Sanctification (part 2)

Father in heaven, we thank you so much for your great kindness towards us as We consider and look back even upon every day this past week. We understood full well, and we can see that like in the Old Testament time the book of Samuel where it said That they were to raise and Ebenezer a stone of memorial.

Because hitherto hath the Lord helped us Lord you have helped us to come to this very place to this very time. You've not only preserved our lives physically, and you've sustained us. You've given us food and breath and All the things that we need physically to be maintained and sustained in life, but spiritually.

You've given us every rich blessing in Christ. You have graced us. And you've continued to do so all the days of our lives since that first day when you revealed to us your son. Since the day you saved us.

Since the day that you made us your children and you worked a great work in us. And we we are confident with the Apostle Paul That he which hath begun a good work in us Will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Lord you'll complete the work. You don't start a work and leave it undone as we do you will completely Do the work that you've purposed to do in us to conform us to the image of Christ and one day to bring us home To glory.

Thank you. We worship you we adore you we lift up our hearts and souls this morning To you and give you the praise that is do your name. And we ask that you'd please teach us now and help us to learn more of what it means.

Concerning this doctrine of sanctification in Jesus name. Amen last week if you remember I Began the study of sanctification and for those of that those of you that are here I apologize because we handed out the sheet that's on the chair over there if you don't have one.

We handed out the sheet and we didn't look at the sheet. I don't think very much. I think I touched on it at the very end and I Think we'll turn that around today, of course, because we'll take a look at the sheet.

We will use the handout today. We introduced last week the subject of sanctification of This idea of being set apart for God. That's what the word means to be set apart to to be made holy. To be separated.

That's the meaning of this word. From the Bible and we look back at the Old Testament. You remember we look back on things that were made holy things that were set apart. It was people it was places. It was things it was Prophets set apart in the womb of God for God's purposes.

It was Mount Sinai set apart. The people could not touch the Mount. Is the place where God was visiting and speaking? To Moses and and delivering the commandments the the Levites that whole tribe set apart for God the vessels in the in The temple in the tabernacle first and then later in the temple set apart for service to be used for God.

And then we looked at what God was doing when it came to the children of Israel. God was when they were in Egypt captive. They were. They were prisoners slaves they were not able to Have the freedom to be able to serve God as God intended for them and desired for them and so God sends Moses to Pharaoh let my people go so that they can come out and worship God and so as it says at the end the end of Leviticus chapter 11 that they could be a what kind of people a holy people right to be a Holy people set apart for God and we then went to the New Testament.

And we see that there there are there is doctrinal teaching that the Apostle Paul and Peter lay down the part of the Apostle. Also, John does the same thing and particularly there are commands like in 1st Peter chapter 1 and in verse 15 and 16.

Where it says just like Leviticus in chapter 11 That we are to be a holy people and we'll get we'll go back and review some some of those verses. I Think what we'll do to start this morning is if you take your sheets and you'll turn I believe if it's I can't remember how.

They're stapled, but I think it's the last page. There's a diagram that looks like this and I want to just do a quick overview of this diagram. I gave this to you so that you can see that there are this this diagram has to do with the order of salvation.

It is not all-inclusive. It doesn't have everything every single aspect. You won't see forgiveness on here adoption. The word deliverance there's just some things that you don't see but it has them the main things that that you would want to see when it comes to Looking at the salvation and what God does now salvation is all of the Lord.

Salvation is something that God does for us and we don't do for ourselves. But yet there are certain things certain parts of these Components that we will see that it isn't that God does them for us. God enables us to do some of these things and that's very important.

So there are different components when it comes to salvation. There is a there is an order and for the for the sake of those who are listening To this recording if you were to take a piece of paper and go from the left side of a piece of paper.

Take a piece of 8 and a half by 11 and flip it Landscape and go from left to right and you could write the word election atonement calling regeneration. Conversion which is two two pieces faith and repentance then justification.

