Onward - Sanctification
John Piper and Tim Keller Wrestle with Sanctification
By Desiring God (14 min 6 sec)
The last instruction Jesus left with His disciples – The Great Commission:
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18-20
How the Word of God draws us to His truth:
“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore, the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:23-24 (also see Romans 5:12-21)
What’s so great about the Word of God?
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:26-17
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed and overflowing with gratitude.” Colossians 2:6-7
Where sanctification starts
Once we figure out the value of being saved by Jesus, it is a natural response to be grateful. From this gratefulness, we can choose to prioritise His desires over ours. Slowly we grow into His image – the purpose of our life! Best of all, God always helps us want to (to will) and to do what is pleasing to Him.
Why bother with sanctification, anyway?
“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love,
“…we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:14-16
Sanctify and demonstrate your gratefulness
“So, then my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, cultivate your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in fain nor toil in vain.” ” Philippians 2:12-16
NOTE: ‘Work out’ means to continually cultivate, actively work on, nurture or develop something with care and intention (like a gardner). Used in Philippians 2:12-16, it implies believers are encouraged to actively grow, strengthen and deepen their faith and spiritual life.
This cultivation comes by making intentional choices, practicing gratitude, resisting daily temptations and seeking to live in a way that reflects God’s purposes. In this way your character and actions increasingly reflect your grateful love of your Saviour – which helps fulfil the ‘Great Commission’.
Sanctification seems a bit complicated, but it is basically about how we choose to grow more into the image of Jesus Christ. It is a moment-by-moment decision to be grateful for our salvation rather than living a life of excess and wilfulness. God’s purpose for our lives -- once we are justified by faith -- is to be His light in this dark world, so more people can find their way to Him.
————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Take care with love, especially His, from Darlene, who still prays for you each day.
PS: You can also find the devotions on line/ on your mobile phone here: www.weakdaydevotion.com .
NOTES: I choose to believe the Bible because it's a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They reported supernatural events that took place before, of specific prophecies; and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.
The Five Solas: Individuals are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone to the glory of God alone!
Find my full statement of faith: https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com (where you will also find a series of Bible studies). For the books, go to Amazon books. For prayer requests/ updates, email: darlenerichard@gmail.com