The Way - Be Ye Separated

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Etchley. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:14] Be blessed. Hallelujah. In the book of 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 8, it says that for you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.

[0:25] 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 8 says that, verse 9, I'm sorry. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people. Holy nation, a peculiar people.

[0:36] That is you show for the praise of him who sinned, who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous, in marvelous. We are the sons of light and we are a holy people. We are a holy nation called out of darkness into his marvelous light.

[0:49] Praise the Lord. And so in 2 Corinthians chapter 6, 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14 says this, Be ye not equally yoked together with unbelievers.

[1:04] For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion has light with darkness? We are the children of light. We have been called into his marvelous light. Amen. And we are a holy nation.

[1:15] Remember that the holiness of the believer or the believer's holiness. Call into marvelous light says that. And verse 15 says that, and what conquered has Christ with Belial?

[1:28] And what part has the believer with the infidel? That's an unbeliever. And then verse 16 says that, and what agreement has the temple of God?

[1:41] We are the temple of God. Thank you, Jesus. Has the temple of the living God. What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God.

[1:53] Hallelujah. We are the temple. You are the temple of the living God. You are. God dwells in you. You are. He said, don't you know that you are the living? The temple of the living God and that the spirit of God dwells in you.

[2:05] I think 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Let me just go there and come back. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19 says that. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?

[2:19] That's who dwells in you. Which ye have of God. That's you have received the Holy Spirit of God. And ye are not your own. For ye are purchased with a price. Therefore, because ye have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body.

[2:36] Body. Not just your spirit. In your body. Glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's. So your body is God. Your spirit belongs to God.

[2:47] Your body belongs to God. Your spirit belongs to God. If you are born again. If you are a believer. Then a believer cannot do anything at all. Behave any way at all. Choose whatever. No, it's not a sign of a genuine sign of a true believer.

[3:03] It says that you have been purchased of God. Bought of God. We are bought by the blood. Hallelujah. We have been bought by the blood of the Lamb. And it says that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of God dwells.

[3:16] It says, don't you know that? Don't you know that? You are holy. You are sanctified. You are righteous. You are a holy, a peculiar people.

[3:27] Even though we look ordinary and normal as everybody, we are peculiar. Hallelujah. So it says in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 16.

[3:40] And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them.

[3:51] I will dwell in them and walk in them. And I will be their God and they shall be like people. Wherefore, come out. Come out from amongst them. And be ye separated.

[4:03] Come out. Come out. There must be a clear distinction between us and those who are not in church. Those who don't believe. There must be a clear distinction.

[4:14] There must be a uniqueness. So long as our righteous acts, our behavior, righteous behavior is our concern. But it is a problem. If believers are lying, lying just like unbelievers.

[4:27] Believers are fornicating just like unbelievers. What is the difference then? Don't you know you are the temple of the living God? You can't be like everybody.

[4:39] You can't. You can't be like you used to be. He said, be ye separated. 1 Corinthians, sorry, 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 17.

[4:50] He said, wherefore, because of this, because you are the temple of God, because you are in light, in the light, and because God lives in you. He said, wherefore, come out from amongst them and be ye separated, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you.

[5:09] I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. You are born again already. Are you not a son of God? You are. But I said, why is he saying that, and I will be a son to you?

[5:23] Here, I was sharing this with some people yesterday. What he's saying here is that he has to be able to play his fatherly role properly in your life. But because of our behavior, or because of the behavior, because of lack of consecration, because of lack of sanctification, because of lack of holiness, because of lack of righteous works, it is blocking God from being able to play his role in your life as a father, answer your prayers, and cause his promises to be fulfilled in your life the way it should be, is because of the lack of righteousness, and because of contamination with the world, because of amalgamation with the world, because of oneness, koinonia with the world, interaction, being partakers of worldliness.

[6:15] The worldliness is blocking me from playing my role as a father in your life. Righteousness is what I'm talking about. Holiness is what I'm talking about.

[6:26] Be ye separated. Be ye separated. Be ye separated. In Peter, 2 Peter chapter 2, those of you who have been following the teachings, you remember in our previous set of teachings, I was speaking about the way, and I spoke about how the way is also the way of truth, the way of salvation, the way of peace.

[6:53] And one of the things I said, which I promise I will have to touch on it, is in 1 Peter, or the straight way, and then one of the things I said I will touch on is in 1 Peter chapter, 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 21, it says that, For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness.

[7:13] So, the way is the way of righteousness. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandments delivered unto them.

[7:28] So, to stay in the way of righteousness, you are here and practice the commandment delivered unto us. Once you become born again, let me explain this whole righteousness thing.

[7:40] Bible says that we are not saved by our works of our own works, not of our works of righteousness. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8, it says that, For by grace are you saved through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast.

[7:56] So, we are not saved by our works of righteousness. But may I submit to you, we are going to be judged and rewarded by our works. We are not saved by our works, but we will certainly be judged and be rewarded by our works.

[8:12] In Revelation chapter 22 verse 12, it said, Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me to give everyone according to his works. So, the reward is based on your works. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10, it said, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and everyone will give an account of what he has done in his body, whether good or bad.

[8:34] So, we are going to give accounts to what we have done. So, even though we are not saved by what we have done, we are saved by the grace of God through our faith in Christ.

