Saved and Sanctified

My mom tells an old story about a pastor's wife she knew years ago whose son was always in trouble. When challenged by church members about her son's seeming lack of Christian fruit, the dear lady sighed - "The boy is saved, but he's not sanctified yet." In case that's just a little too much 'church talk' for you, let me explain. When a person turns to Jesus Christ and, in faith, accepts His offering of grace through the Cross, that one is 'saved,' yes, rescued from the judgment of God! On the other side of that experience, there should be an ongoing transformation of character, a change of behavior, which is called 'sanctification,' becoming useful to God with a life worthy of His high calling. A theologian of a century ago, A.H. Strong, illustrates it like this: "The steamship whose machinery is broken may be brought into port and made fast to the dock. She is then safe, but not sound. Repairs may last a long time. Christ designs to make us both safe and sound. Justification gives us the first- safety; and sanctification gives us the second - soundness." -
as quoted in Revolution of Character, Navpress, 2005

Of concern to me is the apparent desire of many Believers to enjoy the benefit of God's grace through Christ without the transformation of heart and life! Some, it seems, want to be 'saved' and have the hope of Heaven on the horizon of life, but at the same time, wish to reserve the right to live their lives without constraint of the will of God. How wonderful it is to know Jesus as Savior - to find the relief of guilt through His forgiveness! Equally wonderful is the joy of letting the Spirit transform us, as we cooperate with Him, into people whose lives are marked by the 'beauty of holiness!' But many are duped by a diabolical lie believing that a holy life must be a dull, joyless, colorless life of religious acts and constant suffering. The sentiment printed on a T-shirt I saw last week reflects that deception. It read - "See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. - Have no fun!" This is nothing new! It is a repeat of the ancient deception of Eden where Eve became convinced that she could only know happiness if she discarded the Word of God. "You will be like God, knowing good and evil," the serpent whispered to her, goading her to throw away her perfect relationship with her Father Creator.

Believer, there is joy in sanctification! That disciple of Jesus, who follows Him closely, who chooses to respond quickly with obedience; lives with serenity, enjoys tremendous authority over sin and evil, and is spared the fruit of disobedience which is always bitter after the initial illusion of sweet satisfaction.
He is transparent, knowing no need to hide any part of his life from the scrutiny of others.
His worship is genuine, not needing to be forced past the guilt of his hidden deeds.
He experiences daily guidance for he hears the voice of the Spirit more clearly, and thus, lives purposefully.
His life lends light to the world where he walks, helping others to see their way out of confusion.
His integrity grows for he is not 'this way today, and that way tomorrow,' for he is consistently God's man wherever he goes.
He is trusted by the weak, sought out by the strong, and is a 'friend of sinners' without becoming a participant in their ways.

You may be thinking, "That's not me, for that person seems perfect." No, even the sanctified experience an ongoing insurgency of the sinful nature. There are moments of lapse when unholy thoughts, words, or actions break through. What then? The person who knows he belongs to God, repents, finds forgiveness, and makes no excuse for his sin. He accepts responsibility, makes restitution, and moves into a new day!

We cannot save ourselves. Becoming right with God is solely the work of Christ Jesus and we are recipients of undeserved favor. Sanctification is both God's work and ours! We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis in order to live a holy life. There are choices to be made - sometimes painful, sometimes difficult, sometimes provoking scorn from others - that allow the transformation to continue in us. True holiness (not its imitation - self-imposed piety!) is a thing of beauty. Invite the Lord to make you both safe and sound, won't you?

Here's a word from the Word. Think deeply and prayerfully about the application to your life today.
"But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation." (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8, The Message)
Amen!