100:00:00,900 –> 00:00:12,620The Bible states so clearly that to be a Christian is fundamentally a change in who you are.200:00:12,620 –> 00:00:21,219If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, not a new effort, not a slightly better accomplishment,300:00:21,219 –> 00:00:25,879not a new set of beliefs, but in new identity.400:00:25,940 –> 00:00:28,680Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.500:00:28,680 –> 00:00:33,259I’m David Pick and Colin, we’re starting a new series today called Be Yourself.600:00:33,259 –> 00:00:39,000And I’m glad we’re going to be spending a few days on this, because I think when people700:00:39,000 –> 00:00:44,299hear that when they come to Christ, they become a new creation, we get a new identity, and800:00:44,299 –> 00:00:47,619we sometimes think, well, that’s great, but what does it really mean?900:00:47,619 –> 00:00:52,340Yeah, or what does it mean to be born again, which is really saying the same kind of thing.1000:00:52,340 –> 00:00:55,320And think of what makes you who you are.1100:00:55,340 –> 00:01:01,980You have a mind, you think, you have a heart, you have affections, you have a will, desire.1200:01:01,980 –> 00:01:07,139Being a new creation means that there is a fundamental change in everything that makes1300:01:07,139 –> 00:01:08,379you you.1400:01:08,379 –> 00:01:11,139You think in a different way.1500:01:11,139 –> 00:01:14,419You have different affections in your heart.1600:01:14,419 –> 00:01:16,459You begin to love different things.1700:01:16,459 –> 00:01:18,760You desire to live in a different way.1800:01:18,760 –> 00:01:21,839Every true Christian knows that this has happened to them.1900:01:21,879 –> 00:01:27,540I can’t quite explain, except to say that the Spirit of God has moved me in a different2000:01:27,540 –> 00:01:32,379direction so that I am no longer the person that I used to be.2100:01:32,379 –> 00:01:39,559And of course, a huge part of this is that whereas I was unresponsive towards God, the2200:01:39,559 –> 00:01:46,379Holy Spirit has come into my life and I now have in mind and in affections and in desire2300:01:46,379 –> 00:01:51,220a responsiveness to God, a submissiveness to His authority, that’s real and it’s right2400:01:52,220 –> 00:01:57,379What would you say to someone who says, well, I’m quite happy with the way my life is going,2500:01:57,379 –> 00:02:01,160I know what I am, and I’m really a bit scared to change that?2600:02:01,160 –> 00:02:06,720Yeah, well, I would say don’t be scared, because what would it be to be scared of in giving2700:02:06,720 –> 00:02:10,440yourself to Christ who loves you and died for you and rose again?2800:02:10,440 –> 00:02:15,160You should be scared of not giving yourself to Him, because then, without Him, where are2900:02:15,160 –> 00:02:16,160you going to be?3000:02:16,360 –> 00:02:21,360No, the wonderful thing is, that in giving ourselves to Christ, we’re brought into a3100:02:21,360 –> 00:02:25,119newness of life in which there’s a whole new direction.3200:02:25,119 –> 00:02:28,539Of course, there’s still a battle that goes on for the Christian believer.3300:02:28,539 –> 00:02:32,339But the reason the battle goes on is because I want to live in a new, different way.3400:02:32,339 –> 00:02:36,479So that’s what this series is all about, so I hope you will join us, if you can, in3500:02:36,479 –> 00:02:38,699the first Corinthians, chapter 1.3600:02:38,699 –> 00:02:41,520As we begin the message, you are clean.3700:02:41,520 –> 00:02:42,399Here’s Colin.3800:02:42,880 –> 00:02:49,759The Bible says if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.3900:02:49,759 –> 00:02:55,119The old has gone and the new has come.4000:02:55,119 –> 00:03:01,320I reckon that is probably just about the hardest truth in all of the Bible for us to really4100:03:01,320 –> 00:03:04,639grasp hold of.4200:03:04,639 –> 00:03:10,639If it’s new, why is it that I face the same old temptations?4300:03:10,639 –> 00:03:17,619If the old has gone, why is it that I still struggle with some of the same issues of temperament?4400:03:17,619 –> 00:03:25,460The Bible tells me that I am a new person, but I live in the same flesh, I live in the4500:03:25,460 –> 00:03:32,979same world, I struggle with the same problems, face the same battles.4600:03:32,979 –> 00:03:36,779So, what’s new?4700:03:36,779 –> 00:03:43,139If there has been such a big change, why is it that the Christian life is so difficult?4800:03:43,139 –> 00:03:48,740Well, there are some people who in the light of these questions have really decided that4900:03:48,740 –> 00:03:53,559there is nothing essentially new about the Christian life at all.5000:03:53,559 –> 00:03:58,139They’ve decided that being a Christian is basically a matter of making a commitment5100:03:58,139 –> 00:04:03,339to Jesus Christ in which you repent and you believe, making an effort to live a better5200:04:03,500 –> 00:04:08,399life which hopefully will turn out to be pleasing to God and if you do that, then God will give5300:04:08,399 –> 00:04:13,000you a little bit of help by the Holy Spirit because after all, as folk say, God helps5400:04:13,000 –> 00:04:16,660them that helps themselves.5500:04:16,660 –> 00:04:23,339Making a commitment, making an effort, getting some help, is that really Christianity?5600:04:23,339 –> 00:04:27,079For many people that is just about all they’ve got.5700:04:28,079 –> 00:04:34,160And here’s the problem, making a commitment may involve a change in what you believe,5800:04:34,160 –> 00:04:38,880making an effort may involve a change in how you behave, getting some help may involve5900:04:38,880 –> 00:04:48,600a change in what you can achieve, but none of these things change who you really are.6000:04:48,600 –> 00:04:54,519And the Bible states so clearly that to be a Christian is fundamentally a change in who6100:04:54,640 –> 00:04:57,760you are.6200:04:57,760 –> 00:05:06,760If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, not a new effort, not a slightly better accomplishment,6300:05:06,760 –> 00:05:10,839not a new set of beliefs, but a new identity.6400:05:10,839 –> 00:05:16,859The heart of the gospel is a change in who you are, it is the formation of a whole new6500:05:16,859 –> 00:05:20,799identity in Jesus Christ.6600:05:21,739 –> 00:05:23,980Now of course the world can’t begin to understand this.6700:05:23,980 –> 00:05:28,260The world thinks that we’re all essentially the same, that we’re all making our way at6800:05:28,260 –> 00:05:33,339different stages on the same path of life, that we’re all made of the same stuff and6900:05:33,339 –> 00:05:36,059that we all, ultimately, have the same destiny.7000:05:36,059 –> 00:05:38,899But the Bible makes it clear that that’s not true.7100:05:38,899 –> 00:05:46,079The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there is a huge chasm between the person who is7200:05:46,079 –> 00:05:51,559in Christ and the person who is not in Christ.7300:05:51,559 –> 00:05:55,859Because to be in Christ is not just a decision or a belief or an attempt to live a better7400:05:55,859 –> 00:06:02,799life, it is the formation of a whole new identity in him.7500:06:02,799 –> 00:06:08,640So then over the next few weeks we’re going to explore what it means to be in Jesus Christ.7600:06:08,640 –> 00:06:14,600I want to invite you to come with me on a journey of self-discovery.7700:06:15,399 –> 00:06:24,279to discover who you are and what it means to be a new person in Jesus Christ.7800:06:24,279 –> 00:06:31,579We’re going to explore, in other words, the biblical doctrine of conversion.7900:06:31,579 –> 00:06:38,279To try and grapple with what it is that has actually changed what God has done for you8000:06:38,279 –> 00:06:41,640in bringing you into Jesus Christ.8100:06:41,679 –> 00:06:46,880What did God do when you came to Christ in repentance and faith?8200:06:46,880 –> 00:06:52,279What is this new identity, and what difference does it make?8300:06:52,279 –> 00:06:57,600Because the heart of the gospel is not about what you offer to God.8400:06:57,600 –> 00:07:04,160It is about what God does for you, in you, and then through you.8500:07:04,160 –> 00:07:11,239Now I want us to turn to one verse of scripture together, 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 30.8600:07:11,679 –> 00:07:15,6001 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 30.8700:07:15,600 –> 00:07:20,100I think this is one of the most marvelous statements in the whole of the Bible.8800:07:20,100 –> 00:07:24,760Paul has been reminding us that God calls ordinary, not very impressive human beings8900:07:24,760 –> 00:07:27,260like us, who have nothing very much to boast about.9000:07:27,260 –> 00:07:31,519And then he says this in 1 Corinthians 130.9100:07:31,519 –> 00:07:33,859It is because of him…9200:07:33,859 –> 00:07:36,760That’s because of God the Father who called us.9300:07:36,760 –> 00:07:43,519It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus.9400:07:43,519 –> 00:07:48,880So this is a statement now about what it means to be in Christ.9500:07:48,880 –> 00:07:55,720You’re in Christ Jesus who has become for us … and now he lists four things that we’re9600:07:55,720 –> 00:07:58,739going to cover over these next four weeks.9700:07:58,739 –> 00:08:04,320In Jesus Christ who has become for us wisdom from God.9800:08:04,320 –> 00:08:11,899That is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.9900:08:11,899 –> 00:08:16,079Four things that make up your new identity in Jesus Christ.10000:08:16,079 –> 00:08:19,660We’re gonna take them in the order that’s easiest for us to grasp.10100:08:19,660 –> 00:08:22,500In Christ you are clean.10200:08:22,500 –> 00:08:25,359That is he is your righteousness.10300:08:25,359 –> 00:08:30,959In Christ you are free because he is your redemption.10400:08:30,959 –> 00:08:37,299In Christ you are holy, you are distinct from this world and separated to him.10500:08:37,299 –> 00:08:39,719And in Christ you are wise.10600:08:39,719 –> 00:08:42,479We have the mind of Christ.10700:08:42,479 –> 00:08:46,760Now before we plunge into this I just want to remind you again as to who the audience10800:08:46,760 –> 00:08:48,359is here.10900:08:48,359 –> 00:08:52,640Remember he’s speaking to those who are in Christ.11000:08:52,640 –> 00:08:58,359The statement you are clean is not true of everybody, but it is true distinctly in this11100:08:58,479 –> 00:09:05,020verse of those who are in Christ, and it’s important to remember that God never forced11200:09:05,020 –> 00:09:10,340anybody to be in Christ if he did after all that would be a denial of the freedom that11300:09:10,340 –> 00:09:12,900he has given to us.11400:09:12,900 –> 00:09:17,979God gives to every person the choice of living without Christ, the choice of living at a11500:09:17,979 –> 00:09:20,419distance from Christ.11600:09:20,419 –> 00:09:27,739But he also gives to every person the invitation to be in Christ, and the way in which you11700:09:27,739 –> 00:09:33,460come to be in Christ is through faith in the Son of God, who loved you and gave himself11800:09:33,460 –> 00:09:34,900for you.11900:09:34,900 –> 00:09:40,200That is why Paul is so passionate about proclaiming the cross, which he speaks about in verse12000:09:40,200 –> 00:09:45,88018, but of course people respond to the cross in different ways.12100:09:45,880 –> 00:09:49,020Verse 23, some people find it a stumbling block.12200:09:49,020 –> 00:09:54,659They say, how could you possibly believe this one person is the Saviour of the world?12300:09:54,700 –> 00:10:01,239Others think it foolishness that one person could bear sin and be a sacrifice, hence releasing12400:10:01,239 –> 00:10:05,159others from this penalty of sin.12500:10:05,159 –> 00:10:11,700But to us who are being saved, Paul says, in verse 18, the cross is the power of God.12600:10:11,700 –> 00:10:19,140For us who are in Christ, it is the life transforming reality.12700:10:19,140 –> 00:10:25,159And so over these next four weeks, our focus is going to be on what has God has done for12800:10:25,159 –> 00:10:27,419us in Christ.12900:10:27,419 –> 00:10:34,799And my prayer is that as we discover who we are, we will find a new freedom to be ourselves13000:10:34,799 –> 00:10:36,780in Jesus.13100:10:36,780 –> 00:10:42,400You are clean in Jesus Christ.13200:10:42,400 –> 00:10:47,900You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and the message called,13300:10:47,900 –> 00:10:50,539You Are Clean – part of our series,13400:10:50,539 –> 00:10:51,760Be Yourself.13500:10:51,760 –> 00:10:56,179All about what it means