Sanctification of the Believer (Isaiah 6:1-7)

 

Message: Isaiah 6:1-7

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

The whole earth is full of His glory!”

4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King,

The Lord of hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips;

Your iniquity is taken away,

And your sin purged.”                              

 

  Sunday October 29, 2017

 

“Sanctification of the Believer”

Pastor Enoch Hanokh

“Sanctification is God’s gracious act of setting a thing, person or people apart for Himself?”

Enoch Hanokh

Aspects of sanctification:

1. Positional sanctification

·       Unchanging position of the believer in Christ

1 Cor. 1:2 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

2. Practical/Progressive sanctification

2 Cor. 7:1 1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

In practical/progressive sanctification, we deal with the manifestations of sin our lives as believers. 

·       Date to date steps of the believer

Ø  Dealing with filthiness (sin) of the flesh

Jn. 6:63 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Ph. 3:3 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit,[a] rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

Ø  Dealing with filthiness (sin) of the spirit

The pride of being in good standing and failing to reaching out to those who have falling out of the way. The brother of the prodigal son?

·       Being washed by the Word of God (Scripture)

Jn. 17:17 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

 

Ø  Washing aspect of holiness

2 Cor. 6:14-18 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you[a] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”[b] 7 Therefore “Come out from among them

And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”[c] 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”[d]

Ø  Living in His presence aspect of holiness

Ps. 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

·       Help us see the power of God in our live on daily basis

Ø  Living in obedience is an act of love

Ø  Living in obedience is an act of fear of God

Jos. 3:5 5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

3. Perfect sanctification

·       We shall be like Him

1 Jn. 3:-3 3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God![a] Therefore the world does not know us,[b] because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

 

 

 

Questions:

1. What is sanctification?
2. In what ways is sanctification considered?
3. Why sanctification?

 

Christ Took Our Debt and Credited Our Account (Romans 4:1-8)

Message: Rom. 4:1-8

1What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?[a] 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[b] 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”[c]                                                            

                                 Sunday October 22, 2017

 

“Christ Took Our Debt and Credited Our Account”

Pastor Enoch Hanokh

 

“Where is the accuser? It is Christ who has imputed His righteousness to our account. How could God ever record sin against us?”

Enoch Hanokh

1. We have nothing to boast of before-vs. 1-3

1What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?[a] 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[b] 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

Ø  We were bankrupt

Ø  We were not credit worthy

Ø  God made a way in Christ

2. Christ credited our account-vs. 3-8

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[b] 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”[c]

Ø  Christ took our debt

Ø  He imputed His righteousness to us

v Remember Onesimus

v He who much is forgiven loves the most. (We cannot fake it, for the Holy Spirit imparts us with righteousness).

o   Keep no record of your sin

o   Keep no record of other people’s sin

Ø  Remember, God keep record of our works (joyful response to God’s kindness (faith))

 

Questions:

1. Discuss the example of Onesimus in relation to Paul in Philemon 1:8-21
2. Discuss the experience and attitude of the woman and the Pharisee in Luke 7:36-50
3. What do we learn from today’s message and how do we apply the truth in our lives?

 

 

"Justified by Faith"(Romans 3:21-26)

Message: Rom. 3:21-26

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Sunday October 15, 2017

“Justified by Faith”

(Mercy Seat)

Pastor Enoch Hanokh

The keyword in this piece of scripture is propitiation.

1.     Salvation for all sinners (as many as will believe)

Rom. 3:21 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe. For there is no difference;

§  Righteousness apart from the Law

Ø  The sacrifice for sinners and all creation

1 John 4:10 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins;

1 John 2:2 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

2.     Forgiveness for Christians (“If you confess…”)

§  Forgiveness for believers

Ø  The Righteous Advocate

1 John 2:1-2 2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

3.     Reason for our boldness

Rom. 3:26 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Ø  The demonstration of His righteousness

Hebrews 4:16 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Ø  Proverbs 28:1 1The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

 

Questions:

1.     Who can receive the salvation of God according to the Scripture?

2.     How is salvation received?

3.     How is justification connected to salvation?

4.     Any difference between salvation and forgiveness??

 

Our Life in Christ is a Regenerated Life (Titus 3:1-8)

Message: Titus 3:1-8

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.,

Sunday October 8, 2017

“Our Life in Christ is a Regenerated Life”

Pastor Enoch Hanokh

 

“The regenerated life is the new life imparted by God to sinners who believe in Jesus the life giver by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Enoch Hanokh

 

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” (John 3:1-9)

 

1.     Experiencing the regenerated life

§  Not a game of the mind, but real experience of the heart

In John 3:1-9, Jesus Makes mention of “born” which has to with regeneration. He makes mention of it 7x

Ø  Luke 23:40-43 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,[a] remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Ø  John 20:28 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

 

2.     The possibility and simplicity of the regenerated life

 

§  How can this be?

John3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Ø  Free gift from the life giver  John 4:10,14 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Ø  The Spirit and the Word-new birth

Ø  James 1: 18 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures;

1 Peter 1: 23 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,[a]

3.     The privilege of the regenerated life: “Born from above”

§  A live from above

Ø  John 1:12 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Ø  1John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God![a] Therefore the world does not know us,[b] because it did not know Him.

§  Recognizing the life from above

Ø  1John 3:8-10 8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil can be distinguished: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

 

4.     Urgency of the Regenerated life

John3: 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

§  Why the need?

Ø  John3:3 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Ø  John3:5 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

 

 

Questions:

1.     What it mean to have the regenerated life?

2.     Where is the source of our regenerated life?

3.     How can we tell whether we have the regenerated life? 

 

Christian Life is a Life of Adoption ll (Romans 8:14-17)