Devotionary

The grace of God is a remarkable thing. But we sometimes take it for granted. It’s almost as if we think we somehow deserve God’s grace, which would end up making it something other than grace altogether. Grace is undeserved and unmerited. You can’t earn it. It’s not payment for services rendered. And the more we recognize that it is a free gift bestowed on us by God, the greater its value will grow in our estimation. Paul understood grace and never took it for granted. He knew his entire life, from his birth to his new birth, his apostleship to his sonship, were the result of God’s grace and mercy. Rather than giving Paul what he deserved, God had graciously given Paul what he could have never merited on his own: A relationship with Himself based on the saving work of Jesus Christ. Paul knew who he was and he had no problem admitting that it was because of God.

When it comes to the topic of sanctification, most of us know that it has to do with what we call Christlikeness or being transformed into the image of Christ. Or to put it in simpler, easy to understand terms, to grow in spiritual maturity. But no matter how you describe sanctification, one of the things that should accompany your definition is the need for fruitfulness. Someone who is being sanctified should also be producing fruit – the fruit of the Spirit. And in John 15, we have recorded the words of Jesus as He ties fruitfulness to abiding. And it is important that we keep those two things permanently linked. Abiding is required for fruitfulness to take place. In other words, you don’t produce fruit on your own. Just as a branch can’t produce grapes unless it abides in the grapevine. Fruitfulness is not the byproduct of human effort. It is the result of dependence upon God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

One of the major debates concerning our sanctification revolves around roles and responsibilities. Who is ultimately responsible for your sanctification or growth in Christlikeness? Is it all up to God? Does it all fall on your shoulders? Or is it some combination of the two? As you read the New Testament, especially the letters of Paul, you can’t help but sense that we have a significant part to play in our sanctification. After all, he uses imperative statements like, “put on…”, “put off…”, and “grow up…” He commands us to “strive…for holiness.” So, it sure sounds like we have our work cut out for us. But are these commands meant to tell us we are somehow insufficient? Is Paul suggesting that our sanctification is incomplete and our quotient of righteousness somehow lacking? No, Paul is not telling us to fill up what is missing, but to live out what is ours in full.

In this episode we are going to continue to explore how Jesus was comfortable in His own skin. He knew who He was and was fully aware of His God-ordained purpose in life. Jesus was at peace with His identity and did not allow the enemy to tempt Him into believing He deserved better and could have more. He was the Son of God who took on human flesh. He became a man and, of His own admission, He came to serve, not be served. He viewed Himself as a humble servant who faithfully fulfilled the will of His Heavenly Father. And the apostle Paul encourages us to have the same attitude that Jesus had. We are to come to grips with our true identity, made available to us through our relationship with Jesus. And we are to let our knowledge of that identity dictate the way we live our lives. Knowing who you are can go a long way in helping you accomplish your God-given purpose in life.

Do you know who you are?  I’m not suggesting you’ve somehow lost touch with reality and are living some kind of fantasy, devoid of a clear understanding of your true identity. But I am suggesting that you may be a bit confused about who you really are and makes it so. In our world, our identity tends to get wrapped up in all kinds of superficial things. From the brand of clothes you wear to the make of car you drive. But, as Christians, our identity is not determined by material possessions, the color of our skin, the address of our house, the size of our bank account, or the number of friends we have on Facebook. We derive our identity from our relationship with Christ. It is because of Him that we are deemed righteous by God and called His sons and daughters. In this episode, we’re going to continue to explore the firm grasp Jesus had on His identity. He didn’t let what others thought of Him or did to Him determine His identity. He was comfortable in His own skin and at peace with His Father’s will for Him.

Doubt is a powerful weapon in Satan’s arsenal, and he uses it against the people of God on a regular and relentless basis. It was doubt in God’s word that caused Eve to listen to the lies of the serpent and disobey the warning not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan began his temptation of Eve by raising doubts about what God had said. And he tried the same tactic with Jesus in the wilderness. But on that occasion, his efforts failed because Jesus knew who He was and what He had been sent to do. One of the things that makes us particularly susceptible to the temptations of the enemy is an unhealthy understanding of who we are in Christ. Satan began each of his temptations of Christ with the words, “If you are the Son of God…” He wanted to cause Jesus to doubt His identity. Because he knew if Jesus failed to recognize who He was and why He had come, he could be distracted by false promises of pleasure, power, and prominence. But He refused to buy what Satan was selling. And so should we

In Philippians 2, Paul told his readers to have the mind or attitude that Christ had. In other words, they were to think about themselves in the same way that Jesus thought about himself. They were to recognize their new identity made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection, and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit. But in 1 Corinthians 2, Paul provides the incredibly good news that we already have the mind of Christ. It is not something we have to seek out. It exists within us because of the presence of the Holy Spirit. And, as a result, we can understand the things of God. We have been given the Spirit-empowered capacity to understand spiritual truths. That means we are able to read God’s Word and not only understand it, but we can apply what it says to our lives. And while there is much about faith that we may still find difficult to comprehend, we can rest easy knowing that the Spirit of God will reveal what we need to know when we need to know it.

