God wants us to be Sanctified

“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.” Eph 4:13

Sanctification has multiple meanings.  “Sanctification means to make holy, to consecrate, to separate from the world, and to be set apart from sin so that we may have intimate fellowship with God and serve him gladly.”¹  In the OT, sanctification is pictured primarily in two ways—ceremonial rituals that picture holiness and obedience to the moral law of God.  In the NT, it is simply becoming Christ-like, a progression toward the goal of becoming like God and Christ.²  Where justification is a once for all action; sanctification has three states.  First, initial sanctification (or positional sanctification), which is similar to justification, is done once at salvation and complete for the believer (1 Cor 6:11, 2 Th 2:13).  Second, practical sanctification is the continuous process throughout the Christian’s entire lifetime where they choose to become like Christ.³  “A man is not considered holy because of the things he does not do.  Virtue cannot be judged by the vices from which a person abstains.  There must be a positive conformation to the Image of Christ.”⁴ (2 Th 2:13, 1 Th 5:23)  Third and last, there is final sanctification.  “Sinless perfection and being wholly sanctified await the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.”⁵  

We are focusing here on practical sanctification.  “In both the NIV and NASB, ‘sanctify’ and ‘sanctification’ are translations of the same Greek words—hagiazo (‘to make holy’ or ‘to sanctify’)...Thus, the concepts of sanctification and holiness are related (sometimes identical)…”⁶  The OT focuses on sanctification as a setting aside of things as holy to the Lord, and the NT focuses on the believer setting aside himself as holy to the Lord.  When things were set aside for the Lord, two things happened.  First, these items were not to be used for ordinary purposes any more.  Second, they were to be used in the manner prescribed for holy duties.  In other words, their useful function changed from one thing to another.  The same happens for us as Christians our lives and bodies are set aside now as holy and used for different purposes as described by the Lord.  Here are some examples:

“Sanctification is here a matter of casting off evil practices (Rom 13:12), shunning immorality (1 Cor 6:18), putting off the old nature (Eph 4:22), putting away immoral conduct (Eph 4:25; Jas 1:21).  Laying aside every weight of sin (Heb 12:1)…In more intense imagery this becomes a putting to death of sin (Rom 8:13, Col 3:12, 14) or crucifying of it (Gal 5:24)….Also present is the imagery of not being conformed to a sinful lifestyle (Rom 12:1; 1 Pet 1:14).  

“The positive counterpart to putting off evil is putting on the good (Rom 13:12, 14; Eph 4:24; Col 3:12, 14).  The sanctified life is something one builds on the foundation provided by Christ (1 Cor 3:10-15).   Again, sanctification involves supplementing faith with virtue (2 Pet 1:5).  Sanctification involves producing something that was not present before—a concept implicit in pictures of sanctified conduct as fruit that is produced by a renewed nature (Gal 5:22-23; Phil 1:11)…Sanctification thus becomes a matter of maturing into adulthood and being no longer a child (Eph 4:13-14), of growing up (Eph 4:15), of growing in grace (2 Pet 3:18)…Because sanctification is contrary to the fallen state into which people are born and become acclimated, and because it is a process, the imagery of being transformed and renewed is used (Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23).  If we ask what such a transformed life actually looks like, we can do no better than to look at the passages know as paraenesis (exhortation)—commands in the form of lists of virtues to practice and vices to avoid (Rom 12:9-12; Eph 4:25-32; Phil 4:4-9; Col 3:12-17; 1 Thes 5:12-20; Heb 13:1-5).”⁷

Simply put, God wants us to be just like Jesus to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13), “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:22-24), and to “Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love” (Eph 5:1-2).

Father, help us, as you helped Jesus, to do only what we see you doing.  Help us to quit using our lives and bodies for sin and to use them instead for holiness.  Help us to imitate you and to become mature in character so that we might have intimate fellowship with you and a servant’s heart which is overjoyed to serve at your beckoning.  To You be the glory!  Amen!

Footnote

¹ Stampss, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. "Sanctificaiton." Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. 1988-1989. Print.

² Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. "Sanctification." Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998. 758-759. Print.

³ Duffield, Guy P., and N. M. Van Cleave. Foundations of Pentecostal Theology. Los Angeles: L.I.F.E. Bible College, 1983. 238-39. Print.

⁴ Duffield, 239.

⁵ Duffield, 242.

⁶ Richards, Larry. "Sanctify/Sanctification." Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1985. 542. Print.

⁷ Ryken,759.

References

All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Justification is by Faith

“but now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known…

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace

through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” Rom 3:21, 23-24

God the Father sits in His courtroom behind the bench.  The bench is so elevated you cannot even see Him.  His credentials hang on the bench in front of you.  Nervously you begin reading: Perfect in Holiness (Lev 11:44; Ps 145:17; Mt 5:48; Rev 4:8, 15:4; 1 Pet 1:15-16; Isa 6:3), Righteous Judge (2 Tim 4:8; Ps 11:7, Jn 17:25, Isa 45:21; Jer 23:6), Just Judge (Ge 18:25; Isa 30:8; Job 34:12; Ps 103:6; 146:7), the Truth (Ex 34:6; Nu 23:19,\; Rev 16:7), Omniscient (Ps 147:5, 139:1-4; Heb 4:13, 11:36; 1 Jn 3:20), Omnipotent (Ps 115:3; 135:6; Lk 1:37; Jer 32:17), Omnipresent (Ps 139:7-8; Heb 13:5; Mt 28:20; Deut 31:6), Good (1 Chr 16:34; Nah 1:7; Ps 25:7, 34:8, 100:5, 145:9), Impartial ( 2 Chr 19:7; Dt 10:17; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 2:6, 2:11)  and on and on it goes.  Your eyes begin to blur and you cannot even begin to take it all in.

It slowly begins to dawn on you that you are seated in the presence of ABOSOLUTE PERFECTION.  There is a distinct sinking feeling from deep inside you.  Your own soul which seemed almost white to you before now is fading to a deep gray and then to utter blackness as you realize the incredible holiness in front of you.  Suddenly you remember your utter wretchedness; the deeds of your childhood come flooding in on you and then your adult life as well—and these were deeds for which you “knew better.”  The certainty of your sentence begins to weigh on you.  There is no way—no hope—that you could even begin to compare to His holiness.  You are, without-a-doubt, a law-breaker.  And you are very aware that it is His law you have broken. 

The Attorney’s door opens and in walks Jesus, alone (Rom 8:33-34; Isa 50:8-9).  Wait a minute, this cannot be right…isn’t Satan supposed to be the prosecutor?  Jesus walks over to your table and sits with you.  You rise to your feet as the bailiff announces the case, your case, he utters your name and then chimes in, a little too happy for your liking, “ vs. the Law of Almighty God.  Most Highly Exalted Father God, Creator of all that is, Sovereign Ruler over all, Omnipotent Potentate¸ and Righteous Judge presiding.” As Father God enters, your heart sinks as does your posture, in fact, you feel very week in the knees.  As you collapse into your seat and the trial starts, Jesus looks at you with a smile and then approaches the bench.  “Father this one is written in the book of life for this one has believed in me.” (Ex 32:32; Dt 29:20, Da 12:1; Mal 3:16; Lk 10:20: Rev 3:5, 20:12, 15)  The book is opened and your name is found.  You’ll never forget the Father’s next words as He makes pronouncement on the case—you have been justified by belief in Jesus Christ who has given you His own righteousness…You have been pronounced Righteous.  Praise the Lord!

In order to understand justification, we must first understand what is meant by the word “righteousness.”  “The NT [New Testament] uses righteousness in the sense of conformity to the demands and obligations of the will of God, the so-called ‘righteousness of the law.’”¹  “Righteousness is conceived as judged by the standard of God’s holy law, which is derived from His holy character…”²  So righteousness is the absolute conformity to God’s law and character (His holiness); it is to be faultless or guiltless.³

Interestingly, the Greek root word “dik” conveys “the essential idea of righteousness, or rightness.”⁴  Several Greek words use this same root. The Greek word for “righteousness” is “dikaiosyne” which means “the quality of rightness or justice”⁵  The Greek verb “dikaioo” means “to justify.”⁶  The Greek noun “dikaiosis” means “the act of making right, or justification.”⁷ So we seek the ideas of justification and righteousness are tied closely together.  The verb “dikaioo” is commonly used when speaking of justifying and it means “to acquit,” “to vindicate” or “to pronounce righteous.”⁸  In Romans, Paul evokes a scene from a courtroom in which God sits as judge on the judgment seat of God and makes the case for justification by faith. 

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.  – Rom 3:21-26

The tenants of the case are as follows: (Please look up these Scriptures.)

1. God is just.  (He always does what is right.)  – Rom 3:26
2. The law makes us conscious of our sin.  – Rom 3:20
3. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (no one conforms absolutely to God’s law and character—no one is faultless or guiltless).  – Rom 3:23
4. No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law.  – Rom 3:20
5. God is righteous.  – Rom 3:21
6. Man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.  – Rom 3:28
7. God is the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.  – Rom 3:26
8. God gives His righteousness to those who through faith in Jesus Christ trust in His atoning sacrifice as payment for their sins.  – Rom 3:22; 4:5; Phil 3:9

So justification is the process by which—through God’s redemption, freely by His grace—righteousness is imputed (or credited) to those who believe in Jesus Christ as a sacrifice of atonement for their sins.  – Rom 3:22,24-25; 4:21-25; 2 Cor 5:21

“Justification is the judicial aspect of the conversion experience in which the believer is viewed from God’s perspective.  God the Father, because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, imputes, or credits the righteousness of Christ to the believer. Paul says this “credited righteousness” is not really our own, but is Christ’s (Php 3:9).  God the Father sees believers wrapped in the perfect righteousness of Christ.  This is what allows God to accept mortals in his heaven—since no one can ever be good enough to merit heaven.  The term justification is best understood in the analogy of a courtroom.  Jesus Christ is our advocate, or attorney, who is able to present us before the Father as being credited with his righteousness.”⁹

Footnotes

¹ Milne, B. A. "Rigtheousness." The New Bible Dictionary. Second ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1962. 1031. Print.

² Buswell, JR., James Oliver. "Rigtheousness." The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1967. 723. Print.

³ Leitch, A. H. "Righteousness." The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids: Regency Reference Library, 1976. 104. Print.

⁴ Buswell, 723.

⁵ Buswell, 723.

⁶ Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. "Romans, Letter to the." Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998. 735. Print.

⁷ Buswell, 723.

⁸ Richards, Larry. "Justify/Justification." Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1985. 373. Print.

⁹ Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. "Biblical Words for Salvation." Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. 1733. Print.

References

All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

God is Holy

“Who among the gods is like you, O Lord?  Who is like you—majestic in holiness,

awesome in glory, working wonders? Exodus 15:11

To try and understand God, or an attribute of God, we must by necessity compare that which we know against that which we don’t know.  And it is just here that we think of God as unholy before we can think of Him as Holy.  Holy is to be set apart separated from everyday common use.  Holy is absolute perfection.  Holy is to be completely pure, entirely without evil.  We know of nothing in our everyday lives with which to compare absolute good.  There is no comparison; for it is not a measure of how holy, but a case of completely holy.  He is the standard and cannot be measured by it.  He is in every respect other than we are; He is totally wholesome.  He is morally perfect.  He has no limitations in His moral excellence.  “There is none holy as the Lord.” (1 Samuel 2:2)  Yet He commands us “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)

Holiness is another moral attribute of God.  We can possess a certain level of holiness but we cannot truly understand holiness.  Just when God begins to reveal His holiness, we find ourselves utterly deplorable like Isaiah. We say with him “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined!  For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty’” (Isaiah 6:5).  God’s holiness is something we must receive from Him and endeavor to preserve.  He washes away our sin and calls us righteous.  All our righteousness is like filthy rags to Him (Isaiah 64:6).  Such goodness, such purity, such perfection cataclysmically rejects and brings righteous judgment upon the slightest hint of imperfection.  It is through this lens of holiness that the grace of God shines so extraordinarily, incalculably, intensely brilliant.  The mere thought that God could reach down out of His absolute, unconditional perfection and embrace the sinner is nearly unthinkable until grace and mercy leak in, first a drop then a trickle then like a tidal wave after the colossal dam has burst but this is an inaccurate picture also.  For God is perfectly balanced within Himself, so that grace and mercy are presented at the same time as His holiness.

