Sanctification - Day Three

I'm back! So, I figured it was time to pick up where I left off. My heart had been leading me to talk about sanctification and what it means for Christians to truly be sanctified. This is one of those "churchy" terms that I'm not sure most Christians really understand. They just know that it has to do with their walk with Christ. If you need a refresher, you can read (or reread) Day One and Day Two.

I have defined sanctification in this way: 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.

Understand ladies that absolute perfection is not required of us. However, an ethical righteousness of unblemished character demonstrated in purity, obedience, and blamelessness are what we should be striving for.

Look at Philippians 2:14-15:

14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

The words that really stick out here to me are so that you may become. We have not arrived yet. We are working for something. Purity and blamelessness are goals that we should be setting in our lives. If you have made mistakes (and God knows that I've made my fair share), don't give up. Don't give in. Keep pressing on!

Without God's grace, we would be living very different lives. It is by the grace of God that has been given to us, that we have died with Christ and are set free from sin's power and dominion over us.

18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:18

These are powerful words. We're all familiar with the word slave. It is generally used in a negative way. But look at this. Because of Christ's death, we are free from sin and slaves to righteousness!

But what does this mean? It means that you do not have to sin.

Say what?!?!?!?

But I'm only human. Sin is in my being. It's Eve's fault...

True. But, we need not and ought not sin. We can find adequate victory in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

How, you ask. Through our helper, the Holy Spirit, we are able not to sin, even though we will never come to the place where we are free from temptation and the possibility of sin while we are on this earth.

1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1

6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 1 John 3:6

I am not at this place yet, but I am working towards getting there. I have a goal. I know what kind of life I should be living. It is hard to be "separate from the world" because we live here. But think of what God wants for your life instead of what you want. Do you want to have intimate fellowship with your Lord? Is it worth sacrificing things in your life for? Remember, we do have free will and we are in charge of our choices. Satan may tempt you, but you do have some control here. Pray that God will strengthen you in your areas of weakness. Guard your heart. Be sensitive to the areas that the Lord is wanting to work on. He is always faithful!