Sanctification and glorification. That's what we're looking at in the class here this morning to begin. You see on here. There is a there is an order. It isn't that Let's say once God gives us faith and repentance.

We are not immediately look way over to the right. We are not immediately ushered into heaven. We're not glorified. Now many of you in the room here this morning would like for it to be that way. That as soon as we believe move the chariot comes and up we go like the Prophet and we're in glory.

That is not the way that God intended it for all of us. There were some that in their lifetime they did go they did go that way. Enoch was a man who walked with God and he was not God took him up into his presence, but for us.

By the time when we're converted before glorification. There there is this subject that we're looking at this which comprises the majority of our Christian life sanctification. I mean, it's not that It's not that we're called Before we are elected.

There's an order here before there we are chosen of God. It begins back on the left-hand side of the page where we are chosen by God. So we see that there is a certain order now. Some people might get hung up on the fact that when it comes to when it comes to regeneration in the middle there regeneration conversion and Justification which you'll hear different things of which comes first.

Is it is it faith comes first or regeneration comes first? I believe this diagram is is is proper in that we are born from above we are we are Regenerated and then because of that regeneration that new life that we've been given the work of the Holy Spirit upon us.

We are then enabled by God to Exercise faith and repentance the gifts that God gives us some people you'll see on in their teaching. They'll say because we believe we are born again. I think it's kind of out of order, but if you've biblically studied, but that's not today's class that would be one on regeneration and faith, but there's an order and Every another important thing about this is is that every piece? along that line Must take place in the life of a person in order for them to be saved.

Was that plain enough? Every piece along that line must take place and this is very important because there are some people Who teach that when it comes to sanctification or the life of the believer? They a person or a sinner a sinner can be regenerated born from above be given a new heart.

Be indwelt by the Spirit of God. Exercise faith in Christ repent of their sins and yet no change in their life. Some people teach that because what what they what they teach of course is a it's an easy believe ISM.

They don't want any Lordship or any submission to Christ or anything of that to to come into place. And it's basically you believe on Christ. It doesn't matter how you live you can still be saved and that's contrary to the Bible.

JC Ryle and his book on holiness says that's monstrous. That type of doctrine is Monstrous and it really is it it goes against and as we're going to see as we look at some scripture. It goes against the mind the purpose and the will of God when it comes to saving anybody.

I mean just think about what we we studied last week when when God called the people out of Israel. Out of his out of the slavery of Egypt when God was calling them and delivering them out of Egypt. You remember that I said that the book of Exodus was God getting his children out of Egypt, right?

And then we went and looked at the book of Leviticus and we said what about that book that that is God getting what? Egypt out of his children and For what purpose? Because God wants a holy people he wants a chosen a chosen nation a a Kingdom of priests a holy people.

It's always been God's intention for those whom he saves that they are going to be holy and we'll be looking at those verses some of Those verses shortly, but every piece must take place if you look at if you take any one of them and you look at.

Let's say justification in order for a person to be justified. They would have to have believed. In order for them to have believed they would have to have been Regenerated or born from above or or been given life by the Spirit of God in order for that to take place.

They would have had to have been elected of God or chosen of God. Those are the ones that God purpose to do this work in and so on and for a person to be able to believe. They're believing on who on Christ and what did Jesus Christ do he died for their sins the atonement?

He made he made that perfect payment for their sin. So across the line all of these must must take place or any one of if in any one of these. They're all linked together. You can't have one without the other and that's where you'll get some aberrant teaching today.

It's some false doctrine some false practices like I was talking earlier. You'll have some folks who will teach that it's oak you can believe upon Jesus Christ. But that does not necessarily have to affect a change in your life and It's kind of like it would almost kind of like be like a caterpillar.

Who is in a is it a cocoon that they are in do they go in cocoons caterpillars or butterflies? They're a chrysalis. They're in those things. There's a little thing a little wrapped up like mummies. And then all of a sudden there's a change that this thing splits open and what went in didn't come out this caterpillar crawling along the ground and that was.

That was essentially its nature then goes into this Chrysalis a cocoon and comes out with wings and can you imagine the butterfly? Just going right back down on the ground and crawling around and eating the things that it was doing going on the leaves and never never flying never experiencing the benefits of its new nature, and it would be the same for a Christian a Supposed Christian who is now when I when I was first saved.

Here's how it was termed. You may have heard this before. I don't think it's really on the scene much today, but back back in the In the 70s and in the 80s. It was pretty big you you have a person who can come to Christ.

Who can believe that Jesus died for them, and then there's not there's not I mean they've they have the Spirit of God dwelling within them. They've been forgiven. They're a child of God and yet They don't have to change and as a matter of fact if they live if they live With sinful tendencies, and if they live like the world lives what we will do is we have to have an explanation for this.

So we'll just call them. You know I'm gonna say right carnal Christians. They get a lot they miss misuse first Corinthians chapter 3 where Paul was saying that you are living like Carnal people, but he wasn't saying that that was the norm for the Christian life.

But some folks if they get this sanctification wrong what they'll do is if a person is not living the way. They ought to be living in purity in holiness striving to mortify sin in their life. Desiring to know the mind and the will of God through the Word of God and be and live differently and think differently behave Differently.

If they don't do that We'll just call them carnal Christians. To me the the explanation for it is is that the person isn't even a Christian at all. Because they they have not experienced the work that God does.

When God saves what kind of a God is God? In the light of this study of sanctification if we were to scribe God. What is one of the attributes of God that stands out so much in the scriptures? Holiness as He-which-has-called-you-is-holy-peter-wrote-as-he-which-has-called-you-is-holy-a-holy-god-calling-out-people.

God does not call people out to be unholy as he which hath called you is holy. So you be holy in all your manner of conversation or in your behavior. That's what Peter wrote. That's the the command for us there.

So we see that that for one of these if one of these has taken place and God has done the work. They're all going to take place. They're all linked together. They're inseparable. It's a golden chain here.

You can't have one piece without the other. You know what else was interesting as I was looking at this, too. Is that as you move from left to right I? Don't know how to totally put this together. It's just something I was thinking about this as you move from left to right the work becomes more visible doesn't it?

I mean how many people have seen have actually seen or saw when God elected you? We didn't see I mean we see the we see the fruit of it in our lives the results of it. But election and atonement we didn't see it of course.

We only see it with an eye of faith. Now we start seeing calling God calling us the effectual call, okay? We we experience that we we have more of an understanding or a comprehension as we move from left to right and it becomes more Visible in our life conversion faith and repentance we see that we we understood that.

Justification well, it's kind of something We know forensically God has done in our lives, but sanctification for sure I mean sanctification God conforming us to the image of Christ us being a separated people being set apart for God and Striving to be more holy.

Certainly we see that don't we eventually glorification we get to heaven I mean all the blinders are off. We look through a glass darkly right now. I mean, it's cloudy what we can see. But when we get to heaven and all the all the filters are off and our eyesight is perfect.

And we're in a glorified body what a wonder of wonders, and we'll be able to see it all come to fruition. Dan you have a question. Yeah, the idea is people people will say they're good, but there's a difference between between being good because a person a person can adhere to biblical principles on the outside With and think that They are good.

They are moral. They're just they're civil people. They're kind you know they do they do outward things, but an Inward change has not taken place, and I think what Dan was saying as you're talking to people may be evangelizing.

Sharing the gospel with people rather than asking if people get hung up on you know. I'm good. I haven't robbed the banks. I've don't sin like other people do but we can bring to bear upon them that. The standard is holiness what God what God is when God saves somebody what he works in their life is Holiness and let's go to Ephesians chapter 1.

Here's a verse that probably you've read many many times. Because I want to just lay another foundation this week that what we're talking about is the in the sub subject the doctrine of sanctification.

Being holy or being separated or being set apart for God. This is something that God intends to do he purposes to do when it comes with the salvation package. You know sometimes if you ever bought something in the store, and it's and it requires self assembly.

And you open up that little bag and and undoubtedly there's something missing in that bag. And then you got to scramble to try to either make it go together differently. You go to the hardware store and get the pieces that you need when it comes to salvation God is the author and finisher of our faith the alpha and the Omega.

He's he's he does the whole complete job and one of the things that God does when it comes to salvation something's closely linked and connected to salvation is The aspect that the life of the person who believes upon the Lord Jesus Christ the person who is saved will be holy.

Look in Ephesians 1 Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ. By the will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 3 blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly places in Christ and here we go here. It is. It's in verse 4 According as he as God has chosen us in him in Christ Before the foundation of the world so God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that for this purpose.

For this end result. This is what that What we Should be holy. Does it say does it say there that God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we might be holy? That we have the possibility to be holy that we ought to be holy that we optionally should be holy.

No. It says there that that God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without blame or blameless Before him. I mean, this is something that is that is nailed in Scripture.

You can't get around this this fact that the God the Holy God who has called Sinful people is not going to save people and leave them in their sin. God Delivers us from our sin. He not only delivers us from the penalty of sin the penalty that was due us but he also delivers us from the the passion or the in the pleasure and the love of sin and That's part of this Sanctification this part of this work.

I think it's very interesting and let me just Before we go on most of the most of the books that you read on this subject will deal with three aspects of Sanctification and it has to do with past present and future and it might be good just to do a very quick overview.

If you would turn with me to Hebrews chapter 10. The first the first type of Sanctification that they that they speak about is a positional sanctification in Hebrews chapter 10. Notice verse 10. Hebrews 10 and in verse 10 Says by the witch will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.

So it says through Christ's sacrifice We are sanctified. This positional sanctification Is not the one that we're talking about when it comes to the present life and the one that we that we live in day by day, this is Through the sacrifice of Christ through the death of God's Son this Verse speaks this of as being in the past tense.

This is something that God does. God sanctifies those for whom Christ died. They are set apart for God's purposes and it's positionally in Christ. We are we are set apart for God notice verse 14 for by one offering He has perfected forever them that are sanctified.

We are made holy by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is in the mind of God. Forever as far as God is concerned We are set apart. We are holy ones, that's why you can have Paul writing to the church at Corinth.

Which as pastor Mike has been preaching. Do they have some problems in that church? Are they perfect? Are they sinless? No, they got all kinds of problems. But how does Paul address that church in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 the first two verses he says he's writing to the Saints.

He's writing to the set-apart ones and that word also means he's writing to holy ones in The mind of God we are we don't have to become like in many churches particularly the Roman Catholic Church. How does somebody become a saint?

Does anybody have any idea? How do you become a saint? Well, you die it's very rare for you to become a saint in while you're alive. I think it's happened maybe but it's very rare, but it is Good works and it's usually some type of miraculous thing that you're known for you.

You have gone you have been a super Christian Christian in quotes and you have gone over above and because of that you become a holy one. But when it comes to God in the in the scripture through the sacrifice of Christ, we're in that position.

Positionally. Steve. Wow. Yeah and and see where the error comes. It's when you when you it's extra biblical outside the Bible's whatever whatever that's why that's why it's important to study this. How is a person sanctified?

How is a person made holy? Is it because of our effort? You remember on the chart that we looked at very first. We didn't cover this but underneath each one of those words in parentheses. It either has God or God me and man meaning who's the source of this?

And when it comes to sanctification God is the source of it. It's not it hasn't doesn't have to do with us as far as Us in our own efforts, it's not something that flows from us this is something that flows from God and we respond and we and we we go on in this life of Living and desiring to be a holy people.

So there's there's a positional sanctification. For those of you taking notes, you can look at like Acts 20 verse 32 where it talks about the per its its past tense. It's it's we have been sanctified.

Set apart for the purposes and for the will of God God looks at us. And when God looks at us because we have received the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, we can't be more perfect. We can't be more set apart for God in Christ Jesus.