It is only by His grace we should see Him.  It is only by His mercy we should know Him.  It is only because He has given Himself to us to cover ourselves that we can begin to reveal our fallen selves back to Him without fear of His perfection ruinously destroying us.  In short, He helps us to help ourselves receive from Him.  Indeed all throughout Scripture when God shows Himself to His people, fear and trembling are the normal reactions of those to whom He has revealed Himself.  The command not to fear is usually given to these precious souls who experienced the Presence of God.  I believe part of this has to do with the incredible revelation of His Holiness combined with a nearly inconceivable understanding of our wretchedness compared to Him.  Yet He reaches out and lifts them up and gives them the stamina they need to be in His presence.  He gives them Himself to counter the encounter of Himself.  So we see divine holiness balancing justice and mercy, and choosing which and how much of each (or both) should be applied to any given circumstance through His all-knowing perfect wisdom.  One thing is certain, those who come in contact with the bona fide presence of God cannot but be altered in some way.  For the Christian it is a sharing of His holiness that we could participate in the divine nature (1 Peter 1:3-4).  So we can proclaim with the seraphs “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3).

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves form everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).   This is our calling friends, to put off the old self with its sinful desires “and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).  “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.  And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ…but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:9-10, 13).  Remember it is the Holy Spirit who is living in you.  The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you when you are a Christian (Eph 1:19-20; Romans 8:11).  So God is enabling us to live holy by His Holy Spirit living in us and helping us to put to death the sinful deeds of the body and live for righteousness.

Oh, Lord God Almighty, Holy One, we praise your name and renown!  You are perfect, O Lord.  Your holiness out shines the Sun. Your perfection is greater than the universe. You are the Father who lives in unapproachable light.  You are the light of life.  You are wonderful, magnificent, and truly awesome!  Your greatness no one can fathom.  Your beauty is beyond compare.  We are humbled you consider us.  We are amazed you would rescue us.  You paid the incredible ransom.  You adopted the orphan.  You live among the poor and needy – you live INSIDE us.  Great God, help us to avail ourselves of Your awesome power, Your Holy Spirit, living inside us, that we might choose to walk in righteous ways and endeavor to be holy as you are holy.  It is nearly beyond hope, but there it is, You promise to help us become like You.  Father, build in us Your likeness.  Jesus, help us be dependent on the Father and Spirit as you where when You walked this earth.  Sweet Holy Spirit have your way in us and help us choose Your way above our own that we may be like Him whose name we bare.  In Jesus’ Almighty Name, Amen!

References

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Finlayson, R. A. "Holiness, Holy, Saints." New Bible Dictionary. Ed. J. D. Douglas and N. Hillyer.      Second ed. Wheaton: Tyndale, 1962. 486-488. Print.

Duffield, Guy P., and Nathaniel M. Cleave. Foundations of Pentecostal Theology. Los Angeles, Calif.: L.I.F.E. Bible College, 1983. 69. Print.

"Holiness." Dictionary of Biblical Imagry. Ed. Lelan Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper Longman,      III. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1998. Print.

The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible New International Version The Old Testament and The New Testament Thompson's original and complete system of Bible study A complete numerical system of chain references, analyses of books, outline studies of characters and unique charts, with pictorial maps and archaeological discoveries. Ed. Frank Charles Thompson, et al. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1983. Print.

Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life. New York: Harper & Row, 1961. 103-107. Print.

Who is God?

