Jesus Overcoming Me Making Sense Out Of My Madness Understanding Sanctification Romans 7:15-20, August 3, 2014

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1 Jesus Overcoming Me Making Sense Out Of My Madness Understanding Sanctification Romans 7:15-20, August 3, 2014 INTRODUCTION: Over the last 30 days my life has been engulfed in a study of Sanctification. I found myself spending at least 2 hours every morning reading, listening to podcast, researching definitions, and then walking for an hour as I prayed and reflected on my reading and listening. Passages that helped me were: 1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; I found myself singing and reflecting on this song by Donnie McClurkin: Holiness, holiness is what I long for Holiness is what I need Holiness, holiness is what you Want from me 1

2 So, take my heart and form it Take my mind and transform it Take my will and conform it To yours, to yours, oh Lord Faithfulness, faithfulness is what I long for Faithfulness is what I need Faithfulness, faithfulness is what You want from me Brokenness, brokenness is what I long for Brokenness is what I need Brokenness, brokenness is what You want from me I. Definition of Sanctification Means holy or holiness. Progressively becoming like Jesus. Gradually becoming like Jesus, or becoming holy. Being conformed to the image of Christ. Little by little, over time, from conversion until Jesus comes back, or you die; you are in the process of sanctification, becoming sanctified, becoming holy. Good News All the perfections of Jesus are at my disposal. Sanctification differs from Justification 2

3 Justification is a one time work of God, resulting in a declaration of not guilty before Him because of the works of Christ on the cross. Sanctification is a process, beginning with justification and continuing throughout life. Justification is the starting point of the line that represents one s Christian life; sanctification is the line itself. Sanctification means the impartation of the qualities of Jesus Christ. It is His patience, His love, His holiness, His faith, His purity, His godliness, that is manifested in and through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy; it is drawing from Jesus the holiness that was manifested in Him, and He manifests in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. The one marvelous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is Christ in you. It is His wonderful life that is imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God s grace. Oswald Chambers Question: Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word? 3

4 Am I willing to allow Jesus to overcome my sin? Overcome me? True self-life. II. Motivations for Sanctification In Philippians 2:12-13 work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. It cannot refer to salvation by works, but it does refer to the believers responsibility for active pursuit of obedience in the process of sanctification. fear and trembling the attitude with which Christians are to pursue their sanctification, it involves a healthy fear of offending God and a righteous awe and respect for Him. Derek Thomas 1. Gratitude (Grace) 2. It s the right thing to do Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. 4

5 3. Accountability 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 4. Love If you love me, keep my commandments 5. Command Stop that Ephesians 4:25-28 Therefore, putting away lying, " Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and do not sin ": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 5

6 III. Demonstration of Sanctification Sanctification is positional, its practical, and its perfected. Sanctification is a 3 stage process; past, present and future. 1. First stage occurs at the beginning of our Christian lives. It is an initial moral change, a break from the power and love of sin. It is the point at which believers can count themselves, dead to sin but alive to God (Romans 6:11). Once sanctification has begun, we are no longer under sin s dominion (Romans 6:14). There is a reorientation of desires, and we develop a love of righteousness. Paul called it slavery to righteousness (Romans 6:17-18). 2. Second stage of sanctification requires a lifetime to complete. (Be encouraged). As we grow in graces, we are gradually, but steadily, changing to be more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Apostle Paul himself was being sanctified even as he ministered to others. Paul claimed that he had not reached perfection (maturity), but that he pressed on to attain everything Christ desired for him (Philippians 3:12). 6

7 3. Third and final stage of sanctification occurs in the future. When believers die or Christ returns. The role of sanctification is both passive and active. Passively, we are to trust God to sanctify us, presenting ourselves to God (Romans 6:13, 12:1) and yielding to the Holy Spirit. Actively, we are responsible to choose to do what is right. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, vessel body This involves putting to death the misdeeds of the body (Romans 8:13), striving for holiness (Hebrews 12:14), fleeing immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18), cleansing ourselves from every defilement (2 Corinthians 7:1), and making every effort to supplement our faith (2 Peter 1:5-11). The Spirit of God provides us with the energy and power to continually and gradually be healing our sins, a process never completed in this life. The means the Spirit was to 7

8 accomplish this process in our faithful obedience to the single commands of Scripture. Example: 1 Corinthians 6:18 flee sexual immorality Great Truth: DON T LOSE HOPE! To emphasize the passive role only leads to a neglect of spiritual discipline. To emphasize the active role only can lead to legalism, pride, and self-righteousness. We must remember that we pursue holiness but only as God empowers us to do so. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. I labored yet not I the grace of God which was with me 8