5/20/12- Images of Sanctification

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, Be holy for I am holy.  (Lev. 11:45)

⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service;you are God’s field, God’s building.

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:9-16) 

Q. 35. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a free gift of God by which our whole person is made new in the
image of God, and we are made more and more able to become dead to sin and alive to
righteousness. 

(Picture of LMPC Men making a new sidewalk at church office)

• We are building the church. Brick by brick. Every time we attend worship. Every time we pray. Every time we do something for God instead of for ourselves. And we will also find we are building ourselves up- living for a purpose in the process.  Sanctification is the process of building.  It is described in the Bible as a process- like a plant growing (so abide in the vine); like a building being built (so rely on the cornerstone); like a runner running a race (so keep your eye on the prize); like a fighter fighting the good fight (working for the crown to come).  Sanctification is just a word to describe what happens after we get into the ring, into the race, start the building, start living as a Christian.  It is a mysterious, wonderous, and glorious pilgrimage through this life God has given us.  Sometimes God surprises us by causing us to grow through hardship and suffering.  Sometimes there is joy in the journey.  

  Prayer: Help me, Lord, to answer your call to grow, bear fruit, to love you in response to your love for me, to reach out to my neighbor for you have reached out to me.  Keep me from being complacent or growing cold in my love for you. 

5/19/12- Sanctification means growing

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6,7)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15)

Q. 35. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a free gift of God  by which our whole person is made new in the
image of God, and we are made more and more able to become dead to sin and alive to
righteousness.

Thoughts: As a tree grows, we are called to grow in Christ.  We are to sink down our roots into Him, living in Him, growing/built up in Him, strengthened in Him, and then bearing the fruit of thankfulness.  If we are not growing, then we are dying.  Part of growing is remaining in Him.  If we drift off on our own, we cut ourselves off from Him.  We remain in Christ as we worship, have communion with each other, read-study-hear the Word, pray, serve and witness.  As we remain in Him, we start bearing fruit in Him.  The fruit of sanctification- remaining in Him are the fruits of the Spirit, the fruit of reproducing our faith in another. 

Prayer: Help me to abide, stay, remain in you, O Lord.  May my life bear fruit for you. 

5/14/12- Sanctification

²³ May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23) 

¹³ But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

Q. 35. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is a free gift of God by which our whole person is made new in the
image of God, and we are made more and more able to become dead to sin and alive to
righteousness.

Thoughts: "Sanctus" means "holy" in Latin.  Sanctification is focused on how we are made holy in this life.  It is the progression of holiness in our lives.  Justification and adoption are the beginning of the Christian life here, and sanctification is the growth in the Christian life.  The catechism reminds us that sanctification is not something we do apart from God.  Rather- growth in the Christian life is a gift from God.  We do not deserve to grow, growth is the gift of God.  Sanctification is a gradual thing.  Just as we cannot fully control our own physical growth- and it often happens when we sleep, so we cannot fully manipulate our spiritual growth.  The Sanctus Spiritus (Holy Spirit) is the One who sanctifies us- leading us, convicting us, inspiring us, encouraging us.  Since sanctification is gradual, it is not a one time act.  There is always room to grow, room to improve.  We never fully get to where we ought to be, but we can make progress.

Prayer: Help me Lord in my Christian life.  Keep me in your care, and help me to grow ever closer to you and your will for me.