Christ is sufficient for all – Part 2

Purified saints are peculiar to the heart of Christ. Believers who are saved should visit Calvary for the second touch. With peace in the heart, they should seek purity of heart.

The Old Testament believers had expectations of this spiritual experience. They looked forward to the time when Christ would purify the Levites who served at the altar, so that, they would be free from guilt and offence, and be able to offer acceptable sacrifice to the Lord in righteousness.

“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” As we go to the Lord for cleansing, He purifies us. Just as He pardoned us by faith for salvation, He purifies the heart by faith for sanctification, which is the second work of grace. If the blood of bulls and goats were able to purify the flesh in the old covenant, “the blood of Christ” is able to “purge (the sincere seeker today) from dead works to serve the living God.”

Christ reserves the purified believers “unto himself,” to make them instruments for His use. “But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself.” Thus, we should serve God in righteousness, purity and without distractions from the world. God’s desire was to make the whole nation of Israel pure. He intended to make them special, peculiar and the crown of humanity. “Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.” But they disappointed Him.

Since the Lord has given us, the Gentiles, a privileged consideration for purity. He has made us a peculiar people and we must not disappoint Him. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

Having paid the price for our redemption; cleansed, forgave, purified and made us peculiar, the Lord wants us to show our appreciation by being passionate and committed to soul-winning. Everything Christ did for us is to make us “zealous of good works.” We should emulate Phinehas who singled himself out among the children of Israel and was “zealous for his God.” We should be zealous for His sake by telling sinners about salvation, so, we can turn the wrath of God away from them and the nation.

We must stand for holiness and righteousness. We must not condone sin but preach the word pungently, so that, sinners will repent. Jehu showed his zeal for the Lord when he “destroyed Baal out of Israel.” We must preach the word, so, we can have people who are truly saved in every house, office and community, who will wipe out corruption by their uncompromising stand.

When we do good works — visit our brethren, encourage the discouraged, restore the backsliders, preach to sinners in the neighbourhood, follow-up new converts and establish them in the fellowship of the assembly of the children of God, build them up in the knowledge of God’s word to be fervent, knowledgeable, equipped and competent, like Aquila and Priscilla did to Apollos — we make a useless life to be useful.

• Further Reading (King James Version): Titus 2:13,14; Malachi 3:3,4; Acts 15:9; 1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:13,14; Titus 2:14; Psalm 4:3; Romans 14:7,8; 2 Corinthians 5:14,15; Exodus 19:5,6; Deuteronomy 7:6; Titus 2:14; Numbers 25:11-13; 2 Kings 10:16, 28, 30; Acts 11:24-26; 18:26-28; Romans 16:3-5.