What Must We Do To Be Counted Worthy?

He wrote a letter to the Brethren in Ephesians while he was in jail. And he called the Brethren as saints. The Greek word is Agios, which can be translated as saints, and also is translated as holy. It's the same Greek word. In fact, in Portuguese there's only one word. It's saints, which means saints, or saints, which means holy. It's the same word. In Portuguese, it's the same word. But in English it isn't. But Paul, and if we turn to Ephesians chapter 1, verse 1, Ephesians chapter 1, verse 1, we see Paul writing to the Ephesians as an apostle of Jesus Christ by God's will, and he says, to the saints there are in Ephesians. And to me it's like I'm writing or speaking to you as God's saints in Dallas. You are God's saints. You are God's called out ones. You have been called out. You have been set apart. You have been separated and therefore chosen by God in this age at the time of the end to be a saint. In other words, to be holy, to be different than the world. And in verse 3, Paul says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with many spiritual blessings. If you consider what spiritual blessings you and I have had, because you have spiritual blessings, and we count our blessings.

And then he says in verse 4, Just as he chose us, you recognize that you and I being called and chosen is a spiritual blessing from God in heaven to you and I. You are specifically called out and chosen by God. It is a blessing from God. And you know, God planned all the way before the creation of the world that you would do it this way. That you would call out a few during this age before Christ's coming to be holy. Now, this calling out does not mean that he predestined you to be saved or predestined you to be lost. No, it just means that he predestined you to be called some to be called out first. Others will be called out later. But he decided, according to his plan, to call out some earlier before Christ's coming, before he sets up his governing kingdom on earth. And so, we read, it chose us in him before the foundation of the world. He decided there would be some that would be chosen to be called first before the foundation of the world. That's part of his plan. That we should be holy. Again, the word is haggis. That we should be saints. In other words, that we should be different, set apart than what? Than the world. Than the world. In a sense, it's like that we should be clean instead of being unclean. In other words, because the world today is unclean, God has set us apart to be clean, separate from the world's dirt and filth and sins. To be holy and without blame. God has selected you and I and chosen you and I to be set apart and to be without blame. What have you and I done to be without blame? Think about it. What have you and I done to be without sin? I'd venture to say nothing, because we all do sin. We all do sin. But this is as special as it says, spiritual blessing in verse 3 from God. It's a spiritual blessing from God that you and I are set aside now, and we are blameless. And it's not because of what you and I have done. Now, if you briefly keep your finger there, but let's just quickly look at Romans starting in chapter 3 verse 23. For we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. I'm sure you and I can say that we all have fallen short of God's glory.

And in verse 24, being justified freely, you and I are made right. You and I are made blameless before God, freely, gratis, by God's mercy. It's not because of what you and I have done. God is called you and is chosen you and I, and he has made you and I guiltless, guiltless, sinless. Not because of what you and I have done, anything we've done, but it's freely by his grace, by his goodness, by his kindness, by his loving kindness towards you and I. How? Well, continue reading. Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. In other words, through the buying back from sin, Christ bought us back, redeemed us, bought us back, and that buying back is through Christ Jesus, or that is in Christ for us. And then continuing. For whom God set forth as a propitiation. In other words, Christ Jesus, God set Christ Jesus as a propitiation by his blood. In other words, God set us up in a way that Christ is who reconciles us by his blood. In other words, he heals that breach that our sins have created by his blood, by his sacrifice, through faith. Now, initially, I don't have much faith. You probably don't have much faith either. But you know, it's from faith to faith, so it's Christ's faith of what he has done, but also it's now it's our faith. We've got to believe in trust in him. So it's through faith. It's a two-way street through faith. You see, so now we have to have trust that what Christ has done is good enough for us. Or are we going to say, no, I doubt that Christ's sacrifice is not good enough for me and he doesn't make me blameless? Wow, that in a sense would be an insult, wouldn't it?

