Truths about Sanctification
| 1. Deliverance | 3. Final Word |
| 2. Humility Commitment and Faith |
(Rom 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Salvation (Gk. sōtēria) - Means "deliverance," Bringing safely through or keeping from harm. It also is used as health in Acts 27:34, where Paul was urging the brethren to take meat for there health. Jesus is the great physician not only of the physical body but of the heart, and soul. Notice the first sermon Jesus preached after coming out of the wilderness and overcoming the devil. He stood up in His home town Church, and opened up the book of Isaiah to the place where it spoke of Himself, and salvation.
(Luk 4:18)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,Deliverance is needed for us because of sin, and its hold on mankind. Man has been held captive since our first parents sinned in the garden of Eden. The devil came to steel, kill, and destroy, but Christ came to set the captives free. The devil steels integrity, destroys lives, homes, and even entire nations. For those who see there need for deliverance from sin, self, and the devil, Christ came to set them free.
‘There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness’ (Prov. 30:12). Although they had never been cleansed by the Holy Spirit, nor their hearts purified by faith, (Acts 15:9), yet they esteemed themselves to be pure, and had not the least sense of their foul defilement. Such a generation were the self-righteous Pharisees of Christ's day: they were constantly cleansing their hands and cups, engaged in an interminable round of ceremonial washings, yet were they thoroughly ignorant of the fact that within they were filled with all manner of defilement (Matt. 23:25–28). So is a generation of churchgoers today; they are orthodox in their views, reverent in their demeanor, regular in their contributions, but they make no conscience of the state of their hearts. Arthur Pink Back to the Top
2. Humility Commitment and Faith
There is an old story about the time Emperor Frederick the Great visited Potsdam Prison. He spoke with the prisoners, and each man claimed to be innocent, a victim of the system. One man, however, sat silently in the corner. He asked him, “And you, sir, who do you blame for your sentence?” His response was, “Your majesty, I am guilty and richly deserve my punishment.” Surprised, the emperor shouted for the prison warden: “Come and get this man out of here before he corrupts all these innocent people.” Humility is the way to the blessings of God. We are told in the Bible to receive the engrafted Word of God with meekness and that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
We were once dead in trespasses and sins under the power of the prince of this world Satan. But we've been quickened with Christ seated with Him in heavenly places far above principalities and powers (Eph 2:1-6). The new birth was God quickening us in Christ. Before we were powerless against Satan. Now we have entered into His death, and His life (Rom 6:3, and Rom 5:10). We've been freed from sins dominion, and made alive unto God (Rom 6:11, 14-18). Obedience now is Gods command to us. In dependence, and reliance on Him. Not passive or trusting in ourselves. Sanctification is the work of the Spirit, but also through our cooperation. Yielding, and surrendering ourselves to the Spirit of God as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1,2). Which proves the will of God, even transforming our minds.
The desires that are contrary to holiness, and Gods will must be crucified, and dethroned (Gal: 516-17; James 1:14-18). By proving Gods will we are sanctifying ourselves (Rom 12:1-3). Paul says this is holy, acceptable and our reasonable service, which is better rendered reasonable worship. True worship is from the heart, and as we worship from the heart it spreads, and transforms our mind, life and entire person. The changing of our character and nature is the beginning of glorification. At which in a future time will be complete with a glorified body to match our nature. Gods plan of redemption is not only to have a body like Christ's, but also a nature like His. Sanctification begins here on earth but ends in glory in a time when we will be free from this world and body. For when we see Him we will be like Him (1 John 3:2).
Many Christians treat the will of God like eating at a cafeteria they want all the goodies, but nothing with real commitment. Commitment is something people turn away from accept if there be a desire strong enough to endure. God’s will and sanctification is not something you will find to be easy, but if you and I will hunger and thirst after righteousness Jesus gave us the promise we will be filled.
Faith takes God at His Word and believes that all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ. It counts the cost and fights to the end, recognizing only the Blood of Calvary as the means of receiving from God. Sanctifying faith acts on the basis of repentance in light of the great sacrifice on our behalf at the Cross. Faith cleanses the soul (Act 15:8,9). It is by faith the heart is ‘sprinkled from an evil conscience’ by the blood of Christ. And by faith our affections are lifted above the things of this world not to be entangled and bound, but freed up through Christ's Blood changing, strengthening and cleansing our inner parts (Ps 51:6 and Eph 3:16).
Faith lays hold of Christ as He is offered to sinners in the Gospel, and He is there presented not only for justification but also for the sanctification of all who truly believe on Him. Moreover, faith accepts a whole Christ: not only as Priest to atone for us, but as a King to reign over us. Faith, then, is the instrument of our sanctification. Faith is the eye which perceives the gracious provisions which God has made for His people. Faith is the hand which appropriates those provisions. Faith is the mouth which receives all the good that God has stored up for us in Christ. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and without the exercise of faith it is impossible to make any real progress in the spiritual life. Arthur Pink
Christ’s love, humility, and patience under pressure are to be consciously imitated (Eph. 52; Phil. 25-11; 1 Pet. 221), for a Christ like spirit and attitude. Walking in the Spirit is keeping in step with the Spirit, not getting ahead or behind. Waiting on the Lord is not being passive, but is service and labor with a promise to mount up with wings as an eagle. Not in our own strength, but His. Notice Isaiah's following remarks by the Spirit he says they shall walk and not fait, run and not get weary. Isaiah speaks of a supernatural renewed strength, for who can walk and walk and walk and not be faint or keep running and not get weary (Isaiah 40:31).When the Spirit speaks we must yield ourselves to Him not getting behind or running ahead, but keep in step, that we may offer ourselves up holy and acceptable unto God. Walking in the Spirit and waiting on the Lord are inseparable. Walking in the Spirit is waiting on the Lord and keeping in step with the Spirit. Waiting on the Lord is one of the greatest difficulties there is, because of the flesh. A disciplined prayer life and spiritual digestion of the Word of God is very important. Remember also that fasting with prayer is a mighty tool against the devil. God will honor just skipping one meal occasionally. Biblical fasting is not always completely abstaining, but sometimes just partially from deserts and goodies that we might usually eat or especially like.
By our fall in Adam we lost not only the favor of God, but also the purity of our natures, and therefore we need to be both reconciled to God and sanctified in our inner man. There is now a spiritual leprosy spread over all our nature which makes us loathsome to God and puts us into a state of separation from Him. No matter what pains the sinner takes to be rid of his horrible disease, he does but hide and not cleanse it. Adam concealed neither his nakedness nor the shame of it by his fig-leaf contrivance; so those who have no other covering for their natural filthiness than the externals of religion rather proclaim than hide it. Make no mistake on this score: neither the outward profession of Christianity nor the doing of a few good works will give us access to the thrice Holy One. Unless we are washed by the Holy Spirit, and in the blood of Christ, from our native pollutions, we cannot enter the kingdom of glory. Arthur Pink
In closing I want to say we must keep a clear conscience toward God and man as Job in the time of his trial. He was a man of integrity. One who shunned evil, and loved God with all his heart. He stayed separated in heart and life unto God. Samson though was not a man who stayed separated he broke his vows and commitments. Finally losing the power and presence of God in the lap of Delilah. Marrying a Philistine in stead of a Jewish woman was the end result of a life not dedicated to the Lord. The Lord knew of his inconsistent heart and even used it against the Philistines but compromise is never Gods will. Sampson's compromise lead to his own down fall. Is our lives one that is separated and consistently loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Back to the Top
May the Lord bless you as you seek Him in truth.