[8:46] So, it doesn't take our own righteousness to save us, according to Philippians 3, 9, that I might be found in him not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but the righteousness that comes by faith in Christ Jesus.

[9:03] So, we are not saved by works, but we are certainly judged by works. When we talk about the righteousness of the believer, the righteousness of the Christian, we have two aspects of the righteousness of the believer.

[9:18] Now, the first aspect, it is the objective righteousness, which is a righteousness that exists by virtue of what Christ has done. So, you come into Christ.

[9:29] It is not your righteousness that saves you, but we are saved by his righteousness. Bible talks about that is called the righteousness of God. So, in Romans chapter 3, verse 22, it talks about how the righteousness of God, Romans 3, 22, it says, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe, for there is no difference.

[10:03] So, the righteousness of God is by faith of, it's the righteousness of God. Remember Romans chapter 1, verse 16, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jews first and to the Gentiles.

[10:17] Then verse 17 says, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Okay, or, and I will say, by faith from first to last.

[10:28] So, the righteousness of God is revealed, the righteousness of God. It has not got to do with what you have done, but it's got everything to do with what he has done. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 21, it says that, for he made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of Christ, of God.

[10:51] So, we, he took on our unrighteousness, or he became sin, let me read it, for he had, he, for he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, Christ knew no sin.

[11:04] Why? That we might be, we be made the righteousness of God in Christ. Once you come in Christ, you have received the righteousness of God. And in theological circles, it is called righteousness extra nos.

[11:19] It's a Latin word to mean, or it's not, it comes from the Latin, which means that righteousness outside of yourself. Another way to say it is right, alien righteousness. You are saved by an alien righteousness.

[11:32] You are not saved by a personal righteousness. You are saved by an alien righteousness that is from outside of yourself. It is a synthetic righteousness. It is a righteous, kind of like an artificial, it's not a righteousness you possess intrinsically, but it's a righteousness that Christ gives to you.

[11:51] So you appear before God saved. When you put your faith in Christ, you are justified by faith in Christ Jesus. And you look like you have been doing right all along.

[12:02] No, it's he has been doing right all along. In Romans chapter eight, verse three talks about for the, what the law could not do in the flesh in that it was weak to the, to the flesh.

[12:13] God sending forth his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of God might be revealed in us.

[12:27] Let me read it. I always like to read the Bible, no? It says that for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for this, for, and for sin, condemns in the flesh.

[12:41] Watch the verse, verse four, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. Now there's a particular righteousness that is supposed to be fulfilled in us. And so what this is very interesting is I'm going to get slightly technical here.

[12:54] Now we are saved by righteousness. Okay. Another way of putting it theologically. All right. It means we are saved by works because it takes certain works, meeting the requirements of the law, the works of the law to save anybody.

[13:09] But when it came to us, we couldn't meet it. So our righteousness, our works could not save us. So we are saved by the works of Christ. All right. So the righteous works of Christ is what saves us.

[13:20] So we come in, not based on our own righteous works, but we come in based on his righteous works. That is called good news. Hallelujah. That is the good news of God. So we are saved.

[13:32] So here it talks, it talks about that the righteous requirements, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. So the righteous, we are saved by, by the righteousness of Christ.

[13:45] And then we begin to continue. Now that's where I'm going. So now objective righteousness in first Corinthians chapter one, verse 30, it says that Christ, who is our righteousness is to us, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification.

[14:01] So when you are in Christ, you already have righteousness. And I think in Jeremiah, 33, 15, also, it talks about how Christ, our righteousness, 14 and 15, talk about God, our righteousness.

[14:14] So we have righteousness. When, when you, that's what makes us a peculiar people. That's what makes us a, you are a chosen generation. We are chosen generation because we are righteous in him.

[14:27] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So that righteousness by which we are saved is not our own righteousness. Is the righteousness? Estranos is righteousness. Outside of self is righteous.

[14:38] Alien righteousness. However, our justification and our, our redemption is judicial. So you didn't do, but how come you are being saved?

[14:49] Yes. So it looks like you are a sinner and yet still righteous before God. How can a sinful person like you be justified, be, be, be classified. Justification means classified as righteous.

[15:02] So just as if you haven't seen, how can you, a sinner like you come before God, clean and justified, just as the right, just as if you have never seen.

[15:16] So it is, and that, and, and still watch this. And so that righteousness with which you come to God, it is legal. It's legit. It's legitimate. It is judicial.

[15:28] So it's a judicial redemption. Our redemption is, we didn't do anything, but he did it and saved us. And it's, it's right before God. And so it's like, um, there's a Latin word today.

[15:40] I'm bringing it quite a few words. The Latin word, which, uh, in the reformation they came out with is, um, simul justus e peccator. So at the same time, just a yet faulty.

[15:53] Impeccable means something that is without fault. Impeccable. So it comes from a Latin word, peccator. So to, to have, to be peccator, impeccable, impeccable. So peccable is from peccator, faulty.

[16:06] And it says that simul justus, simultaneously. That's the simul is the word we get, the Latin where we get the word, simul, simultaneously at the same time. Okay. So simul justus, justus means justice.

[16:18] Justus means just. Justus means we have been justified. Okay. So simul justus, e, e is end. E peccator. So you are just, and at the same time faulty.

[16:29] It, this is only God who can do it. God can look, pick a sinner like you, and you haven't become clean in yourself, or perfect in yourself, and yet he's, he declares you righteous.

