Sanctification
NOTES FROM PASTOR DAN - SANCTIFICATION
Once a believer has been justified by the love and grace of God, the Father begins a process of transforming a fleshly person into the image of His Son. Certainly, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved; this is an absolute and final declaration from God (Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32). But God promises to do more than merely rescue us from eternal punishment. He has predestined to conform every believer to the holy character of His Son as we put off the old life and put on the new. As we walk this path of sanctification, God has promised to produce the spiritual fruit described in Galatians 5:22-23. We will now turn our attention to this path of sanctification and God’s transforming work in our lives.
When we express faith in Jesus we are instantly transformed from death to life, from blindness to seeing clearly, from being an enemy of the cross to an adopted child of God. Although this transformation is instantaneous, we are still encumbered by the life we have lived. Our habits, tastes, thoughts, ambitions, and desires seem to linger in our hearts and minds. Up to the point of believing in Jesus we have been living for ourselves with personal gratification and private glorification as our goal. Sanctification is the cooperative journey that we take with God. Step by step, as we seek Christ and “things that are above,” He reveals all that is contrary to His will for our lives, and we are charged to “put to death that which is earthly and put off the old self” (Colossians 3:1-10). Some of these habits, thoughts and desires are deeply ingrained and very difficult to dislodge. In fact, you cannot transform yourself. Try as hard as you like, you will not change yourself. Still, you must try. “Wait, if it is an impossible task, why should I try?” you might ask. Sanctification is characterized by God doing the work of transformation as you submit in faith to His reforming hands.
The primary tools that the Lord uses to reform our lives are not overly cumbersome or difficult to understand. They are, in fact, the simple spiritual disciplines that have enriched and strengthened believers from the beginning of the church. First, we are to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:12-17). God uses His word to show us what needs to go and what ought to be increased. As you read the word of God you will inevitably be convicted of sin. Your response should never become trapped in guilt. The remorse that you deeply feel is a reminder to call out to the Savior in prayer; the second foundational spiritual discipline. Suppose you are convicted by the words “anger, wrath, malice” in the text. Imagine the freedom that will come when you pray in the following way:
“Lord, I have no right to be angry, wrathful, or to exhibit malice, because you have commanded me to forgive as I have been forgiven. Help me to have the strength to forgive. Please, reduce and ultimately remove these feelings in my heart and replace them with Your love and grace. Each time these feelings return I will run back to You for help. I trust You to change my mind, heart, and will. Thank You for Your infinite forgiveness in Christ. I am resting in Your grace.”
Such freedom will not be found in the simplistic prayer, “God, forgive me of all of my sins,” because such a prayer does not actually convey submission to the Lord’s sanctifying work. Here we see a liberating truth of salvation: repentance is one of the most powerful blessings and gifts that the Lord has given to you. Often we are stalled on the path of sanctification merely because we refuse to trust God with our everyday sins. If you trusted Him to forgive and cleanse your sin when you first believed, you should continually trust Him to cleanse you as you walk in fellowship with Him day by day (1 John 1:6-10). This is the sanctification He has promised and predestined us to enjoy.
I have used the word predestination twice in this essay because it is a vital biblical truth that should not make a believer nervous. God has predestined or predetermined to conform every believer to the image of His son (Romans 8:28-30). He has promised not to leave us as orphans but rather to give us a Spirit of adoption as sons and daughters of Almighty God. He will not only keep each and every believer in salvation, He will also lovingly remove everything in your life that does not resemble His Son. Systematically, methodically, intentionally, purposefully, and definitely God will mold your life for His glory and your good. God’s end goal is to make you into a beautiful representation of His grace; blameless before Him because of the blood of Jesus. In love, God has determined to lavish His riches upon you “to the praise of His glory” if only you will believe in Him (Ephesians 1:3-14). He, thus, has saved you, will keep you, and He guarantees your inheritance in Heaven by sealing your salvation with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The transformation I have described is a renewal of the mind; a taking up of the mind of Christ and the rejection of a mind of the flesh (Romans 8:5-8). There are two more important tools of sanctification that we must consider. When Paul describes people who “set their minds on the things of the Spirit” he is, at a minimum, calling us to meditation and worship. Meditation is simply lingering long in thought about some aspect of God or His work. Meditation is accomplished by simply slowing down long enough to let thoughts of God, revealed in His word, roll around in your mind. Notice that meditation must be tethered to the word of God because our flawed minds are prone to twist truth into grave error (2 Peter 3:16). But thoughts that are firmly rooted in the word of God will undoubtedly lead a believer to worship. The implications of His holiness, grace, and love filling your mind will crowd out the “cares of the world” and will firmly root you in the faithful love of God. The love of the world will fade and the love of Christ will bring a steadiness and firmness to your faith, resolve, and fruitful living.
Believers in Jesus are obvious because we have the Holy Spirit living within and empowering us to a new way of life, bearing spiritual fruit for God’s glory. We are surrounded by people who practice the deeds of the flesh. Envy, drunkenness, dissension, sexual immorality, fits of anger “and things like these” are the headlines for every news piece these days. We see clear evidence that the desires of the flesh are at war with the desires of the Spirit and often keep us from practicing His righteousness. In contrast, as we live in the Spirit, walking in harmony with His word and His will, we will begin seeing supernatural fruit in our lives. As God prunes away everything that is unnecessary and un-pleasing in your life you will begin to see “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5: 22-26). What an amazing list! This is more than a promise. This is the purpose of God. And God accomplishes all that He purposes to do.
