Tuesday February 7
The Agent of Sanctification
What do 1 Corinthians 6:11, Titus 3:5, and Hebrews 13:12 tell us about sanctification?
6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
When we are no longer in a Laodicean condition, we have repented of our sins because the goodness of God has brought us to repentance, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the heart is washed and cleansed of all known sin, and each one of the fruits of the Spirit are received into the life. This is what is means to be converted, to be justified and sanctified, made holy. It is not a future event, but takes place when we make a full heart surrender to Christ.
3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Again we read what happens at conversion, the heart is washed clean as the fresh driven snow. And, it is not because we did good, but because we came to Jesus just as we were, that we saved. Until we are converted, we can do no good thing. We are evil by nature and at enmity with God. It is conversion that brings forth a new creature in Christ Jesus. Then the heart is made new, and we are empower to keep the commandments of God from the heart while still living in sinful flesh.
13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Again, when we are fully surrendered to Jesus, we are then sanctified, made holy. The heart is sanctified. Power is given to man to reveal the character of Christ. Unlike last quarter's Sabbath School lesson, we see here the results of a full heart surrender to Jesus. We rejoice in the reproach brought upon us as it was brought upon our Lord. We, too, will suffer willingly without the gate. Shame and reproach is the life of the truly converted Christian. But, remember that when converted we are given love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Thus, we have peace and joy amid our long-suffering outside the gate.
It is the grace of God that is the agent of sanctification. And, it is the Holy Spirit that opens our mind to see and receive it.
Our sanctification is accomplished by faith (Heb. 11:6) through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13, 1 Pet. 1:2). The apostle Paul writes: "but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:11, NASB). Jesus produces in us lifelong growth in holiness, bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit within us. Our being changed into His likeness "comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18, NIV).
Amen. And while the justification and sanctification occurs at conversion, it must continue moment by moment, day by day until we are either translated or laid to rest. But, if we sin, we now still have a Mediator that will stand at the door of the heart knocking, wanting back in. There is still mercy available that will soon cease to strive with guilty man. The sanctuary in heaven will soon close never more to forgive sin. The day of mercy and Mediation will very soon close.
Read Galatians 5:16, 17.
5:16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
What does Paul tell us in these verses?
It is good 5:17 is brought up. It has been twisted to teach that when converted we cannot do the good that we want to do. Just as Romans seven has been perverted to teach it is the life of the converted Christian. Such a heresy which seeks to steal away your prize. We are told in these two verses that if we are filled with the Spirit, converted, we shall not "fulfil the lust of the flesh," even though we still live in fallen flesh. As Paul so clearly illustrated, we are empowered by the indwelling Spirit to keep the flesh (body) under control. " 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 1 Cor. 9:27.
There is a battle going on in every believer. The tension we all face stems from the fact that sin dwells in us (Rom. 7:20). The apostle Paul knew about this battle when he declared toward the end of his life: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13, 14.
Read Hebrews 12:1, 2.
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What is the fight of faith that we are to wage against sin?
The battle we are called to fight is to continue "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith" (Heb. 12:2). Too often we are self-centered in our religion. We focus too much on our victories and on our defeats rather than on God, who alone can give us victory over sin. When the Holy Spirit helps us to look unto Jesus, we will have no desire for sin and everything that so easily entangles us is put aside (Heb. 12:1). But when we focus on our sins and shortcomings, we look at ourselves and not to Jesus. This leads to easy defeat because, by beholding our failures, we can so easily get discouraged. However, by beholding Jesus, we will be encouraged and can live victoriously.
Amen! Now, this explanation can be taken two ways. I do not see a problem with what has been said, but it ought to be made more plain, for it leaves open the perverted teaching which is the popular teaching in the churches of Christianity.
Romans 7 and Galatians 5:17 are quoted in an effort to teach that when converted, we will sin a known sin because sin dwells in us. Thus we leave the sinner thinking he is saved in sin. Here are two key verses that would explain this if one thinks this is the Christian experience as it is so often taught. "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." Romans 7:19,20.
This is to say, I am converted, but I do not have power to do what I ought to do, and I do that which I ought not do. This is sin. Thus, the Laodicean is taught it is the converted Christian that sins. So it is with the perverted teaching in Galatians 5:17. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." This is the battle before conversion or after conversion when the convert loses his connection with Christ and has no power to resist sin. It is not the experience of one who is abiding in Christ and is filled with the Spirit. When quoted with verse 16, as was done in the lesson, we find the truth. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." If we want to walk in the Spirit, we must be filled with the Spirit. This happens when we are fully surrendered to Jesus.
If someone were to ask you, "How do I get the victory over sin that is promised to me in the Bible?" what would you answer, and why? Bring your response to class on Sabbath.
It is good to ask the question in Sabbath School, but be prepared to give the answer to a Laodicean church. Most will not have the correct answer. In the Bible, by what are we saved? We are saved by grace. Grace surrounds us as thick as the air we breathe. Then why are not all saved? We must drink in the grace. It must come into the heart. How does this happen? What must I do to receive this grace? In other words, when the lessons ask "How?" it is saying that we must do something to get the victory over sin. This is true. Unlike what some teach that we can do nothing, God does it all.
We are saved by grace. What must I do to receive that grace. What does Scripture tell us we must do? It must be revealed as it is in the Bible. "We are saved by grace through faith." Ephesian 2:8. But, not all have enough faith to receive the grace. So, we must now ask "how do I get enough faith?" What does the Bible tell us? "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17.
If we want enough faith, saving faith, to be saved, then we must hear the Word of God. Why? Because the Word is a revelation of God. It is through a knowledge of God that man is reconciled to God. Another way of saying it is, if we want to make a full heart surrender to Jesus, we must trust Him with all we have and all we are. How can we trust someone with our lives? Can we trust someone who we do not know? Absolutely not. Then we must know Jesus if we are going to have that kind of faith. This is why we must study the Bible to know God.
Then the promise is "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18. By beholding we become changed in character. It is the Spirit that opens our minds to the loveliness of Jesus, and the heart finally is given to Him fully. Then, as the lesson has pointed out, we must fix our eyes upon Jesus and not let go. It is only by maintaining that connection that we retain our justification and sanctification. This is what has to be made plain. We do not retain salvation when the mind wanders away from Jesus. If we have not His Spirit, we are none of His (Romans 8:9).