Sermon: Edulcorate
[ih-duhl-kuh-reyt]
by Chris Cumming
On the 18th of January of
this year (2020),
I presented to you the sermon, “Double Down” which shared with you a
hands-on perspective to repentance. I began that sermon with this
statement:
“Back in July and August of 2014, I gave
four sermons as part of a Holiness series. You can see all these
sermons at the Las Vegas site. This sermon is the fourth in that
series. Each is a stand-alone sermon on the same overall subject:
Holiness.”
So “Double-down” is part of the Holiness series of four (4) sermons.
From this one sermon, I have put together fourteen (14) sermons in what
I call the, “Salvation series.” You can see these sermon titles and
subjects on the Schedule page of the Las Vegas site. Each sermon has a
key verse or two you heard in “Double-down.” Today is the fourth sermon
in this series. Let us begin.
The name of this sermon is “Edulcorate.” Let us breakdown this title.
Edulcorate
[ih-duhl-kuh-reyt]
to free from acids, salts, or impurities by washing; purify.
Linked words:
Chasten, clean, decontaminate, disinfect, purge, sanctify, wash.
Purify: …and I found a verse for each of the definitions
1]
to make pure; free from anything that debases, pollutes, adulterates, or
contaminates: ~to
purify metals.
Psalm 66:10
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
2]
to free from foreign, extraneous, or objectionable elements: ~to
purify a language.
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
3]
to free from guilt or evil.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
4]
to clear or purge (usually
followed by of or from).
1 Corinthians 5:7
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
verb
(used
without object),
pu·ri·fied, pu·ri·fy·ing.
1]
to become pure.
1 John 3:3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Our key verse,
selected from the sermon, “Double Down” is:
1 Peter 1:22-23
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit
unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure
heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word
of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Double-down Phrases:
--Purified your souls.
--Obeying the truth.
--Love one another.
--Manifest fervency.
Definitions:
---Purify:
free from foreign, extraneous or objectionable elements, such as the sin or
negative element. Purge.
---Obey:
comply to commands and instructions.
---Fervency:
intensity; enthusiasm; zeal; gusto.
Let’s immerse ourselves in this verse.
1] Seeing ye have
purified your souls
Purify your souls
This
set of scriptures will take us full circle. These scriptures will reveal just
how we get purified.
John 15:3
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 17:19-20
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified
through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word;
Acts 15:9
And put no difference between us and them (Jews
and Gentiles),
purifying their hearts by faith.
Note:
If you read from the beginning of this chapter, you see the Pharisees saying one
must be circumcised to enter the Body of Christ. Paul and Barnabas meet with
the elders in Jerusalem and their was much disputing on this matter until Peter
stood to speak. He made it clear that the Gentiles were being called to the
Body of Christ and being given the Holy Spirit. Having this Holy Spirit results
there being no difference among the brethren. Notice the commentary for the
phrase, “by faith.”
By faith
- By believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. This demonstrated that the plan on
which God was now about to show favor to people was not by external rites and
ceremonies, but by a scheme which required faith as the only condition of
acceptance. It is further implied here that there is no true faith which does
not purify the heart.
~Barnes Notes
Wow, faith purifies the heart. And this is done by more than just having faith
but by exercise of faith or what we call, “manifesting faith.” Here is an
example of what I mean: I have a great belief in the power of edification. But
edification is nothing unless we manifest or perform acts of edification. Every
time we do an act of faith, the heart is directly purified.
Romans 6:16-17
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto
righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from
the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Note:
the phrase in verse 16 says, “of obedience unto righteousness.” How is this
done? Obey what? These questions are answered in verse 17. We obey doctrine.
By obeying doctrine, we are obeying Almighty God. This process is purifying.
2 Thessalonians
2:13
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the
Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Note:
The verse says that God has called us to salvation and this is accomplished by
Him with a purifying process that has two elements: The Holy Spirit and the
Word of God. One of the definitions of “sanctification” is “to purify or free
from sin.” God is purifying us in the salvation process by immersing us in the
Word of God. He does this by the power of God which He places in us.
