JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q4. Cleansed ... by the Word of God - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q4. (Ephesians 5:26) How does the word of God work in the cleansing, purifying process? How should the word of God be implemented in a congregation to achieve these purposes? How can we use the word for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance? Exposition

# (Ephesians 5:26) How does the word of God work in the cleansing, purifying process? How should the word of God be implemented in a congregation to achieve these purposes? How can we use the word for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance?


I believe I have answered the first question so I will answer those that follow.

If we are prayerful and dependent upon God for the Revealing of His word to us (seek His understanding and wisdom) we may not subject ourselves to compromising of our own Knowledge and Understanding. I believe in being like minded with Christ... therefore our Leaders should also reveal to us in thier teachings and actions the likemindedness of Christ. We see the orderly, Holy Spirit leading and know to do likewise.

If we speak Pure Doctrine then we are not misleading others; the Holy Spirit being alive in the place of meeting will give the words to draw them into repentance, without the infliction of Fear. Jonah was inside of a Whale's belly... was that not a Fearsome Circumstance? Sometimes God will put the Fear into man if it will bring him or her to Repentance. The Love of God is without understanding in it's fullness. Leaders speaking as God speaks to them should just carry out the message; unhindered by others. People will either Accept it or Reject it. But we must speak the message with Love... and through love, spirit and truth a conviction stirs up within us. The fear of God should be greater than the fear of hell... who has the power to bring Judgement upon those who would be bound there forever. Praise be to the Lord of the Heavens!!! Amen.

The Word of God shows us what expectations God has for us as a church. Through His Word we have all our sins washed away in baptism. The Word of God should be presented as God's Word and used as a standard for all teaching under the church's name. If the Word is presented in love, the presence of hellfire as a viable alternative, and if everyone in the church seriously reads and studies God's Word, the church will remain clean in the eyes of the Lord.

Q4aThe Word will convict us, instruct us, comfort us, teach us, and "spank" us. The Word will chasten! We must abide in Christ and He in us. Everything necessary is in the Word! We simply need to obey it!

Q4bHaving good pastors and teachers. The congregation needs to be taught! The congregation grows when it is taught and when it obeys what is taught.

Q4cUsing it in Love and relying on the Holy Spirirl to do His job. After all He was sent to convict the world of sin, of judgment and of righteousnesds! Often we try to do the work of the Holy Spirit instead of living a committed life.

The Word of God works in the cleansing, purifying process by believing and living or applying them in our lives as believers in Christ.

The Word of God should be implemented with reverence in a congregation to achieve these purposes. And each one should walk worthy of our calling: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in preparing God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ - in which we are meant to be in Jesus name. Praise the Lord!

The word of God can be used for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance by sharing it to people with love and compassion. Giving understanding to them about the grace of God that is available to them and even with what Jesus can do with their situation only if they believe - they can be washed, sanctified, and justified as we are in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Ephesians 5:26) How does the word of God work in the cleansing, purifying process?

What we hear and see and speak becomes a part of us. When we are hearing, seeing, and speaking the Word of God we are being purified, as the Word of God is holy.

How should the word of God be implemented in a congregation to achieve these purposes?

Daily. The Word of God should be read and heard daily to achieve true holiness.

How can we use the word for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance?

There are some churches who use hellfire to scare some into repentance. However, hell is a real place and those not receiving Jesus will end up in hell and I see nothing wrong with trying to communicate this to the unbeliever as long as it is in love. The best way to use the Word for purification is to live the Word, as this will impress others the most.

How does the word of God work in the cleansing, purifying process?
By showing the need for people to be cleansed from their sinfulness. The Word of God's, that is Jesus Christ's, purity shows up our impurity so clearly. However, he also provides the answer through the giving up of his life to save the world because of his great love for it.
How should the word of God be implemented in a congregation to achieve these purposes?
Christians in one sense have already been cleansed and purified, but in another, we are all still being transformed. Therefore, through preaching, bible study and prayer we become aware of some of the insidious ways that the world still has hold of us.
How can we use the word of God for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance?
The way of love is to walk alongside another and tell your own story, share some of your own areas of weakness, and the places in your own spiritual journey where you struggle. It is best, I think, to avoid sounding as though, as a christian, I have 'made it' and am somehow superior to anyone else.

