The Truth Church

Bishop Riggen continues his series on holiness, focusing on Psalm 51:10's plea, "Renew a right spirit within me." He emphasizes that perfect holiness, as taught by Paul, requires both inward and outward cleansing. Outward holiness is wasted if it does not spring from inward transformation; it must result from, not merely accompany, a right inner spirit. Addressing accusations of being Pharisaical, he clarifies that Jesus condemned the Pharisees' hypocrisy—their neglect of the inner man while maintaining outward standards—not the standards themselves. Jesus commanded obeying the Pharisees' teachings but not their practices. True holiness must start from within, as the new covenant of Jeremiah 31:33 places God's law on the heart, transforming the inner man. Bishop Riggen illustrates this with the prodigal son's brother, who kept all outward rules but was consumed by envy and pride, demonstrating that a right spirit is essential. Sin originates inwardly, as David recognized after his fall. The preacher calls for a spirit of holiness, not just a list of rules, and urges believers to pray for God to create a clean heart and renew a right spirit, being strengthened in the inner man by the Holy Spirit to live blamelessly in spirit, soul, and body until Christ's coming.

Pastor Hilton draws from Ephesians 4:1-3, focusing on verse 3's call to 'endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit.' He interprets this as diligently maintaining the church, the spiritual machinery, through unity. Using the analogy of a well-oiled machine, he explains that just as engines need fresh oil to run smoothly, the church needs the Holy Spirit's anointing to function effectively and avoid breaking down under friction. He illustrates from Psalms 133, where unity among brethren is likened to precious anointing oil on Aaron's beard and the abundant dew of Mount Hermon. The oil represents the Holy Spirit, which binds together the diverse 'spices'—the unique personalities and gifts of believers—into a cohesive, aromatic whole. Dry spices remain separate; only the oil unites them. Pastor Hilton argues that common interests like fishing or grilling are secondary to the primary bond of the Spirit. He emphasizes that the anointing is sufficient: a prayer life and a walk with God are all that is needed. Referencing the widow's pot of oil in 2 Kings 4, he urges believers to be so full of the Holy Ghost that they can pour into empty vessels around them. Ultimately, he calls for a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit, insisting that being well-oiled with God's presence enables the church to sustain revival and be ready for the Bridegroom, just like the wise virgins.

Bishop Riggen teaches from Matthew 4:23-25 and John 21:24-25, presenting an overview of the four Gospels to explain their purpose and distinct portrayals of Christ. He emphasizes that the word "gospel" means "good news" and that these four books provide a complete picture of Jesus. Using Ezekiel 1:10, he connects the four faces of the cherubim—lion, ox, man, and eagle—to the Gospels: Matthew presents Christ as King (the lion), Mark as the suffering Servant (the ox), Luke as the Son of Man (the man), and John as the divine Son of God (the eagle). He illustrates how each author wrote to a specific audience: Matthew to Jews, emphasizing Jesus as Messiah and King, tracing His lineage to Abraham and David; Mark to Romans, highlighting Jesus as the servant who has authority; Luke to Greeks, stressing Jesus' humanity and tracing His lineage to Adam; and John to the church or Samaritan Jews, revealing Christ's divinity and eternal origin. Bishop Riggen shows how their selection of first miracles—healing a leper, casting out a demon, and turning water to wine—and their handling of details like the end of the Gospel reflect these varying emphases. He defends apparent discrepancies as different accounts of separate incidents, noting that John says not everything Jesus did was recorded. Ultimately, each Gospel aims to convince its audience that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that believing, they may have life through His name.

Bishop Riggen preaches from Psalm 51:10, where David cries, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.' He emphasizes that David recognized his sin had corrupted not just his actions but his very heart and spirit, requiring a divine creation of a clean heart and a renewed right spirit. The preacher argues that true holiness, according to 2 Corinthians 7:1, involves cleansing from filthiness of both flesh and spirit, and that perfecting holiness requires inward and outward conformity. Using Matthew 23, he rebukes the tendency to focus solely on external standards while ignoring inner corruption like gossip, hatred, and bitterness. He stresses that doing the right thing with the wrong spirit—illustrated by the damsel in Acts 16 who spoke truth but had an evil spirit—does not please God. The preacher warns against self-righteousness, noting that our own righteousness is as 'filthy rags' (Isaiah 64:6), and that outward holiness alone is like the Pharisees' whitewashed tombs. He urges believers to maintain a right spirit by focusing on God (Isaiah 26:3), keeping right friends (Proverbs 27:17), and allowing the law to be written on the heart under the new covenant. The spiritual purpose is to call the church to balance external holiness with a genuine, humble, and pure inner spirit that reflects God's character.

Bishop Riggen teaches from Genesis 28:16-19, continuing the series on the Blessings of Bethel. He explains that Jacob, fleeing from Esau, slept at a common place called Luz and dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending, and the Lord at the top renewing the Abrahamic covenant. Jacob renamed the place Bethel, meaning 'house of God,' recognizing it as sacred ground. The sermon then moves to Psalm 73, where Asaph struggles with envy of the wicked's prosperity until he enters the sanctuary of God—Bethel—and gains perspective: the wicked's end is destruction, while the righteous have an eternal reward. Bishop Riggen emphasizes that material prosperity does not indicate God's blessing; the true blessing is a corrected attitude and eternal hope. He cites Psalm 121, 122, and 27 to show that David found peace, unity, and confidence by going to God's house. Ephesians 4:11-16 is used to argue that the five-fold ministry perfects and unites believers only when they assemble physically. The preacher exhorts the congregation to never lose the wonder of Bethel, as it is where covenants are renewed, lives are transformed, and the body of Christ is built up. He calls for a renewed appreciation for the sanctuary, urging believers to seek prayer and healing while the Spirit moves, and to not forsake assembling together, especially as the Lord's coming approaches.