I just can't seem to write enough articles about this particular subject

I just can't seem to write enough articles about this particular subject. It must be that a whole lot of folks need to give these things some serious consideration. I'm talking about hiding. Anyone who is hiding something, is also trying really hard to hide themselves somewhere as well. Let me be forthcoming here; I'm talking about hiding sin in your heart. Adam and Eve sinned, and they promptly hid themselves among the trees of the garden, and it's been going on ever since (Gen. 3:8). As if there is some way to hide from God. Truth is Jesus made a way for us to be p-u-r-e in heart, literally. Otherwise he wouldn't have said that being pure was the way of salvation, and he DID say it "Blessed are the pure in heart: for THEY shall see God" (Mat. 5:8). And by the way, that means that nobody else WILL see God. Let's not mince words here; being pure in heart means to be literally without any kind of sinful thing in our heart. One plus one equals two, and pure in heart equals h-o-l-y. That would be the same kind of 'holy' that the apostle Paul spoke of when he said, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which NO MAN shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). That is the exact same saying as Jesus' statement on the pure in heart. And that is the same holiness that GOD spoke of when he said, "Be ye holy; for I am holy" (I Pet. 1:16). Okay so we've established by the scriptures that we will have to be holy in order to be saved, and that holy means holy, as in one plus one equals two. Yes, Jesus has made the way through his baptism with the power of the HOLY Spirit of God, to make us pure and holy; so we are without excuse. And speaking of excuses, that's where this hiding problem comes into play. Everyone who is bound and determined to hold onto some kind of sin, is trying to hide somewhere, as if God cannot find them. I see it all the time, and I do mean ALL the time; because pretty near everyone who professes faith in Jesus is playing this hiding game. Why is that? Simple, it's because the entire modern 'Christian' religion has provided a million and one places FOR people to hide with their sins. I mean when the non-scriptural saying, "sinners saved by grace" sums up the whole supposed 'faith' of Christianity, that sends up some really conspicuous red flags right away.

So many are hiding behind the conveniently placed traditions, doctrines, and commandments of men which have been invented for the same purpose; all in the name of Christ mind you. But that's nothing new, as Jesus ran into it continually when he was here: "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke [hiding place] for their sin" (Jn. 15:22). Jesus took away the hiding places where God's people were hiding with their sins, by preaching nothing but pure truth that comes from heaven, which truth exposed their hiding places: "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do" (Mk. 7:8). And this is one of the favorite hiding places of God's people today, meaning in external 'holiness', which is NOT holiness. Whether it be water baptism, so called 'communion,' foot washing, dress and hair codes, holy days, or the like; nothing external can make the heart pure, no more than anything external can defile the heart (Mk. 7:15). A lot of folks need to read what Jesus told those who were trusting in external things for their righteousness: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also" (Mat. 23:25,26). Then there are those hiding behind the exclusive elitism of their particular religious affiliation, and the sacredness of their specially anointed 'leader.' As long as they remain loyal to their 'cream of the crop' affiliation with it's special 'message;' and their master prophet or master teacher, all will be well. Sin? Heck, what's that got to do with anything? The problem there is that the greatest men of God in the history of the world ALL let everyone know that it wasn't about them, but about obedience to the ONE master. And the beloved apostle told us in no uncertain terms what it takes to know the right road to travel: "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide IN HIM" (I Jn. 2:26,27).

The apostle Paul has something to say that is simplistic but powerful and to the point, in regard to who it is that is TRULY following Jesus: "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:13.14). Like the man said, being led by God's Spirit means putting sin to death, as in being pure in heart. One plus one equals two. The Spirit of God doesn't lead anyone into remaining in sin, and the holy Ghost has NEVER taught ANYONE that they CANNOT be literally free from sin in their spirit. Someone else has taught that nonsense, and those teachers are NOT of God. Yes my friend, Christianity offers a multitude of hiding places for those who do not care to be real with God and get rid of sin; but no one is fooling God, nor are they fooling those who ARE real with God. Everyone who is hiding behind the Christian traditions of this day are guarded, defensive, and downright touchy about their hiding places too. And they have good reason to be, namely being found out. On the other hand, those who are busy "purifying [themselves] even as [Christ] is pure," are hiding from no one (I Jn. 3:3). They are in fact the few who are openly distributing God's love and power to those who are in need, and who truly want God's help for their needs. They are perfectly open to everyone around them, having absolutely nothing to hide. They aren't defensive because they have nothing to defend, namely a hiding place for sin. They abide in the one place where Jesus can actually be found, namely in the power and peace of the holy Ghost: "Now the Lord IS that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (II Cor. 3:17). "For as many of you as have been baptized [with the Spirit] into Christ have PUT ON Christ" (Gal. 3:27). To them faith in Jesus is all there is, and that faith produces the living reality of the only true doctrine of Christ: "Now the end [summation] of the commandment is [love] out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (I Tim. 1:6). In that pure simplicity my friend, there is no need for a hiding place. Easy math really; like one plus one equals two. Why go to all the trouble and complexity of trying to hide, when the end result is needlessly losing out with God? That just doesn't make much sense to me. Amen.