Justified and Sanctified

Martin Luther wrote, "There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow."

In Scripture, all believers are sanctified in Christ. Sanctification is not the "second blessing," coming as a distinctly separate stage in the Christian life. One who believes in Christ is immediately justified and sanctified by the Spirit of God. 

As a true believer you are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2). The blood of Jesus sanctifies every true believer in Christ. We are sanctified, set apart, as God's people in Christ.

Believers are immediately sanctified, or "set apart" as the purchased possession of Christ. We are bought with the price of His blood shed at the cross. The cross work of Christ is applied to our lives in regeneration as well as sanctification.

For the believer, justification happened in the past upon trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. However, sanctification is past and present, leading to glorification at the return of Christ. Until then, believers are sanctified in Christ.

Why God Answers Prayer

Charles Spurgeon said, "God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart. When you are so weak that you cannot do much more than cry, you coin diamonds with both your eyes. The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but His love." 

Spurgeon prayed, because of the assurance that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Some may think it's only about saying the right words, so they read a prayer or memorize a prayer. You can say words without considering God is love. Spurgeon understood that prayer is about a relationship focused on God's love. He said, "The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but His love." 

Spurgeon knew that God answers prayer for "those who have no hope in anything but His love." If you really believe that God loves you, then you know that He will hear you. If you love your children, you listen to them. He who loves us, listens to our prayers.

Spurgeon understood that prayer is trusting God's love to hear and answer. We may not understand how or when God will answer our prayers. Yet, as Spurgeon said, "The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything but His love."

Forgiven and Cleansed

God gave us a conscience. It tells us when we have done wrong. God made us that way not to make us feel guilty all the time. Conscience calls us to confession. That's how God forgives us and gives us a clean conscience. Confession of sin is simply agreeing with God that we have done wrong. God wants us to have a clean conscience. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Christ died for all of our sins. When you confess sin to God, all of your sins are forgiven. The Bible teaches that God cleanses us upon confession of our sins.  We are made clean before God through Jesus Christ. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). That's how God forgives us.

Why do some people refuse to confess their sin to God and receive cleansing through Christ? There are at least two reasons. First, they don't know the good news in Christ. Secondly, they don't really believe the good news. The believer's confession of sin brings immediate cleansing through Christ. We can have a clean conscience today.

Do you have a sin from the past that makes you feel guilty? Confess it to God. Believe the promise of His word. God will forgive you. That's how God forgives us. That's the reason Jesus died for all our sins. Thank God for cleansing you through Jesus Christ. God will forgive your sins and cleanse your conscience.

God Changes Your Heart

God changes your heart, which is the mind, will, and emotions. It is a work of grace performed by the Holy Spirit within you. Then, God does in you what you could never do for yourself. You are born again (John 3:6-8). You are a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, all the praise and glory is to God alone. 

God changes your mind by the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2). Then you understood the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16). You repented and received Jesus as your Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). Repentance means a change of mind. That change was enabled by the Holy Spirit changing your heart (Romans 2:28-29).

God changes your will with new desires. Before, you had no desire for Christ. You were unwilling to receive Christ. Now, God has worked in your heart with a desire for Christ (Philippians 2:13). That's the work of God in your heart through the Holy Spirit (Philippians 1:6).

God changes your emotions. Before, you had no tender emotions toward Christ nor remorse for your sins. Now, you have godly sorrow for your sins, and emotions of love and gratitude toward Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 16:22; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10). That's how God will change your heart.

Christ Our Salvation

John MacArthur wrote that "real salvation is not only justification. Salvation cannot be isolated from regeneration, sanctification, and ultimately glorification. Salvation is the work of God through which we are 'conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29).

Salvation is not what you have done for God, but what He has done for you, and what He is doing in you through Christ Jesus our Lord. MacArthur summarized it in these words: "Salvation is the work of God." That's why we gladly proclaim that it's by grace alone. It's by God's grace in our Lord Jesus Christ.

As sinners, we could never justify ourselves. However, in Christ we are freely justified from all sin.  We could never regenerate nor sanctify ourselves. Yet, we are certainly regenerated by the Spirit of God, unto faith in Christ.  God's work of salvation is completed when He glorifies us in that day unto the image of Christ.

Salvation is God's work in Christ and you gladly give Him all the glory! Let us give God all the glory today, tomorrow, and forever! Glory to God the Father, who chose us with love in Christ (Ephesians 1:4-6). Glory to God the Son, who loved us and gave Himself for us at the cross. His blood saves us from sin and condemnation. His blood sets us apart as God's people, which is our sanctification. Glory to God the Holy Spirit who regenerated us unto new birth, and He shall glorify us into the image of Christ.

God Revealed In Christ

God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). The full revelation of God to us is in Christ. What is God like? Jesus is the express image or likeness of God the Father (Hebrews 1:1-3). We know the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.

God is revealed in Christ as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. All should agree that the Bible is a book about God. How can we understand who God is? Christ is perfect and complete theology. No wonder Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Christ is the total and full revelation of God. The Bible reveals God in Christ.

Both the Old and New Testaments reveal Christ. In the Old Testament, Christ is revealed in prophecy and typology. The first prophecy of Christ coming is found in Genesis 3:15. He is the Seed of the woman. In typology Christ is revealed in signs and symbols, such as the Lamb of God. In the New Testament, Christ is revealed as fulfilling the prophecy and typology of the Old Testament.

Christ is our Lord and Savior. Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the sacrifice for all our sins. He is our risen Lord. Christ is our assurance of salvation. He is the focus of our faith, the hope of our future, and the love of our lives. Christ is our all and all, now and forever!

Experience God's Love

Experience God's love in his only begotten Son. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Whoever includes every nation, all races, and every ethnic group. Whoever includes you.

Experience God's love at the cross of Jesus. God sent His Son to die for sinners like you and me (Romans 5:8). He died for our sins at the cross (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Look at God's love in Christ crucified. This is the greatest love story the world has ever known. Yes, God the Father's love for you is forever proven.

Experience God's love through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit makes God's love real to believers. Upon confessing Jesus as Lord, the Holy Spirit does something beyond your ability to completely understand. He pours out the Father's love into your heart. Your life is changed by love divine.

Experience God's love forever. As a believer in Jesus Christ, nothing can separate you from the infinite love of God. That includes trouble, persecution, suffering, and even death. God loves you now and forever. Everlasting life in Christ is the Father's everlasting love (Romans 8:37-38).