Focus on Jesus SANCTIFICATION BY JUSTIFICATION
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. Luke 7:42, 43.
What is the purpose of studying the Bible, of praying, and of the relationship of a daily devotional life with God? It is for the purpose of studying God's great grace, His forgiveness, His love, and what He did for us at the cross. It is by studying and contemplating His mighty love, and His acceptance of us, that sanctification takes place. Because the more you're forgiven, the more you love; and the more you love, the more you will obey (John 14:15). It is meaningful to discover that sanctification comes by justification.
In John 8:11, when the woman was dragged to Jesus, Jesus said to her, I don't condemn you. There is no one today who is condemned by Jesus. Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. It's only when we understand this that we can go and sin no more. One is the result of the other. We don't go and sin no more by trying hard not to sin. That's a dead-end street. The only way we can ever hope to go and sin no more is by discovering, and continually being reminded day by day, that God doesn't condemn us. It is good news again today that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
In order to understand sanctification correctly, we must be clear on the subject of justification. If we don't have it clear in our minds that we are accepted before God when we accept what Jesus did for us at the cross, then we will become confused. We will think that our obedience is the basis for our acceptance, and we will get discouraged when we find we're not doing that well in overcoming. But we can stand uncondemned today in God's presence as we accept what Jesus has done for us. We will always need the covering of His blood.
Although obedience is not a condition of acceptance with God, it is a condition for salvation. When we come, and continue to come, to Him, He is enabled to work in us to fulfill the conditions necessary for salvation, and He has promised that He is able to finish the work He has started in our lives (Phil. 1:6).
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. Luke 7:42, 43.
What is the purpose of studying the Bible, of praying, and of the relationship of a daily devotional life with God? It is for the purpose of studying God's great grace, His forgiveness, His love, and what He did for us at the cross. It is by studying and contemplating His mighty love, and His acceptance of us, that sanctification takes place. Because the more you're forgiven, the more you love; and the more you love, the more you will obey (John 14:15). It is meaningful to discover that sanctification comes by justification.
In John 8:11, when the woman was dragged to Jesus, Jesus said to her, I don't condemn you. There is no one today who is condemned by Jesus. Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. It's only when we understand this that we can go and sin no more. One is the result of the other. We don't go and sin no more by trying hard not to sin. That's a dead-end street. The only way we can ever hope to go and sin no more is by discovering, and continually being reminded day by day, that God doesn't condemn us. It is good news again today that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
In order to understand sanctification correctly, we must be clear on the subject of justification. If we don't have it clear in our minds that we are accepted before God when we accept what Jesus did for us at the cross, then we will become confused. We will think that our obedience is the basis for our acceptance, and we will get discouraged when we find we're not doing that well in overcoming. But we can stand uncondemned today in God's presence as we accept what Jesus has done for us. We will always need the covering of His blood.
Although obedience is not a condition of acceptance with God, it is a condition for salvation. When we come, and continue to come, to Him, He is enabled to work in us to fulfill the conditions necessary for salvation, and He has promised that He is able to finish the work He has started in our lives (Phil. 1:6).
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