[16:41] Upon what grounds? On the grounds of what Christ has done. That is Christianity. On the grounds of what Christ has done, not what you have done. Now this brings me to the next point. The second aspect of the righteousness, which is the subjective righteousness.

[16:56] So it is the objective righteousness that saves us. But after we are saved, we, it says, Jenny, once we are saved and you are on the way, you must be in the way of righteousness.

[17:07] You must now begin to bring fruits of repentance, fruits worthy of repentance, according to Matthew and according to Acts. Fruits worthy of repentance. You have to produce fruits of repentance.

[17:20] It's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, the problem is there are people who are in church, but church is not in them. There are people who are supposedly saved, but they don't have any fruits of salvation, fruits of righteousness.

[17:37] There are no fruits of repentance. How can you be saved without fruits of repentance? Without demonstration, it's not like you have to prove anything, but it is, it's just, it's, it's like, when you see a woman, you know, this is a woman.

[17:51] Even the bones of a woman is different from the bones of a man. When people die and later, when they assume their bones, you know that this is a woman's bone, this is a man's bone. If they extract blood from me, and they extract blood from a woman without seeing us, they will know this woman's blood, the woman, even the blood, scientifically, the woman is woman in the blood, the man is man, the bone, it's the same thing.

[18:11] So, it's a bone, it's a woman's bone is different from a, not that the structure, but it's scientifically, the woman, in the same way, when you see a woman coming, sometimes you just can tell.

[18:22] Look at the build, the body build. You can't, so if you're a woman, it begins to show naturally. If you are born again, it will begin to show, how come you are born again? And there's nothing, nothing is showing you.

[18:34] Nothing is showing you that you are the same person. You don't have, I used to do this and now. But Bible talks about how we have been redeemed from our vain lives.

[18:44] According to 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 18 and 9, 17 and 18, says that he has redeemed us from our vain lives and vain transition from our, that's a person from our fathers.

[18:57] We have been redeemed from something. So if you are redeemed now, that is what I'm talking about. The objective righteousness is a necessity. Objective righteousness.

[19:08] In Matthew chapter 5, verse, Matthew chapter 5, verse 20, look at how Jesus put you. This is Jesus. This is Jesus. This is Jesus. So somebody says, oh, but I'm saved.

[19:18] It's not a, God likes me in the way I am and all that. He will punish you. With the way you are living. If you are born again, he will come in with to judge.

[19:31] He will come in judges. Oh, um, praise God. Matthew chapter 5, verse 20 says that, for I say unto you, that except your righteousness, what righteousness is he talking about?

[19:44] Except your righteousness exceed, it shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees. You shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. So he's talking about accepting righteousness and exceeding, as a passing righteousness.

[19:58] Once we are saved by his righteousness. Now we also have to bring a fruits of righteousness. So that is the subjective righteousness. We have to produce fruits of repentance, fruits of righteousness.

[20:12] It's the subjective righteousness. So it's important. and it's in this kind of righteousness. It's in a certain sense. It's okay. Let me show you. Philippians chapter 3, verse 6.

[20:23] It says that concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching righteousness, which is of the Lord, blame us. He had a certain type of righteousness. And that righteousness, when you become born again, it must begin to also show in your life.

[20:37] In Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10, I think that it talks about, we have been saved to work, the works that we should work in, which has been ordained good works to, to, to work in good works.

[20:50] Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10, talks about how, for we are the workmanship of Christ, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained, that we should work in them.

[21:02] So our works matter after we are saved. Our works don't determine whether we'll be saved or not. But after we are saved, our works matter. That's why when Jesus, in Revelation, Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3, when he came to the seven churches, church of Ephesus, church of Smyna, church of Pergamos, church of Titeria, church of Sardis, church of Philadelphia, church of Laodicea, when he came to all these churches, one of the things that he kept saying is your works.

[21:32] For instance, Ephesians said, I know your works. I know your works. In the church of Laodicea, in Revelation chapter 3, from verse 16, he said, I know your works.

[21:43] I know your works. You are not saved by works, but when he comes, he's observing your works. He observes your work to determine your lot, your portion, your reward.

[21:53] Now, so, works of righteousness. Now, in Job chapter 29, I need you to see this. Job chapter 29, verse 14.

[22:06] Job 29, 14. Thank you, Holy Spirit. Okay, Job chapter 29, verse 14 says that, I put on righteousness, and it clothed me.

[22:17] My judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I put on righteousness. That's the subjective righteousness, personal righteousness.

[22:28] It's like I put it on. So, here, you can see that righteousness is like a cloak, or like clothes you wear. Righteousness. In the sight of God, our personal righteousness is like a robe.

[22:42] It's like garments. Our personal righteousness is something you wear. It's like you are wearing spiritually. So, in the spirit, there are people who might be listening to me, who in the spirit, they look naked.

[22:55] Naked. So, you don't have anything wearing. No righteousness covering you. You are born again, yes. So, you are accepted before God. So, you are justified before God.

[23:06] But, no righteous works. No righteous works. No works of righteousness. Hallelujah. I will show you. I will show you. In Revelation chapter 3, that's what God, Jesus said to the church of Titeria.