to, be in Christ Jesus.13600:10:56,179 –> 00:11:00,320If you miss one of our messages, or want to go back to listen again, you can always do13700:11:00,400 –> 00:11:07,059that by coming online to our website, openthebible.org.uk, there you’ll find all the messages which have13800:11:07,059 –> 00:11:09,000already gone out on air.13900:11:09,000 –> 00:11:14,119And now you can also find them as a podcast and those are on all the main podcast sites.14000:11:14,119 –> 00:11:19,280You can find them by searching the podcast site for Open The Bible UK or indeed come14100:11:19,280 –> 00:11:23,599to our website and follow the link to find the podcast.14200:11:23,599 –> 00:11:28,359One of the great things about podcasts is that you can receive regular reminders when new14300:11:28,400 –> 00:11:34,719podcast is posted, and if you subscribe to the podcast that is exactly what happens.14400:11:34,719 –> 00:11:40,619You will receive a message, an email, to say, a new episode has been posted and many people14500:11:40,619 –> 00:11:43,059find that a helpful reminder.14600:11:43,059 –> 00:11:48,479Also available as a podcast and on our website is Open The Bible Daily and that’s a series14700:11:48,479 –> 00:11:53,900of short 2 to 3 minute daily reflections, based on Pastor Colin’s teaching and read14800:11:53,900 –> 00:11:56,400in the UK by Sue Macleish.14900:11:56,400 –> 00:12:01,580Open The Bible is supported entirely by our listeners and later on in the program I am15000:12:01,580 –> 00:12:05,859going to be talking to Colin about our special offer this month for those who are able to15100:12:05,859 –> 00:12:08,820begin a new donation to the work of Open The Bible.15200:12:08,820 –> 00:12:11,080So I hope you’ll stay with us for that.15300:12:11,080 –> 00:12:12,080Back to the message now.15400:12:12,080 –> 00:12:14,479We’re in 1 Corinthians and chapter 1.15500:12:14,479 –> 00:12:15,640Here’s Colin15600:12:15,640 –> 00:12:21,419You are clean in Jesus Christ.15700:12:22,419 –> 00:12:28,580Now the word that the Bible uses to describe this wonderful truth, and it’s an important15800:12:28,580 –> 00:12:30,799word to learn, is the word justification.15900:12:30,799 –> 00:12:35,359Let me give you two scriptures of the many that could be quoted.16000:12:35,359 –> 00:12:38,440First is from Romans chapter 5 and verse 116100:12:38,440 –> 00:12:46,880Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our16200:12:46,880 –> 00:12:48,440Lord Jesus Christ.16300:12:49,440 –> 00:12:51,679We’ve been justified by faith.16400:12:51,679 –> 00:12:57,380That’s the word that the Bible uses to express what it means to be brought into a right relationship16500:12:57,380 –> 00:12:59,359with God in which you are clean.16600:12:59,359 –> 00:13:05,679Or to quote another verse from a little later in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 in verse 1116700:13:05,679 –> 00:13:07,460You were washed.16800:13:07,460 –> 00:13:11,000It’s again speaking of those in Christ.16900:13:11,000 –> 00:13:13,359You were sanctified.17000:13:13,359 –> 00:13:14,960You were justified.17100:13:15,000 –> 00:13:21,799That is the word there in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God.17200:13:21,799 –> 00:13:28,559When you are justified in Jesus Christ there are really three dimensions to that.17300:13:28,559 –> 00:13:35,599Legally, it means you’re acquitted, God throws out the charges against you.17400:13:35,599 –> 00:13:41,640Relationally, it means that you are forgiven, God reconciles you to himself.17500:13:41,640 –> 00:13:44,640He’s not just a judge, he’s a father.17600:13:44,719 –> 00:13:46,719He doesn’t just throw out charges against you.17700:13:46,719 –> 00:13:49,419He forgives you, he reconciles you to himself.17800:13:49,419 –> 00:13:52,640He adopts you into his family.17900:13:52,640 –> 00:13:57,640So justification, being made right with God, means legally that we’re acquitted.18000:13:57,640 –> 00:13:59,900It means relationally that we’re forgiven.18100:13:59,900 –> 00:14:04,479And it means personally that we’re clean.18200:14:04,479 –> 00:14:07,320That you’re washed.18300:14:07,320 –> 00:14:09,960That you are not guilty.18400:14:10,960 –> 00:14:14,559You