We Are Called to Live a Pure Life
The Day of Atonement was a very solemn day, a day when God would reconcile with his people. On the first day of the seventh month the trumpet would sound as a sign that it was time to begin preparation for the Day of Atonement. If the people of Israel didn’t participate in this feast they would be cut from their people.
The Day of Atonement was a day when all the sins committed during the year where transferred from the Sanctuary to a bullock and taken out into the wilderness. This process has a spiritual application when Jesus comes a second time he shall have no relation with sin. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation”. Hebrews 9:28 When Jesus comes a second time it will be without sin, He will take to heaven a people that are purified.
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous, of good works”. Titus 2:11-14
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The Lord is calling us to be pure of good works. It is true Jesus loves the whole world but when Jesus comes a second time he will come for a church (people) that is pure, holy, without spot, completely clean. He who has a sin in his life when Christ comes shall be destroyed. When Jesus comes a second time he will come as a flaming fire to those who have rejected the gospel. Sin will be destroyed and will not rise a second time, it has done enough damage in our present world.
There are people who think that when Jesus comes He will forgive their sins and transform them. The one who has a sin when Jesus comes shall de destroyed. When Jesus comes in glory His church must be pure.
“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains: And said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Revelation 6:15-17
Those that have not made a preparation in their life to be pure are not able to stand and welcome the Saviour when he comes. In Revelation 14 it says “I looked and, lo, a lamb and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads and in thier mouth
was found no guile for they are without fault (spot) before the throne of God.” The Lord is calling us to begin to walk with God here on this earth before we are able to live with Him in heaven. We remember our Br. Enoch lived for three hundred and sixty five years and Enoch walked with God and the Lord took him without seeing death. I believe for God to take a mortal man to Heaven without seeing death is very special. First Enoch testified of living a pure life, walking every day with God. Are we walking with God every day?
“Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we sons of God, and doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure”. John 3:1-3
To be able to see Jesus in all his glory we must be living a pure life. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law and ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins: and in him is no sin. whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” l John 3:4-6 There are people who say Oh! we will keep on sinning until the moment Jesus comes again. According to the word of God, the work of purification among God’s people will be complete when He appears.
Are we able to live without sin today? Does victory exist for the Christian? For us somebody who is perfect is he who is perfect in all phases of life. For Jesus he who is perfect is the one who walks with Him daily, the secret is in the Most Holy Place in Heaven. As we enter by faith into the heavenly Sanctuary we are able to take hold of Jesus Christ and live a perfect life in Him. We know that there is a temple in Heaven, is there one on this earth?
“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you. Which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”! Corinthians 6:19,20, we are called temples of the Holy Ghost, Jesus desires to clean our temple. “While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the Sanctuary. There is to be a special work of purification, of putting away sin, among God’s people upon the earth” Great Controversy p.425
While we have a cherished sin in our life, we can’t be overcomers. Every time we sin, we are delaying the process of purification in the heavenly Sanctuary. Jesus can’t finish his work in the i Most Holy Place with every sin we are dirty ing the Heavenly Sanctuary. When we sin, the Holy Spirit reproves us of sin and immediately we should run to the Most Holy Place and pray to Jesus to cleanse us and to help us not to do it again. Our goal is with the help of our Heavenly High Priest to live a life without sin.
There was a young girl that lived close to Rio de Janeiro and she told her mother, when I grow up I will go to the City, make money and we will live a better life. She was a pretty young girl with sparkling eyes, her skin nice and soft, her hair soft and shiny brown, she looked marvelous. The time came when reached 18 years old, that morning she left a note to her mother, I have left to Rio de Janeiro to make money and live a better life. Her mother was very sad, 6 months passed and she had not heard from her daughter, she decided to go to the City of Rio de Janeiro to look for her, but how to look for her in a big city. She got an idea. I will take pictures of myself and place them in restaurants, hotels, markets and offices. Weeks passed by placing pictures everywhere, finally she didn’t have any more money and had to return home. One day a young lady was coming down the stairs, her eyes resembled suffering thtrc “was no smile, her hair \vas not as before, she looked very sad, as she went down the stairs of the Hotel she saw a picture, she said I think I know this person. As she took hold of the picture it was her Mother. She turned the picture and it said “My daughter it doesn’t matter what you have done, just come home. Your Mother.”
Today Jesus Christ is placing his picture in our homes, jobs and cars. He is calling us to “Come back Home,” that the hope of glory may be fulfilled, that we may be like Christ. As we walk daily with him that we may be purified and be able to see him in glory when He comes again.
Amen.