[23:18] Revelation chapter 3, verse 16. Look at this. It says that. Okay, verse 40. It said, unto the angel of the church of Laodicea, right? This thing says, the amen faithful one, verse 15, says that I know your works. That's why I said earlier, that thou art neither cold nor hot.

[23:31] Verse 16. So then, because you are lukewarm, I will speak. Verse 70 is that, because thou say, I am rich, and increase in goods, and have need of nothing, and you don't know, and knoweth not thou, knoweth not that thou art wretched, thou art miserable, thou art poor, thou art blind, thou art naked.

[23:49] You don't know it. In the realm of the spirit, you look okay physically, but in the realm of the spirit, you are naked. And watch this, verse 18 says, I counsel you, buy of me gold, stride in fire, that thou may be rich.

[24:04] Watch this, white raiment, that thou may be clothed. Because you think you are covered. But because in the realm of the spirit, our garments, or our righteous acts, are like garments.

[24:16] In the realm of the spirit, that's what the Bible says. In the spirit, so Job chapter 29, verse 14, it says, I wore it, I put on garments. My brother, oh man of God, oh woman of God, oh my brother in the Lord, you're our, let's, let's, it's time, it's about time, we put on the cloak of righteousness.

[24:36] Whilst we are righteous on the inside, we begin to live lives that, lives of righteousness, righteous acts. Righteousness means, doing the right thing before God, the right thing before God, and before man.

[24:50] Look at this, look at this, Matthew chapter 22. Thank you Holy Spirit. This lockdown is a good time, for this, our practice of righteousness, all the time, but this time is a favorable time.

[25:07] May God help us all. Now, in Revelation, sorry, in Matthew chapter 22, verse 11, it says that, and when the king came, this is talking about the king, who did a special, dinner celebration, marriage celebration for his son, and he went, he asked people to be invited, and the right, original people were not serious, so he said, okay, invite anybody at all, go to the high streets, highways, and then, so, verse 10 says that, verse 9 says that, go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye find, bid them to their marriage.

[25:38] Let them come for my marriage dinner, let them come. The nice reception by a king, and then, so, verse 10 says, so, those servants went, went onto, went out into the highways, and gathered together all, gathered together all, as many as they found, both bad and good, both bad and good, both bad and good, both bad and good, in spite of where you are, you can be a Christian, you are, let me use the word Christian, in that sense, yeah, Buddhist, come, Muslim, come, Sikh, come, Atheist, come, sinner, come, bad person, good person, everybody, just come, both good and bad, to be into the house of God, to be part of the power of God, come, so, anybody is in, everybody, or anybody at all, can come and put your faith in Christ, and receive, as you put your faith in Christ, guess what, you receive the righteousness of God, hallelujah, that's the good news, but he said, watch this, so, he said, bid all of them to come, okay, let everybody come, so, they went and brought both bad and good, and the wedding was finished with guests, people have come to church, people have come, now you are in church, hallelujah, born again, hallelujah, watch this, verse 11, and when the king came, the king is coming, when the king came in to see the guest, the king is coming to see the guest, he's interested in who he's in, he's coming, when the king came to see the guest, he saw there was a man, which had not, on, a wedding garment, he was not wearing the proper attire, and he said unto him, friend, how comest thou indeed that, not having a wedding garment, and he was, the man was speechless, he was questioned, because you are not properly clothed, so, you are accepted in the beloved, according to Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7, you are accepted in the beloved, 7 to 9, somewhere there, you are accepted, but how come, you are not in the appropriate clothes, so the king came to see the guest,

[27:45] Jesus comes to church, he's coming, the king is coming, hallelujah, see the problem with our modern day churches, we are praying like, we are entitled for God to, he's entitled to me, you have to do this God, you have to do this, and sometimes, we are not even interested, in his instructions, in his commandments, in his dictates, there are people, who believe God must do everything for them, but they don't have to do anything for God, to honor him, and they are not true worshipers, or they are not living like true worshipers, but they are expecting to get everything, true worshipers deserve, he said come out, come out from among them, and be separated, you must be, the word separated, is the word that is used for holiness, or another word, sanctification, holy, be ye sanctified, is what I'm talking about, be ye holy, be ye separated, and watch, let me finish this, and I can move on to something, as quickly, before we end, now it says that, in verse 22, yeah, sorry, chapter 22, verse 12, and he said unto his friend, how do you come here without proper government, and then verse 23 said that, the king said, the king said to the servants who went to bring them, bind this one, hand a foot, and cast him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, the outer darkness belongs to the servants, those who are the servants in the house already, because you know the story, the parable of the servants, who their master was traveling to a far country, in Matthew chapter 25, from verse 14, and he called his servants, and gave them all this, all were equal level of servants, he gave them his own propah good, to one, he gave one talent, the other one two, and the other one five, and then after a while, the master came back, verse, after a long verse 19, he said the master came back, the master is definitely going to come back, brother, sister, the master is going to come back, the only thing is, you don't know when it's going to come, but it's going to come, he says that, to those who are in darkness, he shall come like a thief, he's not endorsing theft, but you know, thieves will take you by surprise, may nobody listening to me, be a victim of theft, and robbery in Jesus name, but he said he's going to come like a thief, and when he comes, he's going to now, give his reward, so watch this, so when the master, he said throw him away,

[30:04] I was talking about, the five talents, those who, the talents, one, two, five, the one who received, one who didn't do anything, verse 29 of Matthew chapter 25, Bible says that, cast him into outer darkness, the other one, so it's not about, these are his servant, people who were in insight, so you can be inside, that is what Paul meant, when he says that, I pressed on, so that after I pray to others, me, myself, I will not be a cast away, I run in such a way, that I will obtain, first Corinthians chapter nine, verse 27 to 29, he said that, I beat my body, I bring my body under subjection, that after I've preached to others, me, myself, I, myself, I will not be a cast away, and then where, he talks about, that I'm, Philippians chapter three, verse nine, he said that, that I might attain, just, so I might gain the resurrection, just in case I gain the resurrection, now that resurrection, is already saved, but there is a prize ahead, there's a prize, that Philippians chapter three, verse three, he says that, verse four, verse 12, he says, one thing that I do, forgetting about what lies behind, pressing on to what lies ahead, that I press on towards the mark of the prize, of the high calling of Christ, you know, so pressing on,

[31:16] Paul, he's the one who said that, I'm just putting myself, so that after all this, I will be a cast away, those who will be cast into the outer darkness, is what he's talking, you are born again, you are a child of God, but you can be cast into, I'm not talking about hell, that's a different story, cast into outer darkness, I don't want to go too much into that, now, so, why was he cast into outer darkness, guess what, he didn't have the appropriate clothes, he came for the wedding, but no appropriate clothes, is it possible, we might be invited, and be in the wedding, without appropriate clothes, and you end up not being, inappropriate, what's the appropriate clothes, I told you, I said earlier on, that the garment, the believer's behavior, the believer's righteous acts, is all, our acts, is called garments, look at this, in Revelation chapter 19, verse 7 and 8, says that, let us be glad and rejoice, giving glory to him, giving honor to him, for the marriage of the lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready, and watch this, to the wife, the wife, the bride of Christ, remember, is the church, the redeemed people, the redeemed, those in the redeemed community, we together are a corporate bride, for Christ, and he says that, and to her was granted, that she should be harried, with fine linen, fine garment, fine linen, and watch it, clean and white, in heaven, you can, you keep seeing, white garment, white garment, because he says that, come and buy,

[32:47] Revelation chapter 3, verse 18, come and buy white garments, from me, and so you can be clothed, so in the realm of the spirit, you are not clothed, you are not clothed, if you are not walking, in obedience to Christ, the law of God, the word of God, and walking, with the manifestation, of righteousness, so he says that, and for the fine linen, is the righteousness, of the saints, did you see the righteousness here, the subjective righteousness, the fine linen, is the righteousness, of the saints, so our works, is the, that's why the wedding, this same wedding, is the one in righteous, chapter 22, where he said, how come you came to the wedding, without the proper, appropriate clothes, the same thing, he's talking about, you are in church, without proper clothes, we may not know, the pastor may not know, or you can be a church leader, people may not know, but in the realm of the spirit, you are naked, you are naked, because of this lack, of righteousness, listen, you are naked, you are naked, in the spirit, and he said, buy, come and buy, white raiment of me, white raiment, white means approved, white means clean, buy white raiment of me, so you can be clothed, so your nakedness, will not show, you know,

[33:59] I was preaching, the other time, I spoke about this nakedness, and I was talking about, sometimes you can be married, and if your nakedness shows, because there are some weaknesses, in your life, that maybe is running, through your generations, or from your family background, attitudes, that spoil a lot of things, that may that nakedness show, not show in the marriage, and ruin the marriage, but for it not to show, you need to be clothed, with the righteousness, hallelujah, the righteousness, that comes, through the word of God, obeying the word of God, practicing the word of God, engaging the word of God, that is our righteousness, and that's what qualifies us, to enter into the joy of the Lord, and to enjoy with the Lord, when the righteous comes, people will be left behind, even though they are born again, why, because they are not garments, they are not clothed, with the appropriate garments, the righteousness of the saints, is also classified, as there is, in the realm of the spirit, before God, is the garment, our righteous garment, is our garment, hallelujah, may your garment be pure, in Revelation chapter 22, verse 14,

[35:04] Revelation 22 says, blessed are they, that do his commandments, that they may have the right, okay, that they may have right, to the tree of life, and may enter, so blessed are they, that do his commandments, now look at, I read from the NIV, and watch this, Revelation chapter 22, verse 14, listen to this, blessed, when we read the King James, it says that, blessed are they, that do his commandments, New King James, also says the same thing, but let's see, the original Greek, it's okay, it's correct to translate it, blessed are they, that do his commandments, but it also means, the same thing, so those that do his commandments, I mean look at how, what it means in, another, another, in other ways, blessed are, Revelation chapter 22, verse 14 NIV, blessed are those, who wash their robes, so to do, to do the commandments of God, means you are washing your robe, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, to, that the commandments, means the righteous works, as you look at God's word, you forgive those,

[36:07] God says forgive, you do not gossip, when God says don't gossip, you obey God's word, as a Christian, one of the signs, of a genuine Christian, is you obey his word, you walk with God, you don't live in sin, you don't walk in sin, and stay in sin, as if it doesn't matter, sin matters, sin matters, sin matters, it's just stripping, your garments off, you are naked, in the spirit, that's why, sometimes it's easy, for the enemy, to target you, because you are naked, you are not clothed, you are not covered, and when the blessings, of God are coming, so you can't enter, to go and take your portion, because you are not, in the proper garment, oh God, that you help us, by your spirit, in the next session, I'm going to teach on, how to be clothed, how to practice, consecration, how to practice righteousness, how to practice holiness, how to be clothed, in the spirit, he said come and buy, what does it mean, to be buying, that's the next session, but this moment, the point is that, if you are not, walking in the command, obedience to God's commandments, what is the problem, you are naked, you are spiritually naked, and really uncovered, and it's not good,

