May 19th Devotions

Position and Progress: Exploring sanctification and Justification

Charles asked a great question last week about Justification and Sanctification, and it got me thinking about how important some of these ideas are, but how they get lost in technical language, and so, I thought I’d spend this morning telling stories, stories that hopefully will make more since than just me explaining some technical words, and there meanings in the Greek… and don’t get me wrong, I love technical stuff, so if that’s you, just come sit in my office later and we will have a good long chat. But I think stories have a way of being soul food, they reach down into our hearts and connect with things we don’t rationally understand. So here are my four stories:

4 stories

The Slave

once here in early america there was a slave, a young black man by the name of Philip, now Philip’s master was a hard and evil man, no mater what Philip did, his master would find some way of twisting his work, he would promise nice foods, and new clothing to Philip if he did what he was told, but then would be beaten or left unfed when his work was complete, Philip thought to himself why do I do what this man asks, but he found when he tried to rebel it only made it worse and he would be locked away in chains for days at a time and beaten before being forced back into work. Now one day a stranger came through town, and he noticed Philips hardships and he new the mean and twisted ways of Philips master, so he went before him and demanded Philip be released, the cruel master said he was owed dues and work by Philip, so the stranger took it open himself to pay what the evil master wanted, and then demanded Philip’s freedom. Philip was shocked by this and was worried what this new strange master would do to him, but the master took Philip fed and clothed him, gave him a sack full of money, and gave him this charge: go, take my money, live a free life, and if you see others as slaves, buy their freedom with my coin, treat them as I have treated you and tell them to live as free men too.

The Orphan

There was a young boy, he had grown up on the streets of London, he didn’t know who his parents where, he had never meet them, he didn’t even know his own name, the other kids just called him scat, cause that’s how he looked and smelled. One day, scat was unbearably hungry, and he decided he would break in to a rich manor just outside of town to steal some money or food, when he arrived at the manor, it was much nicer and fancier then he had imagined, he was so amazed at the sight of it, it’s lush gardens, how well it was maintained, that he didn’t notice the owner of the home arriving behind him. startled and scared he just stood in terror, when the owner of the manor suddenly exclaimed with joy “oh Peter, you have found your way home!” The owner of the manor then ordered his servants to clean the boy up and show him to his room, the boy was amazed there was already a place prepared for him, the owner came and explained he was friends of Peters parents, but Peter was lost as baby, and now he was going to adopt Peter, and he would be the new heir to the manor and one day it would all be his, Peter was over joyed and couldn’t believe it, he had never expected so much promise in his life, the owner of the manor came and asked Peter, if you like it here, and want to be my heir, will you be my obedient son?, doing what I ask as I prepare you to rule the manor?

The Criminal

There was a nasty man by the name of Jake, Jake never could seem to do what others wanted him to, what started as just skipping school to get high, led to steeling things, and after a few years of getting into trouble, Jake shot an innocent man while he was robbing his home. Jake stayed on the run for a while, always remembering the scared look on that mans face, he used to boast to his friends about what he had done, so he would seem tough and bold, but inside, Jake was ashamed of what he had done. One day Jake was caught and arrested while robbing a convenience store, and they traced all of his crimes back and found proof he had murdered a man, and eventually he was brought before the court, the judge new Jake’s history, and he new Jake wasn’t going to change, he new a large debt needed to be paid for justice to be served for that mans death, and so the judge sentenced Jake to death. Jake’s father was in the court that day, and asked the judge for a favor, he said, I’ll takes Jake’s place, you put me to death instead and let Jake go free, the judge thought this was not a good idea for Jake’s father was good man and this was not an even trade, but the father was relentless and so loved his son he was willing to die for him, the judge agreed to this substitution, but before setting Jake free, he reminded him that his freedom cost the life of his father, and that he should go and live a life worthy of that price.

The Priest

There was a priest who lived out in the jungles of south america, it was a very difficult life, supplies would only come in by plain, and only every few months, so it was often very difficult to get what was needed. after being in the jungle for several years, the chalice that he used to share communion with the villagers had broken, and he could not find or make a suitable replacement. after praying about it one day, the Lord sent the priest to visit the local witch doctor, when he arrived to visit with him, he saw the witch doctor using a beautiful gold chalice to perform a wicked and evil looking ceremony, where blood from the dead was collected and splashed on the feet of others as a blessing, but then then the witch doctor would use the chalice for all sorts of things, drinking, washing, and mixing potions. God told the priest to ask for the chalice, so he did, but the witch doctor said it was a fine relic that could only be given with the shedding of blood, the the priest offered his blood, and was given the chalice. God told the priest, now clean the chalice and wash it in water, set it aside for my use, and my use only, so the priest did as he was told, and when it came time for communion again, he brought out the cup, the villagers were awed that such a cup could hold the blood of a living God, and be a holy and set apart instrument for blessing. the priest reminded the villagers that God made the whole world, and he chooses what purpose things have in it, and if God chose to make this cup holy, then it should remain holy.

Now, you are all smart people, and I’m sure you see the themes and patterns in these stories, but I want to connect them now to you, and what Christ has done for you.

We all have a position in life, the place were we are, and we are real good at justifying our position against others, well i’m not as bad as that guy, but the truth is all of our positions fall short, we are slaves, we are orphans, we are criminals, we are profane objects… until someone does something to change our position.

Jesus did that for us on the cross, He died in our place, taking our sin as his own, rising from the dead and adopting us into his house, setting us apart from the world to do good works and share his love. when we accept what Jesus did for us, that changes our position.

Now once we have a new position, is it right to go on living like we are in our old position? Romans 6:1 “What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God’s kindnesswill increase?” no, we must make progress into the position we have been given, is Peter magically a perfect son after years on the street? no, but does his new position allow him the opportunity to try?

We often want to put these out of order, that we must show progress to earn our position, that's how the world works, but that's not how God works.

We are given position (justification), so we might make progress (sanctification).

Romans 6:11 GW

So consider yourselves dead to sin’s power but living for God in the power Christ Jesus gives you. 

Romans 6:15–20 ESV

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Galatians 5:25 ESV

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.