Let’s continue on, talking about creating the righteousness and holiness in you. And it is done by truth, by God’s Spirit, which is the spirit of truth, from the God of truth, to put truth in your mind, to put the Word of God in your mind. But what do you have to get out of it? You have to get out of it all the clutter that you’ve programmed in it all your life. Now in this creation that God is doing in you, you have to participate in it. Because He is not going to give you a brain transplant. He is going to give you a renewing of your spirit, a renewing of your mind, which is a process. So verse 25 talks about this. “Therefore [because of what has all gone on before], let each one put away lies and speak the truth with his neighbor because we are all members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25, FV). So this is putting away human nature, carnal behavior. This is your part in the process. In other words, if you are not willing to put these things away, then is God going to be willing to create His holy, righteous character in you if you don’t do your part? I doubt it.

Verse 26 (FV), “When you become angry,...” Now you see, it doesn’t say that you’re not to be angry. But here are the guidelines. “...Do not sin.” See, because there is an anger over things which are wrong, there is an anger that can come up which is righteous indignation, which is separate from the anger of sin. So if you get angry, don’t sin. Now there is another limitation: “Do not let the sun go down on your anger;...” In other words, by time sun comes to go down, get over it. And it’s important why it says “…the sun go down,” because if you go to bed with all the turmoil and anger on your mind, guess what? You’re going to lay there, and it’s going to fester and it’s going to get worse and you’re going to toss and turn and you are going to feel miserable and you are going to feel more angry and you’re right back into doing all the carnal things again, right? Yes. See, Because when you are angry and sin, then this gives you justification for whatever you want to do in retaliation you want to take. So God says by sundown, cool it.

Here’s the reason: “…Neither give place to the devil.” Because you give an opening for him. And as we saw on the first day, he is like a roaring lion going about seeking who he may devour. So you’re giving place to the devil. He comes along and says, “Oh, you’re angry. You need that. You are so right. Ah, yes. That other person is as bad or worse than you think.” That’s why. Don’t give place to the devil. Now then, a little kleptomaniac here, you see, verse 28, “Let the one who stole, steal no more; rather, let him labor with his hands, working at what is good, so that he may impart something to the one who has need.” So you see, this takes thought. This takes determination not to be doing these things. Verse 29, “Do not let any corrupt communication come out of your mouth, but that which is good and needful for edification that it may give grace to those who hear. And grieve not the Holy Spirit...” (vs. 27-30, FV). Because you see, the Holy Spirit is working with you to create the righteousness and the holiness of truth in you. And these things are preventing it from being done. These kind of behaviors are grieving the Holy Spirit. You’re fighting and resisting God. That’s what he is saying.

Now God wants you to be renewed. God wants to create these things in you. But you have to be cooperative, and you have to work to get the evil things out. He will give you the power to get them out. Now then, here are other things to get rid of: “…Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by which you have been sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness [not some, not part, but all], and indignation, and wrath, and clamor, and evil speaking be removed from you, together with all malice; and be kind and tenderhearted toward one another, forgiving one another, even as God has also in Christ forgiven you” (vs. 30-32, FV). Because there’s one thing that is true - you can never develop faith or hope or love unless you forgive. And remember, we have already covered this just in the recent past. There is another key that is important. If you don’t forgive, God won’t forgive you either. And human beings are like this, is that all of us want God to forgive us. But not him, or her. So always remember that you have to have forgiveness in order to be forgiven.

Now let’s continue right on in chapter 5, showing the process by which God is doing this. See, Satan and you have created in your mind, along with the law of sin and death that you have in you, all of the sin that is in your mind. Because remember, as a man things in his heart so he is. And that’s what you were when God called you. And when you repent and have your sins forgiven and are baptized and have the laying on of hands for the receipt of the Holy Spirit, that’s a start. All the things that you programmed into your mind are still there. So these need to be cleaned out. And it’s a process. It’s something you have to work at.

Now Ephesians 5:3, “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, do not permit it even to be named among you, as is fitting for saints;…” So there are things that you’re absolutely not to tolerate and not allow. And if you get yourself into any circumstances such as fornication or sexual immorality, Paul has one remedy: flee fornication. That is, get up and run away from it. Because it’s going to nab you and take you down for sure. Now let’s continue on, verse 4, “…Nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting [that’s all dirty jokes and things like that], which are not becoming; but instead, thanksgiving. For this you know, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:3-5, FV). So you see, what he is doing he is setting the limits and the bounds of things that we should not do. And what are we talking about here with everyone of these things, but we’re talking about things that are derived from the Ten Commandments of God.