[37:18] Revelation chapter 7, verse 14 says, Revelation chapter 7, verse 14, hmm, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, I pray someone, is being blessed, and I said, unto him, he said, doubt knoweth, and he said to me, these are they, which came out, of the great tribulation, and have, and have washed their robes, you see their robes, so behavior, right behavior, righteous behavior, engaging in righteous behavior, is the act, of washing your robe, who have washed their robes, and made them white, in the blood of the lamb, can you imagine, you wash something, with the blood, but it comes out white, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, may God help us, to keep our garments, pure, to keep our clothes, white, in the spirit, and when it comes to, righteous behavior, no one can mark you, we may not know, we may, you may be in church, you may be acting, with your brother, brother Mark, brother this, brother John, brother Peter, brother Matthew, brother Andrew, brother sister Mary, sister Teresa, sister, oh, wonderful beautiful names, we love you, but the problem is, we don't even know, that you are uncovered, but you are uncovered, you will make it, into the wedding, the days are evil,

[38:37] Ephesians chapter 5, verse 16, redeeming the times, for the days are evil, redeeming the times, for the days are evil, this leads me, back to, where I started, Peter, second Peter, chapter 2, I read it again, second Peter chapter 2, verse 21, for it had been better, for them, not to have known, the way of righteousness, than after, they have known it, turn from the holy commandments, delivered unto them, see, they got to know, what God was expecting, and they turn from, the holy commandment, that was delivered unto them, he said, it's better, you didn't know it, he he he he, turn from, I pray may God help us, I can't wait to teach, how, because it's not just, all just you, there is, there are things, that will help you, to be able to keep, your garments pure, and have a good, so watch this, but it has happened, let me read it again, this is very interesting, may I even try there, okay let me go to, the new King James, hallelujah, new King James, in the, is that verse 21, of second Peter chapter 2, it would have been better, for them, not to have known, the way of righteousness, than having known it, turn from, the holy commandment, delivered from, to them, so you knew it, and you turn from it, you went your own way, he says it's not good, he says better, you didn't know it, watch this, but it has happened to them, according to the true proverb, a dog, proverb chapter 26, verse 11, that's what he's quoting, a dog, returns to his own vomit, and a saw, a hog, having washed, to her, saw her wallowing, in the mare, and, you see, dog returns to the vomit, takes it, the thing that the dog, has brought out, thrown out, he goes to eat it back, he says that, the ones who come, into Christ, and go back, to their unrighteous, it's like a dog, who has returned, to their vomit, it's like a pig, who has returned, to their swine, wallowing in the mud, the pig, externally gets so dirty, clean it, and it goes back, and the dog, throws out, and internally, eats the rubbish, things that it's not supposed, to eat internally, dog and pigs, are classified in,

[41:04] Leviticus, as unclean animals, and he says that, because one of them, is the eternal thing, externally, dirty, the other one, internally, and dogs, Bible says, in Matthew chapter 7, verse 6, he said, don't give what is holy, to the dogs, neither, don't cast your pearl, your precious pearl, before the swine, before the hog, so, either a dog, or a hog, don't give your, the holy things, to dogs, in Philippians chapter 3, verse 2, he said, thank you, Holy Spirit, Philippians chapter 3, verse 2, he said, beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of their concision, beware of dogs, the evil workers, concision, concision, and the purpose, of the religious people, who are bringing, all kinds of dangerous, teachings, that are not, that are not healthy, wholesome ways, said beware of them, but this scripture, classified all of them, within the dog, canine territory, family, so beware of dogs, dog returning, why are you going back, to that guy, sister don't go, man, why are you going back, to that lady, why have you started, entertaining her text messages, again, why, you are married, your former girlfriend, is texting you, and you are hiding, and enjoying, why, are you not a believer, when you were a unbeliever, you were messing up, but now you are a believer, for goodness sake, why are you still, changing figures, dodgy things, doing dodgy deals, why are you going back, to drugs, why are you going back, to drugs, yes I know, we are saved by grace, but, if you don't work in grace, you end up in disgrace, we are saved by grace, no works, but we are judged by works, we are saved, to work in good works, righteous works, why are you going back, to your vomit, man,

[43:03] I know, sometimes it's hard, but remember, this is vomit, you have thrown it out, don't go back, don't go back, don't go back, and keep your, get yourself naked, exposed, going back, is exposing you man, going back, is exposing you, look at the number of things, God has delivered you from, don't toy with them, because Satan, is after you again, he will not leave you free, he is determined, to get you, he is determined, that this lockdown, before we are, the lockdown is over, or before the COVID, everything fizzles out, he has got, he has determined, to keep you out of church, he has determined, to keep you out of fellowship, he has determined, to keep you out of righteousness, he has determined, to squash, and nullify, neutralize, and rubbish, your prayer life, he has determined, he has determined, but you must also, like Daniel, purpose in your heart, that I will keep going, I will keep going, I will keep going, oh, rejoice not over me, or my enemy, Micah, Micah 7, for even if I fall,

[44:04] I shall rise, rise up, rise up, my brother, rise up, rise up, don't, don't go back to your, your, your vomit, in Revelation chapter 22, verse 15, he said, outside the kingdom, are dogs, Revelation, I won't read it, he said, outside, outside, but outside, are dogs, don't cast your, don't give what is holy, to dogs, outside, are dogs, he said, beware of the dogs, outside, are dogs, dog, returns to his vomit, dog, will go back, to that girl, dog, will go back, to that boy, dog, will go back, don't go back, don't go back, and relax, and feel, it's okay, I can't do anything, about, you can, because you are saved, you are saved, you are saved, out of your inner man, you can draw strength, for your covering, I will go into that, on Sunday, God willing, but, dogs, let me just run it, by talking about holiness, be separated, be, first Peter chapter one, where should I start, probably me, let me just go to, all right, first Peter chapter one, verse 15, it says that, but as he, which called you, is holy, so be ye holy, in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy, in what way, can I look like God, when I'm not working, in holiness, holiness is not, from my strength, but once I begin, to engage in righteousness, righteous act, it begins to produce works, or, results in sanctification, now, in Romans chapter,

[45:47] Romans chapter six, verse 11, sorry, verse 19, I'm sorry, Romans chapter six, verse 19, it says that, I speak after the manner of men, because of, the infirmity of your flesh, for, for as ye have yielded, your members, servants, to uncleanness, and to iniquity, sorry, and to iniquity, unto iniquity, unto iniquity, even so, watch this, even so, now yield your members, servants, to righteousness, unto holiness, so once you begin, to practice righteousness, it results in holiness, like, you then, that holiness means, sanctification, so when Bible talks about, something is holy, that means something is different, it's accepted, it's separated, it's sanctified, that's what sanctification means, so may I submit to you, that I'm talking to you, about sanctification, be ye sanctified, we are justified, we are washed, by, we have to be, we are being sanctified, now, even when I talk about sanctification, we have, two aspects of sanctification, we have the positional sanctification, so once you are in Christ,

[46:56] I read earlier on 1 Corinthians 1 verse 30, Christ is our sanctification, amen, so once you are in Christ, you are sanctified, right, so Christ is our sanctification, and not just that, in Matthew chapter 23, Bible talks about how, thank you Holy Spirit, I think I open it here, to make it fast for me, Matthew chapter 23, oh, oh, all right, let's just, Matthew chapter 23, verse 17, and verse 19, there's, a very interesting, discovery there, which I pray will be a blessing, Matthew chapter 23, verse 17, and 19, it says that, ye fools, and blind, for, whither is greater, the gold, or the temple, that sanctifies the gold, Jesus was asking the Pharisees, you fools, you are blind, you are religious, and blind, you can't see through, what's, what is greater, is it the gold, in the altar, is it, is it the offering, in the bowl, or the church, that is greater, because, the sacrifice, becomes, pure, because it, is brought before the church, now, gold, it said, it is, the sanctification, is not the gold, but the position, of the gold, is what makes it, sanctified, like, like, in Exodus chapter 30, verse 26 to 29,

[48:17] God told Moses, that the utensils, anoint all the utensils, so that they can be holy for me, so, the utensils, in the temple, become holy, because they are temple utensils, that's what Jesus is saying, he says that, that by virtue, of the position, of this gold, it becomes, becomes holy, now, look at this, let me read it again, it says that, ye fools, and blind, for wither is greater, the gold, or, the temple, that sanctifies the gold, verse 19, ye fools, and blind, for wither is greater, the gift, or the altar, that sanctifies the gift, so, he's saying that, by virtue of the gift, being on the altar, it gets sanctified, so, positional sanctification, that by virtue, of the fact, that you are in Christ, you are sanctified, hallelujah, so, it gives you, positional sanctification, but there is also, dispositional sanctification, dispositional, so, positional sanctification, is a result, of like, being in Christ, it changes, it changes, your approach, or, your position, you don't take, the position of the world, you take the position of God, the position of Christ, because now you are in Christ, so you have changed, your position, now, how about the dispositional, sanctification, it is as a result, of the Holy Spirit, working the nature, the holy nature of God, into you, from your inner man, it's saturating, your inner man, with the holy nature, and then from there, because of that, you have a disposition, you have an approach, towards life, which is not because, you are trying to do it, but there is something, that is coming from, your inner man, by virtue of the workings, of the Holy Spirit, from within, that is producing, so, it is not so much, first, a mental exercise, as it is, a spiritual exercise, out of the spiritual, out of the overflow, from your inner man, the Holy Spirit, is working, he says that Paul, talk about, by the effectual, working of the spirit,

