Thursday, June 2, 2011

To BE Attitudes: Blessed ARE the Pure in Heart...


Matthew 5:8. Purity, a word that is becoming extinct. In the beginning (genesis), God's creation was pure (unadulterated). Then sin entered the world and after that everything became corrupted. In the early 1990s, the "transgenic" (Genetically Modified) foods were put on the market and it caused a commotion. Nowadays, there are animals and probably people being Genetically Modified. If you are in a store and hear someone been called "GM", pay attention. If the person is old, he (she) is only the General Manager, but if he is young, he could be a Genetically Modified General Manager (lol). Today, we may be eating a "Frankenstein" (GM) corn on the cob without knowing it. The old "bizarre" is becoming the new "normal". The more we try to fix our world, the worse it gets! First question: Is it really possible to be pure in heart? According to Jesus it is possible, and the ones who are pure in heart, they are blessed! Second question: How can we become the pure in heart? See what Paul told Timothy: 2 Timothy 2:22Fleeing from sin and pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace. Third question: Where do we find righteousness, faith, love and peace? In Jesus Christ! Righteousness: Philippians 1:11; faith: John 17:20; love: Romans 8:39; peace: John 14:27.
Conclusion: A pure heart is only attained by an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. The more we know Him, the more we will be cleansed by His word. John 17:17.

Saved by Grace. Sanctified by Truth.

Ephesians 2:8. As Paul made it clear, salvation is a gift from God, there's nothing we can do to earn it. God's gift is available to everyone, unfortunately, few are accepting His gift. Why not? John 3:16. Because only the ones who believe in Jesus Christ are saved! Again, even the ones who are saved, they are saved by the Grace (Jesus Christ) of God, not by works: 2 Timothy 1:9. Salvation is a process and it includes something called sanctification (holiness): 1 Thessalonians 4:3. The purpose of sanctification is to create in us the Character of Jesus Christ, described by Paul as being the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. The concept of "cheap salvation" that we have in today's church is not biblical, preachers are offering a "costless" salvation, a salvation that God never offered! Jesus was clear that in order to "be saved" we must count the cost: Luke 14:28; we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him: Luke 9:23; we must lose our lives: Matthew 10:39. That's where sanctification happens, on the cross. The salvation process can take a couple hours, the criminal on the crossLuke 23:40-43, or it can take hundreds of years, Enoch: Genesis 5:23-24. The criminal on the cross is the perfect example that salvation is only received by faith, by confessing our sins and acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord. Romans 10:9.
ConclusionSanctification (holiness) is only attained by the Word of God (Jesus Christ): John 17:17. There is NO salvation without sanctification: Hebrews 12:14.