"What comes into our minds when we think about God,

is the most important thing about us." - A.W. Tozer¹

Ever feel like you want to know more about God but don’t know where to start?  How do you think about God?  What is he like?  Where do we begin when thinking about God?  I mean it’s not like you can flip open your Bible and go to the section marked “all about God.”  I hope to talk about who God is here in these articles and I would like to suggest some extra reading.  A. W. Tozer’s Knowledge of the Holy is excellent reading on whom God is.  I read somewhere recently that you could get a great deal of understanding who God is by looking at one of my favorite Psalms.  Let me encourage you to sit down for a few minutes and read through Psalms 103.  While you are reading, consider the following questions and write down your answers.  These are good questions for you to ask any time you are reading a passage of scripture from the Bible.

Bible Study Questions:

How does God reveal Himself in this passage?

Are there commands to follow, actions to take or to avoid?

Are there promises to claim?

How can I apply these truths to my everyday life?

Write out your answers and then compare them to the ones I found below.

How does God reveal Himself in this passage?

Lord	Healer	Righteous	Slow to anger	Knowledgeable
Holy	Redeemer	Just	Merciful (does not treat us as our sins deserve)	Eternal (from everlasting to everlasting)
Benefactor	Crowner	Compassionate	Abounding in love	Faithful
Forgiver	Satisfier	Gracious		Sovereign (Ruler over all)

Are there commands to follow, actions to take or to avoid?

Praise the Lord, O my soul

Fear (revere) Him

Are there promises to claim?

Forgiveness of sin

Healing of diseases

Redemption of life

Satisfaction with life

Righteousness and justice on our behalf

God would make Himself known to us

God treats us with grace, not as our sins deserve

God has great love for us if we revere (fear) Him

God has removed our transgressions from us

God has compassion on us

God’s love is with us for eternity if we fear Him and keep His commands

God rules over all

How can I apply these truths to my everyday life?

Ask Him to forgive your sin and fill you with love.  Ask Him to purify your desires and fulfill them.  Ask Him to make Himself known to you.  Ask Him for healing He has promised you.

Thank you, God, for revealing yourself to us in your Word, the Bible!  Help us come to know you better every day.  Help us to find You, follow You, claim your promises as our own and apply Your truths to our lives.  We trust in you.  Amen!

Footnotes

¹ Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life. New York: Harper & Row, 1961. 1. Print.

References

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV).

Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life. New York: Harper & Row, 1961. Print.

Do Not Enter - Casually

Heb 9:7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance….

Heb 9:12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption….

Heb 9:24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people…

Here is the perfect, spotless, sinless, high priest BECOMING the sacrifice for us, once and for all.  Jesus death was the greatest sacrifice ever made; sinless man dying for the sinners.  Allowing holiness to be marred by our shame, He who is the truth taking on our lies.  Perfect love traded in for absolute fear, the humblest man ever to live bearing our selfish pride. He who knew the wonderful joy of heaven filled with depression and sadness.  He who defined loyalty completely abandoned, in short, the perfect example of living the fruit of Spirit now enduring the utter lawlessness of man, infinite power submitted to the finite power of man.

In light His sacrifice, even in light of who He is alone, we must ask ourselves about our attitudes in worship.  Do we stroll casually into the presence of God, treading on the immeasurable sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf?  Are we more concerned about the kind of song, the rhythm, the music, and the words than we are our sacrifice of worship to the Almighty God?  Does it matter what the person next to us will do or will think?  Have we abandoned ourselves in worship to the only Worthy One?  Does the lighting, temperature, style, sound system, etc really matter all that much?  Here, in the depths of our souls, does God reign supreme?  If He does, all these other things really don’t matter much.  If He doesn’t, these things become our focus and we loose sight of the fact that He is worthy no matter the condition in which we find ourselves.  Let me encourage you to be prepared to enter into worship, to come with your heart ready to enter in, with your mind made up to worship no matter the distractions.  Consider His sacrifice on our behalf, on your behalf.  Let us come ready to enter into the most holy place of His Presence anticipating the wonderful things that can happen only in the place of full surrender.