Now verse 6, very important thing. As Delores and I were talking the other day, what’s one of the major problems in the churches of God today? Brethren who sit there and listen to nonsense and think, “Oh, it’s so nice, and all my friends are here.” See, if that’s the case with you, please understand, that is your idol. And you put God in second place. God wants to be in first place. So verse 6 (FV), “Do not let anyone deceive you with vain words; for because of these vain things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” Now as we were talking a little earlier before services here, the true fault of what’s going on with these homosexual marriages, especially in San Francisco and elsewhere, it is because of two major things: Catholic priesthood, which is more than fifty percent homosexual, and the lies that they teach; and the Protestant, lawless grace, which is, “If it feels good, do it, and God will understand.” Those have laid the seeds which are now sprouting in the fruit that we see in the homosexual assault against Christianity. And well deserved it needs to be assaulted, because it is wrong, and vain, and empty, and foolish, and Satanic, though it uses the name of Christ because they have those standing up there speaking vain words and smooth words and nice things and people say, “Oh, isn’t that nice.” But if you preach the truth of God you are “harsh”; you’re “mean”. “You’re unresilient. You don’t have no understanding.” Tolerance and inclusions and occlusive society has gotten us where we are today. So you need to understand that. So that’s why he says don’t do that.

Verse 7 (FV), “Therefore, do not be joint partakers with them. For you were once darkness;...” So if you go back in darkness again, you’re in deep trouble. “...But now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children in light, (because the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness in truth;)…” In other words, the fruits of your life, the recreation and renewing of your mind with the power of the Holy Spirit is going to produce goodness, righteousness, and truth. And another thing it will do, verse 10, let’s read that. “…Proving what is well pleasing to the Lord;...” Now how do you prove what is well pleasing to the Lord? You study the word of God. And then you practice it in your life. That’s how you do it. “…And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather, expose them;…” (vs. 7-11, FV). So that’s what we have to do.

Now let’s come to Galatians 5, and let’s see the things that we have to fight against and get rid of. Just a few pages back here, Galatians 5. Here are the things that we need to get rid of. Verse 19 (FV), “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery,...” And sex is a big problem everywhere in the world, period. “...[And] fornication [that’s sexual immorality], uncleanness,...” Now notice what I’m reading here are things that transgress the commandments of God. So is it any wonder the Protestants missed the point when they say you don’t have to keep the “old law”? Well these are all based on the “old law.” And I’ll tell you, it’s so old it’s eternal. And it isn’t ever going to change for anybody, because it’s God’s laws, and God’s commandments, and God’s way. “...Uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,...” Now if you want a good Bible study, do this: you write down all these words and then you do a concordance study, and you go through the whole Bible. It would take quite a while to do this. And find out how every one of these things are transgressions of the laws and commandments of God and are condemned. But these are the works of the flesh.

“...Hatred, strifes, jealousies, indignations, contentions, divisions, sects, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such things as these; concerning which I am telling you beforehand, even as I have also said in the past, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21, FV). So all of these need to be put away. But since we are still living in the flesh, what? Until we get our minds cleaned up and renewed, these things are going to be varying degrees of problems to overcome, aren’t they? And of course, as long as we’re in the flesh we still have these things to work on and overcome because that’s part of the creating of true character and righteousness. Now we’re going to see in just a little bit the steps that we need to take so that when we put out the works of the flesh and put in the fruits of the Spirit, then there has to be a removal of one and an implanting, or a creating of the other in our minds.

Now let’s look at the contrast. Every one of these things here, verses 19 through 21, are what? They are against the commandments of God, and there are laws against every single one of them, correct? Yes, indeed. Now the fruit, the product, the result - because we are to, as Jesus said, we are to bring forth fruit, and our fruit is to remain. And here is the pinnacle of it. Paul starts out with love first, as we will see in just a little bit. Peter ends up with love. It’s a step-by-step process that starts out with love, and it also ends up with love. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (vs. 22-23, FV). You can’t be transgressing the laws of God if you are doing these things. “But those who are Christ’s [now notice] have crucified the flesh together with the passions and lusts.” Now “crucifying the flesh” is the process of putting out, getting rid of. Living by the Spirit is to put in the way of God, verse 25: “If we live by the Spirit, we should also be walking by the Spirit. We should not become vainglorious, provoking one another and envying one another” (vs. 25-26, FV).

