And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the Law which the LORD commanded Moses; Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water. And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp. (Num. 31:21-24)
The LORD had sent the Israelites to war against the Midianites who had attempted to corrupt the country with adultery and idolatry. The men who went to war were victorious and captured much spoil and captives. Moses gave command from the LORD concerning those things which could be purified and cleansed and that which must be destroyed. God was glorified in all and the Israelites offered much of the spoil to the LORD for the work of the temple, for a remembrance of His victory, and for the Levites. The captives which were pure were kept and those which were not were killed because they were not pure and could not be brought into the camp.
The Lord Jesus Christ has secured our victory. His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary and His resurrection from the dead has conquered death and sin. Those who put their trust in Him and repent of their sins are made pure and brought into the camp, God’s Church, that we might have life and have it more abundantly. We who are born again are not delivered from our captivity to sin to continue in sin but to live lives of liberty in Christ as we grow in Him and continue the battle we are fighting. Today, the churches battle is not with weapons of the flesh or against others, but using God’s Word, the armour of God, and prayer, we fight against principalities and powers and every stronghold which wars against God. Jesus has already won the war and offers cleansing to whosoever will from sin and death and reconciliation unto Himself and to the Father. He is our atonement, our Victory, and the Commander of the Lord’s army, He is our Redeemer, our Saviour, and our King.
God has sent those of us that know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet