Message Sixteen

A famous and fine drug firm stated the other day that 90% of all prescription medicines used today were unknown 17 years ago. Isn't that amazing. But God's presecription for sin hasn't changed since He, in the Garden of Eden, provided a covering to save us from our sins. Christ is still the only answer to your need. This is brought out in 1st Peter 1:22.

Mark the cleansing. It's written, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth." The Bible teaches that Gentiles and Jews are all under sin, for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Sin, which originated with Satan, and entered the world through Adam, was, and is, universal. That's why every man must say, "I have sinned." Augustine, that great preacher of yesteryears cried, "Lord, save me from that wicked man, myself." John Knox confessed, "In youth, in mid-age, and after many battles, I find nothing in me but corruption." John Wesley acknowledged, "I am fallen short of the glory of God; my whole heart is altogether corrupt and abominable, and consequently my whole life, seeing an evil tree can't bring forth good fruit." Testified the writer of Rock of Ages, "I'm nothing but sin and weakness. In my flesh dwells no good thing." Since you and I have sinned, how can we be cleansed? By "obeying the truth," that is, trusting Christ. You see, sin is a stain, but when you trust Christ He'll give you a blood bath that washes away that stain. Sin is a blot, but when you trust He erases the record. Sin is a cloud, but when you trust Christ He blots out the cloud. Sin is captivity, but when you trust Christ He frees you from the fetters of sin. Sin is death, but when you trust Christ He gives you everlasting life. Once there was a bushman who wanted a new boomerang, but he didn't know how to throw the old one away. However, when we confess and forsake our sins, we never need to worry about their return. God forgives and forgets them.

Mark the channel. The Bible says, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit." The Holy Spirit strives with men. The Lord said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." The Holy Spirit convicts men. The Bible says, "When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;" and our Lord added, "of sin, because they believe not on Me." The greatest of all sins is unbelief. It can be removed only by the convicting power of the Spirit. All sins may be forgiven save a continual, changeless lack of faith in the Lord Jesus. Should you reject the Son, you resist the Spirit, and you repudiate the Father's provision of eternal life. In one of our return meetings in a certain church, a man said to me, "When I heard you preach during the first meeting the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin night after night. But each time I refused to believe on the Lord Jesus, and I continued in my sins. The time has now come when I no longer feel the Spirit striving with me. I'd give anything if I could feel tonight as I felt a few years ago when you preached your first revival here." His little girl, holding onto his leg, as we stood on the sidewalk, cried, "Oh, Daddy, believe, believe." He said, "My heart is so hard, I can't, I can't."

Mark the command. It's written in 1st Peter 1:22, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." The word "unfeigned" is the translation from the word from which we get our word "hypocrite." The Greek word for "hypocrite" was used to describe an actor on a stage, one who played another's part, and that while wearing a mask. Now the Lord doesn't want you to put on a mask of feigned love. He wants you to love each other sincerely and warmly from your heart. He wants you to love others fervently, without anger or arrogance, without malice or meanness, without envy or evil speaking, without pride or partiality. "Oh," but you ask, "how can I?" "God is love." It's only as you ask this God of love to come into your heart, and abandon yourself to Him, that you'll love others as you should. A little girl was finally allowed to visit her friend who was sick. Said the sick girl, "I thought you had forgotten me." "Oh, no," she answered. "I sent my love to you every day, but they just kept it to themselves." Through the ages Christ has sent His love through the Christians. Don't just take it and keep it! Pass it on! The Bible says, "See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently."

copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic Association

All Scripture verses are quoted from the New King James Version.

This series of messages on the books of the Bible were originally written for broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The Sower." They are collected and reprinted here for your enjoyment and spiritual edification. Go to the Sower's site for more at www.TheSower.com.