Now let’s carry this a little bit further, and let’s see what Peter had to say. Let’s go to one verse here, Galatians 5:6 (FV). “Because in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision of any force, nor uncircumcision;...” In other words, it’s not a physical thing that you do or don’t do. There is no spirituality in circumcision or uncircumcision. That’s just a part of the body. We’re talking about renewing the mind. And as we have seen before, circumcise the mind, which is the spiritual conversion through Christ. Now notice the rest of this, “...rather, it is the inner working of faith...” That which is inside, not that which is outside in the flesh; “...the inner working of faith through love.” So faith cannot operate without love. Love cannot operate without faith. Belief cannot operate without hope.

Now let’s go to 2 Peter 1. Now instead of going toward the end of the Bible, you go toward the front of it this time, past Romans, to 2 Peter 1. Now it will take you a little while to get used to the new order of the books, because you’ve had Bibles which have not had the correct order of the books. That’s why this is the New Testament in its original order. Now that’s the way that God inspired the apostles to put it together. Now let’s come here, 2 Peter1:1 (FV). “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained the same precious faith as ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:...” I just realized I made a mistake. There are not five chapters in 2 Peter. So if you didn’t know that and were looking for chapter 5, you should have known there are only three chapters in it. 2 Peter 1:1. Now we’re ready for verse 2.

“…Grace and peace be multiplied to you...” In other words, as you are building and developing this character, it is going to bring more grace and more peace; it will be multiplied to you. “...In the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,...” It means you will know more of the Word of God, you will know more by proving that it is true. And when you prove and reprove, and prove and reprove, then what’s the old saying? Repetition is the greatest teacher. And God knows that too. That’s why we have the holy days every year, to be repeated every year, every year, every year, every year so that we come and do exactly what he says here, that it can be multiplied to us in the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. And every year we learn more things. We grow in grace and knowledge.

Now here’s the reason why. Here’s the motivation why. Here’s the whole goal of what we are doing, and the process of the creation of the spiritual mind and Christ in us. Now it’s in preparation for the resurrection. Verse 3, “According as His divine power [that’s through His Holy Spirit] has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,...” With the Spirit of God, with the Word of God, with the keeping of His commandments, with the growing and overcoming, you have all things that pertain to life and godliness; you are complete in Christ. But that completion must be perfected, as we will see. Now that comes “...through the knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and virtue; through which He has given to us the greatest and most precious promises,...” (vs. 3-4, FV). I want you to understand something and never forget it: the first resurrection is first for a reason. And in Hebrews Paul calls it “the superior resurrection.” Now we’re going to see how much superior that is when we are resurrected. Then we will fully comprehended it and understand it, you see.

But these are “...the greatest and most precious promises, that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature,...” To have the very mind of God, through the Holy Spirit of God, through the power of Christ in us, and doing it God’s way. Now Satan came to Adam and Eve and said, “You don’t have to do it God’s way. I’ve got another way. It’s a whole lot easier. All you have to do is eat of this little old tree over here. Now you know, God didn’t tell you about that, because He’s really hiding something from you. But this is really the only way to do it, to become God.” Which is false. God has given the true way to become partakers of the divine nature. If you have the Holy Spirit of God in you, you are already a partaker of the divine nature. But it must be created in righteousness and true holiness. It must grow and develop. Because once you have the begettal of the Holy Spirit it is just a start. It’s just like a babe who has been conceived in the womb. It is a pinprick of life, but when it is born nine months later, look at all that is there. So likewise with us. Once we receive the Holy Spirit through baptism, laying on of hands, we are starting. But we have to grow. We have to be fed. We have to be nourished. There has to be a plan to do it. There has to be a means and a mechanism to accomplish it. And that is through the Holy Spirit of God, the Word of God, His commandments, and holy days, and all these are part of the whole package that God has given.

