2 Timothy 2:15 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

“15 Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.”

When we believe in Jesus Christ and He delivers us from our bondage to sin, and He gives us new lives in Him, they are to be lived for His glory and purposes, all in the power of God, as led by the Spirit, and not in our flesh. For our salvation isn’t just about getting forgiveness of sins so we can go to heaven when we die. When we believe in Jesus, if our faith is genuine biblical faith, we enter into a covenant of marriage to Christ. He becomes our husband and we become His bride, and we are to be faithful to Him.

So our lives are no longer our own to be lived however our flesh desires. For we were bought back for God with the price of Jesus’ blood shed for us on that cross. He is now our Owner-Master and our lives are to be surrendered to Him to doing His will. So we now should inquire of Him as to who He wants us to be and what He has for us to do, and we should follow Him wherever He leads us. And we should be students of the Scriptures who put the Word of God into practice and who teach them to others in truth.

2 Timothy 2:19 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

19 Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”

We have so many people today, including probably a large majority of pastors of “churches,” who are teaching lies to the people as though they are truth. They remove Scriptures from their biblical context and they teach them out of context, and they twist them to make them say what they do not say if taught in the correct biblical context. And many of them are teaching the people that a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ will secure for them forgiveness of all sins and eternal life with God in heaven.

Therefore, many of them are teaching that God no longer requires repentance (turning away from sin/iniquity) and obedience to His New Covenant commands. For they call that “works salvation.” And then there are those who teach death to sin and obedience to God, but they are taught as recommended but optional, i.e. not required by God for them to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. But if we read the New Testament Scriptures, it is so clear that God does require those things.

2 Timothy 2:22 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

“22 Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

So, please know that salvation from sin and eternal life with God, which are gifted to us of God, and are not of our own flesh, require that we flee the passions of the flesh and we now pursue godliness, holiness, honesty, moral purity, self-control, uprightness, faithfulness, faith, love, righteousness, and the peace which comes from God because we are now living right with God. We are no longer to be under the control of sin and the flesh doing what the devil still wants us to be doing. But we are to be living to please God.

And we will have pure hearts when our lives are surrendered to the Lord to doing His will, when we are walking in His ways, obeying His commands, and doing what He requires of us in the way of thought, word, and deed. Sin will no longer be our habit, but godly living will be our practice. And this does not make us perfect, but lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin. For faith in Jesus changes our hearts and minds so that we now want to live for the Lord to do His will for our lives.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Out of a Pure Heart
An Original Work / September 19, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Refresh My Spirit, Lord

Based off of Psalm 51 & Matthew 11:28-30
An Original Work / August 8, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Refresh my spirit, Lord. Revive my heart today.
Move me to serve You, Lord, in all I do and say.
Be my heart’s one desire; my spirit set on fire
In pure devotion, Lord, to love You and obey.

Create within me, Lord, a pure heart, this I pray,
So I can worship You and yield to You always.
May all Your love and pow’r be lived in me, I pray,
So I might love as You; be Your witness today.

Jesus says, “Come to Me all you with heavy hearts,
And find in Me your peace, and give to Me your all.
My yoke is light to bear, ‘cause I paid for your sin,
So you might be set free, and purified within.”