"Every Word of God is pure..."Proverbs30:5a. ...."Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever"1Peter1:23 We know from God's word, that life and death, are in the tongue; Words are powerful, even those spoken by us, to each other...How much more powerful, the word's of God? After coming to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour, we need the Word to cleanse us of the pollutants that have been instilled in us, and those taken in by a life of sin. I believe it is an "on-going" process for all. I've been in church's where the Word was not taught and seen the results in those, that were not taught...it was sad and my heart went out to them....When Jesus spoke of Himself, being the Bread of Life, in Jn.6:53-68, the Word say's many departed from Him...But Peter, when asked if He would depart also, replyed "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the Word's of eternal life" Jesus is the Word...and in receiving the Word in us, we are receiving Him. As far as "how" we use the Word, I believe we should look to Jesus as our example....He spoke, only what He heard His Father tell Him!...If we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us, we'll know how to approach someone, and speak God's Word, "in season"! (And if that means speaking of hell, then so be it....Remember, Jesus didn't have a problem telling the "religious elite", that they were full of dead mens bones! Matt.23:27)

IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD AND THE WORD WAS GOd

The WORD work in the cleansing, purifying process by coming into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Having a personal relationship with God thru Jesus Christ will sanctify. cleanse and wash us. It is by hearing the word, accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and obedient to the word that saves us because we are saved by grace. We are new creatures in Christ. Individually we are part of the church; therefore we are part of the process(cleansing/purifying). This should be a way of life for the saints. A church should be teaching and living the word of God. We do not have to be sacred into repentance because the bible tells us "God is love." God's desire for all of us to be save that none should perish. It also tell us if we love God we will obey Him. Obedience is better than a scarifice.

SAINTS STAY HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT!

Pastor Ralph, on May 29 2003, 06:25 PM, said:

I think the cleansing and purifying process is called sanctification and it is a process that we all go through in being made holy unto the Lord. Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-­edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." The Word of God generally speaks for itself, we do not need to elaborate much to achieve any puposes. An old pastor friend of mine used to say that hell is a very real place and real people go there every day. The Word of God is always to be delivered in a Spirit of Love. People sometimes forget that it is He who draws us unto Himself, God always takes the first step. In other words, it is not something we can do in any human means no matter what style of preaching is used, God has to draw the person in through the conviction of the Holy Spirit first into repentance before we can show them the Gospel and lead them towards salvation. We are not called to be salesman or pursaders of any kind, according to Matthew 28 we are called to make disciples.

Q4. (Ephesians 5:26)

How does the word of God work in the cleansing, purifying process?

The Truth of what Christ has done for us...His redeeming work through death on the cross and resurrection washes away our sin. You can't get any cleaner than that! The Word of God teaches us about the unconditional love that reaches out to us, even if it is rejected. No one is beyond the reach of this saving power -- that's ultimately purifying. As we study the Word (including becoming one with Jesus -- the Word made flesh) we are purified.

How should the word of God be implemented in a congregation to achieve these purposes?

The Word should be used for praise, prayer, thanksgiving, teaching, edifying, encouraging and when neccessary, even rebuking. All done with love, of course,

How can we use the word for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance?

We don't have to threaten and scare and create an image of a judgemental and punishing God. We don't have to go to hell unless we choose to be separated from God, which is simply rejecting His love and truth (The Word and Jesus/God incarnate). So, if we concentrate on the Way of love and transformation more people will be attracted....rather than chased away with threats of eternal damnation.

The word sanctifies us it cleanses us for the word is the truth. The word should be based on the truth it should not be taken out of context, I have seen where a paragraph would be read, and the following paragraphs wouldn't, but if the other paragraph would have been included there would have been a slightly differ meaning. We should teach on how to love God and one another instead of scaring people.

Jesus loved the church so much that He was willing to suffer and die for it.His actions not only saved the church,they also sanctified it.Jesus Christ is the word.Jesus wanted to develop the church into what it should be,the holy temple of God.The word is the gospel of good news that saves us.There is no threats of hellfire to that.The word is love and peace and eternal life with Jesus Christ our Savior

God's word which probably here also means the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Thus the word of God has a crucial role in our conversion because it openess our eyes to His grace and also presents before us the substance of our faith, Jesus Christ the Hope of Glory. Through the word of God, therefore, the doors of our hearts get openned to spiritual cleansing.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one they have not heard?
(Rom 10:14

The role of the word of God in bringing us into spiritual cleaness is symbolised in water baptism.