are in yourself before God, or in yourself.18500:14:14,559 –> 00:14:16,299And all this is true.18600:14:16,299 –> 00:14:21,320This is all part of what the bible means by justification and it is all true of every18700:14:21,320 –> 00:14:25,760person who is in Jesus Christ.18800:14:25,760 –> 00:14:29,039In Christ you are righteous.18900:14:29,039 –> 00:14:34,580And to be righteous, to be justified means to be legally acquitted, so that there’s19000:14:34,580 –> 00:14:37,320no condemnation.19100:14:37,340 –> 00:14:42,659To be relationally forgiven, so there’s no alienation.19200:14:42,659 –> 00:14:50,140And to be personally washed and made clean, so you no longer need to live under the shadow19300:14:50,140 –> 00:14:55,159and the burden of guilt.19400:14:55,159 –> 00:15:01,979Why is this truth that we’ve summarized from the bible so difficult to grasp?19500:15:01,979 –> 00:15:06,340Why is it that some folks who’ve heard this a hundred times can’t get it into their heads19600:15:06,460 –> 00:15:09,140or into their hearts?19700:15:09,140 –> 00:15:13,460Why is it that when this is clear in the bible, there are so many people in church who still19800:15:13,460 –> 00:15:21,080say after ten or twenty years that they feel they’re living under a burden of guilt?19900:15:21,080 –> 00:15:22,380How can that be?20000:15:22,380 –> 00:15:31,159Let me tell you two stories that I think illustrate why this is just so difficult to grasp.20100:15:31,159 –> 00:15:37,359The first is the story of an innocent man who is falsely accused.20200:15:37,359 –> 00:15:42,080This man was picked up by the police at the scene of a crime.20300:15:42,080 –> 00:15:44,820It was a case of mistaken identity.20400:15:44,820 –> 00:15:48,859He did not commit the crime, but he happened to be in the area when the crime was committed.20500:15:48,859 –> 00:15:51,640He was falsely accused.20600:15:51,640 –> 00:15:57,159Nonetheless, he was arrested, he was arraigned, and eventually his case came to trial.20700:15:57,880 –> 00:16:02,760At the trial, the evidence is brought forward and of course in the hearing it becomes clear20800:16:02,760 –> 00:16:06,799that this man is not guilty but is actually innocent.20900:16:06,799 –> 00:16:13,179The judge pronounces the verdict, not guilty, and the man is free to go home.21000:16:13,179 –> 00:16:16,840Now how does this man respond?21100:16:16,840 –> 00:16:20,599Picture the television cameras outside of the courthouse, he comes out and he21200:16:20,599 –> 00:16:22,039punches the air!21300:16:22,719 –> 00:16:29,520He is so happy because he has been vindicated, he always knew he was innocent,21400:16:29,520 –> 00:16:36,900and now the whole world knows that he is innocent, the world knows the truth about this man,21500:16:36,900 –> 00:16:45,979and he rejoices that the truth about him is finally known, the man falsely accused.21600:16:45,979 –> 00:16:49,280Here’s a second story.21700:16:49,280 –> 00:16:55,760This is the story of a man who did commit a crime, but was not convicted.21800:16:55,760 –> 00:17:00,960He was picked up by the police, he was charged and eventually his case came to trial.21900:17:00,960 –> 00:17:05,079But the prosecution in this story did a poor job.22000:17:05,079 –> 00:17:09,599They did not prepare their case well, and they have missed a key piece of evidence,22100:17:09,599 –> 00:17:14,859which if they had brought it forward, would definitely lead to a conviction.22200:17:14,859 –> 00:17:19,000But without the key piece of evidence, the case is not proved beyond reasonable doubt22300:17:19,000 –> 00:17:27,579and so the judge pronounces his verdict, not guilty and the man is free to go home.22400:17:27,579 –> 00:17:31,939How does this second man leave the court?22500:17:31,939 –> 00:17:37,680He walks out the court in subdued silence.22600:17:37,680 –> 00:17:47,119He leaves the court relieved to have got off but fearing that the real truth about him22700:17:47,119 –> 00:17:51,479may one day be made known.22800:17:51,479 –> 00:17:54,000Maybe one day they will catch up with me.22900:17:54,000 –> 00:17:58,920Maybe one day they’ll find out I did do it.23000:17:58,920 –> 00:18:08,599He may have escaped punishment, but he still