[50:12] I think, Colossians, Philippians 1, 28, 29, or something, and then 1 Corinthians, sorry, Ephesians chapter 3, verse 8, 9, or 7, 8, 9, talks about, by the effectual, working of his power, or, that's, Ephesians talk about his power, but, Colossians, Philippians talk about, effectual, working of his spirit, the spirit is working, in you to produce something, I think, rather Colossians 1, somewhere there, 29 or so, but the effectual, working of his spirit, so, this, this works of righteousness, is not so much, as to, because you, choose to do it, even though, it is, you, you work it, you choose to do it, that's why I say, work out your own salvation, it is, it is a result, of the working, of the spirit, in you, that's why we receive, the Holy Spirit, I'll go to that, on Sunday, so, but the point is that, dispositional, you, it is, like, it's, a transformational work, that has happened in you, that's why Romans chapter 12, verse 2, it said, be ye transformed, by the renewing of your mind, so you are transformed, in 2nd Corinthians chapter 3, verse 18, it says that, we all, as in a mirror, beholding as in a mirror, are being transformed, into the same image, from glory to glory, so there's a transformational work, going on in you, by virtue of, the saturation, of the, the nature, of God's holiness, within you, working, worked by the Holy Spirit, or let me just make it simple, it's getting too complex now, dispositional sanctification, is also called, progressive sanctification, progressive sanctification, is like, okay, let me read this,

[51:48] I think it would be good, to read a text, in 1st Thessalonians chapter, 4 verse 3, look at this, 1st Thessalonians chapter, 4 verse 3, and then, verse 7, thank you, Holy Spirit, 1st Thessalonians chapter, 4 verse 3, it says that, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should be, abstain, can you see it on the screen, look at it, it's the will of God, your son, even to abstain from fornication, fornication, sexual sin, is the, is the, an idolatry, is like the, the highest, or the most, of sin, of spiritual sin, so, let me just, abstain from fornication, abstain, fornication, the Greek word is, that's where you get pornography from, so, all the pornographers, this one is for you too, okay, it's a, all right, it's a, it's a, thank you Jesus, hey, I'm talking to you, hmm, believer, believer, believer, believer, hey, yeah man, you can do it, yes, receive strength from your inner man, it says that, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication, look at verse 7, for God has not called us, unto uncleanness, but unto holiness, he hasn't called us, unto uncleanness, but unto holiness, verse 23 of, first Thessalonians chapter 5, it says that, and the very God of peace, sanctify you holy, sanctify, you see the word sanctification here, that means, it is a progressive one, even though we have been sanctified,

[53:28] Christ is our sanctification, we are still being sanctified, the progressive sanctification, the dispositional sanctification, it is what you can also call holiness, and that one, it happens with your cooperation, that is why it said, be ye holy, be for I am holy, Leviticus chapter 11, verse 44 and 45, it's God said, be holy for I am holy, in Isaiah chapter 6, verse 2, it says that, and I saw, from verse 1, when the king of Isaiah died, I saw the Lord in this temple, he straight filled the temple, then he goes on, he says that, and I saw the angels, the cherubim and seraphim, and then he said, the cherubs, and then he says that, they cry out, verse 3, they cry out, holy, holy, they didn't say loving, loving, loving, righteous, righteous, righteous, or the attributes of God, powerful, powerful, powerful, all the attributes of God, are summed up in his holiness, he's holy, and he said, holy, holy, so if you are with God, then he calls us also unto holiness, because like father, like son, he's calling us unto holiness, unto holiness, so I've spoken about the objective righteousness, and subjective righteousness, and I've now spoken about the dispositional sanctification, and dispositional sanctification, which is also the same as the progressive sanctification, somebody asked me, send me a question, he said, pastor, what is the difference between positive sanctification, and negative sanctification, let me explain that, and then, when we talk about positive sanctification, positive sanctification is when, it's a sanctification, but it's like, you are, what you are doing, see the good things you are doing towards God, so you forgiving one another, loving one another, giving to one another, take it, doing the work, that's positive sanctification, and what's the negative sanctification, it's not negative in nature, but then, it's, abstain from fleshly lust, abstain from fornication, thou shalt not steal, don't steal, or, don't,

[55:31] I like the way it says that, and the servant of God must not strive, all those things are negative, so you are, you are supposed to withdraw, and do something, okay, so negative sanctification is, things you are not supposed to do, in order to stay sanctified, positive sanctification, things that you are supposed to do, to stay sanctified progressively, amen, and we are going from glory to glory, amen, progressive sanctification, I pray that God will help us all, to remember, we have been called unto holiness, may we receive the strength, and the grace, to walk in holiness, walk in righteousness, because, so we don't want to be found, unclothed, by the time Christ is coming, we'll be thrown out, you won't be thrown, may you not be thrown out, of the marriage lamb, of the marriage supper, of the lamb, may you not be thrown out, but may you be clothed, with white garments, may God help us all, to be clothed, with white garments, this way it starts, from repentance, if your clothes are already dirty, wash your clothes, there's a dose, who have washed their clothes, with the blood of the lamb, wash it white, revelation 7, 14, so you need to, we need to wash our clothes, that is why it says that, and the blood of Christ, cleanses us from all unrighteousness, 1st John chapter 1, verse 7, and verse 9, it says the blood of Christ, is cleansed, it washes us, it's a washing blood, hallelujah,

[56:47] I pray, that may God, help us all, to keep our garments pure, and be separated, be separated, be ye separated, and keep your garments clean, be ye separated, and keep your garments clean, in the name of Jesus, we thank God, for using his servant, Reverend Dr. David Andrew, to share this awesome word, if this message, has blessed you in any way, please spread the word, by sharing it, and send us an email, to amen at karis.org, remember to stay connected with us, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, for regular updates, on what God is doing here, at Karis Ministries, stay blessed.