Text: Romans 8:2-4 

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 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 sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Thursday, 9^th May 2024       

THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS FOR PURITY

 Text: Romans 8:2-4 

Memory verse: Roman 6: 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

The Holy Spirit gives purity to the church. Apostle Paul was experiencing frustration when he declared, in Romans 7:24 “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” As he was throwing up his hands in frustration over his struggles, he referred to himself as a “wretched man” at the beginning of that verse, he turned to the only one who could purify him.

That’s why Paul declares in our text to the Romans that: “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”. In other words, Paul is declaring that all the commands of God in the Old Testament couldn't change his heart. And even though these commands (the Law) demanded righteousness, even Paul’s best intentions could not live up to them. But even though the Law cannot produce purity, Paul declares that the Spirit can.

And, in Galatians 5:22-23, Paul says that the Spirit produces some fruit within that cannot be produced otherwise: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law”.

We already know the goal of the Holy Spirit is to make us more like Jesus, but how does he do this? It is a process known as sanctification. Sanctification is the process of the Holy Spirit stripping away our sinful habits and bringing us into holiness. It is like peeling back an onion. There are layers. The Holy Spirit works in us by peeling away our sinful characteristics and replacing them with godly characteristics. His work in us makes us more and more like Jesus.

The Holy Spirit produces the life change that nothing else can produce. The Holy Spirit fulfills the purity of righteousness that you cannot fulfill on your own.

CGDS HYMN 8; SS&S 379:

HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POWER?

1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain

Are you washed in the blood?

In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?

Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

2. Are you walking daily by the Saviour’s side?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Will your soul be ready for His presence bright?

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;

There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb.

   Prayers:

1.  Lord Jesus, purify me by Your Spirit not to be yoked together with the world.

2.  LORD God Almighty, purify Your church in this sinful and corrupt world, at the coming of our Lord Jesus in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.