Great balance, and well said, Gary!

Paul also summed it up in Philippians 2:12-13:

So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

– –

Gary Gray posted this in a Facebook note, and gave me permission to post here.

CLEANSE OURSELVES? 

Just Agree With The Bible. It is not that hard to do.

We do what we are able and God does what only He can do. We are in a partnership. We do cooperate with God. It is the Apostle’s Doctrine.

Let’s look at “cleanse” for example.

See it as it is written:

1) (2Cor 7:1 [AKJV/PCE]) Cleanse Ourselves
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2) (Eph 5:25 [AKJV/PCE]) Christ Cleanses
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

(Eph 5:26 [AKJV/PCE])
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

(Eph 5:27 [AKJV/PCE])
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

3) (Jas 4:8 [AKJV/PCE]) Cleanse Ourselves
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.

4) (1John 1:9 [AKJV/PCE]) Christ Cleanses
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Choosing only one side of this coin will land you in hell. Try to cleanse your self without Christ and you wind up in hell. Try to let Christ cleanse you while you do nothing to clean your self up. You will end up in hell. Do you think a man can lay with prostitutes and commit adultery without repentance and merely say, “Christ has made me clean, nothing I can do matters” and not wind up in hell?

We must accept ALL of the Apostle’s Doctrine, not just selected verses. No Apostle ever wrote a verse to anyone. They wrote entire letters. Knowing verses alone will not save you but rather will more likely lead you into deception and secure you a place in hell.

Some say we can not cleanse ourselves. They say only Jesus can do that. Others put all the work on man, thereby leading him down the path of endless legalism that can not save. A trip under the rigid law (ministration) of death and condemnation.

The bible says that we both cleanse ourselves and that Jesus Christ makes us clean. Let us say what the bible says the way the Apostles wrote it. Today men seem to think they are smarter and more gifted than Apostle Paul, Peter and James. Some think they are smarter than Jesus Himself. It is as though men are afraid to agree with the bible. They have the King Saul Syndrome. They abandon the Apostle’s Doctrine for the fear of men and seek to change scripture to suite the needs of compromisers.

Do your part, without which God will not do His. 

What are (((some))) things that we can identify as our part?

(((Some Things))): —-> Respond to God by:

Repent

Believe on Jesus Christ

Continue

Keep Jesus’ Commandment to Love One Another

Peter said:
(Acts 2:38 [AKJV/PCE]) REPENT
Then Peter said unto them, (((Repent))), and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(Acts 2:39 [AKJV/PCE])
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Paul Said:
(Acts 16:31 [AKJV/PCE]) BELIEVE
And they said, (((Believe))) on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Paul Said:
(Col 1:20 [AKJV/PCE]) CONTINUE
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.

(Col 1:21 [AKJV/PCE])
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

(Col 1:22 [AKJV/PCE])
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

(Col 1:23 [AKJV/PCE])
If ye (((continue))) in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Jesus Said:
(John 13:34 [AKJV/PCE]) LOVE ONE ANOTHER
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye (((love one another))); as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

(John 13:35 [AKJV/PCE])
By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We hear people say “there is nothing we can add to our faith. Nothing!!”

Really?

Peter said:
(2Pet 1:5 [AKJV/PCE]) ADD TO YOUR FAITH
And beside this, giving all diligence, (((add to your faith))) virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

(2Pet 1:6 [AKJV/PCE])
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

(2Pet 1:7 [AKJV/PCE])
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

(2Pet 1:8 [AKJV/PCE])
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2Pet 1:9 [AKJV/PCE])
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

(2Pet 1:10 [AKJV/PCE])
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

(2Pet 1:11 [AKJV/PCE])
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

(2Pet 1:12 [AKJV/PCE])
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know [them], and be established in the present truth.

Never mind popular so called Christian cliches. They will lead you into hell. Know your bible. All of it. It does have the power to save your soul. Knowing the Word of God will make you “wise unto salvation”.

Paul Said:
(2Tim 3:15 [AKJV/PCE]) WISE UNTO SALVATION
And that from a child thou hast known the (((holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.)))

Man says no one can ever be perfect. But the bible seeks to make you perfect. Throw off the word of man and put on the word of God!

Paul said:
(2Tim 3:16 [AKJV/PCE]) That The Man Of God May Be Perfect
All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

(2Tim 3:17 [AKJV/PCE])
(((That the man of God may be perfect))), throughly furnished unto all good works.

Related:

Who-Goes-To-Heaven Scriptures — Narrow is the Way | Who are the Children of God? — “There is therefore now *no condemnation* to those who are IN CHRIST Jesus, who don’t WALK according to the flesh, but ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT.”