Now notice, “...partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust [yes, you can overcome that]. And for this very reason also,...” In other words, because of what he just said here, this is the reason that you do what you do. And this is the reason why you have the attitude to do what you do, and the way that you do it, see. “And for this very reason also, having applied all diligence...” God wants you to be diligent in it, zealous in it, passionate for God and His way. “...Having applied all diligence besides, add to your faith, virtue;...” So here are the spiritual building blocks of character in the renewing of your mind. Virtue, which is good, godly behavior; looking to do the good; planning to do the good; carrying it out and doing the good. “...And to virtue, knowledge;...” (vs. 4-5, FV).

See, because you are in an educational process from God. He is educating you to become a very son or daughter of God. And that takes education. That takes His Word. That’s why He has given you the greatest textbook in the world, called the Bible so that you can have the knowledge. And how does knowledge come? A bit at a time, a bit at a time. He doesn’t want us to be like little kids, and remain in kindergarten all of our lives. And the only thing you do – because one of the very first things you learned in kindergarten is what? One of the clever little songs is to teach the alphabet, right? “A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J…” Everyone knows that right? But guess what? That same song with the alphabet are the same letters that are used in the Bible to teach you the knowledge of God. So what are we dealing with? It’s an educational process.

Knowledge - knowledge of God the Father; knowledge of Jesus Christ; knowledge of the Word of God; knowledge of the history. Do you think that any of us have enough time to get all the knowledge we really, really, really need in this lifetime? No. As much as we can learn, we are to learn. But after the resurrection, don’t you think were going to learn a whole lot more? Don’t you think God’s educational process is going to continue for all eternity?

Now verse 6 (FV), “…And to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance;...” And that’s one thing a lot of people need today, both of them – self-control and endurance. See, when the going gets tough you still stick with it. Because if you faint in the day of adversity, as we saw, you have little strength. Endurance. Now what happens with endurance? It’s just like Paul wrote back there in Romans 5 that we read earlier. Godliness - you begin to have the kind of life that reflects the godliness of Christ as He was in the flesh. “...And to godliness, brotherly love;...” See, it’s a process. It’s a step-by-step, growing and overcoming. “...And to brotherly love, the love of God.” (vs. 6-7, FV). So here, Paul started out with love, and Peter ends up with love, you see, the very love of God. Now there’s an awful lot that needs to be said with that, because love is just not a feel-good emotion. That’s only part of it. That’s only one aspect of love. Love includes obedience, and loyalty, and all of the things that are here, that are listed here. Love includes all of those.

Now let’s continue on here for just a minute. Verse 8, “For if these things exist and abound in you,...” Now they can’t exist and abound in you unless you are busy working with God to let Him create these things in you, through doing the things that we have covered here. “...They will cause you to be neither lacking effort nor lacking fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You’re going to understand. “But the one in whom these things are not present is spiritually blind—so short-sighted that he has forgotten that he was purified from his old sins. For this reason, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure; because if you are doing these things [See, it’s something you’re doing], you will never fall at any time. For in this way, you will be richly granted an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (vs. 8-11, FV). So what did Peter give us here? An absolutely sure fire, guaranteed way to know that you are on the road to the kingdom of God and you will go in. That’s how you stand before God.

Now let’s see what else we need to do. Let’s come back to Ephesians 5. Remember where it was. Ephesians 5:1; here is how we are to do it. Everyone has a pattern, or someone to follow that they use as a guide to live their life by. And in doing that they develop their own means of character and personality so that when they are adults then they can function as adults separate. Now Ephesians 5:1 (FV), “Therefore, be imitators of God,...” That’s why we need the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. Now we are not to go around and think that we are God, or that we are saviors of the world. No. But we are to imitate God’s behavior, His characteristics, His way of doing things, as listed out in His word. “...As beloved children;…” And that’s what children do, don’t they? They always mimic the behavior of the adults.

Verse 2 (FV), “…And walk in love,...” See, we are to live in love, as it says in one place, and here we are to walk in love. And faith works by love. So it all combines together, where I have said we are to walk in faith, believe in hope, and live in love. It all is combined together. “…Even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.” So you see, this is where you start out, with the sacrifice of Christ, and this is where you end up, is with the sacrifice of Christ.

