The Ultimate Goal of the Gospel
"And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight." (Colossians 1:21-22 NKJV)
The goal of the gospel—the hope to which we believe—is that we become holy, blameless, and above reproach in the sight of God.
Why Come to Jesus?
Why should a man come to Jesus? Because only Jesus can present him holy, blameless, and above reproach in the sight of God.
Our holiness is not based on our works but on His blood. You cannot do well enough to qualify for holiness presented before God. God's acceptance of you is based on His presentation of you.
What gives a man victory over sin is him knowing about what Jesus did. The clearer you see the value of the work of Jesus, the more you love Him. The more you love Him, the more you align with Him.
Christ's Work in the Church
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 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 NKJV)
Who does the sanctification and cleansing? Why are we cleaned? Because of Jesus. The spotlessness of the church which Jesus received is a product of His own work. It is a church under the cover of His blood.
Grace Does Not Promote Sin
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Romans 6:1-2 NKJV)
"And why not say, 'Let us do evil that good may come'?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just." (Romans 3:8 NKJV)
"What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!" (Romans 6:15 NKJV)
There is no premise to which people are told to go and sin because of grace. The practices of sin are not ideal for natural, and good life. Grace never says so.
It is totally the intention, mind, and will of God that men should live free from sin. And it is also the will of God that men should be found holy, and blameless, and beyond reproach by the presentation of Jesus.
The Foundation: Being in Faith
Holy, and blameless lifestyle starts by being in the faith. Why ask men to be born again? It is the intention to ask them to come into the faith where the finished works of Jesus becomes a reality in their lives.
We must continue in the faith as this is what changes a man's life. No man who continues in the faith remains the same. Being in the faith in the Lord Jesus is wrapping your life around Jesus.
Faith is a genuine thing that manifests in a man as consecration.
Understanding True Consecration
Consecration is not about staying away from things but rather about commitment to a thing. It is the commitment that in turn determines what you stay away from. That is the expression of your faith.
"Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:1-2 NKJV)
Faith Brings Fellowship
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:1-3 NKJV)
The preaching of the gospel is an invitation into fellowship, into participation. The baptism of John is washing. The baptism of Christ is union, fellowship and oneness.
"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13 NKJV)
Fellowship with Light
If God is light and there is no darkness in Him, if you come to Him, there will be no darkness in you.
"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:5-7 NKJV)
Who you are joined with will henceforth determine the journey of your life.
The Power of Fellowship
Fellowship is not just hanging around but intimate mingling with God who is light. If you become one with light, where will you find the darkness you operate with if you are indeed joined with Him?
Our power to walk in victory lies with our fellowship with the Lord. Fellowship is our victory. It is our power. The power for transformation comes from our fellowship with Him. Great value must be placed in the consciousness of our union with Him.
Love for Righteousness
One thing that must not be missing in the life of a believer is his love for righteousness. Though we’re not perfect as humans, our love for our destination state must be evident. We must all love righteousness and hate wickedness.
"You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions." (Psalms 45:7 NKJV)
Because of my fellowship with Christ Jesus, I am in fellowship with the Light and because of that I will not walk in darkness.
Conclusion
The promise of Jesus is to present us holy, blameless, and above reproach before God through His blood, not our works. This transformation begins with faith and manifests as consecration through our commitment to Him, and is sustained through intimate fellowship with the Light.
As we continue in faith and maintain our union with Christ, we experience the power to walk in victory and love righteousness while hating wickedness.
