Jesus Abundant Hope

                                                                        A Time Of Reformation

Reformation

Reform - To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects. To abolish abuse or malpractice in. To cause (a person) to abandon irresponsible or immoral practices. To behave better; to give up irresponsible or immoral practices. A change for the better; a correction of evil or abuses. Moral improvement.

Synonyms - mend, amend, correct, improve, better, restore, convert, resolve, remodel, reorganize, transmute, revise, repair, renew, reconstruct, renovate, freshen.

Antonyms - deteriorate, retrograde, relapse, degenerate, decline, droop, wither, waste, weaken, shrivel, shrink, break down, shake, totter, tumble, corrupt, contaminate, infect, taint, pollute, vitiate.

Reformation - The act of reforming; or state of being reformed.

Reformed - Improved or amended by the removal of faults. Improved in conduct or character.

Reformation

Hebrews 9:10  “Which stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.”

Fullness of Time

Daniel 9:24  “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”

Mark 1:15  "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Galatians 4:3-5

3 - "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:"

4 - "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,"

5 - "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

Ephesians 1:10 "That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth: even in him."

Fullness of Time

I Timothy 2:6 - "Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."

Titus 1:3 - "But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour."

Hebrews 9:26 - "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

Reformation of the church will all be part of a spiritual transformation that only the word of God, and Holy Spirit can bring to pass.

Reformation in previous times has been a call to human aggression, it is not that! Since only a loving God can help each believer change their thoughts and actions to become like Jesus Christ's perfect example. Jesus showed us how to live a sinless life, and he desires the same for us,before he returns after a church without spots, wrinkles and blemishes of sin.

The final reformation of the church will be redeeming believers from the Apostate (backslidden) condition. An apostate condition is a time of unrighteousness, through immaturity, and lack of self control.

Christian sinning, allowed them to be overcome by the very things that Jesus Christ came to save them from, causing them to indulge in things that would harm themselves, and others in their life. Sin would ruin their own reputation, and would ruin the reputation of the church as a whole. Sin kept them from raising up in faith, to be the greatest influence for Christian principles that they could have given.

The reformation will be by the Holy Spirit reviving the church through the anointing of His Holy Spirit and by the church being brought to sincere repentance through a thorough understanding of his Word.

Changing the apostate church from divided, scattered organizations filled with sinful, legalistic Christians, to a church who has sincerely repented of their sins. Believers who have dedicated their life to living pure, and holy according to Jesus Christ's holy commandments.

Christians who being changed by the Holy Spirit are moved up to become the uncorrupted Church, to become a righteous body of believers. They become the holy bride of Christ, anxiously awaiting for his return.

The final church will be The Church Triumphant, that will be without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, presented pure and holy to Jesus Christ, through the washing of the water of the word of God.

The Church Triumphant will emerge from the legalistic first covenant, the law; that couldn't save people from their sins, to the second covenant through the amazing grace of Jesus Christ the only pure and holy sacrifice that can wash away our sins.

We as Christians are prepared for the bridegroom, to be presented to Jesus Christ without spot, wrinkle or blemish,through the accurate understanding of the word, revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

The grace covenant through Jesus Christ keeps all the commandments in our conscience, to establish his high moral standards through righteousness, so through our love for Jesus Christ we willingly overcome the sins of the flesh, in order to live holy for Jesus Christ.

When we attain our spiritual maturity belivers do good, and live peaceful lives in Christ. We are revived to radiate, the attributes of Christ, in a dark, confused and chaotic world, full of evil.

Apostate Church

I Tim. 1:19 - "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck;"

I Tim. 4:1 & 2 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"

2 Tim. 4:3 & 4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

Fable defined: A narrative not based on fact. Fiction. A traditional story or tale dealing with ancestors, heroes, supernatural events, etc. that has no proven factual basis but attempts to explain beliefs, practices, or natural phenomena. Myth. An entertaining and often oral account of a real or fictitious occurrence. Yarn.

Heb. 3:12 - "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."

2 Peter 3:17 -"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness."

Examples of Apostates

2 Tim. 4:10 - "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;"

Heb. 6:6 - "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

I John 2:19 - "They went out from us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

Glorious Church

Ephesians 5:23 - 27

23 - "Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body."

24 - "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."

25 - "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

26 - "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word."

27 - "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Holy Bible  KJV ~Joan Jessalyn Cox

                                                                                     Copyright Joan Jessalyn Cox © 2013