Now let’s come to 1 John 4. But time we get done here you will know which way to go. 1 John 4, and let’s talk about the love of God and see what has to be done. Because you see, just as there is something that is to be built, it has to be honed, and refined, and perfected. Now I saw a documentary on how they made Rolls-Royce, those cars, those big expensive cars. And the reason they’re so expensive is because just the woodwork that they have in there on the doors, and on the - what do they call that, that’s in the front of the car there? The dashboard, and the glove compartment, and all that, they have wood – special, expensive wood that they hand craft. And they sand, and they stain, and they polish, and polish, and polish, and polish, and inspect it, and worked over, and polish, and redone again and again until it is what? Perfect. Now that’s what God wants in us.

Now let’s see this beginning in verse 9. “In this way the love of God was manifested toward us:...” The very fact that God sent Jesus Christ, and He died for our sins, and Christ loves us, and God loves the world that He gave His only begotten Son - that is a manifestation of the love of God, not only for the world but for us. “...That God sent His only begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this act is the love—not that we loved God; rather, that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” So now we are to respond to God because of this. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also are duty-bound to love one another.” Then he says, “No one has seen God at any time. Yet, if we love one another, God dwells in us, and His own love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:9-12, FV). In other words, part of having the love of God perfected in you is also loving the brethren, is it not? Yes, it is.

Now this gives us little test. “By this standard [this measurement] we know that we are dwelling in Him, and He is dwelling in us: because of His own Spirit, which He has given to us” (vs. 13, FV). So that we know that we have the Spirit of God, we use the Spirit of God, we are growing in grace and knowledge, we are developing the character of God. And that’s how we stand before God. That’s why we are holy and blameless and without reproach before Him in love. That’s how that works, see, it is perfected in us.

Now verse 14 (FV), “And we have seen for ourselves [that is, the apostles have] and bear witness that the Father sent the Son as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God [that is, truly; not the counterfeits that we have in the world today], God dwells in Him, and he in God.” And of course, that can’t be unless you’re keeping commandments of God. “And we have known and have believed the love that God has toward us. God is love,...” And that’s the ultimate that we are going to achieve, isn’t it? Yes it is. Having escaped the lust that is in the world and the corruption of the carnal mind, and been given the divine power and Spirit to be partakers of the divine nature. “…God is love, and the one who dwells in love is dwelling in God, and God in him. By this spiritual indwelling, the love of God is perfected within us,...” That’s how it’s done: day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month, year-by-year. “...So that we may have confidence in the day of judgment...” We don’t have to be afraid. We can have confidence. “…Because even as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in the love of God; rather, perfect love casts out fear because fear has torment” (vs. 14-18, FV). So if you think you stand before God and you’re fearful and in torment, you better start repenting of that. And you better start relying on the things that we have covered here today, to know how you stand before God.

“And the one who fears has not been made perfect in the love of God.” That’s why people fear, because they don’t have the love of God. “We love Him because He loved us first. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother, whom he has seen, how is he able [that means, how is he capable? How does he have the power] to love God, Whom he has not seen? And this is the commandment that we have from Him: that the one who loves God should also love his brother” (vs. 18-21, FV).

Now let’s come to Ephesians 4 again, and we will finish there. And we will see what God is doing. Now let’s come to Ephesians 4:11. This is what God is doing. “And he gave some as apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints,...” To teach them the way of God, the will of God, the love of God, the knowledge of God, the faith of God. That is the perfecting. And that is building the spiritual character. “...For the work of the ministry, for the edifying [the building up] of the body of Christ; until we all come into the unity of the faith [which is where we started, right?] and of the knowledge of Son of God, unto a perfect man,…” That means spiritually perfect. Now notice the goal where we are headed: “...Unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that we no longer be children, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men in cunning craftiness, with a view to the systematizing of the error; but holding the truth in love, may in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, even Christ…” (Eph 4:11-15, FV).

Now that’s what God wants. That’s where we are headed. That’s how you stand before God. That’s why He imputes to you the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That’s why He views you as Jesus Christ. Because that is what He is teaching you to mimic and become, the very same. You’re the brethren of Jesus Christ. So brethren, have a continuous, good Feast of Unleavened Bread, and remember to constantly walk in the way of God.

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