A Beautiful Arrangement

“And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they might also be sanctified through the truth.” – John 17:19

We all come into this world as sinners.  Sinners condemned before Almighty God.  Then by God’s grace, we find ourselves under conviction which hopefully leads to repentance.  Repentance deals with sins committed, but not the very thing that causes you to commit them.  To cleanse from all sin, you need to be sanctified.  

When you are born into this world, you are born with a desire to disobey God.  This desire has been passed down since the fall of Adam.  Every single human being is born into this world with this sinful (carnal) nature.  That carnal nature is too powerful for mankind to combat on his own.  This carnal nature will pull you towards sinful things.  “When lust has conceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.”  Like a fish on a hook, you are drawn away by something shiny and attractive, and once you decided to partake you are hooked.  This is the whole of sin that currently plagues mankind.  The desire, and the action.  If left alone it will destroy your life and send you to hell.  God did not intend for us to remain in sin.  He wanted to redeem us from all iniquity.  He wanted to bring us back to full fellowship with the Father.  Repentance cannot do this, only the blood of Christ can accomplish this when you are “baptized into His death” thereby resurrected unto new life, which will be witnessed to your heart by the Holy Ghost.  This Holy Ghost will now live within you as an eternal “keeping agent.”  One that is ever guiding and keeping you along the way of holiness.  If you heed the Spirit’s direction.  The way of holiness will be contrary to the way of sin, and as such, the way of self.  This is sanctification, and sanctification gets rid of that pesky carnal nature that drives you to sin.  It gives you the power to keep you from sin, it leads you down the “path of righteousness for His name sake”, and it purchases your ticket to a home in heaven.  It does not take you out of the world but it “keeps you from the evil of the world.”   When you are birthed into the experience of sanctification, all the clubs, bars, and booze don’t disappear, but the desire for the clubs, bars, and booze will disappear.  It changes what you don’t do, and it changes what you decide to do.  Your heart changes, therefore, your actions/reactions change.  When you’re sanctified, you still battle temptation without, but you do so with the power of Jesus Christ within!  Praise God!  He is glorified, you are sanctified, and the old man of sin lives within you no more.  It is a beautiful arrangement.

The blessing of sanctification was purchased with the blood of Christ.  It pains me when I hear preaching that says the blood covers all sin, and that we can sin, and sin, and sin again because Jesus blood covers.  Not only does it cheapen His holy sacrifice, but it promotes sin.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of holiness, of righteousness, and godliness.  It is “Christ in you the hope of glory”.  While you seek it, remember Jesus died for it.  While you preach it, remember, Jesus died for it.  While you live it, remember, Jesus died for it.  He sanctified himself, so that we could be sanctified.  That we might be sanctified.