Because Christ done it and his washes us clean, makes us blameless without blame, without sin. And now we've got to trust in that. Obviously, initially, it was Christ's trust in the Father. The Father would resurrect him, but now it's also our trust in him. It's through faith, both ways. And then he says to demonstrate his righteousness. This demonstrates God's righteousness, God's loving righteousness, because in his forbearance, God has passed over the sins that were previously committed. Because this is God's righteousness, that in his long-suffering mercy, God has passed over our sins so you and I can be without blame. So meaningful to the season that you and I are approaching of passing over our sins through his blood. So let's go back to Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4, where we're a moment ago. He says, just as he chose, as he named, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, set apart, and without blame before God. And how are you and I made without blame before God? By what Christ is doing for us, by dying for us, and by being resurrected without sin. That opens up the way for us to be without blame before God in this great love that God has for us.

You see, brethren, as we read in verse 3, this is a big spiritual blessing that you and I have from the heavenlies. Now note that the word places is in italics, so it's actually not there in the manuscript. So it's a blessing we have from God, from heaven, through Christ. You and I have a lot of blessings, and you and I need to understand the depth and the meaning of this blessing. Now I want you to consider the days that we live in. If you watch today's news, I think they're pretty depressing, particularly as you look at situations developing in Europe. Brethren, this is very, very serious. We see the embryonic beginnings of what will most probably become the beast power. We see a trend too soon as having, possibly, another religious leader that is called by the Bible as the false prophet. Brethren, this is not years away. This is around the corner. Now if you, some of you, think, oh well, it can be decades. I'll tell you, it's not decades. It's around the corner. Are we watching? And so, you and I see as we watch the news many troubles around us in this age. And if you know prophecy, you know it's going to get pretty bad. And so, we encounter ourselves in a situation that has never been like this in at least about 80 years.

It's never been this bad.

So, people that you and I talk to, the society, even brethren, are anxious. Are depressed. Are discouraged. And particularly, Satan mounts more upon us, as we always know every year before Passover. So today, brethren, what I want to cover is what you and I must do to be counted worthy in these days of the end to escape and to stand with Christ at His return.

And brethren, as we examine ourselves as the days of Passover are around the corner, surely you and I can put ourselves down and be discouraged. But are we focusing, and what are we reading in Ephesians, of spiritual blessings through Christ?

You see, God wants you and I to have peace, and particularly peace of mind. Because God has passed over our sins so that we are blameless. And as we approach Passover, surely we have to examine ourselves. But in the self-examination, are you and I putting ourselves down, down, down?

Or do we have peace of mind, and we look at this season positively? Do we? Do we? Do we look at this season with encouragement? Because Passover symbolizes Christ's victory over sin and death. By Jesus Christ dying and resurrecting because He did not sin, and therefore He is victorious over sin and death to reconcile us to make us blameless freely by grace.

And that is a blessing. And that is encouraging.

Obviously, that does not mean we do away with God's law. No. Because read in Romans 3, verse 31. Romans 3, verse 31, do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. In other words, now that we have been made blameless, gratis freely through God's grace, it's now our responsibility now to obey God. To not get back into that ditch.

And brethren, we need to look at the many spiritual blessings that God has given us. And we, you and I, must not downplay what God has called and chosen as to. I'm going to repeat that. We must not downplay what God has called and chosen as to.

Please don't misunderstand. You see, true Christianity is not just niceties, being loving, loving, davy-davy, sweet, speaking-kind words. Obviously, we need to be caring and loving, and that is part of true Christianity. But being called, being set apart into Christ's spiritual body is much more than that.

And I fear, brethren, I fear that some of us don't see that big picture or are losing the big picture. Why? Because we see troubles ahead in the world, and we get anxious, and we listen to other sincere, yes, sincere, so-called Christians.

We listen to what other churches say and do. And yes, many of them say amazingly good things, but there is always some subtle thing under the radar, little deception, that slowly, as you listen to them, slowly gets implanted in your mind. We've got to be careful, because true Christianity is not shallow, it's deep and profound from the heart. Again, I don't mean that these so-called Christians aren't sincere. Yes, they are sincere. It's like Paul in Acts 1732, I beg about 22, when he was addressing the crowd at Eriopagus, he said, men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious. And yes, indeed, a lot of these so-called Christians are very religious and they're very sincere.

