The Bible tells us that man is a triune being. "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify
you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians
5:23) However, most people tend to find this difficult. They can accept a
dual nature, that is, the body and soul (mind, will and emotions)
because these entities are obvious and easily recognizable.
Nevertheless, the scriptures do not reveal man as a dual being, but a
triune being like God Himself. (1 John 5:7)
What the
Apostle Paul is talking about in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 is sanctification.
As defined by Noah Webster, sanctification is, "The act of making holy.
In an evangelical sense, the act of God's grace by which the affections
of men are purified or alienated from sin and the world, and exalted to
a supreme love to God. The act of consecrating or of setting apart for a
sacred purpose; consecration." One of the issues that many believe find
when looking at the subject of sanctification is
that in the common translation of our English Bible, there is very
little distinction made between soul and spirit. However, the Apostle
Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus reveals the fine distinction
of the soul and spirit. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "For the word of God is
living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
Until one is born again, the human spirit lies dormant and under the sway of the soul and body. "And the Lord
said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed
flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis
6:3) The Apostle Paul reveals the works of the flesh and shows us the
war between the flesh (the five senses) and the recreated human spirit. "For the flesh (senses) lusts
against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are
contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." (Galatians 6:17)
But, when the human spirit is touched by the Spirit of God, a
quickening immediately takes place. The dead human spirit comes alive
and begins to operate within. It begins to discerns the things in this
present life like never before, but even more exciting, it reaches
beyond this life and becomes the avenue by which the believer touches
God and God moves upon the believer. This gives the believer the ability
to comprehend and know heavenly things. PTL "But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding." (Job 32:8)
The believers sanctification
is a process of God working in us our entire life which began the
moment of becoming born again. It is a real conversion that awakens the
unbeliever to a consciousness of the Fatherhood of God through faith in
Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." (Romans 8:16)
However, in order to become more aware of this beautiful union with
God, it is necessary that everything be removed that hinders this new
consciousness and dulls the understanding and knowledge of God. It is
sin in the life that hinders the process of sanctification. "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2)
Notice that Paul tells us, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify
you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23) God is at work in the believer (Philippians 2:13) transforming us into
the image of Christ from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the
Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18) The Apostle Paul tells us how we can askew
sin and let the work of God prevail in our lives. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And
do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
Believers
are to dedicate their body to the service of God as well as renew their
mind (with the Word of God) so their recreated spirit dominates their
life. This has absolutely nothing to do with rules and regulations, but
the believers continuous response to God's grace. "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12)
The
greatest struggle that the believer faces is not one with Satan, Jesus
defeated him and gave authority to the church to uphold and enforce that
defeat, (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19; Ephesians
1:19-23; Colossians 2:15), no, it is the believers mind where the
greatest struggle exists. This is why we are to renew our mind with
God's Word. Our minds must stay fixed on Christ, so that we reflect His
glory, show forth His love and evidence His power.
It should be a wonderful thing for believers to know that if we are willing to sell out to God and let Him complete the work (sanctification) that He started in us the day we were born again, He will purge and
drive out every particle of evil and every sensuous or lustful thing in
our thoughts so that we become on earth, what Jesus was on earth. We
should think on terms that sin soils and defiles us. It is an unholy
thing that waits at the door and has a desire to keep us from fellowship
with God. So, let us take a stand and know that "...we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Monday, July 25, 2022
Sanctified By Truth
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