Sanctification

How do we know the difference from and apple tree and an orange tree How about a peach tree and a pear tree? You can the difference by its fruit The fruit each one produces reveals its true nature If the tree is healthy, it will produce healthy fruit Likewise, if it is sick, it will produce less healthy fruit If you were to choose for yourselves, which tree you would want to be How many would choose to be a sick tree? I doubt any would, after all who wants to be an unhealthy tree? You’d be surprised! As a minister I see this all the time unfortunately People who want to be made better, but refuse the remedy Some have been diagnosed with Diabetes, but wont take the insulin Some who are alcoholics, but refuse to give up the alcohol. Some with breathing issues but wont give up smoking etc.. And even more sad are the ones who want what Jesus offers And his salvation, But don’t want to give up the world they live in I remember hearing an interview once with a learned scholar and Preacher His Christian walk. He was asked what his most difficult struggle was with his faith He thought for a moment, and replied. I’d say it would have to be this, That a person can appear to be so sincere in their conversion to Christ Yet, continue on in the same sins they were supposedly repentant of

I as a minister personally find people who flat out say to me that They aren’t ready to change, or give stuff up in their lives yet Such a sad response. Its like this Doctor said, they are sick. Here is the remedy, do this and do that but they aren’t willing I hope for their sake, that the Lord doesn’t require their life Before they’ve made the decision to accept Jesus as Lord. Because, the moment your soul leaves this earthly body, Your fate is sealed, because then it would be too late. You see many of us forget, we are operating on His time. Not, ours, His plan is not moved just because we feel we need more time The Sun, moon, & stars continue, and so does His plan With or without out you Now, we’ve talked about those who have yet to be converted And their struggles and consequences of waiting to change What about those of us who have converted? Have we changed? Have you changed since you accepted the Lord? For your sakes, I hope so Because if you haven’t, Ive got news for you. You aren’t saved yet. Most In theology, see that there are three steps so-to-speak A person goes through when they sincerely are converted. Regeneration, Justification, and Glorification, All three together, is what “I” see as sanctification Sometimes it is used in the same way as the term Justification But for our message today, Sanctification is the process of all three What do I mean? Well, when a person first believes in Jesus and is converted. Immediately upon their sincere conversion of heart soul and mind They are regenerated into a new person before the Lord. You are still you, in essence, in body, but not so much in thought From that very moment, you are new The old has gone. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation That means the moment of your conversion, Those little dirty secrets you’ve been carrying around with you All these years? They are forgiven! Thats right, even that one! Hebrews 8:12

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

That means you no longer have to hold on to that baggage You are carrying, Leave it at the altar of you conversion. Leave it with Jesus, confess your sins to Him, repent and be baptized For the remission of your sins.. Jesus said we shall be known by our fruits. Do you still look guilty? Do you still act guilty? Do yo still cower Before the enemy as if you are still guilty? Why? You have been forgiven! Psalms 103:12

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us

You are no longer the person that committed that sin anyway At least you shouldn’t be! Because that person has been regenerated into a new person Through the power of Christ resurrection & His Blood that covers you You see, the reason many of us aren’t living victorious Christian lives Is because, although we want to be changed, we are afraid of change Its the very reason many unbelievers will die in their sins, because they are afraid of the change that WILL happen YES, there is a change, IF there is true conversion. So, I ask you again, have you changed since your conversion? I hope so. This change is not to be feared, it is to be longed for. Don’t you think Jesus knows what the best personality Is For you? He should, He knows you better than you now yourself He knew you since before the womb Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope

This process of change is called “Sanctification” It’s a good thing. You should welcome it, and not fear it Soon after your conversion, you will notice that things begin To seem different to you, Even you start to seem different to yourselves If you are truly converted. This is why Jesus said you shall know them by their fruits. You will begin to carry yourself as one who has been redeemed Everything in your life should reflect the new life that God has Granted you at the regeneration. It may not all happen at once. But, it does happen, don’t fight it, Let it happen This thing is of God! This process of Sanctification does not end You will be in this process until you are taken up to be with Jesus It is God’s power meeting you were you are a the moment of Salvation And repentance, mingling with who you are And begins a process known as Sanctification This is how you can tell if a person is truly repentant or not. Truly saved or not Because if they are not, they are still in their Iniquities. How could this happen you ask? I am so glad you asked. Because of “Justification” You were guilty of a crime, You were deserving of death for your sins You were bound by those nasty little secret sins you’ve been carrying You were a slave to the old person you were. But, God sent Jesus and He paid for your sins By the stripes on His back You were healed by his affliction Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded[a] for our transgressions, He was [b]bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes[c] we are healed.

Peter picks up on this in

1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose [a]stripes you were healed.

Jesus Paid for your sins on the cross, So now you are Justified Before the Lord, AMEN Where does this all lead Pastor? Im so glad you asked. It all leads to your Glorification before the Lord. For your heavenly ticket into heaven For you to have your name written in the Lambs book of life. For you to be reunited w/ all of the loved ones that went on before you So, that you, that old sinner, that old person that you used to be Can now LIVE with BOLDNESS and confidence in this world That you belong NOT to this world, But the world to come, AMEN So let the changes come. Welcome them, this is from God Many things that you may have liked to do, or found enjoyment from If they caused you to sin, will start to fade Your desire to be around the same kind of people or atmosphere Will change, You’ll notice you wont want to be involved in things that are morally Questionable. You may also find certain people you hung with before start to seem Toxic & un-relatable to you, or even down right annoying to you You’ll find you are more sensitive to the things of God You are more compassionate and caring, and eager to help others Like never before. And most importantly, you’ll find that you have a new hunger for the Word of God like never before in your old life. Which is understandable considering you aren’t that same person anymore Because when you accepted Christ, you died to yourself And began to live for Christ Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me

So, give into the change, give in to the power of God in your process Of Sanctification. Amen