If the word of God is preached with the vision that Christ has for the Church, then there will be no need to scare people with hell fire into repentance because submission to Christ should be done willingly.

The Word of God in the Old Testament gives us guidelines for behavior - what to do and what not to do. It shows what will happen when we disobey God. In the New Testament we are washed in the blood of the Lamb. We are cleansed from our sins by the crucifiction. Christ bore our sins that we might be worthy to come before God's presence. If we are in the Body of Christ we will want to read and understand God's word as found in the Bible. We need to read and study God's Word and be led by the Holy Spirit to understand and obey.

The Body of Christ needs cleansing not only of sins committed but of things omitted - tasks that need to be done in order for Christ's kingdom to come on earth. Our churches, here today, need to renew the vision of an alive and active Body of Christ. We need to be working to bring about Christ's Kingdom, practicing love among each other and out in our communities, to everyone - treating our neighbor as ourselves. We are to live lives of LOVE, as God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!
If we use the Word as the guide for purification, stressing the crucifiction and resurrection, as the way, the truth and the light - the path for living forever with God, we won't need to preach hellfire and damnation.
The emphasis is on Christ and His gift to us of salvation. All we have to do is believe and we will be with God eternally. Christ paid the price, washing away our sins with His blood and washing us with water in Baptism that we might be able to present ourselves as a radiant, alive Church, Holy and blameless, cleansed of the world and it's sin.

The word of God work in cleansing , purifying process by stripping us of our worldly possessions which is the old man and cleansing us from all unrighteousness and riotous living. In other words we have to go through the process of being born again through the word of God, taking off the old man and putting on the new man through the new birth..

The word of God should be implemented in a congregation by reverencing him in every thing we do. We must learn to put him first in our lives and begin to feed the flock to nourish their souls. Just like we need food for the nourishment of this physical body, we also need food (which is the word of God) for nourishment of our spiritual body. In other words eat it (the word of God) all up.

We can use the word for purification without relying upon threats of hellfire to scare people into repentance by preaching and teaching sound doctrine. We need to let the sinners know that in order for them to be united with Christ, they have to be holy. There has to be a change of heart and mind. Let them know that Jesus is coming back for his bride and they must be ready to meet the bridegroom when he comes.

The Word of God must be applied in order to cleanse and purify. It is as the Word is absorbed in a congregation that it does its work.

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The Word of God has to be taught in its entirety, leaving nothing out and putting nothing in. In this way a balanced Gospel will be taught which isthe whole truth of God.

The verse that comes to mind is 'the Word of God is a two edged sword...'. When the Word is preached or taught in the power of the Holy Spirit, no threats are necessary - the power of the Word will bring conviction, encouragement, correction.

The word of God works in the cleansing, purifying process by revealing God's love for us and what He wants for our lives. The word of God should be implemented in a congregation to achieve this purpose by taking His word and breaking it down to see what it is saying to us and to become better and more Christ=seeking than when we first entered the building. We can use the Word for purification without relying on threats of hellfire to scare people into repentence by revealing His love for us is His purpose.

4a.
Some take this to be baptism,but I think the word is self explanitory. He found us in our sins and uncleaness,unfit for association with Him,the Holy One,but He applied the water of the Word of His truth to us and we were sancified by the truth and made fit to enter into this communion with Him,the Holy and true One.
4b.
If my hand becomes defiled,I wash it in water and the defilement disappears. So when my conscience,my heart,my life were all defiled the blessed Lord by the Holy Spirit applied the truth of His Word to me and I was regenerated by the washing of water,and made clean in His sight,and so fitted for union and communion with Him.
4c.
We cannot preach a heaven without a hell to shun.So the necessity of preaching hell Fire and Brimstone is there,however we can and should I think handle this matter through the preaching of Gods love toward mankind. Many examples come to mind but the one that jumps out right now is John 3:16.