But there is a difference about being a true Christian in God's eyes. And you see, many, unfortunately, are being influenced by these. They go to their meetings, they listen to them, and yes, they say a lot of good things. I'm not disputing that. But slowly, subtly, just under the radar, in stealth, slowly and secretly, they bring in, yes or no, one or another little subtle incorrectness. Incorrectness about the true gospel.

And maybe in many of those cases, they don't verbally say that, but they kind of imply words like, all we need is to believe in Christ. All we need is to just be loving and kind and gentle. And yes, we do need that. But underneath that, there's the subtlety of saying, we don't have to obey God. It's the subtlety that says the law is abolished.

And you see, Jesus is kind, but the God of the Old Testament was harsh. You see, that message subtly gets spread in. And slowly, the correct understanding of the true gospel is changed in people's minds. The wrong concept is being implanted in people's minds slowly, slowly, and brethren, that's how Satan works. Subtle. That's how he deceived Eve. That's what he did in Paul's time. Look in Galatians chapter 1 verse 6 and 7. In Galatians chapter 1 verse 6 and 7, he talks about, he says, I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, which is not another. Oh yeah, it still appears, gospel of Christ, the truth, etc. But it's just that subtlety. But there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Pervert. That's powerful word. Oh, it's subtle. It's an underlining, subtle perversion of God's truth. And look at still in Galatians in chapter 2 verse 4, where it says, And this occurred because of false brethren. And like today you'd say, it's false Christians. They're not really true Christians. Oh yes, people call them, are they Christians? But that's why I use the word so-called Christians. Because we've got to be careful. Because it's talking about false brethren secretly brought in, and they change by stealth. They come in by stealth and change the true Jesus, the true gospel. Brethren, that is Satan's tactics. At the end of 1 Timothy chapter 6, at the end of 1 Timothy, write the last two verses in chapter 6, verse 20 and 21. Paul writes to Timothy and says, Oh, Timothy, God, what has been committed to your trust? What has been committed to our trust as God's ministers? The truth. The truth. And no deviation from the truth.

You see, doctrine is important. It must be sound doctrine, but it must be, obviously, in love. If you just focus on the love part and you neglect the truth, you go in the wrong path. It's got to be both truth and love. You see, and therefore, avoid these things that people take the wrong way by having what is called knowledge. Oh, it's the knowledge of Jesus Christ, of Jesus. But they have the knowledge of the false, false Jesus. We need to understand who the true Jesus is. We've got a booklet that goes into great detail. Great detail. Brethren, there is an error. An error of what the Bible calls the error of the wicked. Turn to 2nd Peter, again, right at the end of 2nd Peter, chapter 3, verse 17. Chapter 3, verse 17. 2nd Peter, chapter 3, verse 17.

It says, you therefore beloved, since you know this beforehand, what is this? You know that people are going to twist the scriptures. You know that the time of the end is upon us, because it says the day of the Lord is going to come as a thief in the night. You know all these things. Beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness. How do you fall from your own steadfastness? I tell you how. By slowly opening the door to these false ideas. Oh, they're so sweet. They're so loving. They're so whatever. And yes, it is true. We've got to show love and concern. But sadly, people are being led away with the error of the wicked, as you read at the end of verse 17. The error of the wicked. And what do you mean, wicked? It's those that don't know by God's law. For instance, they don't keep the Sabbath. If you break God's law, whether you kill or or you murder or you commit adultery or you you covet or you break the Sabbath, they're all the same. They're wicked, because they haven't repented. They haven't changed. They're wicked. And the error of the wicked is what? Focusing in being nice and sweet and David, David, and all these things, neglecting the truth, the error of the wicked, but growing the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, growing the kindness and gentleness and knowing who the true Christ is.

Brethren, this is so deceitful. We all can be easily led astray if we get involved in these things.

