Be holy because I am holy [The Bride of Christ]

This is a place where we talk about the bible. Jason Ryan Smurzynski looks into the Word of the Lord and just like you, desires to know what is actually going on. The Holy Spirit will open your ears to hear the truth and your minds to understand scripture. Together we will explore portions of the Bible that you don't normally hear at Sunday service at church. The veil will be lifted and the mystery of Jesus Christ will be explained.
Your invited to be The Bride of Christ.

Check out my YouTube channel 

https://youtube.com/@darkdeserthighway?si=aWH__iPQF2Reqf6d

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Hey guys, what's up? I am Dark Desert Highway, and today we're gonna read the Bible, and I am going to challenge the idea of once saved, always saved. It's the idea that we can do whatever we want with immunity because of the sacrifice that Jesus has made through the shedding of his blood on the cross, his death, burial, and resurrection gives us the idea is that it would give us liberty to live any way that we would want to live, uh, with no accountability for our actions, because it's all paid for, which is um so not true. And let's look at some scriptures today that tell us that it's about the way that we live our lives, because it is 100% about the way that we conduct ourselves before a holy and righteous God. Let's look at Ephesians 4, 17 through 24, and I've got it up on the screen for you. Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord, you should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, and because of the hardness of their hearts. They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth. So you can see that the old self is full of the flesh and the satisfaction of the flesh, and every desire that would come to your mind. Let's go through this. You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do in the futility of their thoughts. So it starts with the thought life, because what you think on and what you meditate on is generally what you go after. So we don't want to entertain an unhealthy thought lifestyle that is set on our sinful ways, obtaining the desires of the flesh. They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. So I believe that it's an unhealthy way to live our life, to fantasize about obtaining what the flesh wants, whether it's uh sexuality, um, whether it's alcohol, drugs, um, you know, uh all these things, we meditate on. We meditate on it, and it it it begins in our minds, and then as soon as we're not satisfied with the fantasy, we go out and we try to make it our reality. So it begins with the thoughts. In verse 17, therefore I say and testify in the Lord, you should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. Now there's a point in our lives where God will give us over to our own thoughts because um we did not think it was worthy that it was worthwhile to follow God or to submit ourselves to Him, uh God gives us over to our own confusion, and we walk around in confusion because you end up believing your own lies. You know, you've you've basically you've told yourself a lie, and you said that this is right. When it's act when it's wrong, it's it's it's wrong because the law has been established, and we can see that by the law this thing that I want is not good for me. But we say we make up excuses like uh oh that was that was back then, you know, the the book is old, and so it has no meaning for me today. But the truth is that God is the same yesterday and today and forever. He only needs to speak once. You know, he's not gonna sit there and repeat himself. He spoke, and that should be good enough for us. You know, and this is reflected in my life, you know. God has told me by his Holy Spirit that I should give up certain things, so um it's taken me a while to come into obedience to though to his very specific commandments about my life. Um, you know, because the Holy Spirit is alive, Jesus is alive, he interacts with us through his word, and by his word I can see uh myself and where I stand in comparison to what he says is right and good and true. You know, and then I look at my life and I take a personal inventory and I'm like, well, I'm way out, I'm way out of the way. You know, so um I have to conform myself to the image of Christ. Now, what was Christ when he walked the earth? He was a law follower, he gave the example of how we should live our lives, and now it's up to us to conform our lives into a lifestyle that is acceptable before a holy God. And that's kind of the basis of what we're talking about today, how to live your life in in the presence of a holy God. Because if he was to step in the room right now, I would be terrified because of the way that I've conducted myself. You know, um, but should it make a difference whether he's in the room or not? You know, I mean, isn't that the true test of self? The true test of self is who you are when no one's looking. Right? So, in it verse 18, they are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, and because of the hardness of their hearts. So they became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. But that is not how you came to know Christ. Assuming you have heard about him and were taught by him as the truth is in Jesus to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and impurity of the truth. So, what are we supposed to do? It's an action. We're supposed to take off and put on. So we take off the old self that is corrupted with deceitful desires, um, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, uh, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God's likeness. So let's move on to Romans chapter twelve, verse one and two. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in the view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. So how do we worship God? If that was our question, then this would be the answer. I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true worship. So, I mean, there are many ways that we can worship. You know, I can sing songs to God, I can do those, I can go to church, you know, but is it only in church that we're doing those things? Is it a once-a-week worship? Um, between the hours of 10 and 12, you know, um, where we lift our hands and we sing a song and then we go home and we're good. We live any way that we want now, right? Because God has paid for all of my sins. I am not responsible to have to change my life in any way, but I am secure in my salvation because I have prayed a prayer and uh God, you know, uh did his thing, he did his thing for me, and now I'm free to live however I want. But it's not true. If I am to be holy, if I'm to present myself before God in purity, then I must not touch the thing. That thing that he says, don't touch. Now, there's no idol, there's no thing of the flesh. That needs to be part of my daily lifestyle, where I'm not investing into the things of the flesh. And only in this way will I present myself holy, pleasing, and acceptable to God. You know, I have to walk before Him in purity, in holiness, which means that I need to give up some stuff in my life. I cannot practice unrighteousness and expect to be it, that doesn't make any sense. Uh, because it's just not holy. You know, you have to choose to do what's right. You have to force yourself to sow in righteousness, to give up the desires of the flesh, the old man, whatever the old man was thinking about, um, whatever your flesh wants, whatever you used to meditate on, you know, you are to put on the new man. So all of these are based upon an action that I take on purpose to do what is right before the eyes of the Lord. Let's look at first Peter one fourteen through nineteen. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct, for it is written, be holy because I am holy. If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one's work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers. For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life, inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb. So you can see that being holy is a is a lifestyle choice. Um you have here the desires of your former ignorance, which, you know, all right, well, if you were ignorant of the the word, you know, God gives you that grace. Right? He gives you the grace to come to a place in your life where through the knowledge of the Lord, by his word, we identify where we are out of the way and humble ourselves before him and change um from what we used to do into what we now practice, assuming that that's where you're at in your spiritual walk. But what it's what I hear is that change is necessary. Right? Do not be conform to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you are also to be holy in your conduct. So it's what I choose to do. My actions must conform to a holy way of living. I can't practice iniquity, I can't practice the sins of the flesh and think that I'm in a good part of my relationship with the Lord uh and that I'm free to do these things. We're free, but not so that we can practice the old lifestyle that we had. We're free so that we can practice the righteousness that God has given us an opportunity to practice through the knowledge of Him through His Word. So you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers. For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life. So it's about our conduct. Very plainly, the Bible is telling us that what we choose to do in our daily lives matters. Let's look at Second Corinthians six sixteen through eighteen. Second Corinthians six sixteen through eighteen says, and what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said, I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. All you have to do is listen to what the word says. Listen, in verse seventeen, therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. He makes it simple, he makes it understandable. He's not trying to challenge us to some higher form of knowledge that is not easily attained. He's making it attainable. He says don't touch it. That's it. Don't touch the unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me. Let's look at Mark chapter eight. Mark eight Verse thirty-four through thirty-six. Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit somebody to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? So we are if anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself. So I am supposed to substitute what I want to do, what the flesh wants to do, I have to substitute that with what Jesus has told me is a way of right living before his eyes. Let him deny himself, take take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. Okay, so what am I losing? I'm losing the the sins of the flesh, really. I'm I'm you know, if I want to go out and drink until I'm drunk, or if I want to go out and smoke until I'm high, or if I want to go out and sleep with whoever I want to sleep with, you know, those are the things that I'm going to have to deny. I'm gonna have to deny myself the things that I want, and in substitution with the things that I want, I have to insert what God wants and how He says to live my life. Romans chapter six, one through two says, What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not. How can we who died to sin still live in it? Romans six twelve through fourteen says, Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires, and do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans six, seventeen through eighteen says But thank God that although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. So obviously, obviously, we're setting these things down. We're not gonna do these things anymore. And it's gonna be a struggle, and it's not gonna be easy. And you know, this is the way I like to do it. I like to practice righteousness one act at a time. And I try to outweigh my selfish self-seeking behavior um with a purposeful action of sewing into the spirit. So instead of doing what I want to do, I force myself, and it's not that hard. You know, I open up the Bible, I share a scripture, I go to church, I I sing a song, I, you know, humble myself before God. Even if it's only that I deny myself, that right there is an action of sowing into the spirit. Um because I am keeping myself, I'm keeping myself, I am I'm separating myself from the old desire and the fulfillment of that desire. I'm separating myself from that and I am operating in the new man. You know, I'm not fantasizing, um, I'm not touching the thing, don't touch the thing. And if given the opportunity, maybe I even have to create the opportunity by by an act of of going out and and seeking somebody to f to tell about Jesus or or creating a Bible study or you know, going to church to do a midweek Bible study with whoever is there, you know, I have to I substitute selfishness with the spirit, and I try to outweigh my sowing. So if I would have sown to the flesh, I would have reaped corruption, but I stay that, I don't do that, and if all I did was not do that, that's good enough, but on top of that, I can add a sprinkle of goodness, right? I can show to the spirit, um, and then if I I sow to the spirit, if it then I reap everlasting life. Right? So if I don't sow to the flesh, that's good enough because I won't reap corruption. Because in sowing to the flesh, you reap corruption. So if I don't sow to the flesh, there's no seed, and therefore I don't I I sow no seed, therefore I do not reap. Because nothing grows, you know, in that field of unrighteousness. You know, but if I sow to the spirit, I will reap everlasting life. You know, I intend to, because I have all this free time, because I'm not doing the things of the flesh. If I'm not doing the things of the flesh, you find that you have a lot of extra time. Because being drunk takes your whole day. Being with women takes your strength and your effort and your mind. You know, um, giving ourselves to the pursuit of finances for money, you know, um, and then all the ways that you can earn dishonest money, you know. I mean, that that stuff takes time, you know. So giving all that up, what I found is that I have a lot of free time. I had to learn how to sow in righteousness. I had to learn how to sow seeds, and this channel is a big testament to that. Let's look at the last scripture, Galatians six, seven through ten, says, Don't be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows, he will also reap. Because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit. Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith. Exactly what I was just talking about. So, as far as once saved, always saved goes, look, you're we have a blessed assurance that God is a keeper of his word. If he initiated it, if you have the Holy Spirit, then you belong to God. And our faith, once we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive the evidence of our faith. And our faith is no longer, does he exist or is this true? Uh, because by our faith in him we receive the Holy Spirit, so now it becomes, do I obey? You know, do I have faith in what God says in the scriptures that we've just read, where he says, put off the old man, put on the new man, practice righteousness, be holy. Are we doing those things? Do I have faith enough in him to say, ooh, you know, um, that I'm going to submit myself to his commandment. That's that's where it is. Submitting myself to his commandments. He says, If you love me, obey my commands, and I will I I will manifest myself to you. I'll come and make my home with you. So what are we saying? We're saying that our lifestyle is what is to be changed. I am to substitute my own personal flesh and what it desires, the things that I used to formally do before I was saved. Now you're walking in the darkness, all you know is darkness, because that's all you have been familiar with, and that's all that you have practiced. But when Christ steps into your life, he gives you an opportunity to put off the old man and its ways and to put on the new man. But in order to understand what we are capable of now in post-salvation, we have to read his word. And that's why today we got into the word and we heard what the Lord says about the way that we should live our lives. He says, Be holy, because I am holy.