But of Him you are in Christ
Jesus, who became for us…sanctification… —1 Corinthians 1:30
“The most wonderful secret of
living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect
qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is
“Christ in you…” (Colossians 1:27). […] [Sanctification] is the gift of His
patience, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and
through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the
power to be holy— it is drawing from Jesus the very holiness that was exhibited
in Him, and that He now exhibits in me. […] The perfection of everything is in
Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect
qualities of Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, I slowly but surely begin
to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness— “…kept by the
power of God…” (1 Peter 1:5).” CHAMBERS
Living the Christian life is
not some unreachable … something just beyond your fingertips. Each of us, who is born again, has the
capacity to live a life that demonstrates the reality that Christ is in us. (Galatians 2:20) “I am crucified with
Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me. And the life
that I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself up for me.” I memorized that verse soon after I was born again in 1976. Sad to say I have not always applied it to my
life as truth. A dear friend, career
missionary, once told me that there are two parts of sanctification. First is the point that I am saved, born
again and am set apart by virtue of my faith and being sealed by the Holy
Spirit (Christ in me). Second, I enter
into a process of being sanctified. Each
day, I am being conformed into the image of Christ. And, from time to time, the world can see glimpses
of Jesus in me. Not as often as I would
like, but more today than yesterday.
Think about this. You cannot
drive a car forward by looking in the rear view mirror. In the same way, you cannot progress in your
faith by focusing on your failures .. past sins … you will certainly wreck your
car (life). What you need is to embrace
God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9), repent,
and focus your life and thoughts on Jesus. To continue in the metaphor, look ahead,
out of the windshield. (Philippians 3:13) People may tell you to learn from your failures, and you should. But your failures should not rule your future. You must press on not retreat. (Philippians 4:8-9) “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think
about such things. Whatever you have
learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And
the God of peace will be with you.” You must manage your mind and you can only do that by the power of God in you. CHARLEY
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