has to live with his own conscience.23100:18:08,599 –> 00:18:11,640Now here’s the question.23200:18:11,640 –> 00:18:19,640When God justifies us, are we like the first man or the second man?23300:18:19,640 –> 00:18:26,619Well, you see, are you like the person who is innocent before God and your innocence23400:18:26,619 –> 00:18:28,760has been proved?23500:18:29,260 –> 00:18:37,520Or are you like the person who is guilty before God and yet not convicted?23600:18:37,520 –> 00:18:42,439Well, of course, if you have understood anything about the Bible, you will understand23700:18:42,439 –> 00:18:45,000that you are more like the second man.23800:18:45,000 –> 00:18:51,359All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace23900:18:51,359 –> 00:18:54,040through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.24000:18:54,040 –> 00:19:00,979The whole point of the Bible is that God justifies sinners.24100:19:00,979 –> 00:19:06,140Justification is not about God declaring the innocent free.24200:19:06,140 –> 00:19:11,439It’s about God declaring the guilty free.24300:19:11,439 –> 00:19:17,020This is quite clearly stated in Romans chapter 4 verse 5 and the best translation of it in24400:19:17,160 –> 00:19:19,900number of versions there that I’ve quoted for you.24500:19:19,900 –> 00:19:24,880God justifies the ungodly.24600:19:24,880 –> 00:19:30,540Now this is mind boggling, but it is at the very heart of the truth of the New Testament.24700:19:30,540 –> 00:19:36,859You would expect the Bible to say god justifies the righteous.24800:19:36,859 –> 00:19:42,099If God is just, surely, in his court of law he should be looking to justify people who’ve24900:19:42,239 –> 00:19:44,579not broken the law.25000:19:44,579 –> 00:19:45,939Like the first man.25100:19:45,939 –> 00:19:52,219But of course the problem there is that nobody is righteous.25200:19:52,219 –> 00:19:56,719Romans 3 10, not even one.25300:19:56,719 –> 00:20:02,640So if God justified the righteous, none of us would have any hope, would we?25400:20:02,640 –> 00:20:08,500Now the good news of the gospel is that God justifies the ungodly.25500:20:08,739 –> 00:20:13,699So God throws out legitimate charges against us.25600:20:13,699 –> 00:20:14,959Not trumped up charges.25700:20:14,959 –> 00:20:17,719He throws out legitimate charges against us.25800:20:17,719 –> 00:20:25,359He does this freely and he does it justly, because he does it on the basis of the redemption25900:20:25,359 –> 00:20:32,400that came by Jesus Christ, who bore the penalty of our actual sins on the cross, just as fell26000:20:32,400 –> 00:20:38,439on him so that mercy may be released to us.26100:20:38,439 –> 00:20:43,280So what God does for us is not some kind of subversion of justice, it is absolutely just26200:20:43,280 –> 00:20:49,479because Jesus took the penalty for us and it involves him throwing out the legitimate26300:20:49,479 –> 00:20:54,420charges against us, not on the basis that we are not guilty, but on the basis of the26400:20:54,420 –> 00:20:59,859fact that Jesus took the guilt for us.26500:20:59,859 –> 00:21:03,160So God says to us, you are justified.26600:21:03,160 –> 00:21:05,420You are clean.26700:21:05,420 –> 00:21:06,619You are righteous.26800:21:06,619 –> 00:21:14,760You are free to go in and through my son, Jesus Christ.26900:21:14,760 –> 00:21:15,760We believe it.27000:21:15,760 –> 00:21:18,520We say yes, that’s the gospel.27100:21:18,520 –> 00:21:24,140But somehow it feels like believing something that’s not really true.27200:21:24,140 –> 00:21:28,219It’s obvious to you that your life is far from what you want it to be.27300:21:28,219 –> 00:21:33,520It’s therefore obvious that it’s even further from what God wants it to be.27400:21:33,520 –> 00:21:37,920And trying to believe that you’re actually clean therefore seems sometimes like trying27500:21:37,920 –> 00:21:43,520to persuade yourself that something that you know just isn’t true.27600:21:43,520 –> 00:21:44,680So here’s the reality.27700:21:44,680 –> 00:21:49,439We are righteous in Christ but we still sin.27800:21:49,439 –> 00:21:57,060We’re made clean and yet we are not what God calls us to be.27900:21:57,060 –> 00:22:02,660And because