompanied by no works of obedience, no works of righteousness, you know. So but then we have two examples of spurious faith even from a Gentile. We see how Rahab, she received the spies and sent them on their way in peace. By her works she declared that she believed and she was righteous. So she was declared righteous. Okay. Abraham, he believed God but his belief, his faith was accompanied by works. We see that he offered his son on the altar. God told him to do something and he did it. God told Abraham, hold on, stop. Don't crucify the boy. I'm going to make a great nation out of you. I'm going to make a great nation out of people just like you. And what God means by that is they're going to follow me by faith and obedience. Amen. We got to have faith but we also got to have obedience to the form of teaching that is delivered in God's word. Okay. So the Apostle Paul described how Christ loved the church and purchased it with his own blood. And then Paul added that he might sanctify. Now remember the word sanctify means to set apart. So God wanted to set apart individuals for his own use. And what is that for? To live holy. But the only way that you can be sanctified is by obeying this incorruptible seed, the word of God. So if you have not obeyed this form of teaching, you are not a saint. You are not sanctified. You are not set apart for God's own separate use. I don't care how good of a person you is, how much money you got, how beautiful your children are. You have to purify your soul. And the way that you do that, let's look at Ephesians 5 verse 26. Trisha. Okay. Ephesians 5, 26. 5, 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. So Paul was referring to what Christ did for the church. And he stated that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. So let's notice that all who are added to the large church. Let's pay attention. To the large church. And when we say large church, this is universal. This is all Christians in the world who have obeyed this New Testament pattern of teaching to become sanctified. To become a saint. To be saved. To be added to the kingdom that Christ preached. I ain't say that church that the men came up with. I ain't say that church that my grandmama had me going to since I was little. I ain't say that church that, well, it's right by my house, so I just went over there. I ain't say that church, well, I like the way they have service. They be crunk and hype. They keep your attention. Now, I'm talking about the large church, universal. The Lord does the adding to the church. I ain't talking about that church where they set chairs out in front of the church and the preacher told you, look, if you want to be a member of the church, come up here and we're going to baptize you. No, it ain't in the Bible. That's not the form of teaching that was delivered by the apostles. So we see that all who are added to the large church are forgiven of sins when they are baptized. And this is what Paul stated by washing the water. So it is in obedience to the word of God, which means through the Spirit. This is what Peter was talking about in 1 Peter 1, verses 22 and 23. And also, likewise, in John 3, 5, Jesus said one must be born of water, which refers to baptism. But he also said, and the Spirit, which means through obeying the revealed word. Let's look at Acts 10, verses 47 and 48. Is she here? So this is when Peter goes to the Gentiles for the first time. He goes to the home of Galileo. And God had gave his heavenly witness by baptizing these Gentiles with the Holy Ghost, just as the apostles was baptized with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. And these Gentiles began to speak with tongues and magnify God. Now, when it states that they spoke with tongues, this don't mean that they were speaking gibberish. No, this means that they spoke in different languages, that they spoke a language that people understood, that heard it. And so Peter and the other Jews who came along with him, once they heard this, Peter stated to the Jews who came with him, Can any man forbid water, that these should be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? So when Peter sees them baptized with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues and magnify God, Peter said, This is the same thing that we received on Pentecost. This is the same thing that the apostles received on Pentecost day. And so this led Peter to know that these people need to be baptized. God is letting us know that they can be baptized just as well as the Jews. So then in verse 48, this led Peter to do what? And he commanded them. He didn't ask them. He didn't plead with them. He didn't ask the Jews. He didn't beg them. But he just looked and turned and commanded these Gentiles to be baptized. And this is water baptism that we're talking about. Because Peter said in verse 47, he said, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized? Then in verse 48, it states that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, which means by the Lord's authority. So we see here that the washing of water, it takes place in baptism. It is in obedience to the word of God, which means through the spirit. But we see what Jesus said in John 3, 5, that one must be born of water. He's talking about baptism. Jesus said in the spirit. And you know that you've got to be baptized when you obey this form of teaching that has been revealed to you by the revealed word that came through the Holy Spirit. Let's read John 16, 13. Let's see what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit. John 16, 13. How that when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear. That shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. All right. So the pattern of teaching that I have revealed to you tonight is what the spirit delivered. The very words of God. This pattern of teaching that the people of the Bible obeyed who became Christians and the Lord added to his church. This same teaching is the word of God that endures forever. And this is what Peter tells his receptants as we close out tonight. Chapter 1, verses 24 and 25, Peter stated, For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is the flower of grass. The grass wither, and the flower does follow the wind. But notice what he states about the word of God. He states, But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. So we see here that Peter illustrates how the word of God lives and abides forever. And what he quotes is a passage from Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 6-8, that illustrates the enduring nature of God's word in contrast to the temporal themes of this life. Let's read Isaiah 40, verses 6-8. Okay. 40, 6-8. 6-8. The Lord said, cried out, and he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. All right. And that was written way before Peter was ever thought about. Okay. So we see the enduring effect of the word of God. But let's look at the fact that even now that this word of God still abides. And Jesus even stated that it is his words that will judge us in the last days. That will judge us in the last days. So this word is going to remain even when the heavens and the earth are destroyed. This word is going to abide still. Okay. So the grass and this beautiful flower will eventually die, even as do all men. Let's read James chapter 1, verses 10 and 11. James 1, 10 and 11. And the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass, he will pass away. When the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass, the flower falls and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuit. Okay. So as we see here in 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 25, Peter stated that the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. So what I want you all to know that the word of God abides forever. And it continues to be relevant for every generation of time because guess what? Man will always need the forgiveness of sin. Amen. One thing about the word of God, no part of it has been lost. One who believes in God believes also that he has the power both to reveal his word and to preserve it. And furthermore, nothing must be added or changed for the faith was once delivered. As we read in Jude 3, it stated that the faith was once delivered. And this is once for all time. Let's read Jude 3. John. Jude 1 through 3. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. So we see the faith was once for all delivered. So how could anybody come and deliver you another faith that's not in the Bible? How could they deliver to you any other form of teaching other than what the apostles delivered? We need to think about this. The same gospel preached in the first century is the word we must follow today, people. And that's just plain and simple. And let's close out with Romans 1, verses 16-17. Lisa. Romans 1, verses 16-17. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greeks. For it is the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written. But the righteous man shall live by faith. Amen.
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