[Christ Our Rock] It's Bound to Happen (Jun 09)

[Christ Our Rock Bible Church]

Have you ever heard that what goes around, comes around? In fact, all of life seems to go full circle. The story is told of a late night encounter that did just that. One evening, just before midnight, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had just broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to try to flag down the very next car that came along.

Soon, a white man stopped to help her, an event that was generally unheard of in the racially-charged 1960's. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance, and put her into a taxi. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but she still wrote down his address and thanked him numerous times. A week went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his great surprise, a giant console color TV—the latest in the technology of that day—was delivered to his home.

A special note was attached. It read, “Thank you so very much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.” The note was signed, “Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.” The man had absolutely no idea as to her identity, and certainly didn't extend the kindness in order to get something. And yet, his kindness had gone full circle—what goes around, comes around. Now, certainly, this is not universally true, due to greed and insensitivity, but in God's economy, it is very true—it is bound to happen! Allow me to illustrate this with salvation and sanctification. If we stay on God's path, true salvation will come around and produce true sanctification. Paul put it this way—“...we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” (2 Thess.2:13) Praise God—we are bound to give thanks for this powerful pair of gifts—salvation and sanctification. In the Greek, this “bound” refers to owing something, as in being obliged. In what way?

Well, we really can't separate these two things. Salvation, of course, occurs when we truly receive the price that has been paid at the Cross of Calvary as payment for our own sin. Once the blood of Jesus washes away that sin and changes our hearts, the transformation of our daily lives is not far behind. In fact, if this sanctification does not occur, the original claim of salvation is extremely dubious. Perhaps it might be helpful to see this sanctification in light of the original language of the Bible—in the Greek, it is “hagiasmos,” specifically a purification, as well as the state of purity. It comes from a word that means to be made holy, and thereby, consecrated or separated out. Herbert Lockyer once wrote, “For all who have been saved through Christ's redeeming work, no theme is more appropriate than that of sanctification, the root idea of which means being set apart towards an object. For us, this setting apart is of a two-fold nature—separation from sin, as well as unto God.”

Yes, it is bound to happen! Just as the Scriptures refer to those truly saved as both already saved and being saved, so, too, with sanctification. Through all that Christ has done, we are already sanctified, and at the same time, we are being sanctified. What we are positionally in Christ is made practical by the Holy Spirit, who is always active in translating our “standing” in heaven to our “state” on earth. It is as we recognize that we have been sanctified—and live in its power—that a daily sanctification is produced. And it all began with Jesus, who actually put it this way in His prayer to the Father for His followers just before His arrest--”They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth. As thou has sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” (John 17:16-19) Jesus sanctified Himself? Yes, while He had no sin to separate from, He consecrated Himself fully unto the Father. Paul states it flatly—“But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Cor. 1:30) Yes, it is Jesus who IS our Sanctification—He sanctified Himself, that we might also be sanctified. What goes around, comes around—even full circle!

I think it would help to take note of the five modes, or ways, that sanctification happens. Allow me to take you around the loop, so to speak, to see everything full circle. First, we are sanctified by God the Father. While there are several places this can be seen, Jude 1 spells it out very clearly—“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called...” After all, it is the Father who sent the Son in the first place. Secondly, as we continue around the loop, we see that we are sanctified by and in Christ. We have already seen this in previous Scriptures, but, Paul, in First Corinthians, is quite emphatic about it. He begins this letter with this greeting—“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.”(1:2) And a little later, in calling the people out of sin and impurity, he writes, “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.” (6:11)

In this Scripture, we get a peek around the curve—the third way in which we are sanctified—the Holy Spirit. Paul also tells the people in Rome his reason for writing to them—“That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” (15:16) Fourthly, we are sanctified by the Word of God. We have already seen this in the references to “the truth,” but Paul made it even clearer when he wrote to Timothy about watching out for false teachers, stressing that sanctification is by “the Word of God and prayer.” (1 Tim. 4:5) Paul, also, in speaking of the correlation of Christian marriage to Christ's own relationship to His Church, tells the Ephesians, “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (5:26,27)

As we come full circle, the fifth mode reveals we also have a crucial role in sanctification. As the Lord speaks to Moses and Aaron, and ultimately to us, we hear these words—“For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy...” (Leviticus 11:44) The Lord promised Solomon, as he dedicated the temple to the glory of God, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14) Along the same lines, Paul writes, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1)

Do you see how it all came full circle? God the Father sanctifies us by sending His only Son, who sanctifies us by first sanctifying Himself. The Holy Spirit, then, separates us unto purity and holiness by convicting us of our sin, and giving us the desire and the power to forsake it. This forsaking of the sinful self-life is made possible as we are confronted with the Word of God. But if we won't surrender to all that the Divine Godhead is trying to do in and through us, then none of it comes to fruition. If we do, however, we will find ourselves conformed to the image of Christ. Hebrews 2:11 tells us, “For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” If we will just go full circle in all of this, the blessings are bound to abound. As we stand getting drenched by the storms of life, along comes Jesus to take us to our true destination—oneness with Him. Are we not bound to be thankful for this? With all the Lord has done, are we not obligated, through love, to give all of our hearts and lives to Him—a far greater value than a color TV set? Far greater--”And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thess. 5:23,24) Bound to happen!

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Posted By Christ Our Rock Bible Church to Christ Our Rock at 6/01/2009 01:00:00 PM