But the study that we're looking at is well. But but brother Dave we have we have sin in our lives. I Mean I'm struggling as a believer. I feel like I'm living in Romans chapter 7 the things that I want to do I don't do and the things I don't want to do I'm doing what is that all about?

That's why it's important for us to understand that there's another type of sanctification called progressive sanctification in the present. But before I go there. Because that's where we're going to spend most of our time.

We looked at the sheet way over to the right of the sheet and that's heaven. That's eternity way over to the right and that's ultimate Sanctification that means that is at the time when God actually makes believers sinless in their body and spirit forever in heaven and When you think about that.

That can that can as a good friend of mine used to say when he would study something in the Bible. And it was really really awesome. He would say that just blows my mind when I read that to think that we.

Because we can't think outside that realm right now because we're in a body and we've got all this baggage. We've got the old man that we deal with every day until. We're in glory at that time first Corinthians 15 this mortal shall put on immortality.

We are going to be changed and we're going to have a resurrected body like as unto the Lord. Glorified body in a body that will be sinless and we will never sin in heaven. Amazing. Yeah, that's that's but that's I mean that's that's true and that's going to take place.

And those are the things that we meditate upon we hope in and we trust God. Trusting God and we persevere in our faith and one day we know that that is where he's going to bring us. But you know for the majority of our days the majority of our life.

We're living in a third type of sanctification and the one that's most prevalent for us in the present time, which is a Progressive sanctification it is as some in some books you'll read Experiential it's something that we experience a day in and day out and in concerns our current Christian life.

And it is if you look on your sheet, there's a definition. This comes from Gruden's systematic theology. Wayne Grudem Up the top. About maybe an inch down from the chapter of 38 title. It says sanctification is a progressive work if by progressive we mean a work that continues throughout the life of the believer.

It's ongoing. It doesn't cease as some would teach and we'll see that later on. Some say that Christians can get to the point where they do not sin. It's it stops they they arrive. But I haven't met one.

I remember studying John Wesley's writings about it and He himself never claimed that he reached sinless perfection. Because I think maybe if you get to the point and I just thought of this if you get to the point where you Declare that you are sinless I think you've sinned and It's just it's it just doesn't it just doesn't hold water when you win and we'll see that as we as we go on In the study, but sanctification is a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives you remember the line the sanctification going across left to light left to right and Sanctification was the one that was being focused on in that study on that sheet that we handed out.

It's part of the process turn with me if you would to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 and in this verse We're going to see the word sanctification and I want you to tell me what this means in this verse. Why is it being used the word sanctification being used and what is it being used in relation to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 and In verse 13 Paul is thanking God for them in Thanking God for something that's take place in their life.

2nd Thessalonians 2 13. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because this is why he's thankful because God has from the beginning Chosen you to salvation or for salvation.

Through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth God has chosen you to salvation through Sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. What is being said here about sanctification?

When it comes when it comes to another word that he that he puts it. What is he what is he putting it in reference to what other word there? All right. Well, that's that's what it means. But what other word in that verse is kind of being?

Coupled with the word sanctification salvation, right God. What he's saying here is God has chosen us To salvation and that salvation you don't get that salvation that was that salvation doesn't come about in the person's life outside of a person going through Sanctification sanctification is something that must take place in the life of a person.

It's not optional. It's not something that that you can take it or leave it. A person who is saved is a person who is sanctified. The process must take place in their life. Do you see how important that is?

You see how it's coupled there. Do you see how here's another example turn to Luke chapter 1? Luke chapter 1 so we can see it and I'll kind of hit on the word that. That Dan just brought up in Luke chapter 1.

This is Zechariah John the Baptist's father being filled with the Spirit of God and he prophesies at the end of Chapter 1 and he speaks about what God is doing in raising up Jesus Christ as the horn of salvation.

For his people and he's and he talks about what will take place in the life of a person who is saved and notice what? It says in verse. Well, let's begin reading in verse 69 and he has raised up an horn of salvation.

