09/16/23 THE BAPTISM THAT PURIFIES THE HEART

09/16/23 THE BAPTISM THAT PURIFIES THE HEART

The primary work of God brought about by the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a pure heart (Acts 15:9).
The evidence of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is perfect love from a pure heart.
The fulfilling of the law is love from a pure heart.
Jesus died to purify us, even as He is pure.
God conforms us to the image of His Son, Who loved us with a perfect love.

Yes, salvation includes forgiveness, justification, regeneration, cleansing from a guilty conscience as well as cleansing and deliverance from a life of sin, but it also includes the purifying of the heart.

The Bible tells us that God cleanses our hands and purifies our hearts. These are two parts of salvation

Jesus commissioned the Church to evangelize the whole word, but He stipulated that the work of the Church should be carried out by believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit; which filling would cleanse them from the Old Man, the Carnal Mind.

The initial work of salvation comes to the sinner by grace through faith.
Likewise, the fullness of salvation comes to the believer by grace through faith. 

Initial Sanctification comes when sinners ask God for salvation, at the time of our Justification.
Entire Sanctification comes when believers ask God for deliverance from the Double Mind, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Progressive Sanctification is the daily growth in the grace that comes to those who have entered into Justification and those who have entered into the Fullness of the Holy Spirit.

We do not grow into salvation and we do not grow into heart purity.
We do grow in the salvation that we have received and we grow in the purity of heart that we have received.

God's word says,
James 4:8
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

God's word says,
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

God's word says,
Matthew 5:6, 8
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

The purity of heart and holiness of life are distinctives which are not preached or practiced by many local churches. However, the Bible says,
Hebrews 12:14
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness (the sanctification), without which no man shall see the Lord: