Ephesians 4:29 English Standard Version (ESV) Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

A few days ago there was a question posed as to our understanding of righteousness and then these blogs turned to security in salvation. It could be said that the detour from righteousness to salvation was misleading and took us too far afield.

We need to put first things first. A better understanding of important issues requires that we are all listening to the Holy Spirit. He is given only to those who have placed their faith in Christ and accepted Him into their hearts. Then and only then will the Spirit of Truth speak in us.

No salvation, no truth; no truth, no understanding and with that there is strife in human effort to be right.

There are some that believe that righteousness is the act of being right. That is an incomplete definition and the truth about righteousness without the abiding presence of Christ is an exercise in vanity. Vanity in this case being emptiness as to results. We cannot accomplish unity and agreement without all of us being saved.

Philippians 3:8-10 English Standard Version

⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Having no righteousness of our own, we depend on the abiding presence of the One who is Righteous.

Jeremiah 14:10 English Standard Version (ESV) Thus says the Lord concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the Lord does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”

Let us now address the second half of this verse. It begins with what should be an obvious conclusion. Should be means clarity is not found without scriptural support.

If the Lord had already accepted the wanders above, the text should have read “the Lord rejects them”. Supporting evidence needs to be found, and here again, we seek agreement with one another.

Revelation 3:14-18 English Standard Version

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. ¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

The Lord says He will spit them out of His mouth. This means that they will no longer speak for Him who is True. The issue there is leading others astray and failing to reach the lost. It does not say they are cast out of His hand. Rather than rejecting or denying them, He gives them further counsel in 18 about what to do to restore themselves as active members of the body of Christ.