I can't tell you what to do or not to do. You're a free moral agent. But be aware that you could be walking into fire. So let's go back to Ephesians chapter 1 in verse 5. Having predestinated us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, brethren, this is the goal that God has for you and I. We are to be real children of God in his family. That's what God has predestined for you and I. He didn't predestined that some are going to die and some are going to live. No, he predestined that the whole of mankind, his desire for all of mankind, is that we all be in his family. Be in his family.

And that is what the spiritual blessing from heaven is all about. What a great calling! What a great goal! What a great promise! Look at verse 11. In him also have obtained an inheritance. What an inheritance do you and I have? Well, study Hebrews chapter 2, because like Christ is going to inherit all things, we're going to be co-inheritors with Christ as we read in Romans 8.

And it says, therefore, we have obtained an inheritance. Being predestined for that inheritance. We all are predestined for that inheritance, provided we don't walk away.

According to the purpose of him who works all things, according to the counsel of his will, that's what God's plan is all about. And verse, continue in verse 12, for we who first trusted in Christ. Brethren, we are the first few that have trusted in this great hope to be children of God in his kingdom. You and I have been chosen to be the first few to be in the kingdom of God as spiritual children of God. So therefore, let us not drift away through Satan's subtle approach of gentle, subtle, under the radar, little deceptions.

He has predestined for us to be his children, to be in his family. But according to God's wisdom and God's prudence, in other words, God's understanding, that's where we read you. In him we trusted, verse 13, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also we have believed.

You see, this is what we have. The gospel, the good news of our salvation. This is a great word of truth. Truth. And therefore, he says, at the end of verse 13, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Yes, God promised to give us the Holy Spirit, which is the seed, his seed, to make us his true children. And you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Now, who does God give his Holy Spirit to? Who does God give his Holy Spirit to? Just make a note and read Acts 5, verse 32. God gives his Holy Spirit to those that obey him. God gives his Holy Spirit to those who obey him. So, all these so-called Christians that do not obey God, for one, they don't keep the Sabbath, for two, they don't tithe. Some of them do, but some may not. Also, they don't keep God's early days. You see, brethren, God has given that Holy Spirit to us to help us overcome. You see, as we recognize the truth, and as we have faith and trust in what Christ has done, as we commit and are baptized, we then change to live God's way and we repent. And we commit, at baptism, to live a new way of life.

And that's why it says we receive God's Holy Spirit, which helps us, which is the Helper, which helps us, which is God's mind, which is God's power to help us overcome. That's why we must not blaspheme the Holy Spirit, because it's God's Helper to help us overcome. If we throw away God's Holy Spirit, if we neglect it, that is an important concern.

Because God is giving us of his own power, his own mind, and we reject it. What else? Can he give us?

And so he's given us the Holy Spirit of promise. Who is the guarantee? It's the down payment. He's a guarantee that God wants you in his kingdom, provided you and I don't drift away. Sorry, I lifted up my voice. I apologize. But I get pretty emotional about it, because I care for you.

And I do. You see, it's a guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, until the redemption, it was the buying back of our bodies, which is what Christ purchased with his blood, with his life, to buy us back to the praise of his glory.

Jesus Christ bought us by his death, and that is the meaning of the Passover. What a wonderful hope! So what must you and I do?

Particularly, as we see these prophetic days starting to happen. Well, go a little bit further in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 1. I therefore, let's call the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you. I plead with you. I please, Paul is saying, please walk worthy of the calling. That's what you and I need to do. We need to walk worthy of this calling. With which you were called, you were chosen. You are specifically called, picked up, selected by God for this role.

And so walk worthy of it. You know, you can read Luke 21, verse 36, which says, Watch and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape these things and to stand before the Son of Man, as it is coming. You and I need to watch and pray that you and I may be counted worthy. So there is something that you and I need to do to be counted worthy. That's why it says, walk worthy of the calling. How? How do you and I walk worthy of the calling? Just read the next two verses.

With all loneliness, that's humility. That's humility. And gentleness, that's meekness, that's teachability, that's being malleable. Gentle, malleable, teachable, meek. With long suffering, that is perseverance. That is, yes, you hit the wrong. People accuse you incorrectly and you suffer long. Bear with one another in love. Because sometimes some of us may say something to each other that hurts. Because none of us is perfect. And so bear with one another in love. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The end result is that we may have unity and peace, at least in our minds and then in God's Church and in our families.

