'How To'
Instructions in Righteousness
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Lesson 46:
Remember what you have received and
heard [from
the Word of God].
Hold fast.
Repent.
Key verse:
Rev. 3:3
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold
fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come
on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will
come upon thee.
This portion of scripture is from the letter to
the Sardis church. Their works were not perfect before the Lord and
they are being admonished. This situation is being experienced in the
Body of Christ to this day and the correction is for us, as well as
those in the first century church. This is an admonition to turn from
backsliding.
Remember what you have
received and heard
[And heard] How thou didst hear the
gospel in former times; that is, with what earnestness and attention
thou didst embrace it. This would rather seem to imply that the
reference in the whole passage is to the fact that they embraced the
gospel with great ardor and zeal. – Barnes
[Remember] Enter into a serious
consideration of your state.
[How thou hast received] With what
joy, zeal, and gladness ye heard the Gospel of Christ when first
preached to you. –Clarke
The admonition is compound. We must examine
ourselves constantly. We must remember what we have heard from the Word
of God. We must hold on to it. We must exhibit the same zeal and
fervency we had the first time we were called.
Hold fast
[And hold fast]
(1) Hold fast the truths which thou didst then receive;
(2) hold fast what remains of
true religion among you. – Barnes
[Hold fast] Those good desires and
heavenly influences which still remain.
–Clarke
Sardis had lost some of the things they learned and are being encouraged
to hold on to what they have left. We may be in a better state than
they as we have their situation as an example not to lose anything. We
are to hold fast what we have learned and not allow anyone to take it
away with false doctrines and teachings.
Repent
[And repent] Repent in regard to all
that in which you have departed from your views and feelings when you
embraced the gospel. – Barnes
[And repent.] Be humbled before God,
because ye have not been workers together with him, but have received
much of his grace in vain. –Clarke
Repent if you feel you have lost anything you have been taught. Repent
of backsliding and continue to move forward in the Salvation Process.
Lesson 46:
Instructions –
Remember
what you have received and heard [from the Word of God]. Hold
fast. Repent
1) Examine yourself daily to ascertain your spiritual
state...whether you remain in the Salvation Process.
2) Keep in mind and constantly study what you have heard from the Word of
God.
3) Maintain your joy, zeal, gladness and fervency. Accomplish this
by staying immersed in the Word of God.
4) Repent immediately at any sign of backsliding.
5) Understand the difference between
backsliding and falling away.
6) Recapture and/or hold onto your first love.
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