Is Sanctification the Consequence of Righteous Living or of Submission?
I have written previously that I believe my salvation is complete in Jesus Christ. I find that complete salvation is an event and a process as well as a final goal. I consider the spirit birth the event of salvation and our glorification in Christ the final goal. I think for the most part we would all agree that these two aspects of our salvation are the work of God alone and that we can neither grant ourselves eternal life nor can we glorify our selves, but what about the process of salvation? What about our life when we are to be busy doing the works that were prepared for us in Christ? Is this process of salvation the exception where our own works determine whether our lives are saved or lost? I believe the scripture makes it clear that all of our salvation, not only our justification and glorification, is of God and not of us or in any part our work. So what about righteous living and good works? Are we really exempt?
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”The truth is that we are all created in Christ for good works but these works are only accomplished in us by the grace of God through our faith and by the power of His Spirit. Just as we must submit to the Gospel in Christ to be born from above we must also yield ourselves to God that He might accomplish these works through us in Christ.
Ephesians
2:10 (KJV)
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work”It is only by the grace of God in Christ through the power of His Spirit that He accomplishes these good works in us. It is only by our submission to God in Christ that He makes us just in His sight and it is only when we submit our life to Him in Christ that He sanctifies it. It is only then that we can hope to be glorified in Christ Jesus our blessed Savior. Dear friend please do not assume that God will perform these things in you if you rebel and refuse to submit to Him in Christ.
2nd Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)
Labels: Theology
offered by Kc | 6/17/2007 06:04:00 AM
10 Comments:
KC, you know this is something I have been giving much thought to, so I am letting this simmer, but for now...
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! I truly hope this is a wonderful day for you to savor the blessings of fatherhood -and grand-fatherhood! {c:
Awwww Missy. Thanks so much! ;-)
Please wish Mr. R a happy Father's Day as well.!
I too wish you a happy Father (and grandfather's) Day.
Good point about santification and its process.
Happy Fathers day and grandpappy
day KC. May the good lord bless and keep you in his sight! I hadn't had time to digest your post just yet cause I'm full of Sonny's Barbecue!
Why must we always remember, not just GODS greatness, but our unworthiness as well ?
Blessings. Ron.
Pech thanks so much on both counts.
I've been studying on your current post but wanted to post an essay instead of a comment. I think I'll end up doing an "In Reply" article here when I feel more confident my thoughts are coherent. ;-)
Grandpaw I hope you had a wonderful day as well. I had BBQ too but it was home made. Mmmmmmmmm!
I agree and I think that’s an excellent recipe for humility. ;-)
We are sanctified in Christ and we enter into the reality of it by moment by moment faith.
Matthew that sounds very close to the way I understand it but I haven’t yet perceived it in terms of reality/unreality. Could you expound on that?
KC, I know this is my general cop-out, but I say both. It has been my experience that truly righteous living (i.e. - the righteousness that Abraham was credited with) is a consequence of submission.
Missy I don't think that's a cop-out but I would ask, do you understand righteous living to be accomplished by us or by God working in us?
I think I am beginning to believe that it is accomplished through my submission but by God.
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