So brethren, it starts with humility. It starts with meekness. And outcome is being peacemakers. You know, if you look at the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5, verse 3-9, that's what it is. It starts with humility and repenting, being mourning, repentant, and then being meek and teachable. And then it goes on and out. Final result is you are a peacemaker. Then when you do that, you're going to be persecuted because you're being like Christ.

So don't be deceived by following Satan's lies. Don't be deceived by following Satan's lies. Today, Satan's lies are subtle. Subtle. But tomorrow, and I don't mean in 24 hours, but in a day soon in the future, those lies will not be subtle. Turn with me to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 9 and 10.

The coming of the lawless one. That's the false prophet. That's that soon-coming new religious leader that is going to come up maybe very soon, sooner than what we think. Becoming of that lawless one, that false prophet, that man of sin, which will be revealed, will be with all power, signs, and lying wonders. That is not subtle. That will be in your face because you'll have miracles. You'll have miracles. That fire will come out of heaven.

With all unrighteous deception. And where does that power come from? From Satan. From Satan himself. Because Satan is the master deceiver. And what do you imagine when everybody around you sees these miracles? It says, this must be the Christ. Meantime, it is the antichrist because he's a deceiver.

All unrighteous deception among those who perish because... why? Why? Because... why? Because they did not receive the love of the truth.

Sticking to the truth is important.

We have the truth. Don't drift away from the truth through subtleties and niceties and sweet words. Because underneath it there's little seeds out here and there that later on germinate and will drift you away from the truth. And what does the Bible say? You did not love the truth. Wow.

Wow.

So, brethren, look at verse 11. And for this reason, God will send them into strong delusion that they should believe the lie. The lie.

You see, brethren, we gotta grow in the truth. We gotta hold on to the truth. Look at verse 7, still of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 7. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. It is YAH. Oh, the law of God is done away. All you need is just love. The mystery of lawlessness is already YAH.

And God, what has God has done for us? Go back to Ephesians, please, in chapter 4, verse 11 and 12. For God himself gave some, in other words, gave us ministers, ministers of Jesus Christ. And then we read in verse 12. For the equipping of the saints to enable you, as the called out ones, for the work of the ministry. But the Greek word there is the acunea. It's the work of serving. We are servants of God. And our job is to serve one another. And God has given his church as ministers to equip us, as the called out ones, to enable us to serve. For the edifying, for the building of the body of Christ, which is the church of God.

Till we all come to that unity of trust, of faith, and to the knowledge of the true Son of God. The true Christ. The true Christ. Not the perverted Christ that this world has, but the true Christ. That's what we gotta grow in. Growing the knowledge of the true Christ, the Son of God.

So that you and I, the outcome, is to become a perfect man to the very measure of the statue, the fullness of Christ. Our goal is to be like Christ. And that's why it says, then, speaking in truth. So that we won't be deceived by every little idea that comes about. Oh, there'll be so many little ideas. Oh, we gotta do this, and we gotta do that, we gotta do the other.

All these little ideas. We gotta be careful. We gotta speak the truth. Yes, we gotta do it in love. But we gotta speak the truth. So that, through that, we grow. That's what it says in verse 16. That the whole body, well-met together, we all help one another to have growth and then define the body. And then we can read the rest, which says, you put away the old man.

You put away the old man. You put away the old man, as it reads, for instance, in verse 22. Put off the old man. Verse 23, think correctly. In verse 24, put on the new man. That's how, or why I mention, time and time again. It's not just repenting of what you've done. But it's repenting of what you are. You and I are an old man full of sins.

We gotta repent of that man, of that carnal being that we are. And we gotta become a new man. That's why, for instance, in baptism, in the analogy of Romans 6, starting, for instance, around about verse 4, it says, we're baptized into Christ. That means into the body of Christ, into the spiritual body of Christ, which is the church of God, by the authority of Jesus Christ. That means in the name of Jesus Christ, by His authority. That means it's not some false minister that says there, because he has not got the authority of Jesus Christ.