it’s much easier for me to see my sins than it is for me to see my righteousness,28000:22:03,219 –> 00:22:07,579the temptation is for me to conclude that my sins are actually the greater reality.28100:22:09,739 –> 00:22:14,619You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible and a message called…28200:22:14,619 –> 00:22:15,979You are Clean.28300:22:15,979 –> 00:22:18,140Part of our series Be Yourself.28400:22:18,140 –> 00:22:21,459And if you’ve missed any of the series to date or if you want to go back and listen28500:22:21,459 –> 00:22:28,060again you can always do that by coming online to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk.28600:22:28,060 –> 00:22:31,459There you’ll find the messages which have already gone out on air.28700:22:31,699 –> 00:22:35,660You’ll also find them as podcasts and those are on all main podcast sites.28800:22:35,660 –> 00:22:41,260Search for Open the Bible UK and subscribe to receive regular updates.28900:22:41,260 –> 00:22:44,140Don’t forget also to check out Open the Bible Daily29000:22:44,140 –> 00:22:48,339and that’s a series of short 2 to 3 minute daily reflections29100:22:48,339 –> 00:22:52,939based on Pastor Colin’s teaching and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish.29200:22:52,939 –> 00:22:58,380There’s a fresh one every day and many people find it’s a great way to start the day.29300:22:58,380 –> 00:23:03,420Also on our website, you’ll find our Bible study course, Fly Through The Bible.29400:23:03,420 –> 00:23:09,979This short, simple journey through the Bible story can be enjoyed on your own with a friend or as a group.29500:23:09,979 –> 00:23:15,859For each of the 15 sessions you can watch a short video then work through the questions.29600:23:15,859 –> 00:23:23,219If you want to do a more detailed Bible study a guide is available for you to use in small groups or one to one.29700:23:23,219 –> 00:23:27,420To make the most of to Fly Through the Bible we recommend buying the book.29800:23:27,420 –> 00:23:31,819There is also a free app that can be used alongside all the materials.29900:23:31,819 –> 00:23:39,859To find Fly Through the Bible go to our website, openthebible.org.uk and click on Courses.30000:23:39,859 –> 00:23:44,500Open The Bible is supported by our listeners that’s people just like you.30100:23:44,500 –> 00:23:48,140If that’s something you haven’t done before but you’ve been considering doing it30200:23:48,140 –> 00:23:53,939can I encourage you this month to set up a new direct debit of five pounds per month or more30300:23:53,939 –> 00:23:56,680or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more30400:23:56,680 –> 00:24:01,540and in return we’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy of a classic book.30500:24:01,540 –> 00:24:05,300It’s Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.30600:24:05,300 –> 00:24:09,079Colin, many people will have heard of this book but not actually read it.30700:24:09,079 –> 00:24:12,540If you’ve never read it you are in for a treat.30800:24:12,540 –> 00:24:16,500Really every Christian home should have a copy of this book.30900:24:16,500 –> 00:24:21,599It is a delight to read and it is full of the richest,31000:24:21,660 –> 00:24:26,459deepest insight into the real experiences of a Christian’s life.31100:24:26,459 –> 00:24:31,319It’s a treasure and I’m delighted that we’re able to offer it to all31200:24:31,319 –> 00:24:33,140who are listening to the programme this month.31300:24:33,140 –> 00:24:38,000So that’ll be our gift to you if you’re able to set up a new Direct Debit31400:24:38,000 –> 00:24:41,920to the work of Open The Bible for £5 per month or more31500:24:41,920 –> 00:24:44,800or a one-off gift of £50 or more.31600:24:44,800 –> 00:24:51,060Full terms and conditions are on our website, that’s at openthebible.org.uk31700:24:51,839 –> 00:24:55,760For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick31800:24:55,760 –> 00:24:59,939and I hope you’ll join us again next time on Open The Bible.31900:25:04,000 –> 00:25:07,719Do you sometimes feel you are more of a sinner than a saint?32000:25:07,719 –> 00:25:11,160Find out what God says about you next time on Open The Bible.