Once a believer has been justified by the love and grace of God, the Father begins a process of transforming a fleshly person into the image of His Son. Certainly, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved; this is an absolute and final declaration from God (Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32). But God promises to do more than merely rescue us from eternal punishment. He has predestined to conform every believer to the holy character of His Son as we put off the old life and put on the new. As we walk this path of sanctification, God has promised to produce the spiritual fruit described in Galatians 5:22-23. We will now turn our attention to this path of sanctification and God’s transforming work in our lives.
When we express faith in Jesus we are instantly transformed from death to life, from blindness to seeing clearly, from being an enemy of the cross to an adopted child of God. Although this transformation is instantaneous, we are still encumbered by the life we have lived. Our habits, tastes, thoughts, ambitions, and desires seem to linger in our hearts and minds. Up to the point of believing in Jesus we have been living for ourselves with personal gratification and private glorification as our goal. Sanctification is the cooperative journey that we take with God. Step by step, as we seek Christ and “things that are above,” He reveals all that is contrary to His will for our lives, and we are charged to “put to death that which is earthly and put off the old self” (Colossians 3:1-10). Some of these habits, thoughts and desires are deeply ingrained and very difficult to dislodge. In fact, you cannot transform yourself. Try as hard as you like, you will not change yourself. Still, you must try. “Wait, if it is an impossible task, why should I try?” you might ask. Sanctification is characterized by God doing the work of transformation as you submit in faith to His reforming hands.
The primary tools that the Lord uses to reform our lives are not overly cumbersome or difficult to understand. They are, in fact, the simple spiritual disciplines that have enriched and strengthened believers from the beginning of the church. First, we are to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:12-17). God uses His word to show us what needs to go and what ought to be increased. As you read the word of God you will inevitably be convicted of sin. Your response should never become trapped in guilt. The remorse that you deeply feel is a reminder to call out to the Savior in prayer; the second foundational spiritual discipline. Suppose you are convicted by the words “anger, wrath, malice” in the text. Imagine the freedom that will come when you pray in the following way:
“Lord, I have no right to be angry, wrathful, or to exhibit malice, because you have commanded me to forgive as I have been forgiven. Help me to have the strength to forgive. Please, reduce and ultimately remove these feelings in my heart and replace them with Your love and grace. Each time these feelings return I will run back to You for help. I trust You to change my mind, heart, and will. Thank You for Your infinite forgiveness in Christ. I am resting in Your grace.”
Such freedom will not be found in the simplistic prayer, “God, forgive me of all of my sins,” because such a prayer does not actually convey submission to the Lord’s sanctifying work. Here we see a liberating truth of salvation: repentance is one of the most powerful blessings and gifts that the Lord has given to you. Often we are stalled on the path of sanctification merely because we refuse to trust God with our everyday sins. If you trusted Him to forgive and cleanse your sin when you first believed, you should continually trust Him to cleanse you as you walk in fellowship with Him day by day (1 John 1:6-10). This is the sanctification He has promised and predestined us to enjoy.
I have used the word predestination twice in this essay because it is a vital biblical truth that should not make a believer nervous. God has predestined or predetermined to conform every believer to the image of His son (Romans 8:28-30). He has promised not to leave us as orphans but rather to give us a Spirit of adoption as sons and daughters of Almighty God. He will not only keep each and every believer in salvation, He will also lovingly remove everything in your life that does not resemble His Son. Systematically, methodically, intentionally, purposefully, and definitely God will mold your life for His glory and your good. God’s end goal is to make you into a beautiful representation of His grace; blameless before Him because of the blood of Jesus. In love, God has determined to lavish His riches upon you “to the praise of His glory” if only you will believe in Him (Ephesians 1:3-14). He, thus, has saved you, will keep you, and He guarantees your inheritance in Heaven by sealing your salvation with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The transformation I have described is a renewal of the mind; a taking up of the mind of Christ and the rejection of a mind of the flesh (Romans 8:5-8). There are two more important tools of sanctification that we must consider. When Paul describes people who “set their minds on the things of the Spirit” he is, at a minimum, calling us to meditation and worship. Meditation is simply lingering long in thought about some aspect of God or His work. Meditation is accomplished by simply slowing down long enough to let thoughts of God, revealed in His word, roll around in your mind. Notice that meditation must be tethered to the word of God because our flawed minds are prone to twist truth into grave error (2 Peter 3:16). But thoughts that are firmly rooted in the word of God will undoubtedly lead a believer to worship. The implications of His holiness, grace, and love filling your mind will crowd out the “cares of the world” and will firmly root you in the faithful love of God. The love of the world will fade and the love of Christ will bring a steadiness and firmness to your faith, resolve, and fruitful living.
Believers in Jesus are obvious because we have the Holy Spirit living within and empowering us to a new way of life, bearing spiritual fruit for God’s glory. We are surrounded by people who practice the deeds of the flesh. Envy, drunkenness, dissension, sexual immorality, fits of anger “and things like these” are the headlines for every news piece these days. We see clear evidence that the desires of the flesh are at war with the desires of the Spirit and often keep us from practicing His righteousness. In contrast, as we live in the Spirit, walking in harmony with His word and His will, we will begin seeing supernatural fruit in our lives. As God prunes away everything that is unnecessary and un-pleasing in your life you will begin to see “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5: 22-26). What an amazing list! This is more than a promise. This is the purpose of God. And God accomplishes all that He purposes to do.