You’re familiar with the phrase, “think before you speak.” Most of us have heard it after we have said something particularly stupid, that was lacking tact, or a case of bad timing. It always pays to engage the mind before you put the mouth in gear. And the apostle Paul puts a high priority on the mind as well. Except, he wants believers to put thought into the reality of their relationship with Christ and all that it makes possible in their lives. In Philippians 2, he challenges us to have the same mind that Christ had. Rather than calling us to follow the example of Christ by emulating His behavior, Paul encourages us to think like Jesus did. And the thoughts Paul has in mind are focused on Jesus’ understanding of His identity. He knew who He was and what He had come to do. And that knowledge influenced His actions. Jesus never lost sight of His identity and never stopped thinking about His God-given mission. And neither should we.

Paul encourages us to consider ourselves dead to sin, but that sounds like so much spiritual-speak. How in the world are we supposed to pull that off when our lives seem so alive to and allured by sin? This is the part of sanctification that we find not only difficult but, at times, impossible. Like Paul, we find ourselves doing what we don’t want to do and failing to do what we know God would want us to do. Our sin nature seems far from dead. It’s interesting to note that Paul reminds the believers in Rome that they were no longer under sin’s dominion. It had lost its power to rule their lives. Why? Because Jesus paid the penalty for sin with His death on the cross. The only hold sin had was the penalty of death. But Christians are alive to God in Christ Jesus. But we must constantly remind ourselves of this new reality. Sin has lost its hold. Death has lost its sting. Christ has made us new creations. And we should live like it.

Do you love God? I hope your answer is a resounding and unapologetic, “Yes!” And if I was able to ask you why you love God, I assume you might say that it is because of all that He has done for you, especially for providing the gracious gift of salvation made possible through His Son’s death, burial and resurrection. But do you realize that your capacity to love God is also a gift from Him. The apostle John would have us remember that we love because God first loved us. In other words, our ability to express love to God and others is not self-manufactured or the product of our own determination. It is the result of Christ’s redemptive work on our behalf and the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God in our lives. As we’ll see in this episode, God has poured His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who He has given us. And, as a result, we now have the capacity to love the one who first loved us.

There is a story recorded in the gospel of John that tells of the death of Lazarus and his miraculous resuscitation back to life by Jesus. When Lazarus had become ill, his two sisters had sent word to Jesus, hoping that He might come and heal their brother. But Jesus delayed and Lazarus died. By the time Jesus showed up in Bethany, Lazarus was long dead and buried. But Jesus commanded that the stone be removed. And Martha responded, “Lord, by now he stinks. It has already been four days.” Lazarus, once alive and well, was dead and decaying. But Jesus spoke a word and restored his dead friend to life. And that is exactly what Jesus does for the spiritually dead. Through the indwelling presence of His Spirit, Jesus regenerates the life of those dead in their trespasses and sins. And the stink of spiritual death gets replaced with a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.

The believer’s unity with Christ is an essential, yet often overlooked topic that is meant to provide us with a strong sense of assurance and hope in this life. Jesus came to earth and took on the very nature of a man. He was born as a helpless baby and spent His early years navigating the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence. He worked alongside his father, Joseph, and no doubt enjoyed the company of friends and companions in His hometown of Nazareth. But as He reached the age of 30, Jesus began His earthly ministry, fulfilling the will of His heavenly Father. Jesus became a man so that He might one day complete the task given to Him by His Father from before the foundation of the world. Jesus came to live as a man, but more importantly, so that He might die in the place of sinful men. And because He lived in perfect obedience to His Father we are able to live to righteousness.

In this episode, we continue to discuss the topic of our union with Christ. In Hebrews 2:8-11, we are going to see that this union has tremendous ramifications for us. By placing our faith in Christ, we become one with Him, sharing in His death and resurrection. All our sins were put to death on the cross and, when He was raised from the dead, we were raised along with Him. Just as He enjoyed new life, so do we. We have been raised to walk in newness of life. And our union with Christ also results in our sanctification. As the author of Hebrews would have us remember: “he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.” Jesus was set apart by God and given a specific role to play. And the same is true of us. We too have been set apart and deemed holy by God. We are one with Christ. And we share in all that is His – both in this life and in the one to come.

