JOTS FROM OLD JAKE
Being Sanctified:
Friday, Nov. 02, 2007 - 2:38 p.m.
The following scripture has been misconstrued by some folk as meaning that you are saved by good works. When in fact we are saved by Grace, not of Works.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 - 12 (NASB) Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you. Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
This scripture is telling us how to live to glorify our Lord and Savior. Or� should I say, �how not to live?� The Holy Spirit is given to us to convict us of those things which are not pleasing to the Lord. Our lives should be a living testimony to the unsaved. Whether we realize it or not, we are under the inspection glass of the unsaved populous. I remember one time an inmate was telling me that he had been observing how I handled myself in the cell-house and was an inspiration to him to accept Jesus into his life. I immediately started going back through my mind to all of the times I was not a good example. I told him that I was sorry I wasn�t a better example. He told me that he could tell the difference between me and others there under the same circumstances. My only answer to that was that the Lord had to shine through my actions to draw him. I know it was nothing I did of my own credit.
Just because God works through us and draws other to him does not mean that we should try to copy those who are the ministers of God who we learn from. They are only servants to us not idols to follow. The only person we should ever attempt to follow in His likeness is Jesus Christ! If we do indeed follow Him and attempt to be like Him� we will not appear to be �Holier than Thou.�
I like the part where is says, �But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business.� It is something we seem to forget to do too often. There is a time to be vocal about things we see wrong. There is also a time to keep our mouths shut. We need to seek the Lord and Holy Spirit to discern those times. To do that we really need to clear our minds to complete openness to be able to receive what the Spirit has to tell us� Let them who have ears hear�
For some reason the operation of our hearing doesn�t work when the �jaw boning� is in operation! I know this to be true in my own life.
Having taught school in the past, I have noticed that the student who is always talking while you are trying to impart education to them is one who gets the lowest score on the quiz. It seems that you have at least one and maybe up to three in each classroom. Many of them are very intelligent and can learn easily� that is if you can get their total attention to the subject.
Back to the subject: May I suggest that the words, Salvation and Sanctification are not synonymous? Salvation is three steps. 1) Being saved, 2) being sanctified, 3) being glorified.
1) Is the act of accepting Jesus into your heart and being saved from the pits of eternal damnation?
2) Is the act of earning a crown� the clothes of eternity.
3) Glorified is being ruptured (harpazo, G726) and receiving the new glorified body.
VERSE FOR THIS ENTRY!
Ephesians 1:17-21 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
ULTERIOR WORDS OF WISDOM� OR/NOT!
Nothing succeeds like success!
May you be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit!