For us in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets. Which have been since the world began that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us.

To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and remember his holy covenant. He's recalling what God was doing in the life and promised the promises that God made concerning saving his people. The oath verse 63 which he swore to our father Abraham.

Notice in verse 74 that he would grant unto us. That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear. The same idea what we're talking about God. Delivering his people so they could serve him.

But how were they going to serve him? How were they going to live? What is the result? What is the character? What are the attributes of that person's life notice to serve him without fear verse 40 75 in holiness and righteousness?

Before him all the days of our life. It is just so clear that when God is delivering someone out of Egypt when God saves someone out of their sin. It is like the from the bondage from the prison. He's doing that and when he when God does that work, he he calls them out of the muck.

Out of the mire out of the of the soiled Mud of sin not to place them in a different mud muck of sin. But he calls them out of darkness to place them into the kingdom of his son his son Jesus Christ who they are to to walk and follow in his steps and as as Jesus walked we are to walk.

The scriptures talk to speak to us and it I mean it even permeates some of the hymns that we sing think about. Oh 4 ,000 tongues to sing. He breaks the power of Cancelled sin. He sets the prisoner free his blood can make the foulest clean his blood availed for me.

God doesn't save people out of the dirt of sin and leave them dirty he makes them and Conforms them to the image of his son. How about and can it be God's eye diffused a quickening ray? I woke the dungeon flamed with light.

My chains fell off. My heart was free. I rose went forth and followed thee. There's this there's this unshackling from sin. There is this deliverance from sin a being set free from sin and that part and that is part of sanctification that's what God's doing in our lives and if you speak to somebody and.

And I have done this if you if you are speaking to people who profess to be Christians. And yet their life has not changed. Then you must bring them back to scriptures like Luke chapter 1 like Ephesians chapter 1 where it says that God has chosen us in Christ that we should be holy.

Look in 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 if you would 2nd Corinthians just to give you another example of this 2nd Corinthians chapter 7. Paul begins the chapter by saying having therefore these promises dearly beloved and.

When you look when you see the therefore you want to know what it's there for you look back to the end of chapter 6. And it says you remember those verses. God does not want us to be unequally yoked. He says for what fellowship has light with darkness.

I mean, it just doesn't make sense. For someone who says that they're a believer to be yoked with unbelievers. You don't have fellowship you what what harmony does Christ have with the wicked one or. What part doesn't in a believer have with an unbeliever?

Verse 16 at the end of the chapter what agreement has the temple of God with idols for you are the temple of the Living God. As God has said I will dwell in them and walk in them and will be their God.

They will be my people verse 16 verse 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be separate. That's the idea there to be holy to be set apart to be Separated for God says the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and be a father to you.

And you shall be my sons and daughters says the Lord Almighty God has called us out of the world saved us from our sins cut the dominion of sin broken its power over us and therefore God saying that he would do this.

Having these promises dearly beloved chapter 7 verse 1 let us play in the pigpen. Right, so it says there right let us let us play with sin let us coddle ourselves and Entertain sin and when we're tempted when we're tempted, let's not worry about it because you've heard this we're under grace.

Jesus has died for us. We don't need to change we can be as we are. God will accept us. He's he's a he loves us so much. He will accept our lives. No matter who we are. And what we've done. It doesn't matter what we do.

I mean if we did its works, right? We we're not supposed to work when it comes to our salvation. It's by grace. So so. And Paul, I mean doesn't Paul slay that when he says should you know should grace abound basically so that we can sin.

You know, God forbid may it never be so what does he say here what's the what's the Exhortation for us here having therefore these promises dearly beloved. Let us cleanse ourselves from all Defilement or filthiness of the flesh and spirit and here it says Perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

This is an ongoing thing. This is a progressive Thing that takes place in our lives called progressive sanctification perfecting holiness or fulfilling or completing or to finish Jerry Bridges one of his books.