Christian Support Group Community Group
This is a place for everyone who loves Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (or those who are seeking Him), to come and discuss important issues in their lives and find support from fellow believers in regards to their faith and life. We uphold the Bible and living a Christ-like life, not as a way to heaven, but as a reflection of our love for God.
The wisdom of the fathers
Being prepared through complete Sanctification
"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1.Thess. 5.23)
Although our sanctification is basically included in our conversion and new birth, the practical experience in life shows that by far not all areas of life have come under the control of the Holy Spirit. Therefore our motto must be from the day of our conversion: "You alone, oh Lord, determine all my thinking, speaking and doing, so that there is no area in my life that is not under your influence."
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no-one will see the Lord." (Hebrew 12.14)
We have to keep in mind that these words are directed towards Christians who have already experienced the basic sanctification when they were converted to God. The writer wants to stress that we must not rest on our conversion - which many people nowadays are doing - but we must diligently pursue holiness until we are completely transformed into the image of Christ.
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
(1.Peter 5.5)
The foundation of sanctification is humility. Therefore , because we are prideful by nature, the life of sanctification is nothing else than a continued path of humbleness. Only by our willingness to walk in this path of humility it will be shown whether or not we really determined to grow in our sanctification.
Humble yourselves, therefore under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." (Peter 5.6)
We are destined for high things, for we are to sit with Jesus on His throne and reign with Him for a thousand years, For this purpose He can only use people who have become humble just like He Himself is humble.
(by Christian Röckle)
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;" 1 Thess. 4:3
Further, I take issues with the concept of our "conversion" resulting in basic sanctification, whatever that means. We are first justified, when we come to Christ. True, many changes result, but the bulk of our sanctification is a life long process, which will be finished when we see Christ face to face.
1. Justification - made righteous by the power of God
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Roman 5:1
2. Sanctification - made holy - a process where we cooperate with God. The word "transformed" in the following passage is metamorpheo μεταμορφοῦσθε. It is in the passive imperative. Therefore we are commanded to cooperate with God, who does the work.
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2
3. Glorification - this is when we will be perfect - when we see Christ, face to face.
"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 1 Cor. 13:12
Walter, I'm not saying the post is totally wrong. However, I think you need to focus on the Bible, rather than the writings of men. You have an incomplete view of salvation, and what it is about, because you only read things that you agree with. The Bible is much more complex than these writers show. Salvation is a life long journey, and it is about so much more than just humility. I personally am working on being more humble. It is a hard journey.
But God has taken me through so many other lessons in life, including how to live with joy, how to live while suffering, and how to minister to others, among other things. I fear you are stuck in one thing, and I know God would rather have a devotional here that you wrote, after reading the Bible, and about something God showed you, than all the "Wisdom of the Fathers" copy and pastes in the world.
I would ask that for a while, you focus on posting things you have written in this group. Thanks in advance.
And that is the source of your problem. You do exalt the words of men above the words of God. The "extra" words that are written to expand on a topic, as above, can never be on the same level as the pure Word of God.