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;
and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
How do we draw nigh to God? Notice the Barnes Notes commentary:
We may address him directly in
prayer;
we may approach him by
meditation
on his character; we may draw near to him in the
ordinances
of religion.
~Barnes Notes
2] In obeying the
truth
(1 Peter 1:22)
Obey the truth
James 1:18
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures.
Note:
God makes us firstfruits (occupants
of the salvation proves)
or begats us into that process by the Word of God. We are firstfruits by the
Word of God. Notice what the next 7 verses say:
James 1:19-25
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and receive with meekness
the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22
But be ye doers of
the word,
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man
beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was.
25 But whoso
looketh into the perfect law of liberty,
and continueth
therein,
he being not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed.
~emphasis mine
So, God takes the first, all-important step. He calls us to the salvation
process and immerses us in His Word. Then comes our part:
1] Repent. Lay aside all sin and all things negative (verse 21).
2] Receive the Word of God (verse 21).
3] Be doers of the Word. Manifest the principles of God. Do good works.
Exercise faith. (Verse 22).
4] Continually look into the perfect Word of God. Hear it. Manifest it. (Verse
25).
All these things make up the purification process. God is purifying us.
Acts 5:29
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather
than men.
Philippians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but
now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling.
3] Through the
Spirit
(1 Peter 1:22)
Exercise the Spirit
of God
The
Holy Spirit is represented as a fire, because it is [God’s]
province to enlighten and quicken the soul; and to purge, purify, and refine [the
soul through this power].
~Adam Clarke
Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 8:5
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that
are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:5
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
2 Corinthians
3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord.
4] Unto unfeigned
love of the brethren
(1 Peter 1:22)
Love the brethren with unfeigned love
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as
brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved
you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to
another.
Romans 12:9-10
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that
which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour
preferring one another;
Hebrews 13:1
Let brotherly love continue.
1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth
is born of God, and knoweth God.
5] See that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently
(1 Peter 1:22)
Love one another
fervently. Manifest fervency.
Philippians 1:9
And this I pray, that your love
may abound
yet more and more
in knowledge and
in all judgment.
~emphasis mine
1 Thessalonians
3:12
And the Lord make you
to increase and abound
in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.
~emphasis mine
2 Thessalonians
1:3
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that
your faith
groweth exceedingly,
and the charity of every one of you all toward each other
aboundeth.
~emphasis mine
6] Being born again
(1
Peter 1:23)
Be begotten of God
1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto
a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
7] Not of
corruptible seed
(1 Peter 1:23)
Rid yourself of
corruption
Galatians 6:8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these
ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that
is in the world through lust.
Romans 8:14-21
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children
of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of
the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of
him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The word “creature” refers to the renewed nature of the Christian, or to the
Christian as renewed.
8] But of
incorruptible
(seed)
(1 Peter 1:23)
Be incorruptible
Notice that the implication here is of “seed.” We clearly see that from the
previous phrase, “not of corruptible seed.” What God is alluding to here is the
fact that with our initial calling to repentance, baptism and the laying on of
hands, we are a planted “seed.” A well-planted seed grows to maturity and the
eventual harvest. God tells us so:
1 Corinthians
15:52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed.
The “seed”, now a fully mature, fruitful plant is harvested.
9] By the word of
God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
(1 Peter 1:23)
Immerse yourself in
the Word of God
[see sermon,
Full Immersion]
The Word of God is alive. That is because it is Spirit. Spirit abides
forever. God’s Word is Spirit. Anything made of Spirit abides forever.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is
quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Word of God is a descerner of
thoughts and our intents. So we find not only God’s will but our own in the
Word of God.
1 Peter 1:25
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the
gospel is preached unto you.
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Let me finish with another key verse from the sermon, “Double Down.” This verse
answers some key questions for us:
1] What made the salvation process possible?
2] What is a primary mission of Jesus Christ regarding humans?
3] What does Jesus Christ want to do with humans?
4] What does Jesus Christ and God want to instill in the humans they work with?
Turn to the second chapter of Titus.
Titus 2:14
[see
Lesson]
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
So go now and continue in this wonderful purification process.