 |
||
 |
|
|
 |
||
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
Lesson 6 of Complementary Course Go here to read the instructions
Sanctification is separating something or someone from the evil, for God. Sanctification is the process in which the Lord transforms our life; it is the way a believer follows to become equal to the example of Christ. When somebody is justified, it means that God declares him just, righteous;
so that is something God DOES FOR US. Justification brings us back into the right relationship with God,
and sanctification makes the results of that visible. 1. Separation of the world, of the vault and evil 2 Chronicles 29:5 - and said: "Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. Other parts of the bible that speak about sanctification also demand
separation, depart from evil and uncleanness: 2 Chronicles 35:6;
Exodus 19:10,15; 1 Chronicles 15:12; Joshua 3:5; and Job 1:5. 2. Dedication to God A person, place or object that is totally destined and separated for service to God, is sanctified, consecrated. In the Old Testament we that homes also were consecrated to the Lord: "If a man dedicates his house as something holy to the LORD, the priest will judge its quality as good or bad. Whatever value the priest then sets, so it will remain." (Leviticus 27:14) Salomon dedicated the Temple he built to God. People, too, were consecrated to God, fi. in Jeremiah: ""Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5) 3. A Holy Life The consequence of sanctification: being cleansed of sin and the dedication
to God is a Holy Life. By the way God sanctifies the believer and he sanctifies himself, the
nature of God forms in your life. To life a Holy Life is a commandment in Scripture: Leviticus 19:2 - "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. Leviticus 20:7 - Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Reading those verses you start to understand that God wants His people to separate from evil, of the unclean, and is recognized by his changed conduct and the fact that he now only wants to serve the Lord. 1 Peter 1:15,16 - But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
Nobody can have a victorious life in Christ, if he does not know who he is in Him. We know that God created the world perfect. Many people think and consider themselves to be good: "Pastor,
I never did something bad to anybody, and I wish all the best." To violate the law of God it is sufficient to make a little lie; you already fail if you just once do not mind about God; or you don't give Him the highest honour; or you don't respect what He told you to do. We must understand that in the eyes of God nobody is good on this world. God doesn't say anything, although He is hurt every time when someone
does wrong, time and time again. If someone thinks he is a very good and important person, he is fooling
but himself, even the others know who he really is. In the life of a Christian there are two kinds of sanctification: " Instant Sanctification " Progressive Sanctification
This happens instantly, on the very moment the person receives Jesus as his Saviour and Lord, and it consists of Jesus forgiving and cleaning him of all sin that person did from his birth until that moment. So, who can be considered as HOLY? Every individual who received Jesus as his Savior was made a new creation,
a child of God, became sanctified, washed, set free of sin, by the Lord
Jesus Christ. We are called HOLY by the redemption in Jesus. This is about all Christians living anywhere in the world, and who
received Jesus Christ. We are no saints by our own merit. We cannot buy holiness by means
of our own works. I do not sanctify myself, you do not sanctify yourself, and there is
no man in the position to give the title of holiness to someone else. We were born already with a wrong nature since Adam and Eve, and besides
that we sin ourselves. We all were sinners before we gave our lives to Jesus, and we were condemned to eternal death.
This is a great mistake. In the eyes of God lying, gossiping or unforgiveness is as bad as stealing
or killing or adultery. By receiving Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, HE cleanses us from all sin, and makes us stand HOLY, BLAMELESS and UNGUILTY before God. When we were still sinners, we stood under the power of the devil.
Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves
This sanctification is for the responsibility of the believer, for
the born again. The path of sanctification is a common adventure of the believer with
God. We Christians like to talk about the 'providence of God', by which
Jesus conquered over sin for us, and gave us the Holy Spirit to enable
us to live successfully, victorious over sin. We wrestle with the question: "What must I do, and what may I expect from the Lord?" What does the Bible teach us in relation to this burning question? I am saved now; I am a new creation, a child of God, holy and righteous, free of all former sin. But will I never sin again? Unfortunately I will. After we received Jesus, it happens, against our own will and desire to do well, that we go wrong and do something we shouldn't. Is there a solution for this? Glory to God there is. Jesus also provided for the sins after we are saved. I John 1:8,9 - If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us. Sanctification starts at the day we are born again, but it is up to
us to work this out with the help of the Holy Spirit. Progressive sanctification produces a certain result:
A. God's part There are three ways God sanctifies us: the blood of Christ, the Holy Ghost, and the Word of God. 1. The blood of Christ Hebrews 13:12; 10:10,14 and 1 John 1:7 In this case the sinner is transformed into a holy worshipper. A conscience burdened because of sin hinders communion with God. 1 John 1:8,9 - If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us. 2. The Holy Ghost - inner sanctification 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:1,2; Romans 15:16 In these scriptures sanctification by the Holy Spirit is seen as the beginning of God's work in human hearts, what leads them to a full understanding of the justification by faith, based on the shed blood of Jesus. Chapter 10 of Acts shows the same work of the Holy Spirit. 3. The Word of God - outward and practical sanctification John 15:3, 17:17; Ephesians 5:26; Psalm 119:9; James 1:23-25 1 Peter 1:23 - For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. The Word of God makes people aware of foolishness and impurity in their
lives. This is the beginning of a purification that has to carry on the rest of our life. When a Jewish priest was consecrated he had to undergo a ritual bathing in which he would be washed totally. This ritual was once and not repeated afterwards. But they were obliged to wash their hand and feet daily. The same way the born again Christian is washed (Titus 3:5); but then there is a daily purification of the uncleanness and imperfection that become clear to him through the Word of God, working like a mirror to our soul. (James 1:22-25) Now consider the meaning of these washings: ¢ Washing of the hands: the deeds must be pure ¢ Washing of the feet: keeping yourself clean of the dirt that
1. Faith in redemption Salvation is for free, by grace. When it was told to the Jewish people they only needed to have faith in Jesus, and that we don't need to do anything to be saved, for it is only by God's grace, made them explain this wrong and live without rules. They believed it doesn't matter what you do, once you believe. If righteousness is by grace and not by what you do, why be concerned
about sin? Why not even sin more, so that there is more grace? Romans 6:7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 2. Cooperation with the Holy Spirit Growing in holiness comes when the believer start to be conscious of being set free of the power of sin. In Romans 6 is there is victory over sin by faith, and in chapter 8 the new ally against sin is presented: the Holy Spirit. Paul shows how important the law is in order to be saved and sanctified. Not because the law saves us, but because the sinful, 'carnal' nature is killed by the law. Chapter 8 tells us how we are set free of the wrong, sinfull nature by the Holy Spirit. 3. A new way of thinking. Romans 12:1,2 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of
God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing
to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 2 Corinthians 10:5 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. We demolish every barrier against the knowledge of God and give the
Word of God a full place in our heart and mind. The spiritual and material change comes by means of RENEWAL OF MIND. Our body is a laboratory of senses, no wonder it is necessary to sacrifice
it. Once the mind is renewed, one starts to understand the spiritual value of the right confession.
1. The Bible. Every Christian should read his Bible daily. The Bible is like a mirror for the Christian reading it: Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror (James 1:23). When reading the Bible you see the spiritual state in which you are. The Bible shows us all weaknesses, errors and sins. When we obey the Bible we are purified. Psalm 119:9,11 John 15:3 2. Correction Often God corrects us, or even punishes unto a certain level to direct
his servant the way, because of sin. At receiving such correction we must right away desire the purification, and try our best to advance at this point. This can be achieved by faith, after confessing sin as is written in I John 1:8,9. Revelations 3:19 - Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Hebrews 12: 6-8 - because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 3. Trials God also uses trials to stimulate us to holiness. 1 Peter 1:6,7 Both reproach and trial have the same goal: to bring us away from evil and closer to God. Psalm 119: 67, 71 - Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. … It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The goal God has with sanctifying the believer is a holy life resembling the life of Jesus. Ephesians 4:12-13 - to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. This is an example - pattern for all His children. Only when Jesus comes back the sanctification will be complete - then the power of sin will be totally and definitively broken, forever. Then we are totally sanctified and ready to be in the presence of God. I John 3:2b - But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. I - WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION ? In the first three lessons of this course - Repentance of Death Works, What is Faith?, and Rebirth - dealt with the responsibility of man to be saved, but justification is something God does for us, by which we stand in a total new relation with Him. Acts 13:39 Romans 4:2-8 Romans 5:1 Romans 5:9 In al these scriptures we see clearly that JUSTIFICATION does not mean: TO MAKE RIGHTEOUS, but to DECLARE RIGHTEOUS, or acquit in a juridical trial. JUSTIFICATION is not about the character or behaviour of a person. We must understand that is mainly about the relationship with the Lord, but of course the effects are visible in the relationships with others. When a sinner reconciliates with God, it gives the result that there is righteousness in his life again. Someone who is declared righteous by God will never try to justify himself, or pretend it was his own good works. Paul puts it this way: In the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector we read that the Pharisee tried to justify himself: Luke 18:10-14
Nobody is able to justify himself before God, but only before other people, It is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33) II - WHAT MEANS ´NOT BEING CHARGED´? James 2:23 - the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. Romans 5:1 To understand better what it means of somebody is not charged, we will
read the letter to Philemon. Paul led Him to salvation in Jesus and sent him back to his owner Philemon,
with this message: So this is not charging somebody, and this is what Jesus achieved for us. Isaiah 53:5
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
||||||||
| Complementary C. | ||||||||
|
||||||||
| This Page | ||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