Must be with the true minister of Christ, baptizing us into the body of Christ. That is so meaningful. And that means that when we baptized into the body of Christ, like the body of Christ died, we are put under the water, dead. And then we come out of the water as a new man in newness of life, as you and I read in Romans 6, verse 4.

And so, what is it that we must do? We must now, once we baptized, we received God's Holy Spirit through the laying on our hands, of one of God's ministers, one of God's authorized ministers that has that delegated authority through Christ, which is be given to Him by the Father. Then you have got the Holy Spirit, which you use now to obey, to obey, to live.

And if you reject that inkling of God's Holy Spirit, you are grieving the Holy Spirit. As it says in verse 30, don't grieve the Holy Spirit. Don't disappoint God's mind, God's power that He has given you. And therefore, it says in verse 31 of chapter 4, forgive one another.

Do we forgive one another? We are a little bit more than just a month from Passover. Is there somebody that you have not forgiven in your heart?

I don't know.

I don't know. But your heart knows. How can you take the Passover without forgiving? You and I, we need to do our part. Follow Matthew 18, 15. Talk to that person. But don't talk to that person self-justifying yourself, because that's not forgiveness. And also talk to that person in the spirit of gentleness, Galatians 6 verse 1. You and I have now time to cleanse this. And so that then, as we read in Ephesians 5 verse 1, we become imitators of God. And we walk in love as we read in verse 2 of Ephesians chapter 5. Because remember, Christ did not do any sin. Christ did nothing wrong. But He took it, and He forgave us. So if there's somebody that you have a problem with, are we all being able to take it like Christ took? A genuine sacrifice to God? You see, what is it that we must do? You see, brethren, as we're approaching the Passover, it starts with humility and meekness. We look at ourselves, but it's not to discourage us. It's to encourage us, because you and I have been made blameless. There is a very encouraging scripture in Hebrews chapter 10, that I like to leave with you as an encouragement before the Passover. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 14. And I want you to think about this, because God's intent of the Passover is not to discourage you.

Yes, it is a solemn occasion and a respectful occasion. We take it solemnly and respectfully, but internally we take it within a joy, because we have been forgiven. And in verse 14 of Hebrews chapter 10, it is, for by one offering he has perfected forever. Wow! By one offering, Christ's sacrifice, he has perfected forever. You and I, provided, as it says, the next, those who are being sanctified, present continuous tense, being sanctified. In other words, you and I are working in being sanctified, which is the sanctification of God's Holy Spirit, which is God's Holy Spirit, God's power, telling us to change and to repent.

Brethren, Christ has opened to us a wonderful way. It's a new and living way, as you see then in verses 19 through 22. And the Passover can be, to you and I, a positive, encouraging, Passover. I don't want you to look at the Passover as negative, because it's victory for us through Christ. Yes, you and I need to change. You and I need to become a new man, a new person. But God has given us the power, the guarantee that you can do it, provided you don't quench it, provided I don't quench it. So, use the Passover, season, brethren, to draw ourselves near to God. Look, please, none of us is worthy of Christ's sacrifice. None of us is worthy of Christ's sacrifice. It is a free, gracious gift from God. But there is something you and I need to do to be accounted worthy at Christ's coming. There is something you and I now need to do to be with Christ that is coming. We need to use God's Holy Spirit and change from the old man to the new man.

That's what God wants you and I to do, and He's given us the power to do it. God has chosen you and I to be there, to be amongst the first that will have God's very own spiritual life, the same kind of beings. God has chosen to give us His power, His Spirit, as a guarantee.

We now have to use that power to overcome and grow in love. Oh yeah, God has called the weak and the basings of the world. Yes, there's many people out in the world that are far better than us. Yes, they are. But God has called us to put them to shine. You and I have to now work with the truth and grow. God wants you and I in His kingdom as His children. So let us draw now in full assurance of faith that you will be there provided you don't turn your back on God. And to Him, brethren, be glory now and forever.