CHEERFULLY PLEASING GOD
'And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.
1 John 3:3
John said in 1 John 3:2 '...and it doth net 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.'
If you believed in the first coming of Christ Jesus then you definitely are certain He will come again. That's why John said although we do not know how our glorious body shall be like one thing is certain; Jesus Christ SHALL APPEAR. There is no doubt about that. Jesus Christ is coming again. So John said ALL THOSE who are expectant of His second coming should purifiers themselves so that when He comes they shall meet the standard expected by Christ Jesus. When we get born again it is our inner man (spirit man) that gets born again. It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to get that done. That's why no one can boast of being born again. Because it is100% the work of the Holy Spirit. Your body is equally not your responsibility as bible says we shall be like Him when He shall appear. Within a twinkling of an eye mortality shall take on immortality. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, 'For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of an archangel, and with trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Verse 17 says 'And we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds...'
The mortal body of the dead have been dead since the physical death for years and those of us who are alive shall have our mortal body changed moments before the occurrence in 1 Thessalonians 4:16&17.
Are we going with our mortal bodies and those who are the dead in Christ going without bodies to heaven? NO, because bible says, 'In a moment, in a 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. 1 Corinthians 15:52
Verse 53 sums it up authoritatively 'FOR CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTIBLE and this MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY. Glory to God! So, it is not your responsibility to change your body as the Holy Spirit shall do that within a twinkle of an eye. Before the unbelievers could close and open their eyes at the coming of Christ Jesus we would have changed this MORTAL BODY.
NOW what happens to your SOUL (emotions, will and mind) at the new birth until rapture? Your emotions, will (power to decide) and mind (power to think) cannot remain the same to enter into heaven. You must strive to think like Jesus Christ, decide like He will do and be joyous as He is, always. The responsibility to read the WORD OF GOD (look into the perfect law of liberty) is yours not the Holy Spirit or your spouse, pastor or denomination. You must make the conscious effort not to conform to the world and it's system of governance and conducting business et cetera.
John says ALL of us who are expectant of the glorification of our body upon His appearance MUST cheerfully seek purity. We must be desirous of holiness. Live above sexual promiscuity, immorality, evil deeds, corruption, and pursue decency both inwardly and in your outward man. Dress like Juses will do. Ephesians 4:13 says, 'Till we come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN? unto the measure of the STATURE OF CHRIST:' Read Ephesians 4:11-15 you will realise that you must be desirous to grow by cheerfully seeking to please God. You don't displease God and be happy about grace. It is only a babe in Christ that rejoices over grace covering his or her sin. A babe in Christ rejoices over the knowledge of committing sin always under the guise of grace. The five ministry offices are given for you to become perfect not to be rejoicing over sin and grace. Grace is not a licence to walk in sin.
Even though the transformation of your body is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit the process starts from the new birth gradually from glory to glory until it is perfected at the rapture. Bible says, 'But we ALL, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, EVEN AS BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD. 2 Corinthians 3:28.
CHEERFULLY PLEASING GOD IS THE MAIN THING. So, the Paslmist said, 'Your WORD have I hidden in my HEART. That I may not sin against you.
Bro Ritchie Edukwesi WOANYA
