Taking The Next Step

John 15 : 3, You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. NKJV

As Christians, we have been redeemed from sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Satan no longer owns you but now that you have received the Holy Spirit, you belong to God. Does that mean we are now made perfect because of the blood of Christ? No. We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus but at the moment of salvation we have not yet been made perfect or mature. Jesus told His disciples that had remained with Him over three years that they had been made clean by the Word that He had taught them.

When we’re only taught the principles of salvation but never taken on into discipleship it can cause “believers” to think that we have achieved all that is required of us from the Lord. If all you know about your walk with the Lord is based on salvation teachings alone and you practice those principles that have been imparted into your life, then it can cause you to feel as though you have “arrived.”

This is why Jesus requires believers to continue in their faith by hearing and keeping the Word of God in their everyday life once they become born again. Even though we’ve been cleansed from dead works through the blood of Christ and our spirit has been regenerated through the Holy Spirit, our souls (mind, will and emotions) are yet to be purified.

As I wrote previously, the disciples had been with Jesus for almost forty-two months. During this time, Jesus has taught them many truths that had transformed their carnal minds. Through the truths that He revealed to the disciples they learned the importance of following God’s Law and not the traditions of the elders. As Jesus continued to teach the disciples, they became clean in their souls from the pollution of the world’s ways, which defiles the soul.  

One day as Jesus was teaching in the temple, some Jews believed His teachings. He told those Jews who believed on Him, to continue in His teachings and this would make them become true disciples. So you see, there is so much more to being saved than just becoming born again. Now that we are saved, we must continue living in His Word and keeping His teachings in our heart and life. This will purge our souls from the fleshly ways that we walked in as sinners.

We’re all fine or believe we’re fine until we look into the mirror and see the dirt on our face. In much the same way, we must look into the Word of God that it might reveal to us what is hidden just out of our sight but that others can see very plainly. The Word of God will purge your soul and make you free from the deceptive pride and fleshly lusts.

Lord show me through Your Word,
Pastor Asa Dockery