Union with Christ. It’s a comforting idea, but rather difficult to get our heads around. It has a religious-sounding ring to it that can often end up producing more sizzle than steak. For all the verses that speak about the Christian being united with Christ and Christ indwelling the believer, we sometimes find ourselves wondering just what all the talk is about. When we read the words of the apostle Paul: “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” we can easily find ourselves questioning whether Christ has vacated the premises. His presence seems difficult to discern. And, far too often, the glory His presence is supposed to ensure, seems in short supply. But one of the amazing things the doctrine of sanctification guarantees is our unbroken union with Christ, made possible through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament is fairly clear about the fact that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within those who place their faith in Christ. Jesus promised it, the book of Acts describes it, and generations of Christians can give testimony concerning it. And yet, we still find it hard to imagine the third person of the Trinity actually taking up residence within us. Especially when we consider how unsuitable our earthly tents can become at times. After all, we still find ourselves committing sins that grieve the Holy Spirit. And, far too often, we do things that end up quenching the full weight of His power in our lives. And yet, as we will see in today’s episode, His presence within us is guaranteed, and proof that we have indeed been made fully righteous and holy by the blood of Christ.  

Most people prefer the light of day over the dark of night, unless they’re trying to sleep. Darkness is great if you’re trying to rest, but when you need to see where you’re going, the lack of light can be a big problem. And the Bible has a great deal to say about darkness and light. It’s a reoccurring theme used to juxtapose the righteousness of God and the wickedness of this fallen world in which we live. And a big part of the message of sanctification is that God has made a way for people, who once were overwhelmed by the darkness of sin, to step into the light of His glory and grace. God sent His Son to be the Light of the world. Jesus took on human flesh, penetrating the gloom and despair left as a result of man’s rebellion against a just and holy God. And those who place their faith in Him are delivered from the domain of darkness and redeemed as children of light – sons and daughters of God.

Most Christians have no problem acknowledging their ongoing struggle with sin. It’s hard to deny it when the natural proclivity to sin is so obvious and seemingly unavoidable. In fact, the apostle John said, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” But he went on to say, “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” So, sin is an ever-present reality for every believer. But because of the presence and power of the indwelling Spirit of God, we have the capacity to resist sin and pursue righteousness. But that brings up an important aspect of sanctification that is sometimes misunderstood. Does God expect His people to sin less so that He might love them more? In other words, does our ability to live righteously make us more acceptable to God? Or is God already fully satisfied with our sanctification?

How righteous do you have to be? When it comes to salvation, how good does God expect you to be? These kinds of questions have plagued believers for more than two centuries. Few of us would deny the fact that we are sinners who tend to sin regularly. And we know that God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in the lives of His people. So, it only stands to reason that we must live righteous lives if we hope to have any kind of a relationship with God. But is that what the Bible teaches? Is that what the doctrine of sanctification is all about? In Matthew 9:10-13, Jesus reveals that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners. He didn’t die on behalf of those who had their spiritual act together, but for those whose lives were marked by sin, not sanctification. Jesus died for sinners. And it was His death that made righteousness available to those who could never have produced it on their own. When we come to faith in Christ, we receive His righteousness, and by virtue of that, we receive a right standing with G

Are you already sanctified, in the process of being sanctified, or in a temporary holding pattern as you await your future sanctification? If you answered yes, you’re absolutely correct. That’s right, all three are true. And that’s just one of the many mysteries surrounding the doctrine of sanctification. As we’ll see in today’s episode, our sanctification is much deeper and multi-faceted than we might have imagined. According to passages like 1 Corinthians 1:2, followers of Christ are already sanctified by virtue of their union with Christ. But in 2 Corinthians 7:1, Paul tells us to cleanse ourselves so that we might bring our holiness to completion. And according to Hebrews 12:22-23, we’re already enrolled in heaven where we stand as perfect before God. So, whether you refer to your sanctification in the past, present, or future, you’re covered. And that’s good news.   

What does God want from you? What are His expectations? If salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, what could we possibly do that adds anything to our relationship with God? Well, while we can do nothing that will earn us a right standing with God, that does not mean there is nothing left for us to do. We have been called to live holy lives. That is, we are to conduct ourselves in a way that lines up with our status as God’s children. And in Leviticus 10:10, God provides a necessary prerequisite for living a holy life: We have to know the difference between the holy and the common, the unclean and the clean. Otherwise, we will tend to live our lives in a state of constant moral compromise. God is holy and He has set us apart as His own, fully expecting us to live lives marked by holiness. But if you don